JP6740733B2 - Squeeze container - Google Patents

Description

The present invention is a container for storing a liquid, which has an elastic body, and is a container for squeezing and pouring out the contents, wherein the contents once flowed back into the container again. Regarding the squeeze container that was not done.

As the liquid container, a pump-type container, a squeeze container having an elastic body portion, or the like is mainly used.
As contents, various liquids such as shampoo, conditioner, conditioner, facial cleanser, etc., edible oil, dressing, soy sauce, etc. are contained.
Since some of such contents are prone to bacterial growth, it is required that the contents once outside the container do not flow back into the container again.

For example, in Patent Document 1, a container body having an elastically squeezable body and having a mouth/neck portion standing upright, a cap airtightly fitted to the mouth/neck portion, and standing up from a top wall of the cap. The upper part of the cylinder with both upper and lower end surface openings is fitted in the lower part of the dispensing cylinder, and the upper surface of the outer peripheral part of the elastic outward flange attached to the lower end of the cylinder seals the lower surface of the intake hole formed in the top wall of the cap. A discharge valve supported in a vertically movable manner by an elastic support piece tip projecting in an arc shape from the inner surface of the dispensing cylinder along one circumferential direction of the inner surface of the dispensing cylinder. A squeeze container is proposed in which a valve body is provided and the discharge valve body is seated on the upper end surface of the cylindrical body to form a discharge valve.

By using such a squeeze container having a discharge valve element, the container is provided with a mechanism for preventing the contents once discharged from the container body to the outside to be returned to the inside of the container.
However, in such a squeeze container, since the intake hole is formed in the top wall of the cap, the content once poured may flow into the intake hole and flow back into the container.
The contents that flowed back into the container are likely to be contaminated by external bacteria and the like, and there was a problem that bacteria propagated inside the container.

Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 1-13085

Therefore, squeeze the container and install a mechanism to let the outside air flow into the place where it is not the pouring cap so that the contents once poured out from the container body do not enter the inside of the container again near the pouring outlet. It is an object of the present invention to obtain a squeeze container in which the contents after discharge do not return to the inside of the container.

The squeeze container according to claim 1 of the present invention,
A cap set consisting of an upper cap, a lower cap, a check valve that slides in a space formed between them to allow the contents to be poured out, and a tube that is fitted into the lower cap,
A container body fitted to the lower cap and having a body part capable of elastic compression,
In a squeeze container consisting of
The container body is linked to the elastic compression of the body, allowing the tip of the spout to be deformed,
When the inside of the body is under negative pressure, a gap is created between the deformed spout and the lower cap,
The squeeze container is characterized in that a flow path is formed inside the container to allow outside air to flow in through the gap .

The squeeze container according to claim 2 of the present invention is
The container body has an air hole at a position higher than the liquid level of the contents of the body,
The squeeze container according to claim 1, wherein the outside air is allowed to flow in through the air holes.

Further, the squeeze container according to claim 3 of the present invention,
Check valve has a side wall having the same taper as the taper of the lower cap spout inner wall, descends by its own weight, to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a closable in contact with the lower cap inner wall The squeeze container described.

The squeeze container of the present invention forms a flow path that allows outside air to flow into the container body from the container body or between the container body and the lower cap. In this squeeze container, the contents are poured out from the upper cap, and once it is poured out from the pouring outlet, it does not go out of the container, and even if there is contents left on the cap side, the check valve is inside the container. It is prevented from returning, and there is no risk that the contents will flow from the outside air flow path. Therefore, the inside of the container can be reliably kept hygienic, and there is no fear of deterioration of the contents, so that the container can be used with peace of mind.

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a state in which the squeeze container of the present invention is normally stored, a plan view and a bottom view thereof. It is a part drawing of an upper cap, a check valve, and a lower cap used for the squeeze container of the present invention. The squeeze container of this invention WHEREIN: It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the state which is pressing the container body part and the content is poured out, and the enlarged view which shows the fitting state of the container main body and the lower cap. In the squeeze container of the present invention, after pouring out the contents, a negative pressure inside the container shows a longitudinal sectional view showing a state of taking in outside air, and a fitting state of the container body and a lower cap. FIG. In the squeeze container of the present invention, a longitudinal sectional view showing a state after the inside of the container has taken in outside air, and an enlarged view showing a fitted state of the container body and the lower cap.

Hereinafter, the squeeze container of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view, a plan view and a bottom view showing a state in which the squeeze container of the present invention is normally stored.
The squeeze container of the present invention includes an upper cap 1, a lower cap 2, a check valve 3 that slides in a space formed between them to allow the contents to be poured out, and a tube 4 that is inserted into the lower cap. And a container body 6 fitted to the lower cap 2 and having an elastically compressible body.

FIG. 2 is a component diagram of the upper cap, the check valve, and the lower cap used in the squeeze container of the present invention.
FIG. 2A shows an upper cap 1, which includes a top plate 11, a flow side wall 12, and an upper inner screw side wall 13.
The top plate 11 has a pouring hole 111 for pouring out the contents, and also has an abutting rib 112 inside the pouring hole 111 which abuts when the check valve 3 rises. There is.
The flow side wall 12 is a side wall that extends downward from the outside of the abutment rib 112 to the inside of the pouring hole 111 of the top plate 11 and has an inner diameter that is sufficiently larger than the outer diameter of the check valve 3. However, the contents are allowed to flow along the outer circumference of the check valve 3.
The upper inner thread side wall 13 is a side wall extending downward from the outer periphery of the top plate 11 and has an inner thread to be screwed with the lower cap 2.
In addition, the top plate 11 has an upper inner ring 14 and a contact ring 15 inside the top plate 11 to ensure a secure fit with the lower cap and to prevent the contents from leaking.

FIG. 2-2 shows a check valve 3, which has a shape in which a small-diameter surface and a large-diameter surface of a truncated cone are connected to a cylinder of the same diameter, and is made of a material having a specific gravity sufficiently larger than that of the contents.
The inclined surface 31, which is the side surface of the truncated cone, is aligned with and in contact with the inclined surface of the lower cap, so that the inflow of the contents can be blocked.
Even if the check valve 3 rises, the small-diameter side column portion 32 does not come out from the pouring hole 27 of the lower cap 2 and has a control length so that the check valve does not tilt too much. In addition, the inner diameter of the tube insertion portion is made sufficiently smaller so that the contents can flow between the inner surface of the tube insertion portion and the check valve. In addition, meat stealing may be provided in order to facilitate the flow of the contents from the cylindrical shape.
The large-diameter cylindrical portion 33 has an outer diameter sufficiently smaller than the inner diameter of the flow side wall 12. Further, the outer diameter is made sufficiently larger than the pouring hole 111 so that a constant content flow gap can be provided without coming out from the upper cap pouring hole and hitting the contact rib 112.

2-3 is a lower cap 2, which has a lower cap top plate portion 26 having a sliding hole 27 in the center through which the check valve 3 slides and the contents are poured out,
An upper rib 21 that rises upward from around the pouring hole of the lower cap top plate portion 26 and has an upper end that fits and seals with the upper cap 1;
An upper outer screw side wall 22 that extends downward from the outer periphery of the lower cap top plate portion 26 and is screwed with the upper cap 1.
A lower cap middle plate portion 25 that spreads outward from the lower end of the upper outer screw side wall 22;
A lower inner screw side wall 23 having a lower inner threaded portion extending downward from the outer periphery of the lower cap middle plate portion 25 and engaging with a threaded portion provided on the outside of the spout of the container body 6.
The sliding hole 27 includes a tube insertion portion 24 and a cap inclined surface 271.
Below the sliding hole 27 in the center of the lower cap top plate portion 26, there is a tube insertion portion 24 into which the tube 4 is inserted. The tube insertion portion 24 is thicker than the inner diameter of the tube so as not to come out of the tube, has a length of 1 time the tube inner diameter, preferably 1.5 times or more, and has a retainer on the outside. It is preferable. In addition, the inner surface of the tube insertion portion 24 is made sufficiently larger than the outer diameter of the small diameter side columnar portion 32 of the check valve so that the contents can easily flow through the gap. Further, on the inner surface of the tube insertion portion 24 on the upper rib 21 side, there is a cap inclined surface 271 that matches the inclined surface of the check valve 3, and when the check valve 3 comes into contact, it is closed and the contents flow out. The inflow can be stopped.
A lower inner ring 251 and an outer ring 252 are provided on the lower surface side of the lower cap middle plate portion 25. A spout of the container body is loosely fitted between the lower inner ring 251 and the outer ring 252 to prevent the contents from flowing out and to let the outside air flow in.

The tube 4 shown in FIG. 1 has such a length that it can reach the vicinity of the inside of the bottom of the container body 6. Pouring hole At this time, the pouring hole may be slightly longer so that the pouring can be easily performed when the container is tilted. A tube thinner than the outer diameter of the tube insertion portion 24 is used, and is fixed by its elastic force.
As the material, crosslinked rubber is preferable, but a tube formed of an elastomer, polyolefin, polyamide, fluororesin or the like may be used. If it is not a rubber type, it may be inserted by insertion such as caulking which is partially heated and contracted after insertion.

The container body 6 is formed of an elastic material. In the case of a material having high rigidity such as polyethylene terephthalate or polypropylene, the body can be made into a container having elastic compressibility by making the body thin.
Similarly, it is preferable that the wall thickness in the vicinity of the spout is also thin and that the wall does not have a flat surface such as a flange.
That is, as a result, a container is used in which the spout can also be deformed in association with the deformation of the body by pressing.
Further, it is desirable that the container body used in the present invention has a flat body as shown in FIG. 1, and that the container can be easily deformed by pressing to reduce the volume.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a state in which the body portion is pressed to be deformed and the contents 7 are poured out.
When pressure is applied from the front and back of the body, the internal pressure of the container rises. At this time, since the contents flow out only on the tip end side of the tube, the contents 7 pass through the tube 4, the check valve 3 floats up, and the contents are poured out. The check valve 3 hits the contact rib 112 inside the pouring hole 111, and a gap between the check valve 3 and the upper cap 1 can be secured, so that the contents flow from the periphery of the rib to the pouring hole 111 side.
Further, at the same time, by pressing from the front and back of the body 61, the width of the front and back of the body 61 is narrowed, but the width of the left and right 63 of the body is increased accordingly.
At this time, the spout of the container body 6 is deformed so that the front and back side spout portions 62 spread outward. For this reason, the front and back side pouring portion 62 exerts a force to be pressed to the lower inner ring 251 side, but the internal pressure is also large, and the fitting portion with the outer ring 251 is not completely separated.

FIG. 4 shows a squeeze container of the present invention, in which, after pouring out the contents, the inside of the container has a negative pressure and the outside air is taken in, and a fitting between the container body and the lower cap. It is an enlarged view showing a combined state.
When the pressing of the body portion in the front and back directions is stopped, the body portion of the container main body has a restoring force to try to return to the original shape and the internal pressure of the container decreases. At this time, since the tip end side of the tube is particularly open, first, the check valve 3 near the sliding hole 27 is drawn downward, and the inclined surface 31 of the check valve 3 contacts the inclined surface of the sliding hole 27. Contacted and closed. The residual content 71 which is about to be poured out remains slightly above the inclined surface of the check valve.
Since the sliding hole 27 is closed, a negative pressure is generated inside the container body, but in the container itself, the width of the body front and back 61 is narrowed, and the width of the body left and right 63 is expanded accordingly. Becomes
Therefore, the outlet of the container body 6 is deformed such that the left and right outlets 64 are narrowed inward, the fitting with the outer ring 251 is separated, and the air flows into the outlet tip side from the outside.
Further, since the width of the front and back of the body portion 61 is deformed, the front and back side pouring portion 62 is deformed so as to be expanded to the outside and pressed against the outer ring 252 side, so that the lower inner ring 251 And the air flows inward from the tip of the spout.
In this way, the outside air flows into the container via the tip of the outlet of the container, the lower inner ring 251, and the outer ring 252, so that the atmospheric pressure inside the container rises even when the check valve 3 of the outlet 27 is closed. , Approaching ambient pressure.

FIG. 5 is a squeeze container of the present invention, which is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a state after the inside of the container has taken in outside air, and an enlarged view showing a fitted state of the container body and a lower cap. When the outside air enters and becomes equal to the outside air pressure, the container shape is restored to the original shape, and the body portion is not deformed. As a result, the spout is not deformed.
Therefore, the left and right outlet parts 64 spread outward and are pressed against the outer ring 252 side to close the container and isolate it from the outside air.

A small air hole may be provided on the top side of the container body, and when pouring, press the air hole with your finger to raise the internal pressure, and after pouring, you may take in the air by releasing the finger holding the air hole. .. In this case, the air hole needs to be set at a position sufficiently higher than the upper surface of the contents.

The squeeze container of the present invention is as described above, but the container body is a container formed by a blow molding machine using a flexible material such as polyolefin.
For example, high-density polyethylene, medium-density polyethylene, low-density polyethylene, linear low-density polyethylene, polypropylene, ethylene-propylene copolymer, etc. are conceivable, but layers of ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer saponification product, polyamide, etc. It does not matter even if it is a multi-layered container in which are laminated.
Further, it can be used as long as it has a shape in which the spout is made as thin as possible and has almost no flange, using acrylonitrile resin, polycarbonate or the like.
In the case of molding with an injection blow molding machine, it is not preferable because the injection port of the injection portion becomes thick, but it can be used if an additional step of cutting the thick portion is added.

For the upper cap and the lower cap, general resins such as polypropylene, ethylene/propylene copolymer, high density polyethylene, polymethylpentene, acrylonitrile, acrylonitrile/butadiene/styrene copolymer resin, acrylonitrile/styrene resin, etc. are used. It can be manufactured by injection molding or compression molding.

The check valve is a material that does not easily react with the contents, and a metal with a high specific gravity can be used. For example, a metal such as stainless steel is considered, but an insert molded product in which the outside of the metal is covered with resin may be used.
If the specific gravity is low, the pouring hole cannot be closed instantaneously, so that there is a problem in that the content that has once gone out may flow into the container and cause the content to rot.

The squeeze container of the present invention is as described above, has a small number of parts, and squeezes the body of the container simply formed of a flexible material to pour out the contents. By utilizing the deformation of the deformed spout, the negative pressure of the container after pouring is eliminated.
In particular, after pouring out the contents, the contents once gone can be prevented from entering the container, and the contents can be contaminated or the inflow of bacteria can be suppressed.
Moreover, according to the present invention, the number of parts is small, and therefore, mass production is possible at low cost.
From the above, various bacteria are unlikely to enter the contents, so that the merits of the present invention are great, such as the fact that it is possible to add materials that have been difficult to add in the past to rinses and conditioners.

1---Upper cap 11---Top plate 111---Spout hole 112---Abutting rib 12---・・・・Fluid side wall ・・・・・・・Upper inner thread side wall 14 ・・・・Upper inner ring 15 ・・・・Contact ring 2 ・・・・・・Lower cap 21・・・・・・・・Upper rib 22・・・・・・Upper outer screw side wall 23・・・・・・Lower inner screw side wall 24・・・Tube insertion part 25 ... lower cap middle plate part 251 ... lower inner ring 252 ... outer ring 26 ... lower cap top Plate 27... Sliding hole 271... Inclined surface 3... Backflow prevention valve 31... Inclined surface 32・・・・・・・Cylinder part 4 on the small diameter side ・・・・ Tube 5 ・・・・ ・Cap set 6 ・・・・ ・Container body 61 ・・··· Body part front and back 62 ··· Front and back side pouring part 63 ··· Body part left and right 64 ··· Left and right side pouring part 7・・・・・・・Contents 71・・・・・・・・Residual contents

Claims (3)

A cap set consisting of an upper cap, a lower cap, a check valve that slides in a space formed between them to allow the contents to be poured out, and a tube that is fitted into the lower cap,
A container body fitted to the lower cap and having a body part capable of elastic compression,
In a squeeze container consisting of
The container body is linked to the elastic compression of the body, allowing the tip of the spout to be deformed,
When the inside of the body is under negative pressure, a gap is created between the deformed spout and the lower cap,
A squeeze container characterized in that a flow path is formed inside the container to allow outside air to flow in through the gap . The container body has an air hole at a position higher than the liquid level of the contents of the body,
The squeeze container according to claim 1, wherein outside air can flow into the container through the air holes. Check valve has a side wall having the same taper as the taper of the lower cap spout inner wall, descends by its own weight, to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a closable in contact with the lower cap inner wall The squeeze container described.

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