APPLICATOR

The present invention relates to an applicator and particularly to an applicator with improved filling (volumetric) efficiency of stored applied liquid with respect to a volume (inside capacity) of a barrel.

There is a known applicator as disclosed in JP 2007-130157 A, JP 2012-157611 A, and JP 2011-142945 A, in which, by turning a cap provided to a back end portion of a barrel, a liquid pressurizing mechanism including a piston and a threaded rod pressurizes an applied liquid storage portion in the barrel to feed applied liquid to a tip, or an applicator body at a tip end portion of the barrel.

The liquid pressurizing mechanism is disposed in an area from a middle portion to a back portion of the barrel to convert turning of the cap into a linear motion of the piston. To put it concretely, the threaded rod is provided between the cap and the piston, the piston alone or the threaded rod and the piston together move(s) forward in the applied liquid storage portion as the cap turns.

JP 11-206453 A discloses a side push container provided, on a side face of a container main body, with a side button for operating a valve mechanism. By pushing in the side button with a finger or taking the finger off the side button to stop a pushing operation, contents of a cartridge main body are pushed out.

In each of related-art applicators disclosed in JP 2007-130157 A and JP 2012-157611 A, the liquid pressurizing mechanism is disposed in an area from a middle portion to the back portion of the barrel and the piston and the threaded rod move together.

As a result, there is a technical problem in which the applied liquid storage portion cannot be provided in the area where the liquid pressurizing mechanism is disposed and a space for storing the applied liquid in the barrel is small. In other words, there is a technical problem in which filling (volumetric) efficiency of the stored applied liquid with respect to a volume (inside capacity) of the barrel is low.

In the related-art applicator disclosed in JP 2011-142945 A, the liquid pressurizing mechanism is disposed in the back portion of the barrel, the threaded rod is provided in the applied liquid storage portion, and the piston moves on the threaded rod.

As a result, in addition to reduction in the applied liquid storage space in the applied liquid storage portion by a volume of the threaded rod, there is a technical problem in which the applied liquid leaks from between the threaded rod and the applied liquid storage portion and a sealing property is insufficient.

The side push container shown in JP 11-206453 has a technical problem in which the side button gets hit by something to push out the contents (applied liquid) in the cartridge main body through carelessness.

With the above-described circumstances in view, the present inventors have made hard studies of an applicator with improved filling (volumetric) efficiency of applied liquid with respect to an inside capacity of a barrel based on the applicator for discharging the applied liquid stored in the barrel by turning of the operating portion provided to the barrel as shown in each of JP 2007-130157 A, JP 2012-157611 A, and JP 2011-142945 A, and conceived the present invention.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an applicator which discharges applied liquid by turning of an operating portion attached to a barrel main body and which has improved filling (volumetric) efficiency of the applied liquid stored in the barrel main body with respect to an inside capacity of the barrel main body.

In order to solve the above issue, an applicator according to the present invention and for discharging applied liquid by turning of an operating portion attached to a barrel main body includes: the barrel main body in which an applied liquid reservoir portion for storing the applied liquid is provided; the operating portion provided in front of the barrel main body to be able to turn with respect to the barrel main body; a piston which is slid in a front-back direction of the barrel main body by turning the operating portion; and a cam mechanism portion formed by a cam and a cam groove formed on the operating portion and the piston. The applied liquid is discharged by turning the operating portion and sliding the piston in the front-back direction by use of the cam mechanism portion.

Because the operating portion is provided in front of the barrel main body and the cam mechanism portion formed by the cam and the cam groove formed in the operating portion and piston is provided in this manner, it is possible to effectively utilize an inside of the barrel main body for storage of the applied liquid to thereby improve filling (volumetric) efficiency of the applied liquid stored in the barrel main body.

Here, the applicator according to the invention and for discharging the applied liquid by turning of the operating portion attached to the barrel main body preferably includes: the barrel main body in which the applied liquid reservoir portion for storing the applied liquid is provided; the operating portion provided to be able to turn with respect to the barrel main body; the piston which is slid in the front-back direction of the barrel main body by turning the operating portion; a through hole provided in the piston; an applied liquid feed path connected to the through hole in the piston to feed the applied liquid to an applicator portion; a first valve for opening and closing the through hole in the piston; and the cam mechanism portion formed by the cam and the cam groove formed on the operating portion and the piston. The applied liquid is preferably fed to the applicator portion through the first valve and the applied liquid feed path by turning the operating portion and sliding the piston in the front-back direction by use of the cam mechanism portion.

In this applicator, because the applied liquid is fed to the applicator portion through the first valve and the applied liquid feed path by turning the operating portion and sliding the piston in the front-back direction by use of the cam mechanism portion, the long threaded rod employed in the related-art applicator is unnecessary.

As a result, as compared with the related-art applicator, it is possible to secure the large space for storing the applied liquid to thereby improve the filling efficiency of the stored applied liquid with respect to an inside capacity of the barrel main body.

The applicator preferably further includes a spring for biasing the first valve in such a direction as to close the through hole in the piston. The piston is preferably slid by the cam mechanism portion, the first valve is preferably opened and the applied liquid is preferably fed to the applicator portion through the applied liquid feed path when pressure acting on the first valve is higher than or equal to a biasing force of the spring, and the first valve is preferably closed and feed of the applied liquid to the applicator portion is preferably interrupted when the pressure acting on the first valve is lower than the biasing force of the spring.

Because operation of the first valve is defined by the biasing force (repulsion) of the spring in this manner, it is possible to reliably cause the first valve to operate and feed and interruption of the applied liquid to the applicator portion are carried out without fail.

The applicator preferably further includes: a valve chest which is formed in a front space separated by a wall portion in the barrel main body and in which the piston moves forward and backward; the applied liquid reservoir portion formed in a back space by the wall portion; a through hole formed in the wall portion to connect the applied liquid reservoir portion and the valve chest; and a second valve for opening and closing the through hole in the wall portion. The second valve is preferably opened and the applied liquid in the applied liquid reservoir portion is preferably fed to the valve chest when a negative pressure is created in the valve chest by movement of the piston, and the second valve is preferably closed and feed of the applied liquid in the applied liquid reservoir portion to the valve chest is preferably interrupted when a positive pressure is created in the valve chest by movement of the piston.

Because the second valve is opened and closed in response to pressure change in the valve chest due to the movements of the piston, the feed and the interruption of the applied liquid to the valve chest are carried out without fail.

The cam mechanism portion is preferably a positive cam including: a cam groove which is formed in the operating portion and formed in a sinusoidal shape oscillating in the front-back direction; and the cam which is formed on the piston and housed in the cam groove.

Because the cam mechanism portion is the positive cam as described above, it is possible to reliably cause the piston to move forward and backward.

The applied liquid feed path preferably includes a through hole formed along an axis of the operating portion. Specifically, it is preferable that the through hole penetrates a central portion of the operating portion.

As described above, according to the invention, it is possible to obtain the applied liquid applicator for discharging the applied liquid by turning of the operating portion attached to the barrel main body, in which the filling (volumetric) efficiency of the applied liquid stored in the barrel main body with respect to the inside capacity of the barrel main body is improved.

An embodiment of an applicator according to the present invention will be described based on FIGS. 1A to 13.

First, based on FIGS. 1B and 2, a general structure of the applicator according to the embodiment will be described. FIG. 1B is a sectional view of the embodiment of the applicator according to the invention to which a cap is mounted and FIG. 2 is a partially-sectional perspective view of the applicator according to the invention from which the cap is detached.

As shown in FIGS. 1B and 2, the applicator 1 includes a barrel main body 2 in which an applied liquid reservoir portion (storage portion) 3 for storing applied liquid is provided, an operating portion 4 provided to be able to turn with respect to the barrel main body 2, a front body 5 attached to one end portion of the operating portion 4, a tip (applicator portion) 6 mounted to the front body 5, and a pipe joint 7 and a pipe 8 for enabling feed of the applied liquid from the applied liquid reservoir portion 3 to the tip (applicator portion) 6.

In the barrel main body 2, a wall portion 2a forms a space for forming a valve chest A on a front side and a space for forming the applied liquid reservoir portion (storage portion) 3 for storing the applied liquid on a back side.

The wall portion 2a is positioned on the front side in the barrel main body 2 to thereby improve filling efficiency of the applied liquid stored in the barrel main body 2 with respect to an inside capacity of the barrel main body 2.

As described above, by mounting the operating portion 4 (piston 10) to a front end portion of the barrel main body 2, the valve chest A is formed.

The wall portion 2a of the barrel main body 2 is provided with a second valve 9 which closes when the valve chest A comes into a pressurized state (positive pressure state) and opens when the valve chest A comes into a depressurized state (negative pressure state). The second valve 9 functions as a check valve for preventing the applied liquid, which has flowed from the applied liquid reservoir portion 3 into the valve chest A, from flowing back into the applied liquid reservoir portion 3.

In a central portion of the operating portion 4, a through hole 4a through which the applied liquid flows is formed.

The joint 7 is fitted in a front end portion of the through hole 4a. The front body 5 is mounted to a front end portion of the operating portion 4. The through hole 4a and the pipe 8 form an applied liquid feed path from the applied liquid reservoir portion 3 to the tip (applicator portion) 6.

On the other hand, the piston 10 for sliding in the valve chest A is attached to a back end portion of the operating portion 4.

In a central portion of the piston 10, a through hole 10a communicating with the through hole 4a formed in the central portion of the operating portion 4 is formed. The through hole 10a is formed to be opened and closed by a first valve 11.

Moreover, a spring 12 is disposed in the through hole 10a, one end portion of the spring 12 is engaged in the operating portion 4, and the other end portion of the spring 12 is engaged in the first valve 11.

As a result, if pressure in the valve chest A becomes higher than or equal to a biasing force (repulsion) of the spring 12, the first valve 11 moves forward (toward the tip 6) against the spring force to open the through hole 10a.

On the other hand, if the pressure in the valve chest A becomes lower than the biasing force (repulsion) of the spring 12, the first valve 11 moves backward (toward a back end side of the barrel main body 2) to close the through hole 10a.

In FIG. 1B, reference sign 13 designates a cap and reference sign 14 designates a follower. The follower is an applied liquid following body and has a similar structure to a general ink follower body.

Next, the respective members forming the applicator according to the embodiment will be described in detail.

The barrel main body 2 is formed in a cylindrical shape as shown in FIG. 3A and provided with the applied liquid reservoir portion (storage portion) 3 which is about three fourths a length of the barrel main body 2. A back end portion of the barrel main body 2 is open and the follower 14 is disposed at a back end portion of the applied liquid stored in the applied liquid reservoir portion (storage portion) 3 (see FIG. 1B) to thereby seal the applied liquid reservoir portion (storage portion) 3.

A through hole 2b is formed in the wall portion 2a of the reservoir portion 3 of the barrel main body 2 and a valve stem 9b of the second valve 9 is inserted through the through hole 2b. On a valve chest A side of the wall portion 2a, a valve seat 2c on which a valve element 9a of the second valve 9 gets seated is provided.

Furthermore, in an inner peripheral face of the barrel main body 2, groove portions 2d are formed from the front end portion toward the valve chest A. The groove portions 2d are formed at intervals of 180° and face each other.

Protrusions 10b (see FIG. 6A) provided to an outer peripheral face of the piston 10 are inserted (housed) into the groove portions 2d and the piston 10 slides linearly in an axial direction of the barrel main body 2 without rotating.

On an inner peripheral face of the front end portion (on an operating portion side) of the barrel main body 2, four pairs of protruding portions 2e1, 2e2 protruding inward are formed.

By fitting a protruding portion 4b of the operating portion 4 between the protruding portions 2e1 and 2e2, the operating portion 4 is attached to the barrel main body 2 to be able to turn.

The protruding portions 2e1, 2e2 prevent movement of the operating portion 4 in the axial direction of the barrel main body 2.

As shown in FIG. 4A, the second valve 9 includes the valve element 9a for opening and closing the through hole 2b in the barrel main body 2 and a guide rod (valve stem) 9b formed on a rear end portion side of the valve element 9a. The guide rod (valve stem) 9b has flat-plate-shaped portions 9c and bridge portions 9d and lock protrusions 9e are provided to outer peripheral faces of the bridge portions 9d.

If the guide rod (valve stem) 9b of the second valve 9 is inserted through the through hole 2a from a front side (valve chest A side) of the barrel main body 2, the bridge portions 9d bend and the lock protrusions 9e pass through the through hole 2a. As a result, the second valve 9 is attached to the barrel main body 2 with the wall portion 2a positioned between the valve element 9a and the lock protrusions 9e.

At this time, because dimensions between a back face of the valve element 9a and the lock protrusions 9e are greater than a thickness of the wall portion 2a, the second valve 9 is attached to be movable in a front-back direction of the barrel main body 2.

In other words, the second valve 9 can come into a state in which the second valve 9 contacts the valve seat 2c to close the through hole 2a or a state in which the second valve 9 moves away from the valve seat 2c to open the through hole 2a.

As shown in FIG. 5A, the operating portion 4 includes an operating face 4A which a user pinches to turn the operating portion 4, a front body attaching portion 4B provided to a front side (front body side) of the operating face 4A, a barrel main body attaching portion 4C provided to a back side (barrel main body side) of the operating face 4A, and a cam groove portion 4D provided to a barrel main body side (back side) of the barrel main body attaching portion 4C.

On an outer peripheral face of the barrel main body attaching portion 4C, the protruding portion 4b which is fitted between the protruding portions 2e1 and 2e2 of the barrel main body 2 is provided as described above.

This fitting allows the operating portion 4 to turn with respect to the barrel main body 2 while prohibiting the operating portion 4 from moving in the axial direction (front-back direction) of the barrel main body 2.

In an outer peripheral face of the cam groove portion 4D, a cam groove 4c in a sinusoidal shape oscillating in the front-back direction is formed. In the cam groove 4c, cams 10c (see FIGS. 6A and 6B) formed on the piston 10 are housed.

In this way, turning of the operating portion 4 causes the cams 10c (see FIGS. 6A and 6B) formed on the piston 10 to move in the cam groove 4c with respect to the cam groove 4c.

As a result, the piston 10 moves in the front-back direction with respect to the operating portion 4 (valve chest A). The cam groove 4c formed in the outer peripheral face of the cam groove portion 4D is for two cycles and the piston 10 reciprocates twice in the front-back direction with respect to the operating portion 4 (valve chest A) when the operating portion 4 is turned once.

In the cam groove portion 4D, insertion grooves 4d having slopes gradually sloping upward from end portions on a valve chest side toward the cam groove 4c are formed.

By putting the cams 10c of the piston 10 into the insertion grooves 4d and moving the cams 10c in the insertion grooves 4d, the cams 10c become housed (mounted) into the cam groove 4c.

Moreover, in the through hole 4a, a lock wall portion 4e to which the end portion of the spring 12 is locked is provided.

As shown in FIG. 6A, the piston 10 includes a piston portion 10A on a back side (valve chest A side) and a cam portion 10B on a front side (operating portion 4 side).

The piston portion 10A is formed into a cylindrical shape with a bottom and has an outer peripheral face which comes in contact with the inner peripheral face of the barrel main body 2 forming the valve chest A without leaving a clearance between the outer peripheral face and the inner peripheral face and the piston 10 slides to thereby pressurize the valve chest A.

As described above, the through hole 10a is formed in a central portion of a bottom face portion of the piston portion 10A. A valve seat 10d is provided in front of the central portion of the bottom face portion and the first valve 11 is seated on the valve seat 10d by the repulsion of the spring 12.

The cam portion 10B includes leg portions 10e having one end portions connected to an outer peripheral portion of the bottom face of the piston portion 10A. The four leg portions 10e are provided at intervals of 90°.

The cam 10c is provided on an inner peripheral face of a tip end portion of each of the two leg portions 10e (leg portions provided at intervals of 180°) out of the leg portions 10e. The protrusion 10b is formed on an outer peripheral face of each of the leg portions 10e provided with the cams 10c.

The protrusions 10b get fitted into the groove portions 2d in the barrel main body 2 to slide in the groove portions 2d.

In this way, even if the operating portion 4 (cam groove 4c) turns, the piston 10 does not turn and is caused to move in the front-back direction in the valve chest A by the cam groove portion 4D (cam groove 4c) of the operating portion 4 and the cams 10c.

A cam mechanism portion formed by the cams 10c and the cam groove 4c is a positive cam, because movements of the cams are restricted.

As shown in FIG. 7A, the first valve 11 includes a valve element 11a for opening and closing the through hole 10a of the piston 10 and guide rods 11b formed on a rear end portion side of the valve element 11a.

The first valve 11 includes a positioning rod 11c on a front end portion side of the valve element 11a. The positioning rod 11c is inserted into the spring 12 to prevent positional displacement between the spring 12 and the first valve 11.

A coil spring is used as the spring 12 and the positioning rod 11c is housed in a space in a central portion of the coil spring.

FIG. 8B shows an assembly formed by the operating portion 4, the piston 10, the first valve 11, and the spring 12.

To assemble the operating portion 4, the piston 10, the first valve 11, and the spring 12, the spring 12 is first inserted into the through hole 4a in the operating portion 4 and the positioning rod 11c of the first valve 11 is inserted into the spring 12.

Then, the cams 10c of the piston 10 are slid on the insertion grooves 4d of the operating portion 4 and the cams 10c are housed into the cam groove 4c.

At this time, the leg portions 10e of the piston 10 on which the cams 10c are formed expand outward. When the cams 10c are housed into the cam groove 4c, the leg portions 10e return into original states.

In housing the cams 10c into the cam groove 4c, the guide rods 11b of the first valve 11 are inserted into the through hole 10a of the piston.

In the state in which the cams 10c are housed in the cam groove 4c, the valve element 11a of the first valve 11 is seated on the valve seat 10d formed in the piston 10 by the repulsion of the spring 12.

Next, assembly of the applicator 1 will be described.

The assembly is mounted from a front end portion of the barrel main body 2 to which the second valve 9 is mounted.

At this time, the protruding portion 4b of the operating portion 4 is fitted between the protruding portions 2e1 and 2e2 of the barrel main body 2. In this way, the operating portion 4 is mounted to be able to turn without moving in the front-back direction with respect to the barrel main body 2.

The protrusions 10b of the piston 10 are housed into the groove portions 2d of the barrel main body 2. In this way, the piston 10 is mounted to move in the front-back direction without turning with respect to the barrel main body 2 even when the operating portion 4 turns.

Then, the joint 7 to which the pipe 8 is mounted and the front body 5 to which the tip 6 is mounted is attached to the front end portion of the operating portion 4.

On the other hand, the predetermined applied liquid is introduced and stored into the applied liquid reservoir portion 3 from a back end portion of the barrel main body 2 and then the follower is inserted to thereby complete the applicator 1.

Next, operation and workings of the applicator 1 will be described based on FIGS. 9 to 13. In FIGS. 9 to 13, reference sign P designates a reference position which is a piston position shown in FIG. 9.

In a state shown in FIG. 9, the applied liquid is filled in the valve chest A.

In the state shown in FIG. 9, the pressure in the valve chest A equals to pressure in the applied liquid reservoir portion 3, the applied liquid stops flowing from the applied liquid reservoir portion into the valve chest, and the second valve 9 is open.

The first valve 11 is closed by the spring 12.

From the state shown in FIG. 9, the operating portion 4 is turned in a direction of an arrow in FIG. 9.

As a result of this turning, the cams 10c move along the cam groove 4c and the piston 10 moves backward, or downward in FIG. 9, and a state shown in FIG. 10 is reached.

In the state shown in FIG. 10, the valve chest A comes into the pressurized state (positive pressure state) due to the movement of the piston 10 and the second valve 9 moves in the through hole 2b due to the pressure to close the through hole 2b. In other words, the second valve 9 prevents backflow from the valve chest A into the applied liquid reservoir portion 3.

On the other hand, the first valve 11 opens against the repulsion of the spring 12 due to the pressure in the valve chest A and the applied liquid in the valve chest A is fed to the through hole 10a, the pipe 8, and the tip 6.

Then, from the state shown in FIG. 10, the operating portion 4 is turned in a direction of an arrow in FIG. 10.

As a result of this turning, the cams 10c move along the cam groove 4c, the piston 10 moves backward (downward), and a state shown in FIG. 11 is achieved. FIG. 11 shows the state in which the piston 10 has moved to a most back side.

Due to the movement of the piston 10, the applied liquid in the valve chest A is further fed to the through hole 10a, the pipe 8, and the tip 6 and discharge of the applied liquid filled in the valve chest A ends.

Then, the operating portion 4 is turned from the state shown in FIG. 11 and a state shown in FIG. 12 is reached.

In other words, due to the turning of the operating portion 4, the cams 10c move along the cam groove 4c and the piston 10 moves forward, which is upward in FIG. 12.

The valve chest A comes into the depressurized state (negative pressure state) due to the movement of the piston 10 and the second valve 9 moves in the through hole 2b due to the pressure to open the through hole 2b and the applied liquid in the applied liquid reservoir portion 3 starts to flow into the valve chest A.

At this time, the first valve 11 is closed by the spring 12.

If the operating portion 4 is further turned from the state shown in FIG. 12 into the state shown in FIG. 13, the cams 10c move along the cam groove 4c and the piston 10 moves forward, which is upward in FIG. 12.

As a result of the movement of the piston 10, the applied liquid in the applied liquid reservoir portion 3 further flows into the valve chest A and the valve chest A is filled with the applied liquid.

When the forward movement of the piston 10 stops, the inflow of the applied liquid stops and a state shown in FIG. 9 is reached.

By repeating such a series of operations by turning the operating portion 4, it is possible to discharge the applied liquid in the applied liquid reservoir portion 3.

Although the operating portion 4 is turned in one direction in the case shown in FIGS. 9 to 13, similar workings and effects can be obtained when the operating portion 4 is turned in the other direction.

The applicator according to the invention can be used for various purposes, e.g., makeup applicators for storing applied liquid such as nail polish, applicators for storing applied liquid such as hair growth tonic, writing implements for storing applied liquid such as Chinese ink, shoe cleaners for storing the applied liquid such as shoe cream, containers for storing seasonings such as soy sauce, and containers for storing agents for mouth cavities such as toothpaste. As the applied liquid, low to high viscosity applied liquids can be used.

Although the cylindrical barrel main body has been described as an example in the above-described embodiment, a barrel main body may be formed in what is called a bottle shape having an increased capacity of an applied liquid storage portion. In this case, a second valve 9 may be provided to a mouth portion of the bottle and an assembly formed by an operating portion 4, a piston 10, a first valve 11, a spring 12, and the like may be mounted to the mouth portion.

Although an inside of the barrel main body is used as the applied liquid reservoir portion 3 in the example in the above-described embodiment, a tank storing the applied liquid may be housed in a barrel main body.