JP7490534B2 - Spray bottle - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a spray container.

Patent Document 1 discloses an example of a trigger-type pump dispenser. This trigger-type pump dispenser has a finger receiving portion formed to protrude rearward and a finger hook portion formed on the trigger. When a user grasps the finger receiving portion and the finger hook portion and pulls the trigger, liquid is sprayed from the nozzle portion. The finger receiving portion is located as low as possible within the range that the user can grasp, so that a rotational force is efficiently generated by the pulling force of the trigger.

WO 09/028286

However, the finger receiving portion of the trigger-type pump dispenser described in Patent Document 1 is designed to efficiently use the force of pulling the trigger, and is not necessarily designed to make the container easy to grip. Therefore, there is a demand for spray containers that are easier to grip.

The present invention aims to provide a spray container that is easy for users to hold.

The present invention relates to a spray container as one aspect. The spray container includes a container body capable of storing liquid, and a sprayer attached to the container body for spraying the liquid. The container body has a front surface located on the nozzle side of the sprayer, a rear surface located on the opposite side of the front surface in a first direction, a pair of side surfaces that face each other in a second direction intersecting with the first direction and connect the front surface and the rear surface, an attachment portion to which the sprayer is attached, a bottom surface located on the opposite side of the attachment portion in a third direction intersecting with the first and second directions, and a first connecting curved surface that has a curved shape that is convex toward the outside of the container body and connects the attachment portion and the rear surface. The rear surface includes a first curved surface portion on the first connecting curved surface side, the first curved surface portion being defined by a first curved line whose cross-sectional shape along the first and second directions is convex toward the rear of the container body and a second curved line whose longitudinal cross-sectional shape along the first and third directions is convex toward the front of the container body. The apex of the second curved line is located closer to the attachment portion side than the center position of the container body in the third direction.

In this spray container, a first curved surface portion is provided on the rear surface, the cross-sectional shape of which is defined by a first curved line that is convex toward the rear of the container body and a second curved line that is convex toward the front of the container body, and the apex of the second curved line of the first curved surface portion is located closer to the attachment portion than the center position of the container body. With this configuration, when a user holds the spray container so that the index finger (second finger) of the user's hand is on the trigger, the user can hold the spray container so that the palm of the user fits comfortably (or naturally) into the first curved surface portion, improving the user's grip.

In the above spray container, at least one of the pair of side surfaces preferably has a recess that is recessed into the inside of the container body. With this configuration, when a user holds the spray container with the index finger on the trigger, the thumb (first finger) of the user's hand (for example, the part from the second joint to the base of the first finger) can be comfortably placed in this recess, thereby further improving the user's grip. In this configuration, it is preferable that at least a part of the recess is located closer to the attachment part than the center position of the container body in the third direction. In addition, it is preferable that the first curved surface part is smoothly continuous with the recess. With this configuration, when a user holds the spray container with the index finger on the trigger, the thumb of the user can be more smoothly placed in the recess, thereby further improving the user's grip.

In the above spray container, the first connecting curved surface is defined by a fifth curve whose cross-sectional shape along the first and second directions is convex toward the rear of the container body. The radius of curvature of the fifth curve is preferably 10.5 mm or more and 20.0 mm or less, and the radius of curvature of the first curve is preferably 10.5 mm or more and 20.0 mm or less. With this configuration, when a user holds the spray container with the index finger on the trigger, the user's palm fits well, making it possible to further improve the user's grip. In this configuration, it is more preferable that the radius of curvature of the fifth curve is 12.5 mm or more and 14.0 mm or less, and it is more preferable that the radius of curvature of the first curve is 12.5 mm or more and 14.0 mm or less.

In the above spray container, it is preferable that the container body has a curved shape that is convex toward the outside of the container body, and further has a second connecting curved surface that connects the mounting part and the front surface. With this configuration, when a user holds the spray container with the index finger on the trigger, there is no edge contact when the user's middle finger (third finger) contacts the second connecting curved surface, and a smooth feeling is given to the user, which further improves the user's grip.

In the above spray container, the front surface preferably includes a second curved surface portion defined by a third curved line whose cross-sectional shape along the first and second directions is convex toward the front of the container body and a fourth curved line whose cross-sectional shape along the first and third directions is convex toward the rear of the container body, and the apex of the fourth curved line is preferably located closer to the attachment portion than the center position of the container body in the third direction. With this configuration, when a user holds the spray container with the index finger on the trigger, the user's middle finger portion, ring finger (fourth finger) portion, little finger (fifth finger) portion, etc. contact the second curved surface portion to grip the container, thereby further improving the user's grip. In addition, in the above configuration, the apex of the fourth curved line is preferably located closer to the attachment portion than the apex of the second curved line in the third direction. By arranging the first curved surface portion and the second curved surface portion in such a height relationship, it is possible to improve the ease of pulling the trigger with the index finger when the spray container is held between the thumb and the index finger to the ring finger.

Another aspect of the present invention relates to a spray container. This spray container comprises a container body capable of containing liquid, and a sprayer attached to the container body for spraying the liquid. The container body has a front surface located on the nozzle side of the sprayer, a rear surface located opposite the front surface in a first direction, a pair of side surfaces that face each other in a second direction intersecting the first direction and connect the front surface and the rear surface, an attachment section to which the sprayer is attached, and a bottom surface located opposite the attachment section in a third direction intersecting the first and second directions. In this spray container, when the second finger of the user of the spray container is positioned on the trigger of the sprayer, the first finger of the hand is positioned on one of the pair of sides, and at least a part of the palm of the hand is positioned on the rear surface, and the trigger is pulled by the second finger, the pressure applied to the first region from the tip to the first joint of the first finger is 4.0 kPa or more, at least one of the pressure applied to the second region from the first joint to the second joint of the first finger and the pressure applied to the third region located between the base of the first finger and the base of the second finger of the palm is less than the first pressure, and at least one of the pressure applied to the fourth region at the base of the second finger of the palm and the pressure applied to the fifth region at the base of the third finger of the palm is more than the second pressure. When the first pressure indicates the pressure applied to the second region, the first pressure is 15.0 kPa. When the first pressure indicates the pressure applied to the third region, the first pressure is 19.0 kPa. When the second pressure indicates the pressure applied to the fourth region, the second pressure is 7.0 kPa. When the second pressure indicates the pressure applied to the fifth region, the second pressure is 1.0 kPa. According to the inventor's research, when a user holds the spray container, each part of the user's fingers is subjected to the above-mentioned gripping pressure, which improves the user's gripping ability.

Another aspect of the present invention relates to an insect repellent product. This insect repellent product includes a spray container configured by any one of the above-mentioned configurations alone or in combination, and an insect repellent liquid contained in the spray container. With such a configuration, it is possible to provide an insect repellent product that is easy to grip and handle when spraying the insect repellent liquid. The internal volume of the spray container used in such an insect repellent product is not limited to this, but is preferably 1 cm ³ or more and 500 cm ³ or less in terms of portability, and more preferably 100 cm ³ or more and 250 cm ³ or less in terms of portability. The present invention may be applied to containerized products other than insect repellent products, and can be applied to, for example, insecticidal products, repellent products, sterilizing products, disinfecting products, antibacterial products, deodorizing products, aromatic products, etc. Such a containerized product includes a spray container configured by any one of the above-mentioned configurations alone or in combination, and a predetermined liquid (for example, a liquid such as an alcohol solution for disinfection) contained in the spray container. In this case, as in the above, the user can easily grip and handle the container.

In yet another aspect, the present invention relates to a method for designing a spray container, the method for designing a spray container comprising a container body capable of containing a liquid and a sprayer attached to the container body, in which, when the container body is held in a user's hand and the trigger of the sprayer is pulled with the second finger of the hand, the pressure applied to a first region from the tip of the first finger to the first joint is 4.0 kPa or more, and at least one of the pressure applied to a second region from the first joint to the second joint of the first finger and the pressure applied to a third region located on the palm of the hand between the base of the first finger and the base of the second finger is the first pressure or less, and the pressure applied to the second region of the palm of the hand is 4.0 kPa or less. The spray container is designed so that at least one of the pressure applied to the fourth region at the base of the third finger and the pressure applied to the fifth region at the base of the third finger of the palm of the hand is equal to or greater than the second pressure, and when the first pressure indicates the pressure applied to the second region, the first pressure is 15.0 kPa, when the first pressure indicates the pressure applied to the third region, the first pressure is 19.0 kPa, when the second pressure indicates the pressure applied to the fourth region, the second pressure is 7.0 kPa, and when the second pressure indicates the pressure applied to the fifth region, the second pressure is 1.0 kPa.

According to this spray container design method, the spray container is designed so that the gripping pressure when the user grips the spray container is a predetermined value. According to the inventor's research, when the user grips the spray container, each part of the user's fingers will be at the gripping pressure described above, which can greatly improve the user's gripping ability.

According to one aspect, the present invention provides a spray container that is easy for the user to hold.

FIG. 1 is a side view showing a spray container according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a container body of the spray container according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a side view of the container body shown in FIG. 2 as viewed from one side. FIG. 4 is a side view of the container body shown in FIG. 2 as viewed from the other side surface. FIG. 5 is a view of the container body shown in FIG. 2 as viewed from the rear side. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the container body shown in FIG. 2 taken along line VI-VI in FIG. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the spray container shown in FIG. 1 and the fingers of a user when the user holds the spray container in his/her right hand. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the spray container shown in FIG. 1 and the fingers of a user when the user holds the spray container in his/her left hand. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing pressure measurement areas on the surface of the right hand. FIG. 10 is a side view of the spray container according to the second embodiment, as viewed from the side of the container body. FIG. 11 is a view of the container body of the spray container shown in FIG. 10 as viewed from the rear side. FIG. 12 is a side view of the spray container according to Comparative Example 1 as viewed from the side of the container body. FIG. 13 is a side view of the spray container according to Comparative Example 2 as viewed from the side of the container body.

The spray container according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In the description, the same reference numerals may be used for the same elements or elements having the same functions, and duplicate descriptions will be omitted.

[First embodiment]
FIG. 1 is a side view showing a spray container 1 according to the first embodiment. The spray container 1 is a container that sprays liquid contained in a container body 20 to the outside by the operation of a trigger 13 by a user, and includes a sprayer 10 and a container body 20. The liquid is sprayed from a spray outlet 14 of the sprayer 10 toward the left side of the paper surface in FIG. 1. In the following description, the direction along the spray direction of the liquid is the front-rear direction of the spray container 1 (X direction shown in FIG. 1), the direction intersecting the front-rear direction along the horizontal plane is the left-right direction (Y direction shown in FIG. 1), and the direction intersecting the front-rear direction and the left-right direction is the up-down direction (Z direction shown in FIG. 1). In this embodiment, the X direction, the Y direction, and the Z direction are mutually orthogonal (intersect). In the description of spray containers 2 to 4 described later, the directions are defined in a similar manner. The X direction corresponds to the first direction, the Y direction corresponds to the second direction, and the Z direction corresponds to the third direction.

The ejector 10 has a cap portion 11, an ejector body 12, a trigger 13, and an ejection port 14. The cap portion 11 is a member that detachably connects the ejector 10 to the container body 20. The cap portion 11 has a threaded (female thread) on its inner surface, and is fitted into the attachment portion 25 (see FIG. 2) of the container body 20, which is also threaded (male thread). A small-diameter tube portion (not shown) is provided so as to penetrate the inside of the cap portion 11. One end of the tube portion extends to the bottom of the container body 20, and the other end is connected to a flow path (not shown) inside the ejector body 12, which will be described later. The liquid contained in the container body 20 is sucked up through the tube portion into the ejector 10 and ejected.

The ejector body 12, the trigger 13, and the ejection port 14 are members for sucking up the liquid contained in the container body 20 and ejecting it to the outside. The ejector body 12 has a flow path (not shown) through which the liquid passes and a pump (not shown) connected to the flow path inside. One end of the flow path is connected to the above-mentioned tube part, and the other end is connected to the ejection port 14. When the user pulls the trigger 13, the pump is operated, and the liquid inside the flow path is pressurized and ejected from the ejection port 14 to the front of the spray container 1 (the left side of the paper in FIG. 1). In this embodiment, the ejection includes a spray that ejects the liquid in a mist. When the user then releases the trigger 13, the trigger 13 and the pump return to their original state, which creates a negative pressure inside the flow path and causes the liquid contained in the container body 20 to flow through the tube part into the flow path of the ejector body 12. The user can continuously eject the liquid by repeatedly pulling and releasing the trigger 13. The configuration of the ejector 10 is not limited, and any configuration capable of ejecting the liquid contained in the container body 20 to the outside can be adopted.

The container body 20 is a cylindrical container with a bottom and has a configuration capable of storing liquid therein. The type and use of the liquid are not limited, but as an example, the liquid stored in the container body 20 may be an insect repellent, an insecticide, a mold remover, a disinfectant, a deodorant, or an aromatic. When the liquid is an insect repellent liquid (insect repellent), the liquid may contain an insect repellent component such as DEET, icaridin, p-menthane-3,8-diol, menthol, ethyl butylacetylaminopropionate, a pyrethroid compound, or an essential oil, and in this case, the spray container 1 can be applied to an insect repellent product. In addition, depending on the type and use of the liquid stored in the container body 20, the spray container 1 can be applied to an insecticide product, a repellent product, a germicidal product, a disinfectant product, an antibacterial product, a deodorant product, an aromatic product, or the like. The amount of liquid that the container body 20 can store may be, for example, 1 mL or more and 500 mL or less, and may be, for example, 100 mL to 250 mL. In other words, the internal volume of the container body 20 may be 1 ^cm3 or more and ⁵⁰⁰ cm3 or less, or 100 cm3 ^or more and 250 ^cm3 or less. Such a container body 20 can be produced by, for example, resin molding.

The shape of the container body 20 will be described with reference to Figures 2 to 6. Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the container body 20. Figure 3 is a side view of the container body 20 as viewed from the side surface 23. Figure 4 is a side view of the container body 20 as viewed from the side surface 24. Figure 5 is a view of the container body 20 as viewed from the rear surface 22. Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the container body 20 cut along line VI-VI shown in Figure 3. The container body 20 has a front surface 21, a rear surface 22, a pair of side surfaces 23, 24, an attachment portion 25, a bottom surface 26, a first connecting curved surface 27, and a second connecting curved surface 28.

The front surface 21 is a surface located on the front side of the container body 20. The front surface 21 has an upper curved surface portion 21a (second curved surface portion) and a lower curved surface portion 21b. As shown in FIG. 3, the upper curved surface portion 21a has a curved (fourth curved) shape that is convex toward the rear of the container body 20 in a vertical cross-sectional view along the XZ plane (hereinafter referred to as the XZ cross-sectional view). The apex P1 of the fourth curve is located closer to the attachment portion 25 than the center position in the Z direction of the container body 20. The center position used here means the center of the distance from the bottom surface 26 of the container body 20 along the Z direction to the top surface of the attachment portion 25. In addition, the apex P1 is located closer to the attachment portion 25 than the apex P2 of the rear surface 22, which will be described later. The upper end of the upper curved surface portion 21a smoothly connects to the second connecting curved surface 28, and the lower end smoothly connects to the lower curved surface portion 21b. A smooth connection means that the faces being connected are connected continuously without any gaps or edges between them.

6, the upper curved surface portion 21a has a curved (third curved) shape that is convex toward the front of the container body 20 in a cross-sectional view along the XY plane (hereinafter referred to as the XY cross-sectional view). The radius of curvature of the third curve may be, for example, 12.0 mm or more and 20.0 mm or less, or 12.0 mm or more and 16.0 mm or less. The radius of curvature of the third curve may be larger than the radius of curvature of the curve of the second connecting curved surface 28 (see FIG. 2) described later in the XY cross-sectional view. The upper curved surface portion 21a is located closer to the attachment portion 25 than the upper curved surface portion 22a of the rear surface 22 described later. When the user holds the spray container 1 with his/her right hand, the upper curved surface portion 21a may be in contact with, for example, the middle finger (third finger F3), ring finger (fourth finger F4), and little finger (fifth finger F5) of the user's right hand (see FIG. 7). Similarly, when a user holds the spray container 1 with his/her left hand, the upper curved surface portion 21a may be in contact with, for example, the middle finger (third finger F13), ring finger (fourth finger F14), and little finger (fifth finger F15) of the user's left hand (see FIG. 8). As shown in FIG. 3, the lower curved surface portion 21b has a curved shape that is convex toward the front of the container body 20 when viewed in the XZ plane. The upper end of the lower curved surface portion 21b smoothly connects to the upper curved surface portion 21a, and the lower end connects to the bottom surface 26.

The rear surface 22 is a surface located on the rear side of the container body 20 (opposite side of the front surface 21 in the X direction). The rear surface 22 has an upper curved surface portion 22a (first curved surface portion) and a lower curved surface portion 22b. The upper curved surface portion 22a has a curved shape (second curved line) that is convex toward the front of the container body 20 in the XZ cross section. The apex P2 of the second curved line is located closer to the attachment portion 25 than the center position of the container body 20 in the Z direction. The upper end of the upper curved surface portion 22a smoothly connects to the first connecting curved surface 27, and the lower end smoothly connects to the lower curved surface portion 22b.

6, the upper curved surface portion 22a has a curved (first curved) shape that is convex toward the rear of the container body 20 in the XY cross section. The radius of curvature of the first curve may be, for example, 10.5 mm or more and 20.0 mm or less, or 12.5 mm or more and 14.0 mm or less. When a user holds the spray container 1 with his/her right hand, the upper curved surface portion 22a may be in contact with, for example, the base of the thumb (first finger F1) of the user's right hand (see FIG. 7). Similarly, when a user holds the spray container 1 with his/her left hand, the upper curved surface portion 22a may be in contact with, for example, the base of the thumb (first finger F11) of the user's left hand (see FIG. 8). As shown in FIG. 3, the lower curved surface portion 22b has a curved shape that is convex toward the rear of the container body 20 in the XZ plane view. The upper end of the lower curved surface portion 22b is smoothly connected to the upper curved surface portion 22a, and the lower end is connected to the bottom surface 26.

The side surface 23 is a surface located on the left side of the container body 20 when the container body 20 is viewed from the rear surface 22. As shown in FIG. 5, the side surface 23 faces the side surface 24 in the Y direction. The side surface 23 has a recess 23a recessed into the inside of the container body 20. As shown in FIG. 3, the edge of the recess 23a has an S-shape on the side surface 23. Therefore, the upper region of the side surface 23 has the recess 23a in a wider range than the lower region. When a user holds the spray container 1 with his/her right hand, the recess 23a may be in contact with, for example, the thumb (first finger F1) of the user's right hand (see FIG. 7). Also, when a user holds the spray container 1 with his/her left hand, the recess 23a may be in contact with, for example, a part of the palm of the user's left hand (see FIG. 8). As shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, the recess 23a is smoothly connected to the upper curved surface portion 22a of the rear surface 22. The position of the recess 23a is not limited, and for example, the recess 23a may be provided only in the upper region of the side surface 23. Furthermore, the shape of the recess 23a is not limited; for example, the edge of the recess 23a may have a straight line shape along the Z direction instead of an S-shape.

The side surface 24 is a surface located on the right side of the container body 20 when the container body 20 is viewed from the rear surface 22. The side surface 24 has a shape that is plane-symmetrical to the side surface 23 with respect to the XZ plane. The side surface 24 has a recess 24a recessed into the inside of the container body 20. As shown in FIG. 4, the edge of the recess 24a has an inverted S-shape on the side surface 24. Therefore, the upper region of the side surface 24 has the recess 24a in a wider range than the lower region. When a user holds the spray container 1 with his/her right hand, the recess 24a may be in contact with, for example, a part of the palm of the user's right hand (see FIG. 7). Also, when a user holds the spray container 1 with his/her left hand, the recess 24a may be in contact with, for example, the thumb (first finger F11) of the user's left hand (see FIG. 8). As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the recess 24a is smoothly connected to the upper curved surface portion 22a of the rear surface 22. The position of the recess 24a is not limited, and for example, the recess 24a may be provided only in the upper region of the side surface 24. Furthermore, the shape of the recess 24a is not limited; for example, the edge of the recess 24a may have a straight line shape along the Z direction instead of an inverted S-shape.

As shown in FIG. 6, the cross section of the portion of the container body 20 where the upper curved surface portions 21a, 22a are provided has a substantially elliptical shape in the XY cross section. Since the pair of side surfaces 23, 24 have recesses 23a, 24a, the cross section has a shape that is slightly crushed in the Y direction on the rear side of the container body 20. The length of the outer periphery (the outer periphery of the cross section shown in FIG. 6) of the portion of the container body 20 where the upper curved surface portions 21a, 22a are provided may be, for example, 135 mm or more and 165 mm or less.

The mounting part 25 is a cylindrical member located at the top of the container body 20 and extending along the Z direction. The outer surface of the mounting part 25 is threaded (male threaded), and the cap part 11 of the ejector 10 can be attached and detached to the mounting part 25. The mounting part 25 has an opening 25a at its tip. For example, when the amount of liquid in the container body 20 is insufficient, liquid can be refilled through the opening 25a. A first connecting curved surface 27 extends from the base end portion of the mounting part 25 toward the rear of the container body 20, and a second connecting curved surface 28 extends toward the front of the container body 20. The base end portion of the mounting part 25 may include a flat portion.

The bottom surface 26 is a surface located on the underside of the container body 20. The bottom surface 26 is a surface that comes into contact with a mounting surface such as a desk when the spray container 1 is placed on the mounting surface. The bottom surface 26 may be a flat surface extending along the XY plane, or may have a recess that is recessed into the inside of the container body 20. The distance in the Z direction from the bottom surface 26 to the base end portion of the attachment portion 25 may be, for example, 150 mm or more and 190 mm or less.

The first connecting curved surface 27 is a surface that connects the mounting portion 25 and the rear surface 22. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the first connecting curved surface 27 has a curved shape that is convex toward the outside (rear) of the container body 20 in the XY cross section and the XZ cross section. If the curve of the first connecting curved surface 27 in the XY cross section is the fifth curve, the radius of curvature of the fifth curve may be, for example, 10.5 mm or more and 20.0 mm or less, or 12.5 mm or more and 14.0 mm or less.

The second connecting curved surface 28 is a surface that connects the mounting portion 25 and the front surface 21. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the second connecting curved surface 28 has a curved shape that is convex toward the outside (front) of the container body 20 in the XY cross section and the XZ cross section. If the curve of the second connecting curved surface 28 in the XY cross section is the sixth curve, the radius of curvature of the sixth curve may be, for example, 12.0 mm or more and 20.0 mm or less, or 12.0 mm or more and 16.0 mm or less.

Next, the pressure (grip pressure) applied to the hand when the user holds the spray container 1 with the right hand will be described with reference to Figs. 7 and 9. Fig. 7 is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the container body 20 and the right hand of the user holding the container body 20. Fig. 9 is a diagram showing the pressure measurement area on the surface of the right hand. According to the knowledge of the inventors, the ease of holding the spray container 1 changes depending on the magnitude of the grip pressure of the spray container 1. Therefore, it is preferable that the shape of the spray container 1 is designed to provide an appropriate grip pressure. First, a method for measuring the grip pressure will be described. In this embodiment, an example in which the spray container 1 is held with the right hand will be described, but a similar method can be adopted when measuring with the left hand. The thumb of the right hand will be described as the first finger F1, the index finger as the second finger F2, the middle finger as the third finger F3, the ring finger as the fourth finger F4, and the little finger as the fifth finger F5.

The user attaches a sensor sheet for measuring pressure to the surface of the right hand. The sensor sheet is capable of measuring the pressure applied to each area of the hand indicated by the numbers in FIG. 9. The sensor sheet may be, for example, Nitta Corporation's "Grip Pressure Distribution Measurement System Sensor Sheet 4256E". With the sensor sheet attached, as shown in FIG. 7, the user holds the spray container 1 with the first finger F1 positioned in the recess 23a, the second finger F2 positioned on the trigger 13, the third finger F3 positioned between the second connecting curved surface 28 and the upper curved surface portion 21a, and the fourth finger F4 and the fifth finger F5 positioned on the upper curved surface portion 21a. At this time, at least a part of the user's palm is in contact with the upper curved surface portion 21a, the side surface 24, and the recess 24a. In this state, the user pulls the trigger 13 with the second finger F2, and the pressure applied to the surface of the right hand is measured by the measurement system. The measurement system measures pressure using the sensor sheet attached to the user's right hand, and may be, for example, Nitta Corporation's "Surface Pressure Distribution Measurement System I-SCAN."

Next, specific values of the gripping pressure that the user finds easy to grip the spray container 1 will be described. The pressure applied to the first area A1 (area indicated by the number "1") from the tip to the first joint of the first finger F1 shown in FIG. 9 is preferably 4.0 kPa or more, more preferably 5.0 kPa or more, and preferably 13.0 kPa or less. The pressure applied to the second area A2 (area indicated by the number "2") from the first joint to the second joint of the first finger is preferably 15.0 kPa (first pressure) or less, more preferably 14.0 kPa or less, even more preferably 13.0 kPa or less, and preferably 8.0 kPa or more. The pressure applied to the third area A3 (area indicated by the number "8") located on the palm between the base of the first finger F1 and the base of the second finger F2 is preferably 19.0 kPa (first pressure) or less, more preferably 16.0 kPa or less, even more preferably 14.0 kPa or less, and preferably 7.0 kPa or more.

The pressure applied to the fourth region A4 (region indicated by the number "12") located at the base of the second finger F2 of the palm is preferably 7.0 kPa (second pressure) or more, more preferably 10.0 kPa or more, even more preferably 13.0 kPa or more, and preferably 16.0 kPa or less. The pressure applied to the fifth region A5 (region indicated by the number "16") located between the base of the third finger F3 and the base of the fourth finger F4 of the palm is preferably 1.0 kPa (second pressure) or more, more preferably 4.0 kPa or more, even more preferably 5.0 kPa or more, and preferably 16.0 kPa or less. The spray container 1 is preferably designed so that the gripping pressure when gripped by hand satisfies all of the above conditions, but the pressure applied to all of the regions from the first region A1 to the fifth region A5 does not have to satisfy the above conditions. Specifically, it is sufficient that at least one of the pressures applied to the second area A2 and the third area A3 satisfies the above condition. It is sufficient that at least one of the pressures applied to the fourth area A4 and the fifth area A5 satisfies the above condition.

As described above, in the spray container 1 according to this embodiment, the upper curved surface portion 22a is provided on the rear surface 22, and the cross-sectional shape is defined by a first curve that is convex toward the rear of the container body 20 and a second curve that is convex toward the front of the container body 20, and the apex P2 of the second curve of the upper curved surface portion 22a is located closer to the attachment portion 25 than the center position of the container body 20. With this configuration, when a user holds the spray container 1 so that the index finger of the user's hand is on the trigger 13, the user can hold the spray container 1 so that the palm of the user fits comfortably (or naturally) on the upper curved surface portion 22a, thereby improving the user's grip.

In addition, in the spray container 1 according to this embodiment, the side surface 23 has a recess 23a recessed into the inside of the container body 20. Therefore, when the user holds the spray container 1 (container body 20) with the index finger on the trigger, the user can hold the spray container so that the thumb part of the user's hand (for example, the part from the second joint to the base of the first finger) fits comfortably in the recess 23a, which further improves the user's grip. When the user holds the spray container 1 with the left hand, the recess 24a of the side surface 24 has a similar effect. In addition, the recesses 23a, 24a are located closer to the mounting part 25 than the center position in the Z direction of the container body 20, and the upper curved surface part 22a is smoothly connected to the recesses 23a, 24a. With this configuration, when the user holds the spray container 1 with the index finger on the trigger 13, the user's thumb part fits more smoothly into the recess 23a or 24a, which further improves the user's grip.

In addition, in the spray container 1 according to this embodiment, the first connecting curved surface 27 is defined by a fifth curve whose cross-sectional shape along the X and Y directions is convex toward the rear of the container body 20. The radius of curvature of the fifth curve is preferably 10.5 mm or more and 20.0 mm or less, and the radius of curvature of the first curve is preferably 10.5 mm or more and 20.0 mm or less. With this configuration, when a user holds the spray container 1 with the index finger on the trigger 13, the palm of the user fits well, making it possible to further improve the user's grip.

In addition, in the spray container 1 according to this embodiment, the container body 20 has a curved shape that is convex toward the outside of the container body 20, and further has a second connecting curved surface 28 that connects the mounting portion 25 and the front surface 21. With this configuration, when a user holds the spray container 1 with the index finger on the trigger 13, there is no edge contact when the user's middle finger comes into contact with the second connecting curved surface 28, and a smooth feeling can be given to the user, which further improves the user's grip.

In addition, in the spray container 1 according to this embodiment, the front surface 21 includes an upper curved surface portion 21a defined by a third curve whose cross-sectional shape along the X and Y directions is convex toward the front of the container body 20 and a fourth curve whose vertical cross-sectional shape along the X and Z directions is convex toward the rear of the container body 20, and the apex P1 of this fourth curve is located closer to the attachment portion 25 than the center position in the Z direction of the container body 20. With this configuration, when a user holds the spray container 1 with the index finger on the trigger 13, the user's middle finger, ring finger, little finger, etc. come into contact with the upper curved surface portion 21a to grip the container, thereby further improving the user's grip. In addition, in the spray container 1, the apex P1 of the fourth curve of the upper curved surface portion 21a is located closer to the attachment portion 25 than the apex P2 of the second curve of the upper curved surface portion 22a in the Z direction. By arranging the upper curved surface portion 22a and the upper curved surface portion 21a in this height relationship, it is possible to improve the ease of pulling the trigger 13 with the index finger when the spray container 1 is held between the thumb and the index finger through the ring finger.

The spray container 1 according to this embodiment includes a container body 20 capable of containing a liquid, and a sprayer 10 attached to the container body 20 for spraying the liquid. The container body 20 has a front surface 21 located on the outlet side of the sprayer 10, a rear surface 22 located on the opposite side of the front surface 21 in the X direction, a pair of side surfaces 23, 24 that face each other in the Y direction intersecting with the X direction and connect the front surface 21 and the rear surface 22, an attachment portion 25 to which the sprayer 10 is attached, and a bottom surface 26 located on the opposite side of the attachment portion 25 in the Z direction intersecting with the X and Y directions. In this spray container 1, when the second finger F2, F12 of the hand of a user of the spray container 1 is positioned on the trigger 13 of the sprayer 10, the first finger F1, F11 of the hand is positioned on one of the pair of side surfaces 23, 24, and at least a part of the palm of the hand is positioned on the upper curved surface portion 22a, and the trigger 13 is pulled with the second finger, the pressure applied to a first region from the tip to the first joint of the first finger F1, F11 is 4.0 kPa or more, at least one of the pressure applied to a second region from the first joint to the second joint of the first finger F1, F11 and the pressure applied to a third region of the palm located between the base of the first finger F1, F11 and the base of the second finger F2, F12 is less than the first pressure, and at least one of the pressure applied to a fourth region at the base of the second finger F2, F12 of the palm and the pressure applied to a fifth region at the base of the third finger F3, F13 of the palm is greater than the second pressure. When the first pressure indicates the pressure applied to the second region, the first pressure is 15.0 kPa. When the first pressure indicates the pressure applied to the third region, the first pressure is 19.0 kPa. When the second pressure indicates the pressure applied to the fourth region, the second pressure is 7.0 kPa. When the second pressure indicates the pressure applied to the fifth region, the second pressure is 1.0 kPa. According to the inventor's study, when a user grips the spray container 1, each part of the user's fingers is subjected to the above-mentioned gripping pressure, thereby improving the user's gripping ability.

In addition, the design method of the spray container 1 according to this embodiment is such that, when the user holds the container body 20 in his/her hand and pulls the trigger 13 of the sprayer 10 with the second fingers F2, F12 of the hand, the pressure applied to the first region from the tip of the first fingers F1, F11 to the first joint is 4.0 kPa or more, and at least one of the pressure applied to the second region from the first joint to the second joint of the first fingers F1, F11 and the pressure applied to the third region located between the base of the first fingers F1, F11 and the base of the second fingers F2, F12 of the palm of the hand is equal to or less than the first pressure, and The spray container is designed so that at least one of the pressure applied to the fourth region of the base of the hand and the pressure applied to the fifth region of the base of the third fingers F3 and F13 of the palm of the hand is equal to or greater than the second pressure, and when the first pressure indicates the pressure applied to the second region, the first pressure is 15.0 kPa, when the first pressure indicates the pressure applied to the third region, the first pressure is 19.0 kPa, when the second pressure indicates the pressure applied to the fourth region, the second pressure is 7.0 kPa, and when the second pressure indicates the pressure applied to the fifth region, the second pressure is 1.0 kPa. According to this method for designing a spray container, the spray container is designed so that the gripping pressure when the user grips the spray container 1 is a predetermined value. According to the inventor's investigation, when the user grips the spray container, the gripping ability of the user can be greatly improved by the container being one in which the gripping pressure of each part of the user's fingers is as described above.

[Second embodiment]
Next, the spray container 2 according to the second embodiment based on the above-mentioned design method will be described with reference to Fig. 10 and Fig. 11. Fig. 10 is a side view of the spray container 2 as viewed from the side surface 43 of the container body 40. Fig. 11 is a side view of the spray container 2 as viewed from the rear surface 42 of the container body 40. In the following description, differences from the container body 20 according to the first embodiment described above will be mainly described, and descriptions of commonalities may be omitted.

As shown in Fig. 10, the spray container 2 comprises a sprayer 10 and a container body 40. The sprayer 10 has the same configuration as the sprayer 10 according to the first embodiment, and therefore a description thereof is omitted. As shown in Figs. 10 and 11, the container body 40 comprises a front surface 41, a rear surface 42, a pair of side surfaces 43, 44, an attachment portion 45, a bottom surface 46, a first connecting curved surface 47, and a second connecting curved surface 48.

The front surface 41 is a surface located on the front side of the container body 40. The front surface 41 has an upper curved surface portion 41a and a lower curved surface portion 41b. As shown in FIG. 10, the upper curved surface portion 41a has a curved shape that is convex toward the rear of the container body 40 in the XZ plane view. The upper end of the upper curved surface portion 41a is connected to the second connecting curved surface 48, and the lower end is smoothly connected to the lower curved surface portion 41b. A ridge may be formed between the upper end of the upper curved surface portion 41a and the second connecting curved surface 48. In addition, the upper curved surface portion 41a has a curved shape that is convex toward the front of the container body 20 in the XY cross-sectional view. The radius of curvature of the upper curved surface portion 41a in the XY cross-section may be, for example, 17.0 mm or more and 23.0 mm or less. The radius of curvature of the upper curved surface portion 41a in the XY cross-section may be larger than the radius of curvature of the second connecting curved surface 48 in the XY cross-section described later. When a user holds the spray container 1 with his/her right hand, the upper curved surface portion 41a may be in contact with, for example, the middle finger (third finger F3), ring finger (fourth finger F4), and little finger (fifth finger F5) of the user's right hand. When a user holds the spray container 1 with his/her left hand, the upper curved surface portion 41a may be in contact with, for example, the middle finger (third finger F13), ring finger (fourth finger F14), and little finger (fifth finger F15) of the user's left hand. As shown in FIG. 10, the lower curved surface portion 41b has a curved shape that is convex toward the front of the container body 40 in the XZ plane view. The upper end of the lower curved surface portion 41b is smoothly connected to the upper curved surface portion 41a, and the lower end is connected to the bottom surface 46.

The rear surface 42 is a surface located on the rear side of the container body 40 (opposite side of the front surface 41 in the X direction). The rear surface 42 has an upper curved surface portion 42a and a lower curved surface portion 42b. The lower end of the upper curved surface portion 42a is smoothly connected to the upper end of the lower curved surface portion 42b. Both the upper curved surface portion 41a and the lower curved surface portion 42b have a curved shape that is convex toward the rear of the container body 40 in the XZ cross section. Therefore, unlike the rear surface 22 according to the first embodiment, the entire rear surface 42 has a gentle curved shape that is convex toward the rear of the container body 40 in the XZ cross section. The upper curved surface portion 42a and the lower curved surface portion 42b have a curved shape that is convex toward the rear of the container body 20 in the XY cross section. The radius of curvature of the curve may be, for example, 15.0 mm or more and 20.0 mm or less. When a user holds the spray container 2 in his/her right hand, the upper curved surface portion 42a may come into contact with, for example, the base of the thumb (first finger F1) of the user's right hand. Also, when a user holds the spray container 2 in his/her left hand, the upper curved surface portion 42a may come into contact with, for example, the base of the thumb (first finger F11) of the user's left hand.

The side surface 43 is a surface located on the left side of the container body 40 when the container body 40 is viewed from the rear surface 42, and the side surface 44 is a surface located on the right side of the container body 40 when the container body 40 is viewed from the rear surface 42. As shown in FIG. 11, the side surface 43 faces the side surface 44 in the Y direction. The side surface 43 and the side surface 44 respectively have recesses 43a and recesses 44a recessed into the inside of the container body 40. The surfaces of the recesses 43a and 44a are inclined toward the inside of the container body 40 so as to approach each other from the mounting portion 45 side toward the bottom surface 46 side, and then have a curved shape that moves away from each other toward the outside at the lower part of the container body 40. When a user holds the spray container 2 with his/her right hand, for example, the thumb (first finger F1) of the user's right hand may contact the upper part of the recesses 43a, and a part of the palm of the user's right hand may contact the upper part of the recesses 44a. Also, when a user holds the spray container 2 with his/her left hand, for example, a part of the palm of the user's left hand may contact the upper part of the recess 43a, and the thumb (first finger F11) of the user's left hand may contact the upper part of the recess 44a. The mounting portion 45 and the bottom surface 46 have the same configuration as the mounting portion 25 and the bottom surface 26 according to the first embodiment, respectively, and therefore will not be described.

The first connecting curved surface 47 is a surface that connects the mounting portion 45 and the rear surface 42. The first connecting curved surface 47 has a curved shape that is convex toward the outside (rear) of the container body 40 in the XY cross section and the XZ cross section. The radius of curvature of the curve of the first connecting curved surface 47 in the XY cross section may be, for example, 14.0 mm or more and 15.0 mm or less. In the first embodiment, the change in curvature of the connection portion between the first connecting curved surface 27 and the upper curved surface portion 22a is small, and the surfaces are smoothly connected (see FIG. 5), but in the second embodiment, the change in curvature of the connection portion between the first connecting curved surface 47 and the upper curved surface portion 42a is larger, and a ridge line is formed.

The second connecting curved surface 48 is a surface that connects the mounting portion 45 and the front surface 41. The second connecting curved surface 48 has a curved shape that is convex toward the outside (front) of the container body 40 in the XY cross section and the XZ cross section. The radius of curvature of the curve of the second connecting curved surface 48 in the XY cross section may be, for example, 15.0 mm or more and 17.0 mm or less. As with the first connecting curved surface 47, a ridge line is formed at the connection portion between the second connecting curved surface 48 and the front surface 41.

As described above, in the spray container 2 according to this embodiment, the spray container 2 is formed with the container body 40 by the design method described above. That is, when the second fingers F2, F12 of the user's hand of the spray container 2 are positioned on the trigger 13 of the sprayer 10, the first fingers F1, F11 of the hand are positioned on one of the pair of side surfaces 43, 44, and at least a part of the palm of the hand is positioned on the upper curved surface portion 42a, and the trigger 13 is pulled by the second fingers F2, F12, the pressure applied to the first region from the tip of the first fingers F1, F11 to the first joint is 4.0 kPa or more, and the pressure applied to the second region from the first joint to the second joint of the first fingers F1, F11 and the pressure applied to the third region of the palm located between the base of the first fingers F1, F11 and the base of the second fingers F2, F12 is 4.0 kPa or more. At least one of the pressures applied to the fourth region at the base of the second fingers F2, F12 of the palm and the pressure applied to the fifth region at the base of the third fingers F3, F13 of the palm is equal to or greater than the second pressure, and when the first pressure indicates the pressure applied to the second region, the first pressure is 15.0 kPa, when the first pressure indicates the pressure applied to the third region, the first pressure is 19.0 kPa, when the second pressure indicates the pressure applied to the fourth region, the second pressure is 7.0 kPa, and when the second pressure indicates the pressure applied to the fifth region, the second pressure is 1.0 kPa. With the spray container 2 having such a gripping pressure, the user's gripping ability can be improved when the user grips the spray container 2.

The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples. In the following examples, the gripping pressure when a user grips the spray container (container body) so that the index finger of the user is on the trigger, and the sensation at that time (fit, difficulty in the fingers, difficulty in parts other than the fingers, and overall evaluation (ease of gripping)) were evaluated.

[Example 1]
In Example 1, a spray container having a shape similar to that of the spray container 1 according to the first embodiment described above (see FIGS. 1 to 6) was held in the right hand (see FIG. 7), and the gripping pressure of each part of the fingers when the trigger was pulled by the second finger F2 of the right hand was confirmed. In the following description of the spray container according to Example 1, the same reference numerals as those used in the description of the first embodiment described above will be used. The curvature radius of the curve of the front surface 21 and the second connecting curved surface 28 of the container body 20 according to Example 1 in the XY cross section was as shown in Table 1 below. The curvature radius of the curve of the rear surface 22 and the first connecting curved surface 27 of the container body 20 in the XY cross section was as shown in Table 2 below. The curvature radius was measured using a radius gauge 178MB, 178MC by Trusco Nakayama Corporation. The measurement height H1 indicates the distance in the Z direction from the bottom surface 26 to the position where the curvature radius was measured (see FIG. 3).

Next, the method of measuring grip pressure will be described. First, a sensor sheet provided in a measurement system for measuring grip pressure was attached to the surface of the right hand. Nitta Corporation's "Surface Pressure Distribution Measurement System I-SCAN" was used as the measurement system, and Nitta Corporation's "Grip Pressure Distribution Measurement System Sensor Sheet 4256E" was used as the sensor sheet. The spray container 1 according to Example 1 was held with the right hand as described with reference to FIG. 7. In this state, the trigger 13 was pulled by the second finger F2 of the right hand, and the grip pressure was measured by the measurement system. The grip pressure was measured for each area indicated by numbers "1" to "23" in FIG. 9. Among the measurement results, the measurement results for the first area A1 indicated by number "1", the second area A2 indicated by number "2", the third area A3 indicated by number "8", the fourth area A4 indicated by number "12", and the fifth area A5 indicated by number "16" are shown in Table 7.

[Example 2]
In Example 2, a spray container having a shape similar to that of the spray container 2 according to the second embodiment described above (see Figs. 10 and 11) was held in the right hand, and the gripping pressure when the trigger was pulled by the second finger F2 of the right hand was confirmed. In the following description of the spray container according to Example 2, the same reference numerals as those used in the description of the spray container 2 according to the second embodiment will be used. The curvature radii of the curves of the front surface 41 and the second connecting curved surface 48 of the container body 40 according to Example 2 in the XY cross section were as shown in Table 3 below. The curvature radii of the curves of the rear surface 42 and the first connecting curved surface 47 of the container body 40 in the XY cross section were as shown in Table 4 below. The curvature radii were measured using "Radius Gauge 178MB, 178MC" manufactured by Trusco Nakayama Corporation. The measurement height H2 indicates the distance in the Z direction from the bottom surface 46 to the position where the curvature radius was measured (see Fig. 10).

The gripping pressure in Example 2 was measured using the same measurement system as in Example 1. The spray container 1 was gripped with the first finger F1 of the right hand positioned above the recess 43a, the second finger F2 positioned on the trigger 13, the third finger F3 positioned on the second connecting curved surface 48, and the fourth finger F4 and fifth finger F5 positioned on the upper curved surface portion 41a. In this state, the trigger 13 was pulled by the second finger F2, and the gripping pressure was measured by the measurement system. The measurement results of the pressure applied to the first area A1 to the fifth area A5 are shown in Table 7.

[Comparative Example 1]
In Comparative Example 1, the spray container 3 shown in FIG. 12 was held with the right hand, and the grip pressure was confirmed when the trigger was pulled by the second finger F2 of the right hand. Here, the shape of the spray container 3 used in the measurement of Comparative Example 1 will be described with reference to FIG. 12. FIG. 12 is a side view of the spray container 3 viewed from the side surface 63 of the container body 60. The spray container 3 includes an ejector 10 and a container body 60. The ejector 10 has the same configuration as the ejector 10 according to the first embodiment, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted. The container body 60 includes a front surface 61, a rear surface 62, a side surface 63, a bottom surface 64, a first connecting curved surface 65, and a second connecting curved surface 66.

The front surface 61 is a surface located on the front side of the container body 60. Unlike the front surface 21 according to the first embodiment, the front surface 61 as a whole has a gently curved shape that is convex toward the rear of the container body 60 in an XZ cross-sectional view. Also, the front surface 61 has a curved shape that is convex toward the front of the container body 60 in an XY cross-sectional view, and is smoothly connected to the side surface 63. The rear surface 62 is a surface located on the rear side of the container body 60 (the opposite side of the front surface 61 in the X direction). Unlike the rear surface 22 according to the first embodiment, the rear surface 62 as a whole has a gently curved shape that is convex toward the front of the container body 60 in an XZ cross-sectional view. Also, the rear surface 62 has a curved shape that is convex toward the rear of the container body 60 in an XY cross-sectional view, and is smoothly connected to the side surface 63.

The side surface 63 is located on the left side of the container body 60 and connects the front surface 61 and the rear surface 62. The side surface 63 has a gently curved shape that is convex toward the outside of the container body 60 in an XY cross-sectional view. The container body 60 further has a side surface on the right side of the container body 60 (the back side of the paper in FIG. 12) that faces the side surface 63 in the Y direction and has a shape that is plane-symmetrical with respect to the XZ plane. The container body 60 has an attachment portion (not shown) on the upper part to which the ejector 10 is attached. The configuration of the attachment portion is similar to that of the attachment portion 25 in the first embodiment, so a description thereof will be omitted. The bottom surface 64 has a recess (not shown) that is recessed toward the inside of the container body 60.

The first connecting curved surface 65 has a curved shape that inclines downward as it approaches the rear in the XZ cross section. The radius of curvature of the curve is larger than the radius of curvature of the first connecting curved surface 27 according to the first embodiment, and the first connecting curved surface 65 extends in an almost straight line in the XZ cross section. The first connecting curved surface 65 has a curved shape that is convex toward the outside (rear) of the container body 60 in the cross section along the XY plane. The second connecting curved surface 66 has a curved shape that inclines downward as it approaches the front in the XZ cross section. The radius of curvature of the curve is larger than the radius of curvature of the second connecting curved surface 28 according to the first embodiment, and the second connecting curved surface 66 extends in an almost straight line in the XZ cross section. The second connecting curved surface 66 has a curved shape that is convex toward the outside (front) of the container body 60 in the cross section along the XY plane. In addition, a corner is formed between the first connecting curved surface 65 and the rear surface 62, and a corner is formed between the second connecting curved surface 66 and the front surface 61.

The radius of curvature of the curve of the front surface 61 and the second connecting curved surface 66 of the container body 60 in Comparative Example 1 in the XY cross section is as shown in Table 5 below. The radius of curvature of the curve of the rear surface 62 and the first connecting curved surface 65 of the container body 60 in the XY cross section is as shown in Table 6 below. The radius of curvature was measured using TRUSCO Nakayama Corporation's "Radius Gauge 178MB, 178MC". The measurement height H3 indicates the distance in the Z direction from the bottom surface 64 to the position where the radius of curvature was measured (see Figure 12).

The gripping pressure when gripping the spray container 3 of Comparative Example 1 was measured using the same measurement system as in Example 1. The spray container 2 was gripped with the first finger F1 of the right hand positioned at the top of the side surface 63, the second finger F2 positioned at the trigger 13, the third finger F3 positioned at the second connecting curved surface 66, and the fourth finger F4 and fifth finger F5 positioned at the top of the front surface 61. In this state, the trigger 13 was pulled by the second finger F2, and the gripping pressure was measured by the measurement system. The measurement results of the pressure applied to the first area A1 to the fifth area A5 are shown in Table 7.

[Comparative Example 2]
In Comparative Example 2, the spray container 4 shown in Fig. 13 was held with the right hand, and the gripping pressure was confirmed when the trigger was pulled by the second finger F2 of the right hand. Here, the spray container 4 according to Comparative Example 2 will be described with reference to Fig. 13. Fig. 13 is a side view of the spray container 4 as viewed from the side surface 73 of the container body 60. The spray container 4 includes an ejector 10 and a container body 70. The ejector 10 has the same configuration as the ejector 10 according to the first embodiment, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted. The container body 70 includes a front surface 71, a rear surface 72, a side surface 73, a bottom surface 74, a first connecting curved surface 75, and a second connecting curved surface 76.

The front surface 71 is a surface located on the front side of the container body 70. Unlike the front surface 21 according to the first embodiment, the front surface 71 extends so that the entire surface is a gently curved shape that is convex toward the rear of the container body 70 in the XZ cross section. Also, the front surface 71 extends linearly along the Y direction in the XY cross section. That is, in the cross section along the XY plane, the front surface 71 intersects with the side surface 73 at an angle close to a right angle. The rear surface 72 is a surface located on the rear side of the container body 70 (opposite side of the front surface 71 in the X direction). Unlike the rear surface 22 according to the first embodiment, the rear surface 72 extends so that the entire surface is a gently curved shape that is convex toward the front of the container body 70 in the XZ cross section. Also, the rear surface 72 extends linearly along the Y direction in the XY cross section. That is, in the cross section along the XY plane, the rear surface 72 intersects with the side surface 73 at an angle close to a right angle.

The side surface 73 is located on the left side of the container body 70 and connects the front surface 71 and the rear surface 72. The side surface 73 has a gently curved shape that is convex toward the outside of the container body 70 in an XY cross-sectional view. The container body 70 further has a side surface on the right side of the container body 70 (the back side of the paper in FIG. 12) that faces the side surface 73 in the Y direction and has a shape that is plane-symmetrical with respect to the XZ plane. The container body 70 has an attachment portion (not shown) on the upper part to which the ejector 10 is attached. The configuration of the attachment portion is similar to that of the attachment portion 25 in the first embodiment, so a description thereof will be omitted. The bottom surface 74 has a recess that is recessed toward the inside of the container body 70.

The first connecting curved surface 75 connects the mounting portion and the rear surface 72. The area of the first connecting curved surface 75 closer to the mounting portion is formed in a flat shape, and is provided so as to incline slightly downward as it approaches the rear. The rear end of the first connecting curved surface 75 has a curved shape that is convex toward the outside (rear) of the container body 70, and is connected to the upper end of the rear surface 72. The second connecting curved surface 76 connects the mounting portion and the front surface 71. The area of the second connecting curved surface 76 closer to the mounting portion is formed in a flat shape, and is provided so as to incline slightly downward as it approaches the front. The front end of the second connecting curved surface 76 has a curved shape that is convex toward the outside (front) of the container body 70, and is connected to the upper end of the front surface 71. In addition, a corner is formed between the first connecting curved surface 75 and the rear surface 72, and a corner is formed between the second connecting curved surface 76 and the front surface 71.

The gripping pressure when gripping the spray container 4 according to Comparative Example 2 was measured using the same measurement system as in Example 1. The spray container 4 was gripped with the first finger F1 of the right hand positioned at the top of the side surface 73, the second finger F2 positioned on the trigger 13, and the third finger F3, fourth finger F4, and fifth finger F5 positioned at the top of the front surface 71. In this state, the trigger 13 was pulled by the second finger F2, and the gripping pressure was measured by the measurement system.

Table 7 below shows a summary of the grip pressures in Example 1, Example 2, Comparative Example 1, and Comparative Example 2. Also shown are the results of the sensory evaluation when the spray containers according to Example 1, Example 2, Comparative Example 1, and Comparative Example 2 were gripped at such grip pressures. The sensory evaluation was conducted by evaluating the "fit," "fatigue of the fingers," "fatigue of parts other than the fingers," and "overall evaluation (ease of gripping)" on a five-point scale from 1 to 5. The five-point scale evaluation is as follows: 5 is "good/easy," 4 is "slightly good/slightly easy," 3 is "can't say," 2 is "slightly bad/slightly difficult," and 1 is "bad/difficult," with a higher evaluation point indicating a better grip. The number of evaluators was 20, and the average of each person's evaluation points is shown in Table 7.

The hand size of each evaluator was measured based on JIS Z8500:2002 (basic anthropometric measurements for ergonomics design). Based on the hand size data of AIST Japanese people, the distribution is as follows, with hand sizes of 25%ile or less being "small", hand sizes between 25 % ile and 75 % ile being "medium", and hand sizes of 75 % ile or more being "large". The evaluators all had hand sizes that conformed to the normal distribution.
[Long arm]
Large (over 174mm): 4 people, Medium (165mm-173mm): 14 people, Small (under 164mm): 2 people [hand width]
6 people had large (69mm or more), 13 people had medium (68mm-65mm), and 1 person had small (64mm or less) [second finger length]
Large (77mm or more): 2 people, Medium (76mm-72mm): 12 people, Small (71mm or less): 5 people

As shown in Table 7 above, in Examples 1 and 2, the sensory evaluation scores when the user gripped the spray container were significantly higher than in Comparative Examples 1 and 2. In particular, it was confirmed that Example 1 was significantly improved in all categories, including fit, discomfort in the fingers, and discomfort in areas other than the fingers, as compared to Comparative Example 2. It can be seen that the sensory evaluation scores correlate with the grip pressure values, and that the grip pressure values represent the ease of gripping.

1, 2...spray container, 10...ejector, 13...trigger, 14...spray nozzle, 20, 40...container body, 21, 41...front surface, 21a, 41a...upper curved surface portion, 22, 42...rear surface, 22a, 42a...upper curved surface portion, 23, 24, 43, 44...side surface, 23a, 24a, 43a, 44a...recessed portion, 25, 45...mounting portion, 26, 46...bottom surface, 27, 47...first connecting curved surface, 28, 48...second connecting curved surface, F1, F11...first finger, F2, F12...second finger, F3, F13...third finger, F4, F14...fourth finger, F5, F15...fifth finger, P1, P2...vertex.

Claims (4)

A container body capable of containing liquid;
a sprayer attached to the container body for spraying the liquid;
A spray container comprising:
The container body includes:
A front surface located on a side of the ejector outlet;
a rear surface located on the opposite side to the front surface in a first direction;
a pair of side surfaces that face each other in a second direction intersecting the first direction and connect the front surface and the rear surface;
A mounting portion to which the ejector is attached;
a bottom surface located on an opposite side to the attachment portion in a third direction intersecting the first direction and the second direction;
a first connecting curved surface that has a convex curved shape toward an outside of the container body and connects the mounting portion and the rear surface;
having
the rear surface includes a first curved surface portion on the first connecting curved surface side, the first curved surface portion being defined by a first curved line whose transverse cross-sectional shape along the first direction and the second direction is convex toward the rear of the container body and a second curved line whose longitudinal cross-sectional shape along the first direction and the third direction is convex toward the front of the container body,
an apex of the second curve is located closer to the attachment portion than a center position of the container body in the third direction ;
A spray container , wherein the first connecting curved surface smoothly connects with the first curved surface portion . At least one of the pair of side surfaces has a recess recessed into the inside of the container body.
2. The spray container of claim 1. The container body further includes a second connecting curved surface that has a convex curved shape toward the outside of the container body and connects the mounting portion and the front surface.
3. The spray container according to claim 1 or 2. When a user of the spray container places a second finger on the trigger of the sprayer, a first finger on one of the pair of side surfaces, and at least a part of the palm of the hand on the rear surface, and pulls the trigger with the second finger,
The pressure applied to the first region from the tip to the first joint of the first finger is 4.0 kPa or more,
At least one of a pressure applied to a second region from a first joint to a second joint of the first finger and a pressure applied to a third region of the palm located between the base of the first finger and the base of the second finger is equal to or less than a first pressure,
At least one of the pressure applied to a fourth region of the palm at the base of the second finger and the pressure applied to a fifth region of the palm at the base of the third finger is equal to or greater than the second pressure,
When the first pressure indicates the pressure applied to the second region, the first pressure is 15.0 kPa;
When the first pressure indicates the pressure applied to the third region, the first pressure is 19.0 kPa;
When the second pressure indicates the pressure applied to the fourth region, the second pressure is 7.0 kPa;
A spray container according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein when the second pressure indicates the pressure applied to the fifth region, the second pressure is 1.0 kPa.

Images