JP7829461B2 - Dispenser - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates to a dispensing device.

Conventionally, a known discharger capable of dispensing liquid contents in both upright and inverted positions comprises a pump that introduces liquid contents from the container body into the cylinder section due to a decrease in internal pressure caused by an increase in the internal volume of the cylinder section, and pumps out the liquid contents from the cylinder section due to an increase in internal pressure caused by a decrease in the internal volume of the cylinder section; a discharge head having a discharge port from which the liquid contents pumped out are discharged; and an upright inlet that allows the liquid contents from the container body to be introduced into the cylinder section when the discharger is upright, and an inverted inlet that allows the liquid contents from the container body to be introduced into the cylinder section when the discharger is inverted.
In the discharger shown in Patent Document 1 below, the upright and inverted unit is externally mounted on the cylinder portion and comprises an outer cylinder member having an inlet for upright use, an inlet for inverted use, and an intake port opening into the container body. The outer cylinder member is externally mounted on an elastically deformable valve cylinder that can open and close the intake port. When the discharger is inverted, the valve cylinder restricts the flow of liquid contents from the container body into the outer cylinder member through the intake port. When the liquid contents in the container body decrease as they are introduced into the cylinder portion, the valve cylinder elastically deforms to open the intake port, allowing outside air to flow into the container body through the intake port.

Japanese Patent Publication No. 2017-47354

In the above-mentioned dispensing device, depending on the properties of the liquid contents, the valve cylinder may swell or contract, potentially preventing it from properly opening and closing the intake port.

The present invention aims to provide a discharger that, even without a valve, can prevent the liquid contents inside the container body from entering deep into the intake port when the discharger is inverted.

A discharger according to one aspect of the present invention is a discharger attached to the mouth of a container body containing liquid contents, comprising: a pump that, due to a decrease in internal pressure caused by an increase in the internal volume of the cylinder portion, introduces the liquid contents in the container body into the cylinder portion through a liquid contents inlet formed in the cylinder portion, and pumps that, due to an increase in internal pressure caused by a decrease in the internal volume of the cylinder portion, discharges the liquid contents in the cylinder portion; a discharge head having a discharge port from which the liquid contents discharged by the pump are discharged; and an upright inverted unit having an upright inlet that allows the liquid contents in the container body to be introduced into the liquid contents inlet of the cylinder portion when the discharger is upright, and an inverted inlet that allows the liquid contents in the container body to be introduced into the liquid contents inlet when the discharger is inverted, wherein the upright inverted unit comprises the liquid contents inlet, the upright inlet, and the inverted inlet The discharger is provided with a relay port that can communicate with the inlet, a first switching valve that blocks communication between the inverted inlet and the relay port when the discharger is upright, a second switching valve that blocks communication between the upright inlet and the relay port when the discharger is inverted, and an outer cylinder member that is externally mounted on the cylinder portion and has the upright inlet, the inverted inlet, and an intake port that opens into the container body formed thereon, wherein the cylinder portion has a connecting hole that, when the liquid contents in the container body are introduced into the cylinder portion through the liquid contents inlet, sends outside air introduced from the upper end opening of the cylinder portion between the outer circumferential surface of the cylinder portion and the inner circumferential surface of the outer cylinder member, and when the liquid contents in the cylinder portion are sent to the discharge head, sends air inside the cylinder portion between the outer circumferential surface of the cylinder portion and the inner circumferential surface of the outer cylinder member.
A connecting passage is provided between the outer circumferential surface of the cylinder portion and the inner circumferential surface of the outer cylinder member, connecting the connecting hole and the intake port, and the length of the flow path of the connecting passage is longer than the shortest length that allows the connecting hole and the intake port to be connected.

According to the above embodiment, the liquid contents inside the container body are introduced into the cylinder through the liquid contents inlet, and when the internal pressure of the container body decreases, outside air introduced from the upper end opening of the cylinder is introduced into the container body through the connecting hole of the cylinder and the communication passage between the outer surface of the cylinder and the inner surface of the outer cylinder member, via the intake port of the outer cylinder member.
Since the length of the connecting passage is longer than the shortest possible length for connecting the connecting hole and the intake port, when the discharger is inverted, even if the liquid contents inside the container body enter the outer cylinder member from the intake port, the liquid contents can be kept in the connecting passage and it will be difficult for them to reach the connecting hole. As a result, even without providing a valve cylinder like in conventional dischargers, it is possible to suppress the liquid contents inside the container body from entering deep into the interior from the intake port when the discharger is inverted.
When the liquid contents in the cylinder are delivered to the discharge head, the air inside the cylinder is also delivered to the connecting passage through the connecting hole. At this time, the liquid contents that had entered the connecting passage are recovered into the container body through the intake port.

The aforementioned connecting passage may have a bent section that bypasses the connecting hole and the intake port while connecting them.

Since the connecting passage has a bent section that bypasses the connecting hole and the intake port, when the dispenser is inverted, it is possible to further suppress the liquid contents of the container body that have entered the intake port from reaching the connecting hole.

The cross-sectional area of the flow path in the aforementioned connecting passage may be less than or equal to the cross-sectional area of the flow path in the aforementioned connecting hole.

Since the cross-sectional area of the connecting passage is less than or equal to the cross-sectional area of the connecting hole, when the liquid contents in the cylinder are sent to the discharge head, the air in the cylinder is sent through the connecting hole into the connecting passage. This allows the air to be blown all around the inner surface defining the connecting passage, enabling the recovery of as much of the liquid contents that entered the connecting passage as possible into the container body.

The aforementioned communication passage may be configured such that the groove formed on the outer circumferential surface of the cylinder portion is covered by the inner circumferential surface of the outer cylinder member.

Since the connecting passage is constructed by having a groove formed on the outer circumferential surface of the cylinder portion covered by the inner circumferential surface of the outer cylinder member, the connecting passage can be easily provided without complicating the structure of the molding die.

According to the above embodiment of the present invention, even without providing a valve cylinder, it is possible to prevent the liquid contents inside the container body from entering deep into the intake port when the discharger is inverted.

This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a discharger shown as one embodiment of the present invention. This figure shows the dispensing of the liquid contents from the dispenser in Figure 1. Figure 1 is an enlarged view of the inverted/upright unit. Figure 1 is a front view of the groove portion of the main cylinder as seen from the radially outer side.

A discharger according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
As shown in Figure 1, the dispenser 1 according to this embodiment comprises a pump 11, a discharge head 12, an inverted/upright unit 13, and a mounting cap 14, and is attached to the opening W1 of the container body W in which the liquid contents are contained.

The mounting cap 14 comprises a mounting cylinder portion 14a and a head guide cylinder 14b. The mounting cylinder portion 14a is mounted on the opening W1. The head guide cylinder 14b extends upward from the mounting cylinder portion 14a.

The pump 11 comprises a main cylinder (cylinder section) 21, a sub-cylinder 22, a plunger 23, and a biasing member 24. The internal pressure decreases due to an increase in the internal volume of the main cylinder 21, causing the liquid contents in the container body W to be introduced into the main cylinder 21 through the liquid inlet 21f. Conversely, the internal pressure increases due to a decrease in the internal volume of the main cylinder 21, sending the liquid contents from the main cylinder 21 to the discharge head 12.

The main cylinder 21, the sub-cylinder 22, and the plunger 23 are arranged coaxially with the common shaft.
Hereinafter, the common axis will be referred to as axis O, the side with the discharge head 12 along axis O will be referred to as the upper side, the side with the inverted/inverted unit 13 along axis O will be referred to as the lower side, and the direction along axis O will be referred to as the up/down direction. The direction that intersects axis O when viewed from the up/down direction will be referred to as the radial direction, and the direction that circles around axis O when viewed from the up/down direction will be referred to as the circumferential direction.

The main cylinder 21 comprises a large-diameter section 21a, a small-diameter section 21b, a valve cylinder section 21c, and a flange section 21d. The large-diameter section 21a, the small-diameter section 21b, and the valve cylinder section 21c are arranged in this order from top to bottom.

The large-diameter portion 21a has a pressure relief hole 31 and a connecting hole 32 that penetrate radially through the large-diameter portion 21a. The circumferential positions of the pressure relief hole 31 and the connecting hole 32 are different from each other. The pressure relief hole 31 is formed at the lower end of the large-diameter portion 21a and is located below the connecting hole 32.
A pressure relief groove 33 is formed on the inner circumferential surface of the lower end of the small-diameter portion 21b. The pressure relief groove 33 extends along the entire length in the circumferential direction. The pressure relief groove 33 may also be provided intermittently in the circumferential direction.

The valve cylinder portion 21c has a valve seat portion 21e that protrudes radially inward and tapers downward. The lower end opening of the valve seat portion 21e serves as a liquid inlet 21f through which the liquid contents of the container body W are introduced into the main cylinder 21. A ball valve 34 is mounted on the upper surface of the valve seat portion 21e, detachable upwards. The ball valve 34 is a check valve that blocks communication between the container body W and the main cylinder 21 when the main cylinder 21 is pressurized, while allowing communication between the container body W and the main cylinder 21 when the main cylinder 21 is depressurized.

The flange portion 21d protrudes radially outward from the upper end of the large-diameter portion 21a. The flange portion 21d is fitted into the upper end of the mounting cylinder portion 14a. As a result, the main cylinder 21 is attached to the mounting cap 14. The flange portion 21d rests on the upper opening edge of the mouth portion W1.

The sub-cylinder 22 is positioned to be movable downward relative to the main cylinder 21 while being biased upward. The sub-cylinder 22 protrudes upward from the upper end opening of the main cylinder 21. The inside of the sub-cylinder 22 is in communication with the inside of the main cylinder 21.
The sub-cylinder 22 comprises a seal cylinder 22a, a stroke restricting portion 22b, and a fitting cylinder 22c.

The seal cylinder 22a is positioned coaxially with axis O. The lower part of the seal cylinder 22a is inserted into the large-diameter portion 21a. The lower end of the seal cylinder 22a slides vertically along the inner circumferential surface of the large-diameter portion 21a when the sub-cylinder 22 moves up and down relative to the main cylinder 21. As shown in Figure 2, when the discharge head 12 is pushed down and positioned at its lowered end, the seal cylinder 22a covers the communication hole 32 from the inside in the radial direction, with a gap between it and the inner circumferential surface of the large-diameter portion 21a.
The stroke restricting portion 22b protrudes radially outward from the upper end of the seal cylinder 22a. The inner circumference of the stroke restricting portion 22b is curved to protrude upward.
The fitting cylinder 22c extends upward from the outer peripheral edge of the stroke restricting portion 22b.

When the discharge head 12 is pushed down, the gap between the discharge head 12 and the head guide cylinder 14b, the gap between the stroke restricting portion 22b and the flange portion 21d, the gap between the inner circumferential surface of the main cylinder 21 and the outer circumferential surface of the sub-cylinder 22, and the connecting hole 32 constitute an outside air introduction passage that connects the inside of the container body W to the outside.

The plunger 23 is installed inside the main cylinder 21 and the sub-cylinder 22, and is positioned to traverse the main cylinder 21 and the sub-cylinder 22 vertically.
The plunger 23 comprises a axial valve member 41, a connecting portion 42, a main piston 43, and a sub-piston 44.

The axial valve member 41 is formed in a cylindrical shape and is arranged coaxially with the axis O. Both the upper and lower ends of the axial valve member 41 are tapered, becoming narrower towards the tip.
The connecting portion 42 protrudes radially outward from the middle portion in the vertical direction of the axial valve member 41. A communication passage 42a is formed in the connecting portion 42. Multiple communication passages 42a are formed, penetrating the connecting portion 42 in the vertical direction and spaced apart in the circumferential direction. The communication passages 42a connect the inside of the main cylinder 21 and the inside of the sub-cylinder 22.

The main piston 43 extends downward from the connecting portion 42. As the axial valve member 41 moves up and down, the main piston 43 slides vertically along the inner circumferential surface of the main cylinder 21 (small diameter portion 21b).
The sub-piston 44 is provided in the sliding cylinder 45 that extends upward from the connecting portion 42. The sub-piston 44 is connected radially outward from the upper end of the sliding cylinder 45. The sub-piston 44 is positioned above the stroke restricting portion 22b. That is, the stroke restricting portion 22b restricts the downward movement of the plunger 23 relative to the sub-cylinder 22 by the sub-piston 44 contacting it from above as the plunger 23 moves downward. Of the sub-piston 44, the surface area of the surface that receives the pressure in the sub-cylinder 22 in the vertical direction (pressure receiving area) is larger than the surface area of the surface of the main piston 43 that receives the pressure in the main cylinder 21 in the vertical direction (pressure receiving area).

The biasing member 24 is provided within the main cylinder 21 and supports the plunger 23 and the sub-cylinder 22 so that they can move downward while biased upward. The biasing member 24 is a coil spring and is arranged coaxially with axis O. The upper end of the biasing member 24 abuts against the lower surface of the connecting portion 42, and the lower end of the biasing member 24 protrudes radially inward from the portion of the inner circumferential surface of the valve cylinder portion 21c located above the valve seat portion 21e, and abuts against an upward-facing step portion.

The discharge head 12 has a discharge port 51a through which the liquid contents sent by the pump 11 are discharged. The discharge head 12 is mounted on the upper end (fitting cylinder 22c) of the sub-cylinder 22. The discharge head 12 comprises a head body 51 and a sub-cylinder cover 52.

The head body 51 is formed in a top-cylindrical shape and is arranged coaxially with axis O. The fitting cylinder 22c is fitted inside the head body 51. The lower end of the peripheral wall of the head body 51 is inserted into the head guide cylinder 14b.
The discharge port 51a is formed in the peripheral wall of the head body 51 and opens radially outward.

The sub-cylinder cover 52 is formed in a top-cylindrical shape and is arranged coaxially with axis O. The sub-cylinder cover 52 is connected to the head body 51 and the sub-cylinder 22.
The peripheral wall 52e of the sub-cylinder cover 52 is fitted into the fitting cylinder 22c.
The top wall 52a of the sub-cylinder cover 52 is formed in an annular shape and is arranged coaxially with the axis O. The inside of the top wall 52a is opened and closed by the upper end of the shaft valve member 41 as the plunger 23 moves up and down.

An upper cylindrical portion 52c and a lower cylindrical portion 52d are formed on the top wall 52a.
The upper cylindrical portion 52c extends upward from the top wall 52a and is arranged coaxially with axis O. The upper cylindrical portion 52c is fitted into the head body 51.
The lower cylindrical portion 52d extends downward from the top wall 52a and is arranged coaxially with the axis O. The lower cylindrical portion 52d is inserted between the axial valve member 41 and the sliding cylinder 45. Gaps are provided between the inner circumferential surface of the lower cylindrical portion 52d and the outer circumferential surface of the axial valve member 41, and between the outer circumferential surface of the lower cylindrical portion 52d and the inner circumferential surface of the sliding cylinder 45.

The forward/inverted unit 13 is mounted on the main cylinder 21. As shown in Figure 3, the forward/inverted unit 13 comprises a first switching valve 61, a second switching valve 62, an outer cylinder member 63, an inner cylinder member 64, and a flow path forming member 65. The outer cylinder member 63 and the inner cylinder member 64 are arranged coaxially with axis O.

The outer cylinder member 63 is attached to the main cylinder 21. The outer cylinder member 63 has an upright inlet 63a that allows the liquid contents of the container body W to be introduced into the liquid contents inlet 21f of the main cylinder 21 when the discharger 1 is upright, and inverted inlet 63b and 63c that allow the liquid contents of the container body W to be introduced into the liquid contents inlet 21f when the discharger 1 is inverted.
The inlet 63a when upright and the inlet 63b and 63c when inverted open into the container body W. The inverted inlet 63b and 63c are located above the upright inlet 63a when the discharger 1 is upright. The inverted inlet 63b and 63c are located inside the mouth W1 of the container body W (between the upper and lower ends of the mouth). The inverted inlet 63b and 63c may be located below the mouth W1 of the container body W.

The outer cylinder member 63 is formed in a multi-stage cylindrical shape, with the diameter gradually decreasing as it extends downwards. The outer cylinder member 63 is composed of a first outer cylinder section 71, a second outer cylinder section 72, a third outer cylinder section 73, a fourth outer cylinder section 74, and a fifth outer cylinder section 75, arranged in this order from top to bottom.

The first outer cylinder portion 71 is fitted onto the large-diameter portion 21a of the main cylinder 21. The inner circumferential surface of the lower end of the first outer cylinder portion 71 is radially opposed to the outer circumferential surface of the upper end of the small-diameter portion 21b of the main cylinder 21. Positioning ribs (not shown) are separately provided on the inner circumferential surface of the lower end of the first outer cylinder portion 71 and the outer circumferential surface of the upper end of the small-diameter portion 21b, respectively, which engage with each other in the circumferential direction to determine the relative circumferential position of the outer cylinder member 63 and the main cylinder 21. The positioning ribs prevent fluid from flowing circumferentially between the inner circumferential surface of the lower end of the first outer cylinder portion 71 and the outer circumferential surface of the upper end of the small-diameter portion 21b.

Inverted inlet openings 63b and 63c are formed at the lower end of the first outer cylinder portion 71. Multiple inverted inlet openings 63b and 63c are provided, spaced apart in the circumferential direction. One of the multiple inverted inlet openings 63b and 63c (hereinafter referred to as the first inverted inlet opening 63b) is located directly below the connecting hole 32, and the other (hereinafter referred to as the second inverted inlet opening 63c) faces the pressure relief hole 31 in the radial direction.

A connecting passage 66 is provided between the inner circumferential surface of the first outer cylinder portion 71 and the outer circumferential surface of the large diameter portion 21a, connecting the connecting hole 32 and the first inverted inlet (intake port) 63b.
The cross-sectional area of the connecting passage 66 is less than or equal to the cross-sectional area of the connecting hole 32. The groove width of the connecting passage 66 is smaller than the inner diameter of the connecting hole 32. The entire area of the connecting passage 66 in the groove width direction is open toward the connecting hole 32.
The connecting passage 66 is constructed by having a groove 66b formed on the outer circumferential surface of the large-diameter portion 21a, which is covered by the inner circumferential surface of the first outer cylinder portion 71. The circumferential size of the groove 66b is preferably such that it can be formed using a lateral die during injection molding of the main cylinder 21, and more preferably it is the maximum possible size. The connecting passage 66 is provided, for example, over an angular range of 90° to less than 180° around the axis O. The connecting passage 66 may also be constructed, for example, by forming a groove on the inner circumferential surface of the first outer cylinder portion 71 and covering this groove with the outer circumferential surface of the large-diameter portion 21a.

The flow path length of the connecting passage 66 is longer than the shortest possible length for connecting the connecting hole 32 and the first inverted inlet 63b. In the illustrated example, since the circumferential positions of the connecting hole 32 and the first inverted inlet 63b are the same, the shortest flow path length of the connecting passage 66 is the distance along the vertical axis between the connecting hole 32 and the first inverted inlet 63b.

For example, the circumferential positions of the connecting hole 32 and the first inverted inlet 63b may be different from each other, while their vertical positions may be the same. In this case, the distance between the connecting hole 32 and the first inverted inlet 63b, straight along the circumferential direction, becomes the shortest length of the flow path of the connecting passage 66.
Furthermore, the first inverted inlet 63b may be positioned above the connecting hole 32.

As shown in Figure 4, the connecting passage 66 has a bent section 66a that connects the connecting hole 32 and the first inverted inlet 63b while bypassing them. The connecting passage 66 has multiple bent sections 66a and extends circumferentially while meandering multiple times in the vertical direction. Alternatively, the connecting passage 66 may extend vertically while meandering multiple times in the circumferential direction.
The ends of the connecting passage 66 in the extending direction are separated in the circumferential and vertical directions. A connecting hole 32 is opened at the first end of the ends of the connecting passage 66 in the extending direction.
Here, the first inverted inlet 63b is an elongated hole extending in the circumferential direction. Of the circumferential ends of the first inverted inlet 63b, one end is located directly below the connecting hole 32, and the other end is located directly below the second end of the extensional ends of the connecting passage 66, thus communicating with it.

Multiple ribs 72a are formed on the inner circumferential surface of the second outer cylinder portion 72 at intervals in the circumferential direction, defining a flow path that communicates with the inlet ports 63b and 63c when the cylinder is inverted, between the ribs 72a and the outer circumferential surface of the small diameter portion 21b. The ribs 72a abut against the outer circumferential surface of the small diameter portion 21b and extend in the vertical direction. The lower end of the second outer cylinder portion 72 is located below the lower end of the main cylinder 21.
The inner cylinder member 64 is housed within the third outer cylinder portion 73.
An upright lower valve seat 74a is formed on the inner circumferential surface of the lower end of the fourth outer cylinder portion 74, extending radially inward as it goes downward. The lower end opening of the fourth outer cylinder portion 74 serves as the upright inlet 63a.
The upper end of the suction cylinder 67 is fitted inside the fifth outer cylinder portion 75. The lower end of the suction cylinder 67 is located at the bottom of the container body W. The inlet 63a is in communication with the inside of the container body W when upright, through the suction cylinder 67.

The second switching valve 62 is positioned above the lower valve seat 74a when the valve is upright. The second switching valve 62 is, for example, a ball valve, and when the valve is upright, it abuts against the inner surface of the lower valve seat 74a in a manner that allows it to move away from it in an upward direction.

The inner cylinder member 64 has a lower end opening 64a that communicates with the inlet 63a when upright, an upper end opening 64b that communicates with the inlet 63b and 63c when inverted, and a relay port 64c that can communicate with the liquid inlet 21f, the inlet 63a when upright, and the inlet 63b and 63c when inverted. The relay port 64c communicates with the liquid inlet 21f, the inlet 63a when upright, and the inlet 63b and 63c when inverted, each through a different flow path.

The inner cylinder member 64 is formed in a gourd shape, with the middle section in the vertical direction narrowed radially inward. The inner cylinder member 64 is composed of a first inner cylinder section 76, a second inner cylinder section 77, and a third inner cylinder section 78, arranged in that order from top to bottom.

The upper end opening of the first inner cylinder portion 76 is the upper end opening 64b of the inner cylinder member 64. An annular gap extending in the circumferential direction is provided between the outer circumferential surface of the first inner cylinder portion 76 and the inner circumferential surface of the third outer cylinder portion 73. An upright upper valve seat 64d is formed on the inner circumferential surface of the lower end of the first inner cylinder portion 76, extending radially inward as it goes downward.
The first switching valve 61 blocks communication between the inlet ports 63b and 63c and the intermediate port 64c when the discharger 1 is upright. The first switching valve 61 is positioned above the upper valve seat 64d when the discharger 1 is upright. The first switching valve 61 is, for example, a ball valve and is in contact with the inner circumferential surface of the upper valve seat 64d in an upwardly detachable manner when the discharger 1 is upright.
The second inner cylinder portion 77 constitutes the constricted portion of the inner cylinder member 64. Multiple intermediate openings 64c that penetrate radially are formed in the second inner cylinder portion 77 at intervals in the circumferential direction.

The lower end opening of the third inner cylinder portion 78 is the lower end opening 64a of the inner cylinder member 64. The third inner cylinder portion 78 is fitted into the lower end of the third outer cylinder portion 73 of the outer cylinder member 63. An inverted valve seat 64e is formed on the inner circumferential surface of the upper end of the third inner cylinder portion 78, extending radially inward as it goes upward.
The second switching valve 62 is positioned below the valve seat 64e when the unit is inverted. The second switching valve 62 is positioned so as to be able to contact the inner circumferential surface of the valve seat 64e from below when the unit is inverted. When the discharger 1 is inverted, the second switching valve 62 blocks communication between the inlet 63a and the relay port 64c when the unit is upright.
The valve seat 64e in the inverted position has an anti-sticking portion 64f formed therein to prevent the second switching valve 62 from sticking to it. Examples of the anti-sticking portion 64f include grooves or ribs arranged radially on the inner circumferential surface of the valve seat 64e in the inverted position, but it may be changed as appropriate as long as there are irregularities that can prevent the second switching valve 62 from sticking to it.

The flow path forming member 65 is formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape and is fitted onto the lower end of the main cylinder 21. The flow path forming member 65 is inserted into the lower part of the second outer cylinder portion 72. An annular gap extending in the circumferential direction is provided between the outer circumferential surface of the flow path forming member 65 and the inner circumferential surface of the second outer cylinder portion 72. The upper end of the inner cylinder member 64 is connected to the bottom wall of the flow path forming member 65. A common flow path 68 is formed in the flow path forming member 65, connecting the liquid inlet 21f and the relay port 64c of the main cylinder 21.

A plug portion 65b, a sealing cylinder portion 65c, and a common channel 68 are formed on the bottom wall of the channel forming member 65.

The plug portion 65b protrudes from the bottom wall portion of the flow path forming member 65 on both sides in the vertical direction and is fitted into the upper end opening 64b of the inner cylinder member 64. The plug portion 65b has a horizontal hole 69a that extends radially and opens to the outer circumferential surface of the flow path forming member 65, and a vertical hole 69b that extends vertically and communicates with the horizontal hole 69a and the inside of the first inner cylinder portion 76. On the inner circumferential surface of the vertical hole 69b, a support rib 69c is formed that protrudes radially inward and supports the first switching valve 61 when the discharger 1 is inverted.
The common channel 68 penetrates the bottom wall of the channel forming member 65 in a vertical direction, away from the plug portion 65b, and opens into the channel forming member 65. The common channel 68 opens toward the upper end opening edge of the first inner cylinder portion 76.
The sealing cylinder portion 65c protrudes downward from the outer peripheral edge of the bottom wall portion of the flow path forming member 65 and is fitted into the lower end of the second outer cylinder portion 72. The upper end of the first inner cylinder portion 76 is inserted into the sealing cylinder portion 65c. An annular gap extending in the circumferential direction is formed between the inner circumferential surface of the sealing cylinder portion 65c and the outer circumferential surface of the first inner cylinder portion 76.
Here, the upper opening edge of the first inner cylinder portion 76 is separated downward from the lower surface of the bottom wall portion of the flow path forming member 65, and the annular gap between the inner circumferential surface of the seal cylinder portion 65c and the outer circumferential surface of the first inner cylinder portion 76 is in communication with the common flow path 68.

Next, we will explain the operation of the discharger 1.

When the discharge head 12 is pushed down, the sub-cylinder 22 and plunger 23 are pushed down together with the discharge head 12 against the biasing force of the biasing member 24. At this time, the main piston 43 slides downward along the inner circumferential surface of the small-diameter portion 21b, reducing the internal volume of the main cylinder 21 and pressurizing the inside of the main cylinder 21. Due to the increase in internal pressure of the main cylinder 21, the ball valve 34 inside the main cylinder 21 blocks communication between the main cylinder 21 and the container body W. As a result, the pressurized liquid inside the main cylinder 21 flows into the sub-cylinder 22 through the communication channel 42a. Consequently, the inside of the sub-cylinder 22 is pressurized.

As the discharge head 12 descends, the pressure in the main cylinder 21 and the pressure in the sub-cylinder 22 become equal. However, because the pressure-receiving area of the sub-piston 44 is larger than that of the main piston 43, the downward force exerted on the plunger 23 by the liquid contents in the sub-cylinder 22 is greater than the upward force exerted on the plunger 23 by the liquid contents in the main cylinder 21. When the downward force exerted on the plunger 23 becomes greater than the upward biasing force of the biasing member 24, the plunger 23 descends relative to the sub-cylinder 22. This causes the axial valve member 41 to open the top wall 52a of the sub-cylinder lid 52, creating communication between the inside of the sub-cylinder 22 and the discharge port 51a. Therefore, the liquid contents stored in the sub-cylinder 22, after flowing through the discharge head 12, are discharged to the outside through the discharge port 51a.

As the discharge head 12 descends and the liquid contents in the main cylinder 21 are sent to the discharge head 12, air from the upper part of the main cylinder 21 flows into the container body W through the communication hole 32, the communication passage 66, and the first inverted inlet 63b until the lower end of the seal cylinder 22a reaches the communication hole 32 of the main cylinder 21.
In other words, the connecting hole 32 allows air from inside the main cylinder 21 to be expelled between the outer surface of the main cylinder 21 and the inner surface of the outer cylinder member 63 when the liquid inside the main cylinder 21 is expelled to the discharge head 12.

As shown in Figure 2, when the discharge head 12 is pushed down to its lowered position, the lower end of the main piston 43 faces the pressure relief groove 33 radially. This causes the main piston 43 to separate from the inner circumferential surface of the main cylinder 21 (small diameter portion 21b). Therefore, a gap is formed between the main piston 43 and the main cylinder 21, and the inside of the main cylinder 21 communicates with the container body W through the pressure relief hole 31 and the second inverted inlet 63c. As a result, at least a portion of the liquid contents and the air inside the main cylinder 21 flow out into the container body W. Consequently, the residual pressure inside the main cylinder 21 is released.

When the downward pressure on the discharge head 12 is released, the upward biasing force of the biasing member 24 causes the plunger 23 to rise together with the sub-cylinder 22 and the discharge head 12. The upper end of the axial valve member 41 then contacts the inner peripheral edge of the top wall 52a of the sub-cylinder cover 52, thereby blocking communication between the inside of the sub-cylinder 22 and the discharge port 51a.

As the plunger 23 rises, the main piston 43 slides along the inner surface of the small-diameter portion 21b, increasing the internal volume of the main cylinder 21 (the volume of the portion enclosed by the main cylinder 21 and the plunger 23), and reducing the pressure inside the main cylinder 21. Due to the decrease in internal pressure of the main cylinder 21, the ball valve 34 moves upward from the upper surface of the valve seat portion 21e, opening the liquid inlet 21f, and reducing the pressure in the main flow path from the liquid inlet 21f to the intermediate port 64c (see Figure 3).

This main flow path includes the inside of the flow path forming member 65, the common flow path 68, the gap between the lower surface of the bottom wall of the flow path forming member 65 and the upper end opening edge of the first inner cylinder portion 76, the gap between the inner circumferential surface of the seal cylinder portion 65c and the outer circumferential surface of the first inner cylinder portion 76, the gap between the inner circumferential surface of the third outer cylinder portion 73 and the outer circumferential surface of the first inner cylinder portion 76, and the gap between the inner circumferential surface of the third outer cylinder portion 73 and the outer circumferential surface of the second inner cylinder portion 77.

When the main flow path is under reduced pressure, in the upright position of the discharger 1, the first switching valve 61 is in close contact with the upper valve seat 64d in the upright position, and communication between the inlet ports 63b and 63c and the intermediate port 64c in the inverted position is blocked, so the pressure inside the third inner cylinder 78 is reduced through the intermediate port 64c and the second inner cylinder 77. When the pressure inside the third inner cylinder 78 is reduced, the second switching valve 62 moves upward away from the lower valve seat 74a in the upright position, and the inlet port 63a in the upright position is opened. As a result, the upright flow path from the liquid inlet port 21f through the main flow path, intermediate port 64c, the second inner cylinder 77, the third inner cylinder 78, the fourth outer cylinder 74, the inlet port 63a in the upright position, and the suction cylinder 67 to the container body W is connected, and the liquid inside the container body W is drawn up into the main cylinder 21.
In this case, the first switching valve 61 blocks communication between the inverted inlets 63b and 63c and the intermediate inlet 64c, so that air from the headspace of the container body W is not drawn into the inverted inlets 63b and 63c.

When the discharge head 12 is pushed down, as shown in Figure 2, the lower end of the seal cylinder 22a passes below the connecting hole 32 of the main cylinder 21, thereby connecting the outside air intake passage (paragraph 0026) and the connecting hole 32. In this state, when the discharge head 12 rises and the liquid contents in the container body W are supplied into the main cylinder 21, creating negative pressure inside the container body W, outside air flows into the container body W through the outside air intake passage, the connecting hole 32, the communication passage 66, and the first inverted inlet 63b, and the negative pressure inside the container body W is relieved.
In this way, when the liquid contents inside the container body W are introduced into the main cylinder 21 through the liquid contents inlet 21f, the connecting hole 32 sends outside air introduced from the upper end opening of the main cylinder 21 between the outer surface of the main cylinder 21 and the inner surface of the outer cylinder member 63.

On the other hand, when the discharger 1 is inverted, the first switching valve 61 separates from the upper valve seat 64d (when upright) due to its own weight, connecting the inverted inlets 63b and 63c with the intermediate port 64c. Simultaneously, the second switching valve 62 comes into close contact with the valve seat 64e (when upright) due to its own weight, blocking the connection between the inverted inlet 63a and the intermediate port 64c. In this state, when the discharge head 12 returns to its original position after the liquid contents are discharged, the ball valve 34 separates from the valve seat 21e, opening the liquid contents inlet 21f. As a result, the main flow path from the liquid contents inlet 21f to the intermediate port 64c becomes depressurized, and consequently, the inverted flow path from the intermediate port 64c to the inverted inlets 63b and 63c also becomes depressurized.

This inverted flow path includes the inside of the second inner cylinder portion 77, the inside of the first inner cylinder portion 76, the vertical hole 69b, the horizontal hole 69a, the gap between the outer circumferential surface of the flow path forming member 65 and the inner circumferential surface of the second outer cylinder portion 72, and the gap between the outer circumferential surface of the small diameter portion 21b and the inner circumferential surface of the second outer cylinder portion 72.
When the inverted flow path is in a depressurized state, the liquid contents inside the container body W are introduced into the liquid contents inlet 21f through the inverted inlets 63b and 63c, the inverted flow path, the intermediate inlet 64c, and the main flow path when the discharger 1 is inverted. At this time, the second switching valve 62 blocks communication between the upright inlet 63a and the intermediate inlet 64c, so that air inside the bottom of the inverted container body W does not flow into the suction cylinder 67 which opens into the bottom of the container body W.

Here, as shown in Figure 2, when the discharge head 12 is kept in a depressed position, the outside air intake passage (paragraph 0026) and the connecting hole 32 are in communication, the accumulated pressure in the sub-cylinder 22 is released through the discharge port 51a, and the upper end of the axial valve member 41 closes the inside of the top wall 52a of the sub-cylinder cover 52 again.
In this state, even if the main cylinder 21 and the inverted unit 13 are not filled with liquid contents, and the discharger 1 and the container body W are in an inverted position, the upper end of the shaft valve member 41 closes the inside of the top wall 52a of the sub-cylinder cover 52. As a result, outside air does not enter the container body W through the discharge port 51a, the main cylinder 21, and the suction cylinder 67, and the liquid contents inside the container body W do not leak to the outside through the first inverted inlet 63b, the communication passage 66, the connecting hole 32, and the outside air intake passage.
Therefore, even when the discharge head 12 is pressed down, and the inside of the container body W is in communication with the outside through the first inverted inlet 63b, the connecting passage 66, the connecting hole 32, and the outside air intake passage, the communication between the discharge port 51a, which passes through the main cylinder 21, and the inside of the container body W is blocked. This prevents the liquid contents inside the container body W from leaking out to the outside through the first inverted inlet 63b, the connecting passage 66, the connecting hole 32, and the outside air intake passage when the discharger 1 is inverted.
Furthermore, the valve structure that switches between communication between the discharge port 51a passing through the main cylinder 21 and the inside of the container body W, and that blocks communication between the discharge port 51a passing through the main cylinder 21 and the inside of the container body W when the discharger 1 is inverted with the discharge head 12 pressed down, is not limited to the axial valve member 41 and the top wall 52a of the sub-cylinder cover 52, but may also employ other configurations such as a three-point valve.

As described above, according to the discharger 1 of this embodiment, the liquid contents in the container body W are introduced into the main cylinder 21 through the liquid contents inlet 21f, and when the internal pressure of the container body W decreases, outside air introduced from the upper end opening of the main cylinder 21 is introduced into the container body W through the connecting hole 32 and the communication passage 66, via the first inverted inlet 63b.
Since the length of the connecting passage 66 is longer than the shortest length required to connect the connecting hole 32 and the first inverted inlet 63b, when the discharger 1 is inverted, even if the liquid contents inside the container body W enter the outer cylinder member 63 from the first inverted inlet 63b, the liquid contents can be kept in the connecting passage 66 and it will be difficult for them to reach the connecting hole 32. As a result, even without providing a valve cylinder like in conventional dischargers, it is possible to suppress the liquid contents inside the container body W from entering deep into the container from the first inverted inlet 63b when the discharger 1 is inverted.
When the liquid contents in the main cylinder 21 are sent to the discharge head 12, the air in the upper part of the main cylinder 21 is sent to the communication passage 66 through the connecting hole 32. At this time, the liquid contents that had entered the communication passage 66 are recovered into the container body W from the first inverted inlet 63b.

Since the connecting passage 66 has a bent section 66a that bypasses the connecting hole 32 and the first inverted inlet 63b while connecting them, it is possible to further suppress the liquid contents inside the container body W that have entered the first inverted inlet 63b from reaching the connecting hole 32 when the discharger 1 is inverted.

Since the cross-sectional area of the connecting passage 66 is less than or equal to the cross-sectional area of the connecting hole 32, when the liquid contents in the main cylinder 21 are sent to the discharge head 12, the air in the main cylinder 21 is sent to the connecting passage 66 through the connecting hole 32. This allows the air to be blown over the entire circumference of the inner surface defining the connecting passage 66, thus enabling the recovery of as little of the liquid contents that entered the connecting passage 66 as possible into the container body W.

Since the connecting passage 66 is constructed by having a groove 66b formed on the outer circumferential surface of the main cylinder 21 covered by the inner circumferential surface of the outer cylinder member 63, the connecting passage 66 can be easily provided without complicating the structure of the molding die.

Furthermore, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Although the first inverted inlet 63b is shown as an intake port that communicates with the connecting hole 32 of the main cylinder 21 through the connecting passage 66, an intake port may be provided separately from the inverted inlet ports 63b and 63c.
The pump 11 does not necessarily have, for example, a sub-cylinder 22.

Furthermore, without departing from the spirit of the present invention, it is possible to replace the components in the above embodiments with well-known components as appropriate, and the above embodiments and modifications may be combined as appropriate.

Examples of the present invention are as follows:
<1>
A dispensing device that is attached to the mouth of the container body in which the liquid contents are contained,
Due to the decrease in internal pressure caused by the increase in the internal volume of the cylinder, the liquid contents in the container body are introduced into the cylinder through the liquid inlet formed in the cylinder, and due to the increase in internal pressure caused by the decrease in the internal volume of the cylinder, a pump is used to expel the liquid contents from the cylinder.
A discharge head having a discharge port from which the liquid contents sent out by the pump are discharged,
The unit comprises an upright inlet that allows the liquid contents of the container body to be introduced into the liquid contents inlet of the cylinder when the discharger is upright, and an inverted inlet that allows the liquid contents of the container body to be introduced into the liquid contents inlet when the discharger is inverted,
The aforementioned inverted/upright unit includes:
A relay port that can communicate with the liquid inlet, the upright inlet, and the inverted inlet,
A first switching valve that blocks communication between the inverted inlet and the relay port when the discharger is upright,
A second switching valve that blocks communication between the upright inlet and the relay port when the discharger is inverted,
The container is provided with an outer cylindrical member that is externally mounted on the cylinder portion and has an inlet for upright orientation, an inlet for inverted orientation, and an intake opening that opens into the container body.
The cylinder portion is provided with a connecting hole that, when the liquid contents in the container body are introduced into the cylinder portion through the liquid contents inlet, pushes outside air introduced from the upper end opening of the cylinder portion between the outer circumferential surface of the cylinder portion and the inner circumferential surface of the outer cylinder member, and pushes the air inside the cylinder portion between the outer circumferential surface of the cylinder portion and the inner circumferential surface of the outer cylinder member when the liquid contents in the cylinder portion are discharged to the discharge head.
A connecting passage is provided between the outer circumferential surface of the cylinder portion and the inner circumferential surface of the outer cylinder member, connecting the connecting hole and the intake port.
A discharger in which the flow path length of the aforementioned connecting passage is longer than the shortest length that allows the connecting hole and the intake port to be connected.
<2>
The discharger according to <1>, wherein the connecting passage has a bent portion that bypasses the connecting hole and the intake port.
<3>
The discharger according to <1> or <2>, wherein the cross-sectional area of the flow path of the connecting passage is less than or equal to the cross-sectional area of the flow path of the connecting hole.
<4>
The discharger according to any one of <1> to <3>, wherein the communication passage is configured such that a groove formed on the outer circumferential surface of the cylinder portion is covered by the inner circumferential surface of the outer cylindrical member.

1. Discharger 11. Pump 12. Discharge head 13. Upright/Inverted unit 21. Main cylinder (cylinder section)
21f Inlet for liquid contents 32 Connecting hole 51a Outlet 61 First switching valve 62 Second switching valve 63 Outer cylinder member 63a Inlet when upright 63b First inverted inlet (inverted inlet, intake)
63c Second inverted entry point (inverted entry point)
64c Relay port 66 Communication path 66a Bent part 66b Groove W Container body W1 Mouth part

Claims (4)

A dispensing device that is attached to the mouth of the container body in which the liquid contents are contained,
Due to the decrease in internal pressure caused by the increase in the internal volume of the cylinder, the liquid contents in the container body are introduced into the cylinder through the liquid inlet formed in the cylinder, and due to the increase in internal pressure caused by the decrease in the internal volume of the cylinder, a pump is used to expel the liquid contents from the cylinder.
A discharge head having a discharge port from which the liquid contents sent out by the pump are discharged,
The unit comprises an upright inlet that allows the liquid contents of the container body to be introduced into the liquid contents inlet of the cylinder when the discharger is upright, and an inverted inlet that allows the liquid contents of the container body to be introduced into the liquid contents inlet when the discharger is inverted,
The aforementioned inverted/upright unit includes:
A relay port that can communicate with the liquid inlet, the upright inlet, and the inverted inlet,
A first switching valve that blocks communication between the inverted inlet and the relay port when the discharger is upright,
A second switching valve that blocks communication between the upright inlet and the relay port when the discharger is inverted,
The container is provided with an outer cylindrical member that is externally mounted on the cylinder portion and has an inlet for upright orientation, an inlet for inverted orientation, and an intake opening that opens into the container body.
The cylinder portion is provided with a connecting hole that, when the liquid contents in the container body are introduced into the cylinder portion through the liquid contents inlet, pushes outside air introduced from the upper end opening of the cylinder portion between the outer circumferential surface of the cylinder portion and the inner circumferential surface of the outer cylinder member, and pushes the air inside the cylinder portion between the outer circumferential surface of the cylinder portion and the inner circumferential surface of the outer cylinder member when the liquid contents in the cylinder portion are discharged to the discharge head.
A connecting passage is provided between the outer circumferential surface of the cylinder portion and the inner circumferential surface of the outer cylinder member, connecting the connecting hole and the intake port.
A discharger in which the flow path length of the aforementioned connecting passage is longer than the shortest length that allows the connecting hole and the intake port to be connected. The discharger according to claim 1, wherein the connecting passage has a bent portion that bypasses the connecting hole and the intake port while connecting them. The discharger according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the cross-sectional area of the connecting passage is less than or equal to the cross-sectional area of the connecting hole. The discharger according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the communication passage is configured such that a groove formed on the outer circumferential surface of the cylinder portion is covered by the inner circumferential surface of the outer cylinder member.