Patent Publication Number: US-6338424-B2

Title: Aerosol container

Description:
This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/460,439, filed Dec. 14, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,283,337. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to an aerosol container having a discharge nozzle member disposed on a distal end of a container body with a content stored therein and for discharging the content onto the sole of a foot by stepping on the discharge nozzle member. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     When a chemical, such as an insecticide, a refrigerant or the like, is applied to the sole of a foot or between adjacent toes using an aerosol container, the user usually holds the aerosol container with the hand and applies the content directly to the sole, etc. or collects a proper quantity of the content by a hand and then applies it to the sole, etc., while maintaining the attitude of bending the knee or sitting in a chair or sitting on the floor. 
     Also, the conventional aerosol container generates an offensive sound to the ear when the content liquid is applied, and produces high injection sound by which the use is easy to be recognized. 
     Moreover, the aerosol container has a stem disposed at a distal end portion of the container body which stores therein an application liquid (content liquid) air-tight. The application liquid is discharged from the nozzle member by depressing the nozzle member mounted on this stem against a resilient force. In order to prevent the application liquid from being accidentally discharged by inadvertently depressing the nozzle portion when the aerosol container is not in use, a device is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Utility Model Unexamined Publication (Kokai) No. Sho 55-82428, in which the nozzle member is turned to be locked so that the nozzle member cannot be depressed when not in use. According to this locking mechanism, when the aerosol container is in use, the application liquid can be discharged by turning the nozzle member towards a releasing side and then depressing the same. However, the nozzle member is not automatically resorted to its locked position even if depression against the nozzle member is released. Instead, it is necessary to return the nozzle member to its locked position by turning the nozzle member with a hand or the like. Since the user is likely to forget to perform such a locking operation, there is a possibility that the application liquid is inadvertently discharged by incorrect handling of the device. 
     A nozzle member of an aerosol container described in a Japanese Patent Application No. Hei 11-140094 filed by the present applicant is designed such that a nozzle lower part is engaged in an engagement recess of a lower surface of a nozzle upper part to form a perforated discharge nozzle member in which the nozzle upper part and the nozzle lower part are formed into a unitary member. In order to maintain the air-tightness of a liquid passage interposed between the nozzle upper part and the nozzle lower part, it is desirable that they are engaged together in a hermetically closed condition through an O-ring. However, according to such a seal construction as in the abovementioned nozzle member, in which a lower nozzle part is fixedly attached to a nozzle upper part by bringing the lower nozzle part into engagement with the engagement recess of a nozzle upper part through an O-ring, play tends to occur in the attaching direction after engagement. As a consequence, a sufficiently large compressive force cannot be incurred to the O-ring. Thus, there is a fear that sealability is spoiled. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an aerosol container and a method of using the same, capable of easily applying a content such as a chemical to the sole or between the adjacent toes of the foot without a need of the abovementioned troublesome operation. 
     It is also another object of the present invention to provide an aerosol container, in which an injection sound generated when the content liquid is applied can easily be reduced to the extent that it is hardly offensive to the ear and that the use cannot be recognized. 
     A further object of the present invention is to provide an aerosol container capable of easily preventing accidental discharge by automatically restoring a nozzle member into a locked position when the depression against the nozzle member is released. 
     A still further object of the present invention is to provide an aerosol container including a discharge nozzle member in which a nozzle upper member and a nozzle lower member are formed into a unitary member and a reliable sealability is retained. 
     The present invention has achieved the above objects by providing an aerosol container having a discharge nozzle member disposed on a distal end of a container body with a content stored therein and for discharging the content onto a sole of a foot by stepping on the discharge nozzle member, wherein projections are provided at a location surrounding nozzle ports formed in the discharge nozzle member and an interval between the sole side of a foot and the nozzle ports is retained by the projections when the discharge nozzle member is stepped on. 
     It is preferred that the discharge nozzle member is a perforated discharge nozzle member provided with a plurality of nozzle ports, and that the projections surround the plurality of nozzle ports. 
     The present invention has achieved the above objects by providing an aerosol container, wherein the discharge nozzle member is provided with sound-reduction means. 
     It is preferred that the sound-reduction means is structured by an annular wall arranged as the projections surrounding the nozzle ports, and an upper end of the annular wall is defined as an opening having a size dimension capable of covering the sole of a foot. 
     Also, the present invention has achieved the above objects by providing an aerosol container, wherein a skirt member is mounted on a peripheral surface of the container body in such a manner as to surround a stem of the container body to which the discharge nozzle member is attached such that, when the discharge nozzle member is rotated with respect to the skirt member, the perforated discharge nozzle member is brought into a depressible position and when the depression is released, the perforated discharge nozzle member is brought into an undepressible position. 
     Also, the present invention has achieved the above objects by providing an aerosol container, wherein the discharge nozzle member comprises a nozzle lower part fixedly engaged in an engagement recess, which is formed in a lower surface of a nozzle upper part, in a hermetically closed condition through an O-ring, and wherein a seal construction for hermetically closing the nozzle upper part and the nozzle lower part comprises a recess annular inclination surface formed by an outwardly or inwardly tapered abutment surface of the O-ring disposed in the engagement recess and a lower part annular inclination surface formed by an inwardly or outwardly tapered abutment surface of the O-ring and disposed in opposite relation to the recess annular inclination surface, the O-ring being inserted and sandwiched between the recess annular inclination surface and the lower part annular inclination surface in its compressed condition. 
     Also, the present invention has achieved the above objects by providing a method of using an aerosol container comprising the step of stepping on a discharge nozzle member disposed at a distal end of an aerosol container with a content stored therein, to thereby discharge the content onto a sole of a foot so that the foot can be treated with the content. 
     According to the aerosol container and the method of using an aerosol container of the present invention, the content is directly discharged to the sole of a foot by the depressing force caused by the stepping operation. Accordingly, the content such as a chemical or the like can easily be applied to the sole of a foot or between the adjacent toes without a need of maintaining the attitude of bending the knee or sitting. 
     If the discharge nozzle member of the aerosol container of the present invention is provided with the sound-reduction means, an injection sound generated when the content liquid is applied can easily be reduced to the extent that it is hardly offensive to the ear and that the use cannot be recognized. 
     Also, if a skirt member is mounted on a peripheral surface of the container body in such a manner as to surround a stem of the container body to which the discharge nozzle member is attached such that, when the discharge nozzle member is rotated with respect to the skirt member, the discharge nozzle member is brought into a depressible position and when the depression is released, the discharge nozzle member is brought into an undepressible position, accidental discharge can easily be prevented by automatically restoring a nozzle member into a locked position when the depression against the nozzle member is released. 
     Also, if the discharge nozzle member comprises a nozzle lower part fixedly engaged in an engagement recess, which is formed in. a lower surface of a nozzle upper part, in a hermetically closed condition through an O-ring, and wherein a seal construction for hermetically closing the nozzle upper part and the nozzle lower part comprises a recess annular inclination surface formed by an outwardly or inwardly tapered abutment surface of the O-ring disposed in the engagement recess and a lower part annular inclination surface formed by an inwardly or outwardly tapered abutment surface of the O-ring and disposed in opposite relation to the recess annular inclination surface, the O-ring being inserted and sandwiched between the recess annular inclination surface and the lower part annular inclination surface in its compressed condition, the aerosol container of the present invention can be provided with a discharge nozzle member in which a nozzle upper member and a nozzle lower member are formed into a unitary member and a reliable sealability is retained. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a schematically illustrated exploded perspective view showing an aerosol container according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing an essential portion for explaining a construction of an aerosol container according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view for explaining a construction of a perforated discharge nozzle member of the aerosol container; 
     FIG.  4 ( a ) is a sectional view for explaining a construction of the perforated discharge nozzle member; 
     FIG.  4 ( b ) is a bottom view when FIG.  4 ( a ) is viewed in a direction as indicated by an arrow A. 
     FIG.  5 ( a ) is a plan view for explaining a construction of a skirt member; 
     FIG.  5 ( b ) is a sectional view taken along B—B of FIG.  5 ( a ); 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view for explaining another sound-reduction means disposed at the perforated discharge nozzle member; and 
     FIG. 7 is a sectional view for explaining rotational biasing means caused by a coiled spring. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present. invention will now be described in the form of its one preferred embodiment. An aerosol container  10 , shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, according to this embodiment is a step-on type discharge container which is placed, for example, under a desk of one&#39;s job site and which ejects an application liquid such as a refrigerant, an insecticide, an aromatic or the like so as to be applied to the sole side of a foot through nozzle ports  14  which are opened in an upper surface of a perforated discharge nozzle member  11  when the perforated discharge nozzle member  11  is stepped on to depress it. This aerosol container  10  comprises a container body  12  and the perforated discharge nozzle member  11  projecting upwardly of the container body  12 . 
     The container body  12 , in which an application liquid (content liquid) is stored air-tight, has a stem  13  which is caused to project upwardly from a distal end portion of the container body  12  under the effect of resiliency of a spring disposed within a valve mounted in the container body  12 . The perforated discharge nozzle member  11 , which has a disc-like configuration, is attached to the container body  12  in such a manner as to cover a tip of the stem  13 . By depressing this perforated discharge nozzle member  11  downward in an axial direction of the stem  13 , the application liquid is discharged upward from the nozzle ports  14 , which are in communication with the interior of the container body  12  through the stem  13 , so as to be applied to the sole side of the foot. 
     The container body  12  is made of synthetic resin, metal or the like and is a hollow container having a circular configuration in section, with a diameter of about 9 cm at its bottom surface and a height of about 8 cm. Owing to this feature, it has a low gravity. Therefore, it can be placed on the floor in such a stable fashion that it is not fallen even when the perforated discharge nozzle member  11  of the aerosol container  10  is depressed by the foot. 
     The perforated discharge nozzle member  11  is made of synthetic resin and has a disc-like configuration. The perforated discharge nozzle member  11  has a circular column-like stem engagement projection  15  projecting downward from a central portion of a lower surface thereof By bringing an upper end portion of the stem  13  into engagement in an engagement hole  16  formed in the stem engagement projection  15 , the stem  13  can communicate with a liquid passage  20  formed within the perforated discharge nozzle member  11  via a through-hole  81  which is formed in a central area of the stem engagement projection  15 . The liquid passage  20  comprises a lateral passage  20   a  extending in a radial direction from the center of the perforated nozzle member  11  and seven vertical flow passages  20   b  extending all the way through the nozzle upper part  12 , one being formed in the center of the nozzle upper part  12  and the remaining six in the peripheral edge portion. These seven vertical flow passages  20   b  are connected respectively to corresponding nozzle ports  14  one of which is formed in the center of a surface of the discharge nozzle member  11  and the remaining six in the peripheral edge portion. 
     In order to form the radially extending lateral flow passage  20   a  within the perforated discharge nozzle member  11 , the perforated discharge nozzle member  11  comprises the nozzle upper part  17  and the nozzle lower part  18  which are formed into a unitary member through an O-ring  26  as shown in FIG.  3 . That is, a flattened central round protrusion  21 , which is formed on an upper surface of the nozzle lower part  18 , has three linear grooves extending in a diametrical direction thereof. Those three linear grooves cross one another at the center of the flattened central round protrusion  21 , thereby forming radial grooves  22  extending in six radial directions. Accordingly, when the nozzle lower part  18  is fixedly engaged in an engagement recess  23  which is formed in a lower surface of the nozzle upper part  17 , with an upper surface of the central round protrusion  21  intimately contacted with a lower surface of the nozzle upper part  17 , the lateral flow passage  20   a  is defined by the radial grooves  22  and the lower surface of the nozzle upper part  17 . Also, as shown in FIG. 2, distal ends of the six radial grooves  22  are communicated respectively with the corresponding vertical flow passages  20   b  which are formed in the peripheral edge portions of the nozzle upper part  17 . 
     In this embodiment, a seal construction  24  is employed, in which the nozzle lower part  18  is fixedly engaged in the engagement recess  23 , which is formed in the lower surface of the nozzle upper part  17 , in a hermetically closed condition through the O-ring  26 , so that the application liquid can smoothly be supplied into the respective nozzle ports  14  through the lateral flow passage  20   a.    
     The seal construction  24  comprises, as shown in FIG. 2, a recess annular inclination surface  27  formed by an outwardly tapered abutment surface of the O-ring  26  disposed in the engagement recess  23  of the nozzle upper part  17  and a lower part annular inclination surface  28  formed by an inwardly tapered abutment surface of the O-ring  26  in the nozzle lower part  18  and disposed in opposite relation to the recess annular inclination surface  27 , the O-ring  26  being inserted and sandwiched between the recess annular inclination surface  27  and the lower part annular inclination surface  28  in its compressed condition. 
     The O-ring  26  is made from elastic material such as, for example, silicon and NBR (nitrile-butadiene rubber). The O-ring  26  is a ring-like member having a circular configuration in section and having a dimension so as to be disposed along the recess annular inclination surface  27  or the lower part annular inclination surface  28 . 
     The recess annular inclination surface  27  is served as an outer inclination surface of a lower surface annular projection  30  which is disposed spacedly from and along an inner side of a skirt wall  29  which defines the engagement recess  23  in the lower surface of the nozzle upper part  17 . The recess annular inclination surface  27  is inclined at an angle of 45 degrees with respect to the lower surface of the nozzle upper part  17 . The lower surface annular projection  30  has a circular recess formed in its inner side. The central round protrusion  21  of the nozzle lower part  18  is disposed at the circular recess in intimately contacted relation. 
     On the upper surface of the nozzle lower part  18 , the lower part annular inclination surface  28  is inclined as an inner inclination surface of an upper surface annular projection  31  disposed spacedly from the central round protrusion  21  and along a peripheral edge portion of the nozzle lower part  18 , at an angle of 45 degrees with respect to the upper surface of the nozzle lower part  18 . 
     The seal construction  24  is provided when the perforated discharge nozzle member  11  is formed into a unitary member by engaging the nozzle lower part  18  in the engagement recess  23  of the nozzle upper part  17  through the O-ring  26 . 
     Arranged in a peripheral direction on an inner wall surface of the skirt wall  29  of the nozzle lower part  18 , there are, for example, four engagement projections  25  at a predetermined interval (interval large enough to engage the nozzle lower part  18  in the engagement recess  23  with the central round protrusion  21  held in intimately contacted relation with the circular recess of the nozzle upper part  17 ) from the lower surface of the nozzle upper part  17 . Therefore, when the nozzle lower part  18  is brought into engagement in the engagement recess  23  such that the lower surface peripheral edge portion thereof is engaged with the engagement projections  25  with the O-ring  26  interposed between the recess annular inclination surface  27  and the lower part annular inclination surface  28 , there can be obtained the perforated discharge nozzle member  11  in which the nozzle lower part  18  is fixedly attached to the nozzle upper part  17  to form a rigid unitary member. 
     The diameter of a circular section of the O-ring  26  is larger than the interval between the recess annular inclination surface  27  and the lower part annular inclination surface  28  disposed in opposite direction to each other. In the state in which the nozzle lower part  18  is fixedly attached to the nozzle upper part  17 , the O-ring  26  is inserted and sandwiched therebetween in its compressed condition. Therefore, they are firmly intimately contacted with each other to provide an effective sealability. 
     According to this seal construction  24 , the O-ring  26  is sandwiched between such two inclination surfaces the recess annular inclination surface  27  and the lower part annular inclination surface  28  and a compressive force is incurred not only in a vertical direction which is coincident with the attaching direction but also in a lateral direction. Therefore, even when the engagement by the engagement projections  25  loosens in the attaching direction of the nozzle lower part  18  and play occurs thereby failing to incur a sufficient amount of compressive force in the vertical direction, a firm sealability can be retained because the lateral compressive force is sustained by the support by the skirt wall  29  surrounding the nozzle lower part  18 . 
     That is, according to this embodiment, by virtue of a provision of the seal construction  24 , sealability can positively be retained when the nozzle lower part  18  is fixedly attached to the engagement recess  23  through the O-ring  26 . Therefore, according to the aerosol container  10  of this embodiment, there can be provided a perforated discharge nozzle member  11  in which sealability is positively retained and the nozzle upper part  17  and the nozzle lower part  18  are formed into a unitary member. 
     Also, according to this embodiment, the perforated discharge nozzle member  11  has a disc-like configuration whose upper surface is about 5 cm in diameter and about 1.5 cm in height. Seven, in total, of nozzle ports  14  each having an aperture of 0.3 mm are opened, as injection ports, at the upper surface of the perforated discharge nozzle  11 , one at a central area and six along the circumferential direction as shown in FIG.  3 . Owing to the arrangement in which seven nozzle ports  14  are arranged in a generally equally scattered pattern on the upper surface of the perforated discharge nozzle member  11 , the application liquid, as the content liquid, can be generally uniformly sprayed (ejected) over an entire area of the upper surface of the perforated discharge nozzle member  11 . 
     The perforated discharge nozzle member  11  has the annular wall  32 , as a ring-like protrusion, protruded from the upper surface peripheral edge portion in such a manner as to surround the seven injection ports  13  as one group. 
     The perforated discharge nozzle member  11  of the aerosol container  10  placed under a desk is depressed by being stepped thereon by that area of a foot to which the content liquid is to be applied, in such a manner as to cover the annular wall  32  from above, thereby ejecting the content liquid from the nozzle ports  14  so as to be applied to the sole side of the foot. Since the annular wall  32  is disposed along the upper surface peripheral edge portion of the perforated discharge nozzle member  11  at a diameter of about 4 cm and its installation area is dimensioned such as to be covered with the sole side of the foot, the inner side of the annular wall  32  is hermetically closed during the abovementioned depressing operation so that injection sound is difficult to escape through the nozzle ports  14 . Thus, a sound reduction effect can be exhibited. The interval between the sole side of the foot and the nozzle ports  14 , namely, spraying distance, can be obtained by the height of the annular wall  32  as a projection for surrounding the nozzle ports  14  as a group. 
     The sound pressure levels were measured for comparison during the spraying operation of the content of the aerosol container with respect to the aerosol container  10  of this embodiment in which the annular wall  32  is provided as a sound reduction wall and an aerosol container from which the sound reduction wall has been removed, under the same pressure level of the spraying agent. As a result, the sound level was found to be 68 dB (the sound level inside a train) for the aerosol container having no sound reduction wall, whereas the sound level was found to be  57   d  (the sound level of a normal conversation at a distance of 1 m) for the aerosol container  10  having the sound reduction wall. In this way, the sound reduction effect was apparently recognized. This measurement was carried out at a location 0.1 m away from the nozzle portion and under the environment of a peripheral sound of 50 dB, using a sound-level meter (merchandise name: NA-09 manufactured by Rion Co. Ltd.). 
     According to this embodiment, as shown in FIGS.  4 ( a ) and  4 ( b ), a pair of synthetic resin leaf springs  51  serving as rotation reinforcing means are attached to the perforated discharge nozzle member  11  with one ends thereof joined to an outer peripheral area of the stem engagement projection  15 , the pair of leaf springs  51  being allowed to extend in the opposite directions. The other ends of the leaf springs  51  are held in corresponding cuts  62  formed in a circular wall  61  of a skirt member  60  in a sandwiched manner therebetween as later described. 
     Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the perforated discharge nozzle member  11  has four downwardly projecting stopper projections (protections)  53  each having a width of about 3 mm. Those stopper projections  53  are formed on a lower end face of the annular skirt wall  29  which are disposed along a lower surface peripheral edge portion of the perforated discharge nozzle member  11 , at locations dividing the end face into four sections in a peripheral direction. Those four stopper projections  53  are inserted into corresponding number of two-stage cut-out grooves  63 , respectively, of the skirt member  60  as later described. 
     According to the aerosol container  10  of this embodiment, the skirt member  60  for concentrically providing the circular wall  61  and a circular groove  63  located outwardly of the circular wall  61  with the stem  13  is engaged with and attached to the peripheral surface of the container body  12  in such a manner as to cover the upper end outer peripheral surface of the container body  12  surrounding the stem  13 . 
     As shown in FIGS. 2,  5 ( a ) and  5 ( b ), the skirt member  60  is an annular member having at its central area an opening  35  for allowing the stem  13  to be inserted therein. The skirt member  60  exhibits a circular configuration in a plan view and a trapezoidal configuration having equal side length dimensions in section. A lower end face  37 , which is indented slantwise inwardly, of a downwardly spreading lower half skirt portion  36  is placed on a shoulder portion  38 , which is curved slantwise, of the upper end peripheral surface of the container body  12 . By doing so, the skirt member  60  is attached in such a manner as to be concentric with the stem  13 , while disposing the stem  13  at the center of the insertion opening  35 . 
     An upper half portion of the skirt member  60  includes the circular wall  61  upstanding along the outer side of the insertion opening  35  and an upstanding outer peripheral wall  41  disposed outwardly and spacedly of the circular wall  61 , thereby defining the circular groove  63 . The circular groove  61  is formed with a pair of cuts (or indents)  62  at opposing locations in a radial direction thereof When the perforated discharge nozzle member  11  is attached to the stem  13 , the other end portions of the leaf springs  51  are inserted into the corresponding cuts  62  in a sandwiched manner and held therebetween. The circular groove  63  is provided with four two-stage cut-out grooves  64  at locations dividing it into four sections in its peripheral direction. Those grooves  64  act as rotation restricting portions, respectively. When the perforated discharge nozzle member  11  is attached to the stem  13 , the stopper projections  53  are inserted into the corresponding two-stage cut-out grooves  64 . 
     Each two-stage groove  64  is dimensioned such that it has a length of about 10 mm which is longer than the width of the stopper projection  53 . Owing to this feature, the stopper projection  53  can slidingly move in the peripheral direction within the two-stage cut-outs groove  64  and the perforated discharge nozzle member  11  can rotate in the peripheral direction by serving this slidingly movable range as a predetermined range of an angle of play. The side surface of the stopper projection  53  comes into contact with the inside surface of two-stage cut-out groove  64 , as a rotation preventive wall, to thereby limit the sliding movement of the side surface of the stopper projection  53  in the peripheral direction, whereby the rotatable play angle range of the perforated discharge nozzle member  11  is limited. 
     The two-stage cut-out groove  64  is of a two-stage structure in which the groove is divided into an upper stage portion  39  having a reduced depth and occupying about a ⅓ area of the center in the peripheral direction and a lower stage portion  40  disposed at opposite sides of the upper stage portion  39 . Where the stopper projection  53  is located above the upper stage portion  39 , if the perforated discharge nozzle member  11  is tried to be pushed down, the distal end face of each stopper projection  53  immediately comes into contact with the upper stage portion  39 , so that the perforated discharge nozzle member  11  cannot be depressed to the extent that the application liquid is discharged, making the discharge impossible. On the other hand, where the stopper projection  53  is located above the lower stage portion  40 , the perforated discharge nozzle member  11  can smoothly be depressed until the distal end face of the stopper projection  53  comes into contact with a bottom surface of the lower stage portion  40 . Thus, the application liquid can easily be discharged. That is, the upper stage portion  39  in the two-stage cut-out groove  64 , which acts as the rotation restricting portion, constitutes a depression restricting portion for restricting the depression of the perforated discharge nozzle member  11  by coming contact with the distal end of the stopper projection  53 . On the other hand, the lower stage portion  40  constitutes a depression releasing portion. 
     The stopper projections  53  and the leaf springs  51  are disposed on the perforated discharge nozzle member  11  in such positional relationship that when the other ends of the leaf springs  51  are held in the cuts  62  in a sandwiched manner, respectively, the stopper projections  53  are located above the upper stage portion  39  of the two-stage cut-out groove  64 . Accordingly, in order to locate the respective stopper projections  53  above the lower stage portion  40 , it is necessary to rotate the perforated discharge nozzle member  11  against the reinforcement of the leaf springs  51 . 
     At the outside of the outer peripheral wall  41  of the skirt member  60 , there is provided a pedestal  42  adapted to attach a cap  43  thereto. The cap  43  is detachably attached to the pedestal  42  in such a manner as to cover the perforated discharge nozzle member  11  with a lower end face of the cap  43  abutted with the pedestal  42  while fitting the cap  43  onto the outer peripheral wall  41  (see FIGS.  1  and  2 ). 
     According to the aerosol container  10  of this embodiment, the skirt member  60  is provided in such a manner as to cover the upper end outer peripheral surface of the container body  12  and then, the perforated discharge nozzle member  11  is attached in such a manner as to cover the distal end of the stem  13  while bringing the upper end portion of the stem  13  into engagement in the engagement hole  16  of the stem engagement projection  15 . By doing so, the container body  12 , the skirt member  60  and the perforated discharge nozzle member  11  are formed into a unitary member. In that state, the other ends of the respective leaf springs  51  are inserted in the corresponding cuts  62  and held in a sandwiched manner, and the respective stopper projections  53  are located above the upper stage portion  39  of the two-stage cut-out groove  64 . Accordingly, the perforated discharge nozzle member  11  is not fully depressed, even if it is tried to be pushed down,, and the application liquid is not discharged from the nozzle ports  14 . 
     In order to apply the application liquid to the sole side of the foot so as to treat the foot by using the aerosol container  10  of this embodiment, the foot is placed on the upper surface of the perforated discharge nozzle member  11  and twisted either leftwardly or rightwardly. By doing so, the perforated discharge nozzle member  11  is rotated against the reinforcement of the leaf springs  11  until the side surface of each stopper projection  53  is brought into contact with the inside surface of the two-stage cut-out groove  64 . As a consequence, the stopper projections  53  are moved above the lower stage portion  40  of the two-state cut-out groove  64 . In that condition, when the perforated discharge nozzle member  11  is depressed by being stepped thereon, the stopper projection  53  is gradually inserted into the lower stage portion  40  and so, the perforated discharge nozzle member  11  is fully depressed, thus enabling to apply the application liquid directly to the sole side of the foot from a spray nozzle  19  via the nozzle ports  14 . 
     When the application liquid has been applied, the foot placed on the perforated discharge nozzle member  11  is removed therefrom to release the depression. As a consequence, the perforated discharge nozzle member  11  is pushed up by the resiliency of a spring disposed within a valve for projecting the stem  13  and at the same time, the perforated discharge nozzle member  11  is rotated in a reversed direction by the reinforcement of the leaf springs  51  so as to be automatically restored to the original state in which the stopper projections  53  are located above the upper stage portion  39  of the two-stage cut-out groove  64  to restrict the depression of the perforated discharge nozzle member  11 , just as the state before the foot is placed on the perforated discharge nozzle member  11 . Accordingly, in order to discharge the application liquid from the spray nozzle  19 , it is necessary to rotate the perforated discharge nozzle member  11  again. 
     That is, according to the aerosol container  10  of this embodiment, the perforated discharge nozzle member  11 , when released, is automatically restored to a locked position in which the perforated discharge nozzle member  11  cannot be depressed. Thus, accidental discharge can easily be prevented from occurring. 
     According to the aerosol container  10  of this embodiment, when the perforated discharge nozzle member  11  of the aerosol container  10  placed under a desk or the like is depressed by being stepped thereon by the sole side of the foot, the application liquid is discharged towards the sole of the foot so that the discharged liquid can directly and rapidly be applied to the sole of the foot. Since the perforated discharge nozzle member  11  has an annular wall  32  disposed, as a projection, on the upper surface peripheral edge portion, the interval between the sole side of the foot and the nozzle ports  14  is retained when the perforated discharge nozzle member  11  is stepped thereon. Accordingly, the application liquid can smoothly be discharged. Also, since the perforated discharge nozzle member  11  is provided with a plurality of nozzle ports (seven in this embodiment)  14 , the discharged application liquid can easily be applied over a wide area of the sole of the foot merely by a single stepping action. 
     It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment and various changes and modifications can be made. For example, the discharge nozzle member, which is not necessarily a perforated discharge nozzle member, may be a discharge nozzle member provided with a single nozzle port. The projection for retaining the interval between the sole of the foot and the nozzle ports is not necessarily an annular wall. Instead, it may be in the form of a plurality of rod-like projections (whose length dimension is, for example, 3 mm or more, and preferably 5 mm or more) each having a round tip portion, which are disposed in such a manner as to surround the nozzle ports. An angle of injection of each nozzle port may be set within a range of 45 degrees, for example, both leftwardly and rightwardly. The content liquid may include such chemicals as an insecticide, a sweat-restricting agent, an anti-bacterial agent, an antiphogistic agent and an ethanol a perfume, and the like. 
     The means for placing the aerosol container on the floor in a stable manner&#39;so that it will not fall down when it is stepped on may include a method of designing the container body having a center of gravity and a bottom area such that the diameter of the bottom surface of the container body is, for example, 50 mm or more and ⅔ or more of the height, preferably 1.0 times or more of the height, and the a fall angle of the aerosol container becomes 30 degrees or more when the container body is emptied, a method of providing fixing means for fixedly placing the container body in a stepping position by means of a locking thread, an adhesive agent or an anti-slippage agent such as rubber disposed at the bottom potion of the container, or the like, a method of preliminarily disposing a fixing base for receiving the aerosol container in the stepping position and the aerosol container is changeably attached to this fixing base, and so forth. 
     Furthermore, according to the present invention, the annular wall  32  of the perforated discharge nozzle member  11 , as shown in FIG. 6, may take the form of a duplex structure consisting of an outer circumferential wall  66  and an inner undulating wall  67 , in which an outer bump of the inner undulating wall  67  is joined with an inner surface of the outer circumferential wall  66  and a gap  70  having a generally triangular configuration in section is formed every mountain part of the waveform between an outer valley of the inner undulating wall  67  and an inner surface of the outer circumferential wall  66 . According to this type of an annular wall  32 , by virtue of the arrangement including a duplex structure consisting of the outer circumferential wall  66  and the inner undulating wall  67  and the gap  70  formed therebetween, the silencing effect is enhanced. If the annular wall  32  is formed from foamed resin material the silencing effect of the injection sound can further be enhanced. It is an interesting alternative that a foamed material such as a foamed polyethylene is bonded to the inner surface of the inner undulating wall  67  in order to enhance the silencing effect. The silencing effect can also be enhanced by applying, for example, a serrated configuration to the inner surface of the annular wall  32 . The sound-reduction means is not necessarily structured by an annular wall. 
     If six projections  80  each having a height of about 5 mm are formed on the upper surface of the perforated discharge nozzle member  11  at a location between the adjacent nozzle ports  14  in the circumferential direction, they may press and stimulate effective spots in the sole side of the foot, thereby exhibiting a finger-pressure treatment effect, when the perforated discharge nozzle member  11  is depressed by the foot. In addition, this also serves to ensure a spraying distance for the application liquid. 
     The annular wall disposed along the upper surface peripheral edge portion of the discharge nozzle member may be an annular wall formed by providing a single or double of circumferential walls along the upper surface peripheral edge portion of the discharge nozzle member. The annular wall may also take the form of an annular wall in which the outer circumferential wall and the inner undulating wall are partly spacedly disposed without being bonded together at that area, or an annular wall in which the gap having a generally triangular configuration in section formed between the outer circumferential wall and the inner undulating wall is eliminated so that the both walls are integrally formed. It is also accepted that a ceiling member having a cut-out along the contour of the foot, for example, is joined with an upper end of the annular wall and such a cut-out is served as an opening having a size dimension able to be covered with the sole side of the foot. In addition, the inside of the annular wall  32  may be formed into a bowl configuration in such a manner that the upper end of the annular wall  32  connects to the upper surface of the perforated discharge nozzle member  11  through the inside wall of the annular wall  32  which gradually slopes to the inner side (see FIG.  7 ). 
     As the rotation reinforcing means in which the stopper projections  53  of the perforated discharge nozzle member  11  are disposed at the upper-stage portion  39  of the two-stage cut-out groove  64 , a coiled spring  71 , as shown in FIG. 7, for example, may be employed instead of the leaf springs  51  of the above embodiment. That is, a coil part  72  of the coiled spring  71  is attached to the stem engagement projection  15  of the perforated discharge nozzle member  11 , with one linear end portion  73  of the coiled spring  71  being held in a sandwiched manner between a pair of engagement projections  74  disposed on the lower surface of the nozzle member  11  and the other linear end portion  75  being held in the cut  62  formed in the circular wall  61  of the skirt member  60  in a sandwiched manner therebetween. 
     FIG. 7 shows another rotation reinforcing means capable of automatically restoring the perforated discharge nozzle member  11  to the original position before the foot is stepped on the perforated discharge nozzle member  11 , by reversedly rotating the perforated discharge nozzle member  11 , which has been rotated normally at the time for applying the application liquid, under the biasing effect of the coiled spring  71  so that the stopper projections  53  are located above the upper stage portion  39  of the two-stage cut-out groove  64  so as to restrict the depression of the perforated discharge nozzle member  11 . 
     Although it is not absolutely necessary to incline the recess annular inclination surface  27  and the lower part annular inclination surface  28  for sandwiching the O-ring  26  therein at an angle of 45 degrees with respect to a reference plane such as the upper surface of the nozzle lower part, they are preferably inclined at an angle of 35 to 55 degrees and particularly preferably at an angle of 25 to 65 degrees. If the angle of inclination is within the range of 25 to 65 degrees, a reliable sealability can be obtained even for a perforated discharge nozzle member which does not have a strict accuracy of dimensions. 
     It is also accepted that the recess annular inclination surface is tapered towards inwardly and the lower part annular inclination surface is tapered outwardly. It is not absolutely necessary that those angles of inclination are coincident with each other so that the inclination surfaces are opposed with each other in parallel relation. 
     According to the aerosol container of the present invention, it is not absolutely necessary for the perforated discharge nozzle member to take the form of a disc-like configuration. Instead, it may take the form of a polygonal configuration such as a triangular configuration and a square configuration.