JP7742276B2 - Spout and container with spout - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a spout and a container with a spout.

Liquid seasonings, liquid detergents, etc. are sometimes provided in spouted containers that serve as refill containers. A spouted container has a container portion formed, for example, from a resin film, to which a spout is attached for pouring the contents of the container portion. The tip of the spouted container is inserted into the packaging container to fill the packaging container with the contents.

The spout of a spout-equipped container, for example, comprises a pouring tube and a movable member attached to the pouring tube. The pouring tube is cylindrical with a top. A pouring outlet is formed in the peripheral wall of the pouring tube. The movable member moves along the pouring tube to open and close the pouring outlet (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2014-80218 A

However, the spout-equipped containers described above require improvement in terms of ease of operation for pouring the contents.

The problem that this aspect of the present invention aims to solve is to provide a spout and a container with a spout that makes it easy to pour the contents.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides the following aspects.
A first aspect comprises a spout body including a container attachment portion attached to a container portion in which contents are stored and a tubular pouring portion protruding from the container attachment portion, and an outer movable member including an outer sleeve fitted onto the tubular pouring portion so as to be movable in the axial direction and rotatable in the circumferential direction, wherein the tubular pouring portion has a cylindrical tubular wall portion and a stopper projection protruding from the outer peripheral surface of the tubular wall portion, a main body flow path is formed in the spout body, the main body flow path including an inner region of the tubular wall portion and a through hole penetrating the container attachment portion, and the main body flow path has a tip opening portion that opens at the tip of the tubular wall portion, and the outer movable member comprises the outer sleeve, a base end abutting member arranged to be able to abut against the container attachment portion, and an arch-shaped operation piece formed in an arch shape protruding laterally from the outer sleeve and connecting the outer sleeve and the base end abutting member. the outer sleeve has a cylindrical main tube portion that is extrapolated onto the tube wall portion, and a closing portion that closes the tip opening so that it can be opened and closed freely, the main tube portion has a guide hole into which the stopper protrusion is inserted, the guide hole having a vertical hole portion that extends along the axial direction of the main tube portion, and a horizontal hole portion that extends from the vertical hole portion in a direction intersecting the axial direction, the arch-shaped operating piece is elastically deformable so as to increase the distance between both ends in the extension direction when pushed towards the dispensing tube portion, the outer sleeve is capable of switching between opening and closing the tip opening by adjusting the pressing force on the arch-shaped operating piece with the stopper protrusion positioned in the vertical hole portion, and the arch-shaped operating piece has a plate-shaped operating portion that is wider than other portions.

It is preferable that the outer surface of the operating part of the dispensing spout has an anti-slip portion formed by at least one of a convex portion and a concave portion.

It is preferable that the outer movable member of the dispensing spout is formed with a direction indicator that indicates the rotation direction for transitioning the outer movable member from a state in which the stopper protrusion is located at the end of the horizontal hole opposite the vertical hole to a state in which the stopper protrusion is located in the vertical hole.

A second aspect provides a container with a spout for dispensing, in which the container attachment portion of the spout body of the spout is attached to the container portion, and the body flow path of the spout body is in communication with the interior region of the container portion.

One aspect of the present invention is to provide a spout and a container with a spout that facilitates the operation of pouring the contents.

1 is a perspective view of a spout and a container with a spout according to an embodiment. FIG. 1 is a front cross-sectional view of a spout and a container with a spout, with the spout channel in a closed state. FIG. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the dispensing spout. FIG. 2 is a front cross-sectional view of the disassembled spout. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the spout with the dispensing flow path in an open state. FIG. 2 is a front cross-sectional view of the dispensing spout with the dispensing flow path in an open state.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the scale of each component in the drawings used in the following description has been changed appropriately to ensure that each component is large enough to be recognized.

[Dispensing spout and refill container]
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a spout 10 and a refillable container 110 (a container with a spout) according to an embodiment. Fig. 2 is a front cross-sectional view of the spout 10 and the refillable container 110. Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the spout 10. Fig. 4 is a front cross-sectional view of the spout 10 in an exploded state.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the refill container 110 (container with a dispensing spout) includes a dispensing spout 10 and a container portion 111.
The dispensing spout 10 has a spout body 20 and an outer movable member 30 .

With regard to the dispensing spout 10, the side of the spout body 20 that faces the container attachment portion 21 is referred to as the base end side. The side opposite the container attachment portion 21 is referred to as the tip end side. With regard to the dispensing spout 10, the axial direction of the dispensing cylindrical portion 22 (specifically, the cylindrical wall portion 22a) of the spout body 20 is referred to as the "axial direction."
The configuration of the dispensing spout 10 and the refill container 110 may be described with reference to Fig. 2. The upper side in Fig. 2 is referred to as "upper." The lower side in Fig. 2 is referred to as "lower."

The spout body 20 and the outer movable member 30 are each integrally molded parts made of synthetic resin. Note that the spout body 20 and the outer movable member 30 may each be assembled parts made up of multiple parts.

3 and 4, the spout body 20 has a container attachment portion 21 and a tubular pouring portion 22. The tubular pouring portion 22 protrudes upward from the container attachment portion 21.
The pouring tube portion 22 includes a tube wall portion 22a, a pair of stopper projections 22f, and a locking projection 25. The tube wall portion 22a is formed in a cylindrical shape.

The stopper protrusions 22f are formed on the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical wall portion 22a. The stopper protrusions 22f are cylindrical with a central axis that aligns with the radial direction of the cylindrical wall portion 22a. The stopper protrusions 22f protrude radially outward from the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical wall portion 22a. The pair of stopper protrusions 22f are positioned rotationally symmetrically with respect to the central axis of the cylindrical wall portion 22a.

The locking protrusion 25 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical wall portion 22a. The locking protrusion 25 is formed in a ring shape that follows the circumferential direction of the cylindrical wall portion 22a. The locking protrusion 25 is located away from the movable member receiving surface 21c of the container attachment portion 21 toward the tip side of the cylindrical wall portion 22a. The locking protrusion 25 locks with the base end abutment member 32, restricting the base end abutment member 32 from moving toward the tip side of the cylindrical wall portion 22a.

As shown in Figures 2 and 4, the spout body 20 has a main body flow path 23 formed therein. The main body flow path 23 includes an inner region of the cylindrical wall portion 22a and a through hole 23c that penetrates the container mounting portion 21. The cross section of the inner region of the cylindrical wall portion 22a perpendicular to the axial direction is circular. The cross section of the through hole 23c perpendicular to the axial direction is also circular. The inner diameter of the through hole 23c is larger than the inner region of the cylindrical wall portion 22a. The through hole 23c is coaxial with the cylindrical wall portion 22a.

The main body flow path 23 includes a base end opening 23a that opens to the base end surface 21a (base end surface) of the container attachment portion 21. The main body flow path 23 includes a main body tip opening 23b that opens to the tip of the cylindrical wall portion 22a. The main body flow path 23 is formed in the spout body 20 from its one end, the base end opening 23a, to its other end, the main body tip opening 23b. The main body tip opening 23b is an example of a "tip opening." The main body tip opening 23b is circular when viewed in the axial direction of the cylindrical wall portion 22a.

As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the main body tip opening 23b opens the entire inner area of the cylindrical wall portion 22a when viewed in the axial direction of the cylindrical wall portion 22a. The inner diameter of the cylindrical wall portion 22a is constant along the entire axial length of the cylindrical wall portion 22a.

As shown in FIG. 2, the base end opening 23a of the main body flow path 23 opens into the interior region of the container portion 111 of the refill container 110. The main body flow path 23 is connected to the interior region of the container portion 111. Contents from the container portion 111 can flow into the main body flow path 23. More specifically, the main body flow path 23 is a fluid flow path that guides the contents in the container portion 111 to the tip of the dispensing tube portion 22 and dispenses them from the main body tip opening 23b. The refill container 110 can dispense the contents in the container portion 111 from the main body tip opening 23b via the main body flow path 23.

As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the container mounting portion 21 has a central portion in which the main flow path 23 is formed, and protruding portions 21b. The protruding portions 21b are formed by protruding away from the central portion perpendicular to the axial direction. The base end surface 21a of the container mounting portion 21 is the underside in Figure 2.

As shown in Figures 2 and 4, the container mounting portion 21 has a top wall portion 21d and a side wall portion 21e. The top wall portion 21d forms a movable member receiving surface 21c. The movable member receiving surface 21c is the surface opposite the base end surface 21a. The movable member receiving surface 21c is the upper surface in Figure 2. The side wall portion 21e protrudes downward from the outer peripheral edge of the top wall portion 21d.

The direction in which the protruding portions 21b on both sides of the central portion of the container mounting portion 21 protrude is referred to as the left-right direction. The direction perpendicular to the axial direction and the left-right direction is also referred to as the front-to-rear direction. The container mounting portion 21 is formed in an elongated shape with its dimension in the left-to-right direction being greater than its dimension in the front-to-rear direction.

As shown in Figure 3, the protruding portion 21b of the container mounting portion 21 is shaped so that its front-to-rear dimension gradually decreases in the protruding direction.

The movable member receiving surface 21c is formed with a pair of locking projections 24 that restrict rotation of the outer movable member 30, and a pair of restricting projections 26 that restrict rotation of the outer movable member 30.

The locking projection 24 protrudes upward (toward the tip of the tubular wall portion 22a) from the movable member receiving surface 21c. The locking projection 24 restricts rotation of the outer movable member 30 by releasably engaging with the locking receiving portion 33e of the arch-shaped operating piece 33.

The restricting protrusion 26 protrudes upward (toward the tip) from the movable member receiving surface 21c. The restricting protrusion 26 can abut against the second connecting piece 33c of the arch-shaped operating piece 33. The restricting protrusion 26 is a stopper that abuts against the second connecting piece 33c and restricts rotation of the outer movable member 30.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the container portion 111 of the refill container 110 is formed into a bag shape using a film 112. The film 112 that constitutes the container portion 111 is attached to both sides of the container attachment portion 21 of the spout body 20.

The film 112 has a sealant layer on the inner surface side of the container portion 111. The film 112 is attached to the container attachment portion 21 by sealing the inner surface of the container portion 111 to the front and rear side surfaces of the container attachment portion 21. The film 112 is tightly fixed to the side surface of the container attachment portion 21 by, for example, heat sealing. The container portion 111 has a seal portion where the films 112 are attached to each other in the left-right direction via the container attachment portion 21.
The film 112 may be attached to the container attachment portion 21 of the spout body 20 by adhesive fixation using, for example, a curable liquid adhesive.

The container portion 111 can suitably be a standing pouch or the like that includes, for example, a pair of side films fixed to the front and rear sides of the container attachment portion 21 of the spout body 20, and a bottom film that covers the bottom of the side films on the side opposite the dispensing spout 10. When the container portion 111 is a standing pouch, the refill container 110 can be stably maintained in an upward position with the tip of the dispensing spout 10 at the top by simply placing the bottom of the container portion 111 on a placement surface.

The container portion 111 contains contents. The contents are fluids consisting of tangible substances such as liquids and powders. Examples of liquid contents include liquid seasonings, liquid detergents, and liquid cosmetics. Examples of powder contents include salt, sugar, pepper, granular seasonings, and powdered detergents.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the outer movable member 30 includes an outer sleeve 31 , a base end abutment member 32 , and a pair of arch-shaped operation pieces 33 .
As shown in FIG. 4, the outer sleeve 31 includes a main tubular portion 31a, an inner support frame 31b, a tip tubular portion 31c, and a closing portion 31d.

The main tube portion 31a is cylindrical. The main tube portion 31a is fitted onto the outer surface of the dispensing tube portion 22. In other words, the dispensing tube portion 22 is fitted into the main tube portion 31a. The main tube portion 31a is slidable in the axial direction of the tube wall portion 22a. The main tube portion 31a is rotatable in the circumferential direction of the tube wall portion 22a. The main tube portion 31a is slidable in the axial direction and rotatable in the circumferential direction of the tube wall portion 22a while sliding against the side surface of the tube wall portion 22a.

As shown in FIG. 1 , a direction indicator 35 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the main tube portion 31a. The direction indicator 35 indicates the rotation direction of the outer movable member 30. The direction indicator 35 indicates the rotation direction of the outer movable member 30 for transitioning the outer movable member 30 from its initial state (a state in which the stopper protrusion 22f is located at the extended tip end 31m of the horizontal hole 31i) to a state in which the stopper protrusion 22f is located at the tip end 31j. The direction indicator 35 can be formed as a recess or protrusion on the surface of the main tube portion 31a. The direction indicator 35 may be, for example, an arrow.
The dispensing spout 10 has a direction indicator 35 that indicates the direction of rotation of the outer movable member 30, making it less likely that an incorrect operation will occur.

As shown in Figure 1, the inner support frame 31b is formed at the tip of the main tube portion 31a. The inner support frame 31b is formed in a cross shape. The inner support frame 31b is formed perpendicular to the axial direction. The gaps in the inner support frame 31b are multiple flow holes 31f. The flow holes 31f allow the contents to flow through.

As shown in FIG. 4, the closing portion 31d includes a plug plate portion 31d1 and a plug receiving tube portion 31d2.
The stopper plate 31d1 is formed in a disk shape perpendicular to the axial direction. The outer diameter of the stopper plate 31d1 is smaller than the inner diameter of the main cylinder portion 31a. The stopper plate 31d1 is provided on the lower surface of the inner support frame 31b.

The plug receiving tubular portion 31d2 is cylindrical. It protrudes from the outer peripheral edge of the plug plate portion 31d1 toward the base end (container attachment portion 21 side). The outer peripheral surface of the plug receiving tubular portion 31d2 is a cylindrical surface with a central axis parallel to the axis of the dispensing tubular portion 22. The plug receiving tubular portion 31d2 is inserted into and removed from the tubular wall portion 22a by moving the outer sleeve 31 in the axial direction relative to the dispensing tubular portion 22. This allows the closure portion 31d to freely open and close the main body tip opening 23b.

The outer peripheral surface of the plug receiving tubular portion 31d2 can be in contact with the inner peripheral surface of the tubular dispensing portion 22. By being in contact with the inner peripheral surface of the tubular dispensing portion 22, the outer peripheral surface of the plug receiving tubular portion 31d2 separates the inner area of the tubular wall portion 22a from the inner area of the tip tubular portion 31c. When the outer peripheral surface of the plug receiving tubular portion 31d2 comes into contact with the inner peripheral surface of the tubular wall portion 22a, the closure portion 31d closes the main body tip opening 23b. This restricts the contents from flowing out from the tubular dispensing portion 22 to the tip tubular portion 31c.

When the outer sleeve 31 moves axially relative to the tubular dispensing portion 22, the outer surface of the tubular plug receiving portion 31d2 can slide while maintaining circumferential contact with the inner surface of the tubular dispensing portion 22. When the outer sleeve 31 rotates circumferentially relative to the tubular dispensing portion 22 about the tubular wall portion 22a, the outer surface of the tubular plug receiving portion 31d2 can slide while maintaining circumferential contact with the inner surface of the tubular dispensing portion 22.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the dispensing spout 10. Figure 6 is a front cross-sectional view of the dispensing spout 10. Figures 5 and 6 show the outer sleeve 31 moved toward the tip of the dispensing tube portion 22 compared to Figure 2.

As shown in Figure 6, when the outer sleeve 31 is moved toward the tip of the dispensing tubular portion 22 compared to the state shown in Figure 2, the closure portion 31d can be removed from the tubular wall portion 22a, opening the gap between the plug receiving tubular portion 31d2 and the tubular wall portion 22a. This opens the main body tip opening 23b.

By opening the gap between the plug receiving tubular portion 31d2 and the tubular wall portion 22a, a dispensing flow path that communicates with the main flow path 23 is secured inside the outer sleeve 31. The state in which a dispensing flow path is secured inside the outer sleeve 31 is also referred to as the "dispensing flow path open state." This allows the contents to flow from the main body tip opening 23b of the main flow path 23 to the tip tubular portion 31c and to be dispensed from the tip tubular portion 31c through the gap between the plug receiving tubular portion 31d2 and the tubular wall portion 22a.

2, when the outer peripheral surface of the plug receiving cylindrical portion 31d2 contacts the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical wall portion 22a, the body tip opening 23b is closed, and the pouring flow path inside the outer sleeve 31 is partitioned so that the contents cannot pass through.
The state in which the outer peripheral surface of the plug receiving cylindrical portion 31d2 is in contact with the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical wall portion 22a and the main body tip opening portion 23b is closed is also referred to as the "pouring flow path closed state."

The dispensing spout 10 can open and close the outer surface of the plug receiving cylindrical portion 31d2 and the inner surface of the cylindrical wall portion 22a by inserting and removing the closure portion 31d into and from the cylindrical wall portion 22a. This allows the closure portion 31d to switch between opening and closing the main body tip opening 23b.

As shown in Figures 3 and 4, a pair of guide holes 31g are formed in the main tubular portion 31a of the outer sleeve 31. The pair of guide holes 31g are formed at positions that are rotationally symmetrical about the central axis of the main tubular portion 31a. The stopper protrusions 22f of the dispensing tubular portion 22 are inserted into the pair of guide holes 31g, respectively.

The guide hole 31g has a vertical hole portion 31h and a horizontal hole portion 31i. The vertical hole portion 31h is formed along the axial direction of the main tube portion 31a. The tip end portion 31j is the tip end of the vertical hole portion 31h.

The horizontal hole 31i extends from the tip end 31j in a direction intersecting the axial direction. The end 31k of the vertical hole 31h on the base end side of the main tube portion 31a is referred to as the base end. The end 31m of the guide hole 31g on the side of the horizontal hole 31i opposite to the side that is connected to the vertical hole 31h is also referred to as the extended tip end.

The horizontal hole 31i extends from the tip end 31j at an angle so as to gradually approach the tip of the main tubular portion 31a. In other words, the horizontal hole 31i is angled so as to gradually rise from the tip end 31j toward the extended tip 31m. Note that the horizontal hole 31i may also extend circumferentially around the main tubular portion 31a from the tip end 31j toward the extended tip 31m.

Figures 1 and 2 show the state in which the stopper projection 22f of the dispensing tube portion 22 is positioned at the extended tip 31m of the horizontal hole portion 31i in the guide hole 31g. Figures 5 and 6 show the state in which the stopper projection 22f is positioned at the base end 31k of the vertical hole portion 31h in the guide hole 31g.

The width of the guide hole 31g is equal to or slightly larger than the outer diameter of the stopper protrusions 22f. The pair of stopper protrusions 22f are each inserted into the guide hole 31g. The stopper protrusions 22f are inserted into the guide hole 31g so that they can move in the length direction.

The cross-sectional shape of the stopper protrusion 22f perpendicular to the protruding direction is not limited to a circle, and may be a polygon such as a rectangle, triangle, or hexagon, or may also be an ellipse. The width dimensions of the horizontal hole portion 31i and the vertical hole portion 31h of the guide hole 31g may be different.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, when the stopper projection 22f is positioned within the horizontal hole portion 31i of the guide hole 31g, axial movement of the outer sleeve 31 is restricted from the position where the inner wall surface on the base end side of the horizontal hole portion 31i abuts against the stopper projection 22f.

As shown in Figures 5 and 6, when the stopper projection 22f is positioned in the vertical hole portion 31h of the guide hole 31g, the outer sleeve 31 can move axially relative to the pouring tube portion 22.

The two guide holes 31g are positioned rotationally symmetrically about the central axis of the main tubular portion 31a. This is advantageous for preventing tilting of the outer sleeve 31 relative to the tubular dispensing portion 22. This allows for smooth axial movement of the outer sleeve 31 relative to the tubular dispensing portion 22.

Note that the dispensing spout 10 of this embodiment has two pairs of stopper protrusions 22f and guide holes 31g, but the number of pairs of stopper protrusions 22f and guide holes 31g may be one. The number of pairs of stopper protrusions 22f and guide holes 31g may also be multiple (any number greater than or equal to two).

The tip tube portion 31c protrudes further toward the tip side from the tip of the main tube portion 31a. That is, in Figure 2, the tip tube portion 31c protrudes upward from the upper end of the main tube portion 31a. The tip tube portion 31c is cylindrical and coaxial with the main tube portion 31a.

As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the base-end abutment member 32 is formed in an annular shape. The base-end abutment member 32 is provided on the base end side of the outer sleeve 31. The base-end abutment member 32 is supported by an arch-shaped operating piece 33. The base-end abutment member 32 is provided in an orientation along a plane (imaginary plane) perpendicular to the axis of the outer sleeve 31. The base-end abutment member 32 is coaxial with the outer sleeve 31.

The base-end abutment member 32 is fitted onto the cylindrical wall portion 22a. The base-end abutment member 32 is positioned between the outer sleeve 31 and the container mounting portion 21 so as to be able to abut against the movable member receiving surface 21c of the container mounting portion 21.

As shown in FIG. 4, the base-end abutment member 32 includes an annular main body 32a and multiple abutment protrusions 32b. The annular main body 32a is formed in an annular (e.g., circular) shape. The multiple abutment protrusions 32b are formed on the inner circumferential surface of the annular main body 32a. The abutment protrusions 32b protrude inward from the inner circumferential surface of the annular main body 32a. The multiple abutment protrusions 32b are formed at intervals around the circumference of the annular main body 32a. The height position of the abutment protrusions 32b is between the locking protrusion 25 of the tubular dispensing portion 22 and the container mounting portion 21. The base-end abutment member 32 is rotatable around the tubular wall portion 22a relative to the tubular dispensing portion 22.

The base-end abutment member 32 is connected to the base end of the main tube portion 31a via multiple bridges 34. The multiple bridges 34 are spaced apart circumferentially around the base-end abutment member 32.

The base-end abutment member 32 may be formed solely by the annular main body 32a. The annular main body 32a is not limited to being circular.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the pair of arch-shaped operating pieces 33 are formed in an arch shape that protrudes from one side and the other side of the outer sleeve 31. The arch-shaped operating pieces 33 extend between the outer sleeve 31 and the base-end abutment member 32. One end of the arch-shaped operating piece 33 is connected to the outer sleeve 31. The other end of the arch-shaped operating piece 33 is connected to the base-end abutment member 32. The arch-shaped operating piece 33 connects the outer sleeve 31 and the base-end abutment member 32.

The arch-shaped operating piece 33 comprises an operating portion 33a, a first connecting piece 33b, and a second connecting piece 33c. The operating portion 33a is plate-shaped and perpendicular to the radial direction of the main tubular portion 31a. The operating portion 33a is rectangular in shape, with its longitudinal direction aligned with the axial direction of the main tubular portion 31a. The width of the operating portion 33a is greater than the width of the other portions of the arch-shaped operating piece 33 (the first connecting piece 33b and the second connecting piece 33c).

The operating portion 33a is wider than the other portions of the arched operating piece 33, so when the user presses the arched operating piece 33, the pressing force can be appropriately applied to the operating portion 33a. This makes it easier to operate the arched operating piece 33.

An anti-slip portion 37 is formed on the outer surface of the operating portion 33a. The anti-slip portion 37 is formed by at least one of a convex portion and a concave portion. In this embodiment, the anti-slip portion 37 is formed by multiple ridges 37a. The ridges 37a are formed linearly. The ridges 37a extend in a direction intersecting the axial direction of the main tube portion 31a (for example, a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the main tube portion 31a). The multiple ridges 37a are formed side by side in the axial direction of the main tube portion 31a.

By forming the anti-slip portion 37 on the outer surface of the operating portion 33a, when pressing the arch-shaped operating piece 33, the pressing force can be appropriately applied to the operating portion 33a. This makes it easier to operate the arch-shaped operating piece 33.

The shape of the non-slip portion is not particularly limited, as long as it can increase friction between the non-slip portion and the user's fingers. For example, the non-slip portion may be formed by a recess such as a groove. The non-slip portion may be formed by a dot-shaped protrusion or recess. The non-slip portion may also be formed by a combination of a protrusion and a recess.

The first connecting piece 33b is a thin piece that connects the upper part of the main tubular portion 31a and the upper part of the operating portion 33a. A part of the first connecting piece 33b is curved so that the angle of inclination relative to the axial direction of the main tubular portion 31a increases as the first connecting piece 33b moves away from the operating portion 33a.
The second connecting piece 33c is a thin piece that connects the lower part of the main tube portion 31a and the lower part of the operating portion 33a. A locking recess 33d is formed on the underside of the second connecting piece 33c. The locking recess 33d forms a locking receiving portion 33e on the second connecting piece 33c.
The first connecting piece 33b and the second connecting piece 33c are elastically bendable and deformable.

A direction indicator 36 is formed on the outer surface of the first connecting piece 33b. The direction indicator 36 indicates the rotation direction of the outer movable member 30. The direction indicator 36 indicates the rotation direction of the outer movable member 30 for transitioning the outer movable member 30 from the initial state (a state in which the stopper protrusion 22f is at the extended tip end 31m of the horizontal hole 31i) to a state in which the stopper protrusion 22f is at the tip end 31j. The direction indicator 36 can be formed as a recess or protrusion on the outer surface of the first connecting piece 33b. The direction indicator 36 may be, for example, an arrow.
The dispensing spout 10 has a direction indicator 36 that indicates the direction of rotation of the outer movable member 30, making it less likely that an incorrect operation will occur.

The arch-shaped operating piece 33 can be elastically deformed to increase the distance between both ends in the extension direction by pushing the operating part 33a closer to the dispensing tubular part 22 (see Figure 2) when the outer sleeve 31 has the stopper projection 22f of the dispensing tubular part 22 positioned other than at the base end 31k of the vertical hole 31h of the guide hole 31g (see Figure 1).

The outer sleeve 31 moves toward the tip as the distance between the two ends of the arch-shaped operating piece 33 in the extension direction increases. That is, the outer sleeve 31 is displaced relative to the base-end abutment member 32 so as to increase the distance from the base-end abutment member 32. At this time, the position of the stopper projection 22f in the vertical hole portion 31h of the guide hole 31g (see Figure 1) moves toward the base end of the outer sleeve 31. As a result, the outer sleeve 31 moves toward the tip of the dispensing tube portion 22.

[How to use the dispensing spout and refill container]
1 and 2, the state in which the outer sleeve 31 has the stopper projection 22f positioned at the extended tip 31m of the horizontal hole 31i of the guide hole 31g is referred to as the "initial state." As shown in Fig. 2, in the initial state, the dispensing spout 10 is in a dispensing flow path closed state in which the outer peripheral surface of the plug receiving cylindrical portion 31d2 is in contact with the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical wall portion 22a. Therefore, in the initial state, the outflow of the contents from the main flow path 23 to the tip cylindrical portion 31c is restricted.

When the outer movable member 30 is rotated circumferentially around the cylindrical wall portion 22a, the stopper projection 22f moves from the extending tip end 31m of the horizontal hole portion 31i to the tip end portion 31j of the vertical hole portion 31h. When the stopper projection 22f is positioned at the tip end portion 31j, the pouring flow path remains closed.

As shown in FIG. 5, the user presses the operating portion 33a of the arched operating piece 33 in a direction that moves it closer to the dispensing tubular portion 22. The user can press the operating portion 33a, for example, with their finger. This causes the operating portion 33a to move closer to the dispensing tubular portion 22. To operate the arched operating piece 33, the two operating portions 33a are pressed in directions that move them closer to each other. This causes the arched operating piece 33 to be displaced in a direction that moves the operating portion 33a closer to the dispensing tubular portion 22. The first connecting piece 33b and the second connecting piece 33c elastically deform in directions that move them away from each other.

As the arch-shaped operating piece 33 deforms, the outer sleeve 31 is displaced so as to increase its distance from the base-end abutment member 32. This causes the outer sleeve 31 to move toward the tip of the dispensing tube portion 22. At this time, the end 31k of the vertical hole portion 31h of the guide hole 31g (see Figure 1) approaches the stopper protrusion 22f. The position at which the end 31k reaches the stopper protrusion 22f is the limit of movement of the outer sleeve 31 (highest position).

As shown in Figure 6, when the outer sleeve 31 moves toward the tip of the dispensing tubular portion 22, the plug receiving tubular portion 31d2 is pulled out of the tubular wall portion 22a before the stopper projection 22f arranged in the vertical hole portion 31h reaches the base end portion 31k of the vertical hole portion 31h. This opens the main body tip opening 23b, and the dispensing spout 10 enters an open dispensing flow path state.

When the main body tip opening 23b is opened, the contents in the container 111 can flow from the main body tip opening 23b through the main body flow path 23 into the tip tubular portion 31c and be poured out from the tip tubular portion 31c.

When the outer sleeve 31 moves toward the tip side relative to the dispensing tube portion 22, a tensile force acts on the bridge 34 connecting the main tube portion 31a and the base-end abutment member 32, causing the bridge 34 to break.

In a dispensing spout 10 in which a stopper projection 22f is disposed in the horizontal hole 31i of the outer sleeve 31, even if the operating portion 33a of the arch-shaped operating piece 33 is pushed, the inner wall surface of the horizontal hole 31i abuts against the stopper projection 22f, restricting movement of the outer sleeve 31 toward the tip, and preventing the dispensing flow path from opening.

When the pressing force on the operating portion 33a is reduced, the arched operating piece 33 is deformed by its elastic restoring force in a direction that brings the first connecting piece 33b and the second connecting piece 33c closer together. Therefore, simply by releasing the pressing force on the operating portion 33a, the dispensing spout 10 can return the outer sleeve 31 to a state in which the stopper protrusion 22f is positioned at the tip end 31j of the vertical hole 31h, thereby closing the dispensing flow path.

In this way, the dispensing spout 10 can switch between a dispensing channel closed state and a dispensing channel open state by adjusting the pressing force on the arch-shaped operating piece 33. More specifically, the dispensing channel can be switched between a dispensing channel closed state and a dispensing channel open state by applying and releasing pressing force to the operating portion 33a of the arch-shaped operating piece 33.

The dispensing spout 10 can maintain the dispensing flow path in a closed state by placing the stopper projection 22f at the tip end 31j of the vertical hole 31h, and then rotating the outer movable member 30 circumferentially relative to the dispensing tubular portion 22 to insert the stopper projection 22f into the horizontal hole 31i. Placing the stopper projection 22f at the extended tip 31m of the horizontal hole 31i makes it easier to prevent the stopper projection 22f from inadvertently entering the vertical hole 31h. This makes it easier to maintain the dispensing flow path in a closed state.

As shown in FIG. 1, when the stopper projection 22f is positioned at the extended tip 31m of the horizontal hole 31i of the outer sleeve 31, the second connecting piece 33c of the arched operating piece 33 approaches or abuts against the restricting protrusion 26 of the container mounting portion 21. The restricting protrusion 26 restricts the arched operating piece 33 from rotating circumferentially relative to the dispensing tube portion 22.

At this time, the locking receiving portion 33e of the arch-shaped operating piece 33 engages with the locking projection 24, restricting the rotation of the arch-shaped operating piece 33 in the circumferential direction relative to the dispensing tube portion 22. As a result, the outer movable member 30 maintains a state in which the stopper projection 22f is positioned at the extending tip 31m of the horizontal hole portion 31i.

The locking projection 24 can be switched between engaging and disengaging with the locking receiving portion 33e of the arch-shaped operating piece 33. When the locking projection 24 is disengaged from the locking receiving portion 33e, the outer movable member 30 can rotate circumferentially relative to the dispensing tube portion 22.

The locking projection 24 releasably engages with the arch-shaped operating piece 33 of the outer movable member 30, which has a stopper projection 22f located at its extended tip 31m, and serves as a rotation restricting part that restricts rotation of the outer movable member 30.

[Effects of the spout and refill container according to the embodiment]
In the spout 10, the arched operation piece 33 has an operation portion 33a that is wider than the other portion of the arched operation piece 33, so that when the arched operation piece 33 is pressed, an appropriate pressing force can be applied to the arched operation piece 33. This makes it easy to operate the arched operation piece 33.

The dispensing spout 10 has a non-slip portion 37 formed on the outer surface of the operating portion 33a, which allows the appropriate pressing force to be applied to the operating portion 33a when pressing the arch-shaped operating piece 33. This makes it easier to operate the arch-shaped operating piece 33.

The dispensing spout 10 has a main body tip opening 23b that opens the entire inner area of the tubular wall portion 22a. This allows the contents in the container portion 111 to flow into the tubular tip portion 31c via the main body flow path 23 and be dispensed from the tubular tip portion 31c, increasing the amount dispensed.

The spout 10 maintains the stopper projection 22f positioned at the extended tip 31m of the horizontal hole 31i by engaging the locking projection 24 with the locking receiving portion 33e of the arch-shaped operating piece 33. This makes it less likely for the outer movable member 30 to malfunction.

The horizontal hole portion 31i of the guide hole 31g of the dispensing spout 10 extends at an angle from the vertical hole portion 31h toward the tip of the main tubular portion 31a, ensuring that the dispensing flow path is reliably closed when the dispensing flow path is closed.

The present invention has been described above based on the best mode, but the present invention is not limited to the best mode described above, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

10...Dispensing spout, 20...Spout main body, 21...Container attachment portion, 22...Dispensing cylindrical portion, 22a...Cylindrical wall portion, 22f...Stopper projection, 23...Main body flow path, 23b...Main body tip opening (tip opening), 23c...Through hole, 24...Latching projection, 30...Outer movable member, 31...Outer sleeve, 31a...Main cylindrical portion, 31d...Closing portion, 31g...Guide hole, 31h...Vertical hole portion, 31i...Horizontal hole portion, 31m...Extended tip portion (of the horizontal hole) (end portion opposite the vertical hole portion), 32...Base end abutment member, 33...Arch-shaped operating piece, 33e...Latching receiving portion, 110...Container with dispensing spout (refillable container), 111...Container portion.

Claims (4)

a spout body including a container attachment portion attached to a container portion in which contents are accommodated and a cylindrical pouring portion protruding from the container attachment portion;
an outer movable member including an outer sleeve fitted onto the pouring tube portion so as to be movable in the axial direction and rotatable in the circumferential direction;
Equipped with
The pouring tube portion has a cylindrical tube wall portion and a stopper projection projecting from an outer peripheral surface of the tube wall portion,
The spout body has a main body flow path formed therein, the main body flow path including an inner region of the cylindrical wall portion and a through hole penetrating the container attachment portion,
the main body flow path has a tip opening that opens at the tip of the cylindrical wall portion,
the outer movable member includes the outer sleeve, a base-end abutment member arranged to be able to abut against the container mounting portion, and an arch-shaped operation piece formed in an arch shape extending laterally from the outer sleeve and connecting the outer sleeve and the base-end abutment member,
the outer sleeve has a cylindrical main tubular portion fitted onto the tubular wall portion, an inner support frame formed at the tip of the main tubular portion, and a closing portion that closes the tip opening in an openable and closable manner using a plug receiving tubular portion ,
The outer circumferential surface of the plug receiving cylindrical portion can be in contact with the inner circumferential surface of the pouring cylindrical portion,
a guide hole into which the stopper protrusion is inserted is formed in the main cylindrical portion;
the guide hole has a vertical hole portion extending along the axial direction of the main tubular portion and a horizontal hole portion extending from the vertical hole portion in a direction intersecting the axial direction,
the arch-shaped operation piece is elastically deformable so as to increase the distance between both ends in an extension direction by being pushed toward the pouring tube portion,
the outer sleeve is capable of switching between opening and closing the distal end opening by the closing portion by adjusting a pressing force on the arch-shaped operation piece with the stopper projection positioned in the vertical hole portion,
The arch-shaped operation piece has a plate-shaped operation portion that is wider than other portions ,
an inner diameter of the cylindrical wall portion is constant over the entire axial length of the cylindrical wall portion;
The tip opening opens the entire inner region when viewed from the axial direction of the cylindrical wall portion.
Spout for pouring. The spout according to claim 1, wherein the outer surface of the operating part has an anti-slip portion formed by at least one of a convex portion and a concave portion. The spout according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the outer movable member is formed with a direction indicator that indicates the rotation direction for transitioning the outer movable member from a state in which the stopper projection is located at the end of the horizontal hole opposite the vertical hole to a state in which the stopper projection is located in the vertical hole. A container with a spout, in which the container attachment portion of the spout body of the spout according to any one of claims 1 to 3 is attached to the container portion, and the body flow path of the spout body is in communication with the interior region of the container portion.