Patent Description:
A spray container in which a pump is attached to an opening portion of a container storing contents is widely used. When such a spray container is operated by pushing down the pump or the like, the contents in the container are suctioned up by an action of a pressure of the pump, and are sprayed from a hole at a tip end of the pump. It is known that the spray container has a structure in which a spraying unit is detachably attached to the container by screw fitting or the like such that the contents can be replenished or replaced.

On the other hand, in fields of perfumes, cosmetics, and medicines, there is also known a structure in which the pump cannot be removed from the container for a reason of maintaining a quality of the contents or the like. For example, the spray container that is crimped around an opening of the container by applying a force to a part of a pump component to plastically deform the pump is sold.

PTL <NUM> proposes a structure in which a portion (breaking means) having a low strength is provided in a ring-shaped member for fixing a pump to a neck portion of a container in order to recycle a pump (dispenser) portion after use. Accordingly, it is described that an operator can quickly and cleanly remove the dispenser from the container by breaking the portion having a low strength of the ring-shaped member.

In recent years, in order to reuse resources, there is a trend to thoroughly separate and collect waste by material. Even for the spray container in which the spraying unit cannot be removed from the container, when the container and the spraying unit are made of different materials (for example, glass and metal, glass and a resin, metal and a resin, or the like), it is necessary to remove the spraying unit from the container after use and discard the spraying unit and the container. Therefore, a user (consumer) may pry open the spraying unit with a plier after use to remove the spraying unit from the neck portion of the container and discard the spraying unit and the container.

In a spray container disclosed in PTL <NUM>, the dispenser (pump) can be removed from the container by the operator applying a force to break a part of the ring-shaped member. However, when the user (consumer) himself/herself removes the dispenser from the container, an operation of breaking the ring-shaped member is not easy for a user with a weak force.

An object of the invention is to provide a spray container capable of removing and separating a pump from a container with a small force after use of contents. Solution to Problem.

In order to achieve the above object, a spray container of the invention includes: a container that includes a neck-shaped portion around an opening; a pump unit for spraying contents in the container; and a fixing tool arranged to the pump unit to the neck-shaped portion. The pump unit includes a cylinder having one portion inserted into the opening, a piston having one end inserted into the cylinder, a button attached to the other end of the piston and pushing the piston into the cylinder, and a support ring arranged to be disposed to cover an outer periphery of the neck-shaped portion of the opening in an annular shape and thereby supporting the cylinder at an edge portion of the opening. The fixing tool includes a fastening ring disposed such that an inner peripheral surface thereof is in contact with an outer peripheral surface of the support ring, and a fixing ring disposed to be in contact with an outer peripheral surface of the fastening ring. The fastening ring and the fixing ring include a lock mechanism for fixing the support ring to the neck-shaped portion. A part of the button or the piston is provided with an engagement portion that engages with the fastening ring at a predetermined angle when the button or the piston is rotated about an axis thereof. The lock mechanism has a structure in which locking is released when the button is pressed in a state where a part of the button or the piston is engaged with the fastening ring by the engagement portion, and the pump unit is able to be removed from the neck-shaped portion of the container.

According to the invention, a spray container capable of removing and separating a pump from a container with a small force after use of contents can be provided.

Hereinafter, a separable and disposable spray container <NUM> according to an embodiment of the invention will be described.

<FIG> is a cross-sectional view of the entire spray container <NUM>, and <FIG> is an enlarged cross-sectional view of an upper portion of the spray container <NUM>. <FIG> is a perspective view of a pump unit <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, the spray container <NUM> of the present embodiment includes a container <NUM> that includes a neck-shaped portion <NUM> around an opening <NUM>, the pump unit <NUM> that sprays contents in the container <NUM>, and a fixing tool <NUM> that fixes the pump unit <NUM> to the neck-shaped portion <NUM> of the container <NUM>. The pump unit <NUM> and the fixing tool <NUM> constitute a content spraying unit that sprays the contents in the container <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, the pump unit <NUM> includes a cylinder <NUM> having a lower portion inserted inside the opening <NUM> of the container <NUM>, a piston <NUM> having a tip end 22a inserted into the cylinder <NUM>, and a button <NUM> fixed to a rear end 22b of the piston <NUM>.

Elastic members (here, double springs 24a and 24b) are disposed around the piston <NUM>, and support the piston 22b while biasing the piston 22b with respect to the cylinder <NUM>.

A through hole 21b is provided at a tip end (lower end) of the cylinder <NUM>, and the through hole 21b is covered with a check valve 21c. A pipe 21d for suctioning up the contents in the container <NUM> is inserted into the through hole 21b. A cylinder inner tube 21e is fixed to an upper end of the cylinder <NUM>.

The button <NUM> is provided with a spraying port <NUM>. Here, piston outer tubes 22c, 22d are disposed around the piston <NUM> to surround the piston <NUM>, and the piston <NUM> is fixed to the button <NUM> via the piston outer tube 22c. A minute gap 22e is provided between an outer peripheral surface of the piston <NUM> and the piston outer tubes 22c and 55d, and the gap 22e serves as a flow path for guiding the contents in the container <NUM> from a space 21a of the cylinder <NUM> to the button <NUM>.

The piston outer tube 22c isolates the springs 24a and 24b from the piston <NUM>, and the springs 24a and 24b have a configuration of not being in contact with the contents in the container <NUM>.

The button <NUM> is provided with a flow path 23a for guiding the contents, which reaches the button <NUM> through a gap 22b of the piston <NUM>, to the spraying port <NUM>.

A support ring <NUM> is fixed to the upper end of the cylinder <NUM> via the cylinder inner tube 21e. The support ring <NUM> has a shape that annularly covers an outer periphery of the neck-shaped portion <NUM> from an edge of the opening <NUM>. The support ring <NUM> is connected to the cylinder inner tube 21e and an outer peripheral surface of the cylinder <NUM> at an upper portion of the edge of the opening <NUM>, and supports the cylinder <NUM> on the edge of the opening <NUM>. Here, a packing <NUM> is disposed between the edge of the opening <NUM> and the support ring <NUM>.

The neck-shaped portion <NUM> of the container <NUM> has an edge portion 12a protruding outward in a ring shape, and a concave portion 12b (depth A in a radial direction) is provided at a lower portion of the edge portion 12a. A lower end of the support ring <NUM> is provided with a convex portion 26a (height B (B < A) in the radial direction) that engages with the concave portion 12b on an inner peripheral surface side.

The fixing tool <NUM> includes a fastening ring <NUM> disposed such that an inner peripheral surface thereof is in contact with an outer peripheral surface of the support ring <NUM>, and a fixing ring <NUM> disposed on an outer side of the fastening ring <NUM>. The fastening ring <NUM> and the fixing ring <NUM> are provided with a lock mechanism <NUM> for fixing the support ring <NUM> to the neck-shaped portion <NUM>.

Here, as an example, the lock mechanism <NUM> includes a convex portion 26c (or a concave portion) provided on the outer peripheral surface of the support ring <NUM>, and a concave portion 31c (or a convex portion) provided on an inner peripheral surface of the fastening ring <NUM> at a position corresponding to the convex portion 26c (or the concave portion). When the convex portion 26c (or the concave portion) of the support ring engages with the concave portion 31c (or convex portion) on the inner peripheral surface of the fastening ring <NUM>, the lock mechanism <NUM> is in a locked state. A pressing convex portion 31d is provided on an outer peripheral surface of the fastening ring <NUM> at the same position as the concave portion 31c. The fixing ring <NUM> is disposed to be in contact with the pressing convex portion 31d of the fastening ring <NUM>, and by pressing the fastening ring <NUM> against the support ring <NUM> and crimping the fastening ring <NUM>, the convex portion 26c and the concave portion 31c strengthen the engagement and maintain the locked state, and the support ring <NUM> is fixed to the neck-shaped portion <NUM>.

On the other hand, as shown in <FIG>, one or more notches 26b are provided in the support ring <NUM> in an axial direction. Since the notches 26b are provided, the support ring <NUM> is deformed and narrowed in the radial direction when the support ring <NUM> is crimped by the fastening ring <NUM>, and is firmly fixed to the neck-shaped portion <NUM>.

In the present embodiment, the concave portion 31c, the convex portion 26c and the pressing convex portion 31d are provided in a ring shape along a peripheral direction of the inner peripheral surface of the fastening ring <NUM> and the outer peripheral surface of the support ring <NUM>.

To describe each part of the lock mechanism <NUM> in more detail, since the pressing convex portion 31d is in contact with the fixing ring <NUM>, the fastening ring <NUM> is pressed against the support ring <NUM> and pressed by the pressing convex portion 31d, the concave portion 31c and the convex portion 26c are fitted. Thus, a strength of crimping the support ring <NUM> is increased. Since the convex portion 26c of the support ring <NUM> and the concave portion 31c of the fastening ring <NUM> are fitted to each other, the support ring <NUM> cannot move upward in the axial direction. Accordingly, the lock mechanism <NUM> prevents the support ring <NUM> from removing from the neck-shaped portion <NUM>.

In addition, a lower end of the fastening ring <NUM> has a height the same as the lower end of the support ring <NUM>, and includes a convex portion 31a (height C in the radial direction) protruding toward the inner peripheral surface side. Accordingly, the convex portion 26b of the lower end of the support ring <NUM> is thicker than an interval between the convex portion 31a of the fastening ring <NUM> and the neck-shaped portion <NUM>, and the support ring <NUM> cannot pass between the convex portion 31a of the fastening ring <NUM> and the neck-shaped portion <NUM>. Therefore, a structure in which the support ring <NUM> is further firmly prevented from moving upward in the axial direction is implemented.

As described above, by the lock mechanism <NUM>, the support ring <NUM> is not only pressed against the neck-shaped portion <NUM> by the fastening ring <NUM>, but also prevented from moving in the axial direction, and is fixed to the neck-shaped portion <NUM>.

On the other hand, any one part of the button <NUM>, the piston <NUM>, and the piston outer tube 22c is provided with engagement portions <NUM> that engage with the fastening ring <NUM> at a predetermined angle when the button <NUM>, the piston <NUM>, or the piston outer tube 22c is rotated about the axis thereof.

Here, an example in which the engagement portions <NUM> are provided at a lower end of an outer peripheral surface of the button <NUM> as shown in (a) of <FIG> will be described. The button <NUM> is attached to the piston <NUM> and the piston outer tube 22c to be rotatable about the axis, and the button <NUM> includes, as the engagement portions <NUM>, first protrusions (hereinafter, referred to as first protrusions <NUM>) protruding outward from the lower end of the outer peripheral surface of the button <NUM> (see (b) of <FIG>).

As shown in <FIG>, the fastening ring <NUM> has a height reaching an upper side of the opening <NUM> of the container <NUM>. As shown in (a) and (b) of <FIG>, second protrusions <NUM> each having a shape engageable with the first protrusion <NUM> are provided on the inner peripheral surface of the fastening ring <NUM> above the opening <NUM>.

Therefore, when a user rotates the button <NUM> as shown in (a-<NUM>) and (a-<NUM>) of <FIG>, makes the first protrusion <NUM> and the second protrusion <NUM> in an engagement state as shown in (b-<NUM>) and (b-<NUM>) of <FIG>, and presses the button <NUM> in this state, the fastening ring <NUM> is extruded downward in the axial direction from between the support ring <NUM> and the fixing ring <NUM> (see (a-<NUM>) and (b-<NUM>) of <FIG>).

Accordingly, as shown in <FIG>, since the concave portion 31c of the fastening ring <NUM> gets over the fitting with the convex portion 26c of the support ring <NUM> and is displaced in the axial direction, a fitting state is eliminated. At the same time, since the pressing convex portion 31d at the same position as the concave portion 31c of the fastening ring <NUM> moves to a position of the concave portion 12b below the edge portion 12a of the neck-shaped portion <NUM>, even when the pressing convex portion 31d is in contact with the fixing ring <NUM>, there is no support ring <NUM> inside the position, so that the support ring <NUM> is released from a crimping force applied to the support ring <NUM> by the fixing ring <NUM>. Accordingly, as shown in (c) of <FIG>, the fixing ring <NUM> can be removed upward, and the support ring <NUM> can be removed from the neck-shaped portion <NUM> of the container <NUM>.

Accordingly, the pump unit <NUM> after use can be removed from the container <NUM> and can be separated and discarded.

Since the removed pump unit <NUM> is still in a state of attaching the fastening ring <NUM> in a lowered state, even when the fixing ring <NUM> is covered, the support ring <NUM> cannot be crimped by the fastening ring <NUM>, and the pump unit <NUM> cannot be fixed to the container <NUM> again. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the contents in the container <NUM> from being replaced and the pump <NUM> from being fixed and reused again, and a quality of the contents in the spray container <NUM> can be guaranteed.

Here, the engagement portions <NUM> will be further described.

As shown in (b) of <FIG> and <FIG> of <FIG>, the plurality of first protrusions <NUM> of the engagement portion are provided at regular intervals (here, every <NUM> degrees) in the peripheral direction of the outer peripheral surface of the button <NUM>, and the second protrusions <NUM> are provided at positions corresponding to the first protrusions <NUM> on the inner peripheral surface of the fastening ring.

One of the first and second protrusions <NUM> and <NUM> (here, the second protrusion <NUM>) includes a recess portion 29a in the peripheral direction and the other of the first and second protrusions <NUM> and <NUM> (here, the first protrusion <NUM>) has a shape (here, a rhombus shape) of fitting into the recess portion 29a such that the first and second protrusions <NUM> and <NUM> can be engaged with each other.

Moreover, it is desirable that as shown in (a-<NUM>) and (b-<NUM>) of <FIG>, in the first and second protrusions <NUM> and <NUM>, when the button <NUM> is rotated, the first protrusions <NUM> are inserted and fitted into the recess portions 29a of the second protrusions <NUM> at a certain rotation angle, and when the button <NUM> is further rotated, the first protrusions <NUM> each have a shape of getting over and escaping the recess portions 29a of the second protrusions <NUM>. Specifically, for example, it is desirable that a cross-sectional shape of the first protrusion <NUM> parallel to the outer peripheral surface of the button is a rhombus shape having a size that is able to be inserted into the recess portion 29a of the second protrusion <NUM>. Accordingly, when the button <NUM> is rotated and the first protrusions <NUM> having a rhombus shape are moved in the peripheral direction, the first protrusions <NUM> can be easily inserted into the recess portions 29a regardless of a direction of rotation, and can easily escape from the recess portions 29a by further turning the button <NUM>.

Accordingly, the first protrusions <NUM> and the second protrusions <NUM> are configured to change from a disengaged state to an engaged state and the disengaged state again as the button <NUM> rotates, so that even when the user rotates the button <NUM> to engage the first protrusions <NUM> and the second protrusions <NUM> during use, a use state can be easily restored by further rotating the button <NUM>. Accordingly, the pump <NUM> can be prevented from being erroneously removed from the container <NUM> during use.

It is desirable that a bottom surface shape of the second protrusion <NUM> provided on the fastening ring <NUM> on a lower side in the axial direction is inclined with respect to the peripheral direction of the fastening ring <NUM>. For example, it is desirable that as shown in (b) of <FIG> and (a-<NUM>) of <FIG>, an outer shape of the second protrusion <NUM> in a cross section parallel to the inner peripheral surface of the fastening ring <NUM> is a rhombus shape in which the recess portion 29a is cut out on the upper surface.

With such a shape, when the pump unit <NUM> is attached to the neck-shaped portion <NUM> of the container <NUM> in manufacturing, and then the fastening ring <NUM> is press-fitted from above to the outside of the support ring <NUM>, even if the second protrusion <NUM> is in a positional relationship in which the second protrusion <NUM> is pushed from just above the first protrusion <NUM> as shown in (a) to (c) of <FIG>, the lower surface of the second protrusion <NUM> is inclined, so that the second protrusion <NUM> moves to escape in the peripheral direction such that the bottom surface of the second protrusion <NUM> slides on the upper surface of the first protrusion <NUM>. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent a phenomenon that the first protrusion <NUM> or the second protrusion <NUM> is damaged during manufacturing. A yield can be improved.

A material of the fixing ring <NUM> is desirably a material that is not easily deformed, and is desirably metal or glass in addition to a resin. A material of the support ring <NUM> is desirably made of a resin or metal so as to be deformable. A material of the fastening ring <NUM> may be any material as long as the fastening ring can lock movement of the support ring <NUM> by engaging with the support ring <NUM> due to unevenness and can get over the unevenness and move by pressing down the button <NUM> to release the locking, and for example, a resin or metal can be used. As the resin of each component, polypropylene or polyethylene can be used.

Further, by providing a groove in the axial direction in the inner peripheral surface of the fixing ring <NUM>, the fastening ring <NUM> can be smoothly pushed down in the axial direction.

Here, an operation of each part when the spray container <NUM> of the present embodiment is used and a series of operations when the pump unit <NUM> is removed after use will be described.

At the time of use, when the user presses down the button <NUM>, the piston <NUM> is pushed down in a direction in which the springs 24a and 24b are compressed, and the tip end 22a of the piston <NUM> compresses the space 21a in the cylinder <NUM>.

Thereafter, when the user releases his/her hand from the button <NUM>, since the springs 24a and 24b extend and return to an original state, a space 21c of the cylinder <NUM> is depressurized, and the contents in the container <NUM> fill the space 21c in the cylinder <NUM> through the pipe 21d and the through hole 21b. The check valve 21c prevents the contents in the space 21c from flowing back and returning to the inside of the container <NUM>.

When the user presses down the button <NUM> again, the piston <NUM> is pushed down in the direction in which the springs 24a and 24b are compressed, and when the space 21c filled with the contents is compressed, a pressure in the space 21c rises, the contents in the space 21a in the cylinder <NUM> pass through a gap between the cylinder <NUM> and the cylinder outer tube 22c, reach the button <NUM>, and further pass through the flow path 23a in the button and are sprayed from a spraying port 25a.

When all the contents are sprayed and there is no content, the user separates and discards the spray container <NUM>, so that the user removes the pump unit <NUM> from the container <NUM>. Specifically, first, as shown in (a-<NUM>) and (a-<NUM>) of <FIG>, the user rotates the button <NUM> to align the first protrusions <NUM> on the outer periphery of the button <NUM> with the recess portions 29a of the second protrusions <NUM> of the fastening ring <NUM> and fit the first protrusions <NUM> into the recess portions 29a ((b-<NUM>) and (b-<NUM>) of <FIG>).

In this state, when the user presses the button <NUM> downward, the fastening ring <NUM> is extruded downward and no crimping force is applied from the fixing ring <NUM> to the support ring <NUM>, so that as shown in (c) of <FIG>, the fixing ring <NUM> can be removed upward. After removing the fixing ring <NUM> upward, the user removes the pump unit <NUM> from the container <NUM> with the fastening ring <NUM> attached.

As described above, even when the material of the container <NUM> and the material of the pump unit are different, the container and the pump unit can be separated and discarded.

For separation, an operation of pressing down the button <NUM> requires a larger force than a force of pressing the button <NUM> at the time of use, but the button <NUM> is originally designed to be pressed down, and a user's force can be efficiently transmitted to the fastening ring <NUM>. Since the fastening ring <NUM> is pushed down while maintaining the shape, the fastening ring <NUM> can be pushed down with a force smaller than when the fastening ring <NUM> is broken, and the pump unit <NUM> can be removed.

As described above, the present embodiment can provide the spray container <NUM> capable of removing and separating the pump unit <NUM> from the container <NUM> with a small force after the contents are used.

In the above-described embodiment, as the lock mechanism <NUM>, the structure in which the ring-shaped convex portion 26c is provided in the support ring <NUM>, the ring-shaped concave portion 31c is provided in the fastening ring <NUM>, and the fastening ring <NUM> gets over the unevenness and is pushed down by pressing down the button <NUM> to release the locking has been described, but the invention is not limited to such a lock mechanism <NUM>. Any structure may be used as long as the locking can be released in the mechanism by pressing down the button <NUM>. For example, the fastening ring <NUM> may have a structure such as a pin instead of an annular shape, and may be configured to be locked by being engaged with the support ring <NUM>. Also, in this case, by adopting a structure in which the engagement between the pin and the support ring <NUM> is released as the button <NUM> is pressed down, it is possible to implement a mechanism in which the locking is released by pressing down the button <NUM> and the pump unit <NUM> can be removed.

Claim 1:
A content spraying unit, comprising:
a pump unit (<NUM>) for spraying contents in a container (<NUM>) including a neck-shaped portion (<NUM>) around an opening (<NUM>); and
a fixing tool (<NUM>) arranged to fix the pump unit (<NUM>) to the neck-shaped portion (<NUM>), wherein
the pump unit (<NUM>) includes a cylinder (<NUM>) having one portion inserted into the opening (<NUM>), a piston (<NUM>) having one end (22a) inserted into the cylinder (<NUM>), a button (<NUM>) attached to the other end (22b) of the piston (<NUM>) and pushing the piston (<NUM>) into the cylinder (<NUM>), and a support ring (<NUM>) arranged to be disposed to cover at least a part of an outer periphery of the neck-shaped portion (<NUM>) of the opening (<NUM>) and thereby supporting the cylinder (<NUM>) at an edge portion of the opening (<NUM>),
wherein
the fixing tool (<NUM>) includes a fastening ring (<NUM>) disposed such that an inner peripheral surface thereof is in contact with an outer peripheral surface of the support ring (<NUM>), and a fixing ring (<NUM>) disposed to be in contact with an outer peripheral surface of the fastening ring (<NUM>),
characterized in that
the fastening ring (<NUM>) and the fixing ring (<NUM>) include a lock mechanism (<NUM>) for fixing the support ring (<NUM>) to the neck-shaped portion (<NUM>),
a part of the button (<NUM>) or the piston (<NUM>) is provided with an engagement portion (<NUM>) that engages with the fastening ring (<NUM>) at a predetermined angle when the button (<NUM>) or the piston (<NUM>) is rotated about an axis thereof, and
the lock mechanism (<NUM>) has a structure in which locking is released when the button (<NUM>) is pressed in a state where the part of the button (<NUM>) or the piston (<NUM>) is engaged with the fastening ring (<NUM>) by the engagement portion (<NUM>), and the pump unit (<NUM>) is able to be removed from the neck-shaped portion (<NUM>) of the container (<NUM>).