JP2011084320A - Foam discharging container - Google Patents

Abstract

In a squeeze foamer container, entrainment of bubbles into an outside air inflow path during squeeze back is reduced as much as possible.
A foam discharge container 1A comprising a flexible container main body 2 and a former cap 10 that discharges liquid A in the container main body 2 in the form of bubbles by pressing deformation of the container main body 2, The former cap 10 has a gas / liquid mixing chamber 11, a liquid inflow hole 12 through which the liquid A in the container body flows into the gas / liquid mixing chamber 11, and an air inflow hole through which the air B within the container body flows into the gas / liquid mixing chamber 11. 14, a bubble homogenizer 20 having a net 22, 23 in a cylindrical net holder 21, a nozzle 15, and an outside air inflow path 30 passing between the outer peripheral surface of the bubble homogenizer 20 and the nozzle 15. The foam homogenizing means 20 is inserted into the nozzle 15 so as to be movable in the axial direction of the net holder 21. The outside air inflow passage 30 is formed in a different path from the bubble discharge passage downstream of the gas-liquid mixing chamber 11.
[Selection] Figure 1C

Description

  The present invention relates to a foam discharge container that discharges a liquid in a container body in a foam shape by pressing a flexible container body.

  When a flexible container body is pressed, the foam discharge container that discharges the liquid in the container body in the form of foam is also called a squeeze foamer container, and various detergents and cosmetics are discharged in the form of foam. Is used.

  As one form of the squeeze foamer container, a gas-liquid mixing chamber that discharges and mixes liquid and air from the container body, and foam homogenizing means that attaches nets to both upper and lower ends of the cylindrical net holder, It has been proposed to have a nozzle for discharging bubbles, and to provide a bubble homogenizing means movably in the nozzle and to provide an outside air inflow path on the outer peripheral surface of the bubble homogenizing means (Patent Document 1). .

  According to this squeeze foamer container, when discharging bubbles, the container is tilted so that the bubble discharge hole of the nozzle faces downward, and the container body is pressed to form bubbles in the gas-liquid mixing chamber. The foam can be homogenized by the foam homogenizing means, and the foam can be discharged from the discharge hole of the nozzle. Further, when the pressure of the container body is released, the inside of the container body is depressurized as the shape of the container body crushed by the pressure is restored, so that the squeeze back that the outside air is introduced into the container body is the outside air inflow path Done through.

Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 7-39948

  However, according to the squeeze foamer container described above, when squeeze back (that is, when the container body is restored to its original shape by the elasticity of the container body when the container body is released from being pressed), the foam is homogeneous. Bubbles accumulated between the front end surface of the gasifying means and the discharge hole of the nozzle are drawn into the outside air inflow path. Therefore, during repeated foam discharge and squeeze back, a large amount of foam accumulates in the outside air inflow path, the foam becomes resistance, squeeze back takes time, and the gas-liquid mixing ratio of the foam to be discharged changes. There is a problem that the foam quality also changes.

  On the other hand, in order to shorten the time required for squeeze back, it is conceivable to increase the resin amount of the container body to increase the rigidity of the container body. However, when the rigidity of the container body is increased, the pressing force of the container body necessary for discharging the foam also increases, which places a burden on the user.

  Therefore, the present invention aims to reduce the drawing of bubbles as much as possible in the squeeze foam container after releasing the pressure on the container body and to smoothly perform the pressure and squeeze back on the container body. And

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention is a foam discharge container comprising a flexible container main body and a former cap that discharges liquid in the container main body into a foam shape by pressing deformation of the container main body. And
The former cap is attached to the gas-liquid mixing chamber, the liquid inflow hole that allows the liquid in the container body to flow into the gas-liquid mixing chamber, the air inflow hole that allows the air in the container body to flow into the gas-liquid mixing chamber, and the cylindrical net holder. A foam homogenizing means having a net, a nozzle, and an outside air inflow passage passing between the outer peripheral surface of the foam homogenizing means and the nozzle;
The foam homogenizing means is inserted into the nozzle so as to be movable in the axial direction of the net holder, and has a convex portion that blocks the outside air inflow path from the gas-liquid mixing chamber by moving in the opening end direction of the nozzle.
The outside air inflow path provides a foam discharge container formed in a separate path from the foam discharge flow path downstream of the gas-liquid mixing chamber.

  According to the foam discharge container of the present invention, since the outside air inflow path is formed in a path different from the foam discharge flow path downstream from the gas-liquid mixing chamber, the foam discharged from the foam homogenizing means is squeezed back. Sometimes it can be prevented from being drawn into the outside air inflow path.

  Therefore, the squeeze back can be smoothly performed without the bubbles accumulated in the outside air inflow path becoming resistance and preventing the squeeze back.

  In addition, it is possible to suppress the foam discharged from the foam homogenizing means from being drawn into the outside air inflow path during squeeze back, so that it is possible to maintain a predetermined foam quality with a constant gas-liquid mixture ratio of the foam to be discharged. It becomes.

It is sectional drawing of the erect state of 1 A of foam discharge containers. It is sectional drawing when the foam discharge container 1A is inclined and the container main body is pressed and foam is discharged. It is sectional drawing when squeezing back in the state which inclined 1 A of foam discharge containers. It is sectional drawing when the foam discharge container 1A is squeezed back in an upright state. It is an enlarged view of the former cap part of FIG. 1B. It is an enlarged view of the former cap part of FIG. 1C. It is sectional drawing of the erect state of the foam discharge container 1B. It is sectional drawing when the foam discharge container 1B is inclined and the container main body is pressed and foam is discharged. It is sectional drawing of the erect state of the former cap part of 1 C of foam discharge containers. It is sectional drawing of the former cap part at the time of squeeze back of 1 C of foam discharge containers. It is sectional drawing of the erect state of the former cap part of foam discharge container 1D. It is sectional drawing of the former cap part at the time of squeeze back of foam discharge container 1D. It is sectional drawing of the erect state of the former cap part of the foam discharge container 1E. It is sectional drawing of the former cap part at the time of the squeeze back of the foam discharge container 1E.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In each figure, the same numerals indicate the same or equivalent components.

  FIG. 1A is a cross-sectional view of a foam discharge container 1A according to an embodiment of the present invention in an upright state, and FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view when the foam discharge container 1A is tilted to press the container main body and foam is discharged. FIG. 1C is a cross-sectional view when the foam discharge container 1A is squeezed back in a tilted state, and FIG. 1D is a cross-sectional view when the foam discharge container 1A is squeezed back in an upright state. . 2 is an enlarged view of the former cap portion of FIG. 1B, and FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the former cap portion of FIG. 1C.

  As shown in these drawings, the foam discharge container 1A includes a plastic container body 2 having flexibility, and a former cap 10 that discharges the liquid in the container body into a foam shape by pressing deformation of the container body. And. Here, as a material of the container body 2, so-called squeeze properties (that is, pressability and squeeze back property) are good, and polypropylene (PP), high density polyethylene (HDPE), medium density polyethylene (MDPE), and low density polyethylene. Polyolefin resins such as (LDPE) and polyester resins such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) can be used singly or in appropriate combinations. Among these, PP is preferable from the viewpoint of obtaining good squeeze properties even when continuously used.

  Moreover, 0.5-1.5 mm is preferable from a viewpoint of obtaining the favorable squeeze property, and the thickness of the part (in this embodiment trunk | drum) which the container main body 2 presses is 0.8-1.2 mm more. preferable.

  An inner container 3 is attached inside the container body 2, and the mouth of the inner container 3 is connected to an air inlet hole 14 of a former cap 10 described later. By connecting the inner container 3 to the air inflow hole 14, as compared with the case where the pipe 4 is connected as will be described later (FIGS. 4A and 4B), even when the liquid A is a bubble in the container body 2, This is preferable in that air can be reliably supplied to the air inflow hole 14.

  As the inner container 3, a flexible plastic bag is used in which the inner container 3 is also pressed and deformed by the pressing deformation of the container body 2. For example, PP, LDPE, MDPE, and HDPE can be used alone or as a mixture of a plurality of types as the material of the inner container 3 from the viewpoint of obtaining good squeeze properties. When the viscosity of the liquid filled between the container body and the inner container is high, HDPE is preferably used. Thereby, even if the viscosity of a liquid is high, a bubble can be easily discharged by press and a favorable bubble can be obtained.

  Moreover, 0.1-0.5 mm is preferable and 0.1-0.3 mm is preferable from a viewpoint of obtaining the favorable squeeze property as for the thickness of the part (in this embodiment, trunk | drum) which the inner container 3 presses. More preferred is 0.2 to 0.3 mm.

  A liquid chamber between the inner wall of the container body 2 and the inner container 3 is filled with foamable liquid A.

  The former cap 10 is detachably attached to the mouth of the container body 2 by screwing or the like, and generates and discharges bubbles C from the liquid A and the air B in the container body 2, and is disposed in the housing. A gas-liquid mixing chamber 11 is provided. In the gas-liquid mixing chamber 11, the liquid inflow hole 12 through which the liquid A between the container body 2 and the inner container 3 flows into the gas-liquid mixing chamber 11 and the air B in the inner container 3 are transferred to the gas-liquid mixing chamber 11. An air inflow hole 14 is provided to flow into the liquid inflow, and a check valve 13 is provided in the liquid inflow hole 12. As this check valve 13, for example, a thin plate-like valve made of synthetic resin such as polyolefin resin can be used.

  In the former cap 10, a nozzle 15 is formed downstream of the gas-liquid mixing chamber 11, and a bubble homogenizing means 20 is loosely inserted in the nozzle 15. When the protrusion 17 rises in the gas-liquid mixing chamber 11 and the foam discharge container 1A is in the upright state as shown in FIG. 1A, the foam homogenizing means 20 is placed on the protrusion 17.

  A groove 16 extending in the axial direction of the nozzle 15 is formed in the inner wall of the nozzle 15, and an outside air inflow path 30 is formed between the inner wall of the nozzle 15 and the outer peripheral surface of the bubble homogenizing means 20 by the groove 16. ing.

  The bubble homogenizing means 20 is configured by attaching nets 22 and 23 to both upper and lower ends of a cylindrical net holder 21 and is movable in the axial direction of the net holder 21 by gravity in the nozzle 15. Therefore, when the former cap 10 is tilted so that the opening end of the nozzle 15 faces downward, the foam homogenizing means 20 moves toward the opening end of the nozzle 15, and conversely, the opening end of the nozzle 15 faces upward. When the former cap 10 is tilted, the foam homogenizing means 20 moves toward the base of the nozzle 15.

  Further, a convex portion 24 is formed in a flange shape at the base of the foam homogenizing means 20, and the foam homogenizing means 20 moves toward the opening end of the nozzle 15, and this convex portion 24 is hooked on the base of the nozzle 15. When stopped, the movement of the bubble homogenizing means 20 stops and the outside air inflow path 30 is blocked from the gas-liquid mixing chamber 11.

  The nets 22 and 23 at the upper and lower ends of the bubble homogenizing means 20 have a finer mesh on the downstream net 23 than the mesh on the upstream net 22 in order to obtain uniform fine bubbles. Depending on the type of the liquid A, the meshes of the nets 22 and 23 at the upper and lower ends may be the same. In the present invention, the foam homogenizing means 20 is not necessarily limited to the one having nets at the upper and lower ends of the net holder 21. In the bubble homogenizing means 20, the net may be a single layer or may be three or more layers.

  Inside the opening end of the nozzle 15, a foam discharge flow path is formed in contact with the tip of the foam homogenizing means 20 moved in the direction of the opening end of the nozzle 15, and the outside air inflow path 30 is connected to the opening end of the nozzle 15. A cylindrical member 25 is provided to extend up to. As a method of fixing the cylindrical member 25 inside the opening end of the nozzle 15, a structure in which the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical member 25 and the inner peripheral surface of the opening end of the nozzle 15 are connected by ribs may be used.

This foam discharge container 1A is used as follows.
The container body 2 of the foam discharge container 1A that has been upright as shown in FIG. 1A is held, and the foam discharge container 1A is tilted so that the open end of the nozzle 15 faces downward as shown in FIG. Press the part. By the inclination of the foam discharge container 1 </ b> A, the foam homogenizing means 20 placed on the projecting piece 17 moves toward the opening end of the nozzle 15, and the convex portion 24 at the base of the foam homogenizing means 20 moves through the outside air inflow path 30. While shutting off from the gas-liquid mixing chamber 11, the tip of the bubble homogenizing means 20 is in contact with the tubular member 25, a foam discharge channel is formed inside the tubular member 25, and outside air is formed outside the tubular member 25. An inflow path 30 is formed. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the container body 2 is crushed by the pressing of the container body 2, and the liquid A flows from the container body 2 into the gas-liquid mixing chamber 11 through the liquid inflow hole 12. Further, the inner container 3 is also crushed by the pressing of the container body 2, and the air B in the inner container 3 flows into the gas-liquid mixing chamber 11 through the air inflow hole 14, and bubbles are generated in the gas-liquid mixing chamber 11. The generated bubbles pass through the two layers of nets 22 and 23 of the bubble homogenizing means 20 and become fine bubbles, and are discharged from the opening end of the cylindrical member 25.

  When the pressing of the container main body 2 is released, as shown in FIG. 1C, the container main body 2 and the inner container 3 are restored to the shapes before pressing, and the inside is decompressed. As a result, the check valve 13 is closed as shown in FIG. 3, the foam homogenizing means 20 is also drawn into the container body 2, and the outside air inflow path 30 and the gas-liquid mixing chamber 11 communicate with each other. At this time, when the foam discharge container 1A is in an upright state as shown in FIG. 1D, the foam homogenizing means 20 returns until it comes into contact with the projecting piece 17, so that the outside air inflow path 30 and the gas-liquid mixing chamber 11 have a wider flow. Communicate on the road.

  When the outside air inflow path 30 and the gas-liquid mixing chamber 11 communicate with each other, as shown in FIG. 3, the outside air enters the inner container 3 through the outside air inflow path 30 and returns the inside of the inner container 3 to normal pressure. Further, outside air passes through a slight gap between the check valve 13 and the wall surface of the former cap 10 in contact with the check valve 13, and enters the liquid chamber between the inner wall of the container body 2 and the inner container 3. The liquid chamber is returned to normal pressure. In addition, since this gap is small, the backflow of bubbles can be prevented. In addition, when the check valve 13 is a thin plate-like object molded from a synthetic resin, such a slight gap is inevitably generated due to surface accuracy such as surface swell of the check valve 13. .

  When outside air enters the inner container 3 through the outside air inflow path 30, the outside air inflow path 30 in the nozzle 15 is partitioned from the foam discharge flow path by the cylindrical member 25, so that the bubbles are homogenized in the nozzle 15. It is possible to prevent the bubbles C that have accumulated downstream from the front end surface of the means 20 from being drawn into the outside air inflow path 30. Therefore, the problem that the bubbles C discharged from the bubble homogenizing means 20 are drawn into the outside air inflow passage 30 and it becomes difficult to squeeze back, and the quality of the bubbles discharged after the squeeze bag can be stabilized.

  Thereafter, in the same manner, it is possible to repeat the discharge of foam by pressing the body portion of the container body 2 with the open end of the nozzle 15 facing downward and the squeeze back by releasing the press.

  The present invention can take various aspects. For example, as in the foam discharge container 1B shown in FIG. 4A, in the above-described foam discharge container 1A, instead of the inner container 3, the tube 4 extending to the vicinity of the bottom of the container body 2 is connected to the air inlet hole of the gas-liquid mixing chamber 11 14 may be connected. In this case, as shown in FIG. 4B, when the container main body 2 is pressed, the air B in the container main body 2 flows into the gas-liquid mixing chamber 11 through the pipe 4, and the air B and the liquid inflow hole 12 pass through the gas B. Bubbles C are generated by the liquid A flowing into the liquid mixing chamber 11.

  A foam discharge container 1 </ b> C shown in FIG. 5A is configured such that the cylindrical member 25 protrudes from the open end 15 a of the nozzle 15 in the above-described foam discharge container 1 </ b> A. As a result, as shown in FIG. 5B, during squeeze back, the bubbles C that have accumulated in the nozzle 15 downstream from the front end surface of the bubble homogenizing means 20 can be more reliably partitioned from the outside air inflow path 30. It is possible to more reliably prevent the bubbles C from being drawn into the inflow passage 30.

  A foam discharge container 1D shown in FIG. 6A is obtained by forming an air intake hole 26 in a portion of the peripheral wall of the nozzle 15 facing the cylindrical member 25 in the above-described foam discharge container 1A. According to this foam discharge container 1D, as shown in FIG. 6B, since air is taken into the outside air inflow passage 30 even through the air intake hole 26 at the time of squeeze back, the bubbles C are more drawn into the outside air inflow passage 30. It can be surely prevented.

  In the foam discharge container 1E shown in FIG. 7A, the cylindrical member 25 is omitted from the above-described foam discharge container 1A, and the nozzle 15 is formed short so that the tip of the foam homogenizing means 20 is connected to the opening end 15a of the nozzle 15. It is a protruding one. According to this foam discharge container 1E, as shown in FIG. 7B, at the time of squeeze back, the foam C accumulated downstream from the tip of the foam homogenizing means 20 can be separated from the open end 30a of the outside air inflow path 30. Therefore, it is possible to more reliably prevent the bubbles C from being drawn into the outside air inflow path 30.

  The foam discharge container of the present invention is useful as a squeeze container that discharges various cleaning agents, cosmetics, and the like in the form of foam.

1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E Foam discharge container 2 Container body 3 Inner container 4 Tube 10 Former cap 11 Gas-liquid mixing chamber 12 Liquid inflow hole 13 Check valve 14 Air inflow hole 15 Nozzle 15a Nozzle open end 16 Groove 17 Projection piece 20 Foam homogenizing means 21 Net holder 22 Upstream net 23 Downstream net 24 Convex 25 Tubular member 26 Air intake hole 30 Outside air inflow path A Liquid B Air C Foam

Claims (7)

A foam discharge container comprising a flexible container body and a former cap that discharges the liquid in the container body in a foam state by pressure deformation of the container body,
The former cap is attached to the gas-liquid mixing chamber, the liquid inflow hole that allows the liquid in the container body to flow into the gas-liquid mixing chamber, the air inflow hole that allows the air in the container body to flow into the gas-liquid mixing chamber, and the cylindrical net holder. A foam homogenizing means having a net, a nozzle, and an outside air inflow passage passing between the outer peripheral surface of the foam homogenizing means and the nozzle;
The foam homogenizing means is inserted into the nozzle so as to be movable in the axial direction of the net holder, and has a convex portion that blocks the outside air inflow path from the gas-liquid mixing chamber by moving in the opening end direction of the nozzle.
The external air inflow path is a foam discharge container formed in a separate path from the foam discharge flow path downstream of the gas-liquid mixing chamber.   The foam discharge container according to claim 1, wherein the upper and lower ends of the cylindrical net holder are provided with nets.   A cylindrical member that forms a foam discharge channel inside the nozzle opening end in contact with the tip of the bubble homogenizing means moved toward the nozzle opening end and extends the outside air inflow path to the nozzle opening end. The foam discharge container according to claim 1, wherein the foam discharge container is provided.   The foam discharge container according to claim 3, wherein a tip end portion of the cylindrical member protrudes from an opening end of the nozzle.   The foam discharge container according to claim 3, wherein an air intake hole is formed in a portion of the peripheral wall of the nozzle facing the cylindrical member.   The foam discharge container according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the tip of the foam homogenizing means protrudes from the opening end of the nozzle.   The foam discharge container according to claim 1, wherein the inner container is provided in the container main body and connected to the air inflow hole.

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