WO2024142615A1

WO2024142615A1 - Trigger-type liquid sprayer

Info

Publication number: WO2024142615A1
Application number: PCT/JP2023/040253
Authority: WO
Inventors: 宏太郎藤原
Original assignee: 株式会社吉野工業所
Priority date: 2022-12-28
Filing date: 2023-11-08
Publication date: 2024-07-04
Also published as: JP2024095255A

Abstract

The present invention is a trigger-type liquid sprayer (1) comprising a sprayer body (2) and a nozzle member (3). The sprayer body (2) comprises a vertical supply cylinder part (10), and a trigger mechanism (15) having a main pump part (14) and a trigger part (40) provided so as to be movable rearward in a forward-biased state by means of a biasing member (43). The nozzle member (3) comprises a first support part (3e) and a second support part (3b). The initial biasing force of the biasing member (43) with the trigger part (3) being at the forefront end position is set to 4.0 to 7.0 N, inclusive.

Description

Trigger-type liquid ejector

The present invention relates to a trigger-type liquid ejector. This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2022-212406, filed on December 28, 2022, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

A trigger-type liquid ejector has been disclosed that includes an ejector body through which the liquid flows, a nozzle member having an ejection port for ejecting the liquid forward and attached to the front end of the ejector body, and a trigger mechanism for causing the liquid in the ejector body to flow toward the ejection port (see Patent Document 1 below). The trigger mechanism includes a cylinder that communicates with the inside of the ejector body, a piston that slides in the front-rear direction on the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder, and a trigger portion that is biased forward by a biasing member and rotatably supported by the nozzle member.
According to this configuration, when the trigger part is pulled backward, the inside of the cylinder is pressurized by the piston, so that the liquid in the ejector body flows toward the ejection port. As a result, the liquid is ejected through the ejection port. Meanwhile, as the trigger part returns to its forward position, the inside of the cylinder is depressurized, so that the liquid in the container is sucked up into the cylinder through the ejector body.

Japanese Patent Publication No. 2017-213497

When the trigger portion is in the forwardmost position, the biasing member is interposed between the cylinder and the trigger portion in a state compressed relative to its natural length. Therefore, the trigger portion is biased forward at the forwardmost position by the initial biasing force (set load) of the biasing member. In this case, the trigger portion abuts from behind against a restricting portion provided on the nozzle member at the forwardmost position, thereby restricting forward movement of the trigger portion relative to the nozzle member.

However, due to the forward load received from the trigger portion, a moment is generated in the regulating portion, originating from the connection between the nozzle member and the ejector body. Therefore, if the initial biasing force of the biasing member is too large, the nozzle member may be displaced upward and forward due to the moment described above. If the nozzle member is displaced beyond the allowable value that it can withstand, the piston may move forward beyond the desired position, and outside air may flow into the cylinder when liquid is sucked up into the cylinder. In this case, the desired ejection volume cannot be secured, leading to reduced reliability.

The present invention provides a trigger-type liquid ejector that can suppress the upward and forward displacement of the nozzle member caused by the initial biasing force of the biasing member, thereby ensuring the desired ejection volume.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention employs the following aspects.
a trigger mechanism having a trigger section which is arranged so as to be movable rearward in a forward-forward biased state by a biasing member arranged between the main pump section and the vertical supply tube section, and which operates the main pump section; and a first support section which supports the trigger section so as to be movable forward and backward at a portion located below the nozzle axis, and a second support section which is abutted by the trigger section from the rear when the trigger section is at the frontmost position, and which restricts the forward movement of the trigger section, and an initial biasing force of the biasing member when the trigger section is at the frontmost position is set to be 4.0 N or more and 7.0 N or less.

According to this aspect, by setting the initial biasing force of the biasing member to 4.0 N or more, a desired load can be applied to the main pump unit when the main pump unit is operated via the trigger unit, thereby enabling a desired amount of liquid to be effectively pumped toward the nozzle.
On the other hand, by setting the initial biasing force of the biasing member to 7.0 N or less, even if a moment acting on the second support portion due to the biasing force of the biasing member is generated with the connection portion between the nozzle member and the ejector body as the origin when the trigger portion is in the frontmost position, it is possible to suppress the nozzle member from displacing upward and forward beyond the allowable value that can withstand use. This ensures the desired ejection amount over a long period of time and provides excellent reliability.

A second aspect of the present invention is the trigger-type liquid ejector of the first aspect, wherein the main pump section comprises a main cylinder that communicates with the vertical supply tube section and opens forward, and a main piston that is urged forward by the urging member interposed between the main cylinder and the main piston and moves rearward relative to the main cylinder as the trigger section moves rearward; and the ejector body comprises a storage cylinder that is provided between the vertical supply tube section and the nozzle member and into which liquid that has passed through the vertical supply tube section is supplied as the trigger section moves rearward, and a storage plunger that is arranged in the storage cylinder so as to be movable in the axial direction along the axis of the storage cylinder, and moves toward one side in the axial direction as liquid is supplied into the storage cylinder, and is urged toward the other side in the axial direction.
In the configuration including the storage cylinder and the storage plunger as in the present embodiment, since it is necessary to move the storage plunger to one side in the axial direction, it is necessary to relatively increase the pressure of the liquid pumped by the main pump unit. Therefore, in the configuration including the storage cylinder and the storage plunger, there is a tendency to set the initial biasing force of the biasing member large in order to ensure the biasing force of the main piston.
In response to this, by setting the initial biasing force of the biasing member to be greater than or equal to 4.0 N and less than or equal to 7.0 N, as in the present embodiment, it is possible to prevent the nozzle member from being displaced upward and forward beyond the allowable value that is sufficient for use, while making it easier to ensure the desired ejection volume.

A third aspect of the present invention is a trigger-type liquid ejector of the first or second aspect, wherein the ejector body is provided with an injection tube portion that communicates with the interior of the vertical supply tube portion and extends forward relative to the vertical supply tube portion, and the nozzle member is provided with a connecting tube into which the injection tube portion is fitted and that communicates between the interior of the injection tube portion and the ejection port.
In a configuration in which the nozzle member is connected to the injection tube portion as in this embodiment, depending on the bending rigidity, etc. of the injection tube portion, the nozzle member is likely to be displaced upward and forward due to the moment acting on the second support portion caused by the biasing force of the biasing member.
In response to this, by setting the initial biasing force of the biasing member to be greater than or equal to 4.0 N and less than or equal to 7.0 N, as in the present embodiment, it is possible to prevent the nozzle member from being displaced upward and forward beyond the allowable value that is sufficient for use, while making it easier to ensure the desired ejection volume.

A fourth aspect of the present invention is the trigger-type liquid ejector according to the first or second aspect, wherein the biasing member is made of metal.
According to this aspect, the biasing member is less likely to wear down compared to when a resin biasing member is used, and even when a relatively large biasing force is required, the desired biasing force can be easily maintained for a long period of time. As a result, the durability of the trigger-type liquid ejector can be improved.

According to the present invention, the upward and forward displacement of the nozzle member caused by the initial biasing force of the biasing member can be suppressed, ensuring the desired ejection volume.

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the trigger type liquid ejector according to the embodiment. FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a trigger type liquid ejector according to an embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, a jetting container in which a trigger type liquid jetting device 1 is attached to a container body A will be described as an example.
The trigger type liquid ejector 1 shown in Fig. 1 includes an ejector body 2 attached to a container body A that contains a liquid, a nozzle member 3 having an ejection port 4 formed therein for ejecting the liquid, and a cover 100 that covers the ejector body 2 and the nozzle member 3. In this embodiment, examples of the liquid contained in the container body A include detergent for home use or dishwashing, deodorizers and fragrances for use in spaces or clothing, and disinfectant alcohol containing an aqueous solution of sodium hypochlorite. Each component of the trigger type liquid ejector 1 is a molded product made of a resin material unless otherwise specified. As the resin material, PP (polyethylene), POM (polyacetal), soft PE (polyethylene), etc. are selectively used depending on each component.

The ejector body 2 has a vertical supply tube section 10, an attachment cap 11, a storage pump section 12, an ejection tube section 13, and a trigger mechanism 15 having a main pump section 14.

In this embodiment, the central axis of the vertical supply tube section 10 is called axis O. The direction along axis O is called the vertical direction, and in the vertical direction, the container body A side is called the lower side and the opposite side is called the upper side. When viewed from the vertical direction, the direction that intersects with axis O is called the front-to-back direction L1, and the direction perpendicular to both the vertical direction and front-to-back direction L1 is called the left-to-right direction L2. In the front-to-back direction L1, the nozzle member 3 side is called the front side and the opposite side is called the rear side.

The vertical supply tube section 10 is where the liquid sucked up from inside the container body A by the main pump section 14 flows. The vertical supply tube section 10 is formed as a multi-stage double tube with the outer diameter decreasing as the section located higher up. The vertical supply tube section 10 is attached to the container body A by an attachment cap 11. The upper part of a pipe 16 is fitted into the lower end opening of the vertical supply tube section 10. The pipe 16 extends downward inside the container body A when the trigger-type liquid sprayer 1 is attached to the container body A.

A ball valve 21 is provided inside the vertical supply tube 10. The ball valve 21 is provided so as to be movable toward and away from the lower valve seat 10a provided in the vertical supply tube 10 from above the lower valve seat 10a. The ball valve 21 switches between communication and blocking between the inside of the container body A and the main pump section 14 through the vertical supply tube 10. Specifically, the ball valve 21 is a check valve that blocks communication between the inside of the container body A and the main pump section 14 when pressurized by the main pump section 14 (main cylinder 41 described later), and allows communication between the inside of the container body A and the main pump section 14 when depressurized by the main pump section 14.

A storage valve 26 is provided in the vertical supply tube section 10 in a portion located above the ball valve 21. The storage valve 26 is provided so as to be movable from above the upper valve seat section 10b provided in the vertical supply tube section 10. The storage valve 26 switches between communication and blocking between the main pump section 14 and the storage pump section 12 through the vertical supply tube section 10. Specifically, the storage valve 26 is a check valve that allows liquid to be supplied from the vertical supply tube section 10 to the storage pump section 12 (storage cylinder 31 described below) when the main pump section 14 is pressurized, and regulates the outflow of liquid from the storage pump section 12 into the vertical supply tube section 10.

A connecting tube portion 29 extending forward is provided at the upper end of the vertical supply tube portion 10. The inside of the connecting tube portion 29 is connected to the inside of the vertical supply tube portion 10. A cylinder tube portion 30 is provided in the front of the vertical supply tube portion 10, between the connecting tube portion 29 and the mounting cap 11. The cylinder tube portion 30 protrudes forward from the vertical supply tube portion 10 and is open forward.

The storage pump portion 12 includes a storage cylinder 31 , a storage plunger 32 , and a biasing member 33 .
The storage cylinder 31 is provided above the vertical supply tube portion 10. The storage cylinder 31 is formed in a topped tube shape that opens to the rear. The liquid pumped by the main pump portion 14 is supplied into the storage cylinder 31 through the vertical supply tube portion 10 and the connecting tube portion 29. A communication port 31c penetrating the front wall portion 31b in the front-rear direction L1 is formed in the front wall portion 31b of the storage cylinder 31. The communication port 31c is located on the central axis of the storage cylinder 31 (hereinafter referred to as the axis O1). In this embodiment, the axis O1 extends in the front-rear direction L1. That is, in this embodiment, the front-rear direction L1 corresponds to the axial direction along the axis O1. In this embodiment, the rear corresponds to one side in the axial direction. In addition, in this embodiment, the front corresponds to the other side in the axial direction. However, the axial direction does not have to coincide with the front-rear direction L1.

The storage plunger 32 is arranged to be movable in the front-rear direction L1 within the storage cylinder 31. The storage plunger 32 is formed in a topped cylindrical shape that opens toward the rear. The storage plunger 32 slides tightly in the front-rear direction L1 on the inner circumferential surface of the storage cylinder 31. At the front-most position, the storage plunger 32 blocks communication between the inside of the vertical supply tube section 10 and the ejection port 4 (inside the injection tube section 13). When the storage plunger 32 moves rearward from the front-most position, it connects the inside of the vertical supply tube section 10 and the ejection port 4 (inside the injection tube section 13). In the storage cylinder 31, the space located forward of the storage plunger 32 functions as a storage space 31a.

The storage space 31a is always connected to the vertical supply tube section 10 through the connecting tube section 29, but can also be connected to the injection tube section 13 by the movement of the storage plunger 32. Liquid that has passed through the vertical supply tube section 10 is stored in the storage space 31a. The storage space 31a expands as the storage plunger 32 moves rearward due to the supply of liquid into the storage cylinder 31. When the storage plunger 32 is in the forwardmost position, the storage space 31a is cut off from communication with the injection tube section 13. When the storage plunger 32 retracts from the forwardmost position, the storage space 31a is connected to the injection tube section 13.

The biasing member 33 is provided behind the storage plunger 32. The biasing member 33 is interposed between the storage plunger 32 and the storage cylinder 31, and biases the storage plunger 32 forward. The biasing member 33 is, for example, a metallic coil spring.

As shown in FIG. 2, the injection tube portion 13 extends forward from the storage cylinder 31. The inside of the injection tube portion 13 can be connected to the storage space 31a through the communication port 31c of the storage cylinder 31. That is, the injection tube portion 13 extends forward from the front wall portion 31b while surrounding the periphery of the communication port 31c. In this embodiment, the central axis of the injection tube portion 13 is called the axis O2. The axis O2 extends parallel to the axis O1 while being offset upward from the axis O1. However, the axis O2 may be arranged coaxially with the axis O1. In addition, the axial direction along the axis O2 does not have to coincide with the front-rear direction L1. In the following description, the direction perpendicular to the axis O2 may be referred to as the nozzle radial direction, and the direction circumferential around the axis O2 may be referred to as the nozzle circumferential direction. The injection tube 13 is integrally formed with the storage cylinder 31 and the outer tube portion of the vertical supply tube 10 from PP or the like.

The outer diameter of the injection tube portion 13 is smaller than the outer diameter of the storage cylinder 31. A rib 35 is formed at the base of the injection tube portion 13. The rib 35 protrudes outward in the nozzle radial direction and extends in the front-rear direction L1. The rear end edge of the rib 35 is connected to the front wall portion 31b. In this embodiment, multiple ribs 35 are arranged at intervals around the nozzle.

As shown in FIG. 2, the nozzle member 3 is attached to the injection tube portion 13 from the front. The nozzle member 3 has an outlet 4 that ejects the liquid flowing inside the injection tube portion 13 forward. The nozzle member 3 includes a connecting tube 3a, a restricting wall (second support portion) 3b, an engaging piece 3c, a protruding wall 3d, a bearing portion (first support portion) 3e, and a nozzle tube 3g. The nozzle member 3 is integrally formed from PP or the like.

The connecting tube 3a is arranged coaxially with the axis O2. The injection tube portion 13 is fitted into the inside of the connecting tube 3a from the rear of the connecting tube 3a. The rear end edge of the connecting tube 3a is close to the rib 35 from the front.

The restricting wall 3b protrudes outward in the nozzle radial direction from the front end opening edge of the connecting cylinder 3a. The portion of the restricting wall 3b located below the connecting cylinder 3a is longer than the portion located above the connecting cylinder 3a.
The engaging piece 3c extends rearward in a cantilever manner from a portion of the restricting wall 3b that is located above the connecting tube 3a. The rear end of the engaging piece 3c engages with a connecting piece 31d that extends forward from the storage cylinder 31 in the front-rear direction L1.

The protruding wall 3d extends rearward from a portion of the restricting wall 3b that is located below the connecting cylinder 3a. An upper end edge of the protruding wall 3d is continuous with the connecting cylinder 3a.
The bearing portions 3e are provided in pairs on both sides of the protruding wall 3d in the left-right direction L2. Each bearing portion 3e is formed in a C-shape in a side view that opens toward the rear. In the illustrated example, each bearing portion 3e is connected to a support wall 3f that extends from the protruding wall 3d on both sides in the left-right direction L2.

The nozzle cylinder 3g protrudes forward from the regulating wall 3b. The nozzle cylinder 3g is formed in a topped cylinder coaxial with the axis O2. The nozzle cylinder 3g is connected to the inside of the connecting cylinder 3a through a communication hole 3h formed in the regulating wall 3b. The nozzle cylinder 3g has a nozzle outlet 4 formed in the top wall. In this embodiment, the central axis (nozzle axis) O4 of the nozzle outlet 4 is coaxial with the axis O2. However, the central axis O4 may be offset from the axis O2. A rib 3i is formed at the base of the nozzle cylinder 3g. The rib 3i protrudes outward from the nozzle cylinder 3g in the nozzle radial direction and extends in the front-rear direction L1. The rear end edge of the rib 3i is connected to the regulating wall 3b. In this embodiment, a plurality of ribs 3i are arranged at intervals in the nozzle circumferential direction.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , the trigger mechanism 15 includes a main pump portion 14 , a trigger portion 40 , and a stopper 50 .
The main pump unit 14 stores and pumps the liquid in the container body A in response to the operation of the trigger unit 40. The main pump unit 14 includes a main cylinder 41 and a main piston 42.
The main cylinder 41 includes a cylinder body 41a, a piston guide 41b, and a flange portion 41c.
The cylinder body 41a is formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape that is centered on the pump axis O3 along the front-rear direction L1 and opens forward. The cylinder body 41a is fitted into the cylinder tube portion 30 from the front of the cylinder tube portion 30. The cylinder body 41a communicates with a portion of the vertical supply tube portion 10 that is located above the ball valve 21. An air replacement hole 41d is formed in the front of the cylinder body 41a. The air replacement hole 41d communicates with the space S1 between the cylinder body 41a and the cylinder tube portion 30. The space S1 communicates with the inside of the container body A through the communication holes 10c and 10d formed in the vertical supply tube portion 10.

The piston guide 41b protrudes forward from the bottom of the cylinder body 41a. The piston guide 41b is formed in a cylindrical shape and is disposed coaxially with the pump axis O3.
The flange portion 41c protrudes from the front end opening edge of the cylinder body 41a in a direction away from the pump axis O3. The flange portion 41c is in close proximity to or in contact with the front end edge of the cylinder tubular portion 30 from the front of the cylinder tubular portion 30.

The main piston 42 is provided in the main cylinder 41 so as to be movable in the front-rear direction L1. The main piston 42 includes a linking portion 42a and a sliding portion 42b.
The linking portion 42a extends in the front-rear direction L1 on the pump axis O3. The linking portion 42a is formed in a cylindrical shape with a top. The linking portion 42a is disposed in the main cylinder 41 with its front end protruding from the main cylinder 41 (cylinder body 41a). A piston guide 41b is fitted into the linking portion 42a. The inner peripheral edge of the rear end of the linking portion 42a slides closely on the outer peripheral surface of the piston guide 41b as the main piston 42 moves back and forth relative to the main cylinder 41.

The biasing member 43 is interposed in the area surrounded by the linking portion 42a and the piston guide 41b. The biasing member 43 is, for example, a metallic coil spring arranged coaxially with the pump axis O3. However, the biasing member 43 may be made of resin depending on the application. The biasing member 43 is interposed between the bottom of the cylinder body 41a and the front end of the linking portion 42a. This allows the main piston 42 to move in the forward/backward direction L1 in a forward biased state.

The sliding part 42b is connected to the rear end of the linking part 42a. The sliding part 42b is formed in a cylindrical shape arranged coaxially with the pump axis O3. The sliding part 42b surrounds the periphery of the linking part 42a. The sliding part 42b is in close contact with the inner circumferential surface of the cylinder body 41a. The sliding part 42b slides closely on the inner circumferential surface of the cylinder body 41a as the main piston 42 moves back and forth relative to the main cylinder 41. The sliding part 42b blocks the air replacement hole 41d when the main piston 42 is at the frontmost position.

The trigger portion 40 is disposed in front of the main piston 42 and serves to push the main piston 42. The trigger portion 40 comprises a base portion 40a, an operating piece 40b, and a push-in protrusion 40c. The trigger portion 40 is integrally formed from PP or the like. In other words, the trigger portion 40, the ejection tube portion 13, and the nozzle member 3 are formed from the same material (PP).

The base portion 40a constitutes the upper end of the trigger portion 40. The base portion 40a is formed in a box shape that is open toward the top and rear. The base portion 40a includes a base side wall 51, a base front wall 52, and a base bottom wall 53.

The base side walls 51 are disposed on both sides of the protruding wall 3d in the left-right direction L2. A shaft portion 51a that protrudes outward in the left-right direction L2 is formed on each base side wall 51. Each shaft portion 51a is fitted into a corresponding bearing portion 3e. This allows the trigger portion 40 to be supported by the nozzle member 3 so as to be rotatable around an axis O5 along the left-right direction L2. In the illustrated example, the vertical distance between the axis O2 and the axis O5, and the vertical distance between the axis O5 and the pump axis O3 are equal.

The base front wall 52 connects the front edges of the base side walls 51 in the left-right direction L2. When the trigger portion 40 is at the frontmost position, the base front wall 52 abuts from the rear against a portion of the restricting wall 3b that is located below the connecting tube 3a. This restricts the forward movement of the trigger portion 40 relative to the nozzle member 3 when the trigger portion 40 is at the frontmost position.
The base bottom wall 53 connects the lower edges of the base bottom wall 53 to each other in the left-right direction L2. A recess 55 is formed in a portion of the base portion 40a that overlaps with the protruding wall 3d. The recess 55 is formed across the base front wall 52 and the base bottom wall 53.

The operation piece 40b extends downward from the base bottom wall 53. Specifically, the operation piece 40b extends while curving forward as it extends downward. The operation piece 40b is formed in a box shape that opens toward the rear.
The push-in protrusion 40c protrudes rearward from the front wall of the operation piece 40b at the upper part of the operation piece 40b. The push-in protrusion 40c engages (e.g., abuts) with the front end of the linkage part 42a from the front of the linkage part 42a. The push-in protrusion 40c is biased forward by the biasing member 43 via the main piston 42. As a result, the trigger part 40 is configured to be movable rearward in a forward biased state.

The stopper 50 is supported rotatably around an axis along the left-right direction L2 at a portion of the operating piece 40b that is located below the push-in protrusion 40c. The stopper 50 rotates between a locked position and an unlocked position. In the locked position, the stopper 50 is disposed between the operating piece 40b and the main cylinder 41 (flange portion 41c). In the locked position, the stopper 50 abuts against the lower portion of the flange portion 41c from the front, thereby restricting the rearward movement of the trigger portion 40. In the unlocked position, the stopper 50 is stored inside the operating piece 40b. This allows the trigger portion 40 to move rearward.

The cover 100 is formed in a T-shape when viewed from the side, and in a box shape that opens forward and downward. The cover 100 surrounds the ejector body 2 and the nozzle member 3 from above, behind, and sides, with the ejection port 4 exposed to the front.

Next, a description will be given of the operation of the above-mentioned trigger type liquid ejector 1. In the following description, a state in which the stopper 50 is in the lock position will be described as an initial state.
1, the stopper 50 is moved from the locked position to the unlocked position, thereby allowing the main piston 42 to move backward relative to the main cylinder 41.

Next, to spray liquid with the trigger type liquid sprayer 1, the user places his/her hand around the mounting cap 11 and hooks his/her finger on the trigger portion 40. While gripping the trigger type liquid sprayer 1, the user pulls the trigger portion 40 backward. This causes the main piston 42 to move backward from the front end position. As the main piston 42 moves backward inside the main cylinder 41, pressure is applied inside the main cylinder 41. This causes the liquid in the main cylinder 41 to be supplied into the vertical supply tube portion 10. The liquid supplied into the vertical supply tube portion 10 presses the ball valve 21 downward and pushes the storage valve 26 upward. As a result, the storage valve 26 moves upward away from the upper valve seat portion 10b with the ball valve 21 in contact with the lower valve seat portion 10a.

When the storage valve 26 moves upward away from the upper valve seat 10b, the liquid in the vertical supply tube 10 is supplied into the storage cylinder 31 (storage space 31a) through the connecting tube 29. When liquid is supplied into the storage space 31a, the storage space 31a is pressurized. This causes the storage plunger 32 to move backward against the biasing force of the biasing member 33. As a result, liquid is stored in the storage cylinder 31.

As the storage plunger 32 moves rearward, the storage space 31a and the inside of the injection tube 13 communicate through the communication port 31c. This causes the liquid stored in the storage cylinder 31 to flow through the injection tube 13 toward the nozzle 4. The liquid that passes through the injection tube 13 is then ejected to the outside from the nozzle 4 through the connecting tube 3a and the nozzle tube 3g. When the operation of the trigger section 40 is released, the main piston 42 moves forward within the main cylinder 41 due to the biasing force of the biasing member 43, and the trigger section 40 also moves forward. As a result, the pressure inside the main cylinder 41 is reduced. Then, the ball valve 21 floats up from the lower valve seat 10a, and the inside of the container body A and the main cylinder 41 communicate through the vertical supply tube 10. Meanwhile, the reservoir valve 26 remains seated on the upper valve seat 10b, blocking communication between the main cylinder 41 and the reservoir cylinder 31 through the vertical supply tube 10. As a result, the liquid in the container body A is sucked up into the vertical supply tube 10. The liquid that has flowed into the vertical supply tube 10 is introduced into the main cylinder 41, and is prepared for the next ejection operation. When the liquid in the container body A is sucked up by the negative pressure in the main cylinder 41, outside air is introduced into the container body A in place of the liquid sucked up by the main pump section 14. Specifically, the outside air flows into the space S1 through the air replacement hole 41d, and then flows into the container body A through the communication holes 10c and 10d.

In a configuration equipped with a storage pump section 12 as in this embodiment, each time the trigger section 40 is operated, a portion of the liquid supplied from the main cylinder 41 is ejected through the nozzle 4, and a portion of the liquid is stored in the storage space 31a. Therefore, when the operation of the trigger section 40 is stopped, the supply of liquid to the storage space 31a stops, but the storage plunger 32 moves forward due to the biasing force of the biasing member 33, so that the liquid stored in the storage space 31a is continuously supplied to the injection tube section 13. This allows the liquid to be continuously ejected through the nozzle 4.

Here, the trigger portion 40 is configured to be rotatable about the axis O5 while being biased forward by the biasing member 43. Specifically, the front end position of the trigger portion 40 is determined by the base front wall 52 abutting against the restricting wall 3b from the rear. At the front end position, the trigger portion 40 is biased forward at least by the initial biasing force of the biasing member 43. In this embodiment, the initial biasing force of the biasing member 43 is set to 4.0 N or more and 7.0 N or less. Note that the initial biasing force is a biasing force that is generated only by assembling the biasing member 43 between the main cylinder 41 and the main piston 42 in a compressed state, and is a value that does not include increases or decreases in the biasing force due to the stroke of the main piston 42 and the expansion of the liquid, as described below.

When a load acts on the nozzle member 3 in the vertical or front-rear direction L1, a moment is generated in the nozzle member 3 starting from the connecting portion between the connecting tube 3a and the injection tube portion 13 (the base portion of the injection tube portion 13). Therefore, if the initial biasing force of the biasing member 43 is too large, the injection tube portion 13 may be deflected upward due to the moment described above, causing the nozzle member 3 to be displaced upward and forward. If the nozzle member 3 is displaced beyond the allowable value that can withstand use, the main piston 42 may move forward from the desired position, and the air replacement hole 41d may communicate with the inside of the main cylinder 41 at the front end position of the main piston 42. Then, when liquid is sucked up into the main cylinder 41, the outside air (air) in the container body A flows into the main cylinder 41 through the

communication holes

10c, 10d and the air replacement hole 41d, or through the gap between the main cylinder 41 and the main piston 42. In this case, the desired amount of ejection cannot be secured, leading to a decrease in reliability.

For example, in the trigger type liquid ejector 1 of this embodiment, when a load of 10.0 N or more acts upward on the tip portion (nozzle cylinder 3g) of the nozzle member 3, the nozzle member 3 starts to displace upward and forward. When a load of 35.0 N or more acts on the tip portion of the nozzle member 3, there is a possibility that the nozzle member 3 will be displaced beyond the allowable value that it can withstand in use.
On the other hand, in a state where liquid (e.g., an aqueous solution containing a surfactant) is contained in the main cylinder 41, a load of 15.0 N or more and 30.0 N or less is required to move the main piston 42 from the front end position to the rear end position. In addition, in the trigger-type liquid ejector 1, if the main cylinder 41 is left at a high temperature while liquid is contained therein, the pressure in the main cylinder 41 fluctuates due to the expansion of the liquid, etc. Therefore, the forward biasing force applied to the trigger portion 40 when the trigger portion 40 is in the front end position (e.g., the sum of the initial biasing force of the biasing member 43 and the force acting on the main piston 42 caused by the expansion force of the liquid) may be larger than the initial biasing force of the biasing member 43.

Therefore, in this embodiment, the initial biasing force of the biasing member 43 is set to 4.0 N or more and 7.0 N or less, as described above.
In this way, by setting the initial biasing force of the biasing member 43 to 4.0 N or more, a desired load can be applied to the main pump unit 14 when the main pump unit 14 is operated via the trigger unit 40. This makes it possible to effectively deliver a desired amount of liquid toward the nozzle 4.
On the other hand, by setting the initial biasing force of the biasing member 43 to 7.0 N or less, even if a moment acting on the restricting wall 3b due to the biasing force of the biasing member 43 is generated starting from the connecting portion between the nozzle member 3 and the ejector main body 2 (the base portion of the injection tube portion 13) when the trigger portion 40 is at the front end position, it is possible to suppress the nozzle member 3 from being displaced upward and forward beyond an allowable value that can withstand use. This makes it possible to ensure the desired ejection amount over a long period of time and obtain excellent reliability.

Here, the inventors of the present application prepared multiple samples of the trigger-type liquid ejector 1, setting the initial biasing force of the biasing member 43 as a variable, and measured the change in the ejection amount (g) over time by placing them in a thermostatic chamber at 40° C. The initial biasing forces of the various samples are as follows:
Comparative Example 1: 7.5N
Comparative Example 2: 3.0N
Example 1: 6.8N
Example 2: 4.0N
The amount of ejection was measured immediately after assembly (immediately after setting in the thermostatic chamber), one day later, three days later, and one week later. The numerical values of the amount of ejection shown below are the average values of the amount of ejection obtained from multiple samples (e.g., five samples). The liquid contained in the container body A is water.

As a result of the measurements, in Comparative Example 1, an ejection volume of 11.26 g was ensured immediately after assembly, and the ejection volume tended to gradually increase up until three days had passed. This is believed to be because over time, the main piston 42 gradually moves forward due to the restoring force of the biasing member 43, causing liquid to flow into the main cylinder 41. On the other hand, in Comparative Example 1, the ejection volume decreased after one week compared to immediately after assembly (measurement result was 9.476 g). This is believed to be because the initial biasing force of the biasing member 43 was too large, causing the nozzle member 3 to be displaced upward and forward as described above, causing air to flow into the main cylinder 41 through the air replacement hole 41d and the gap between the main piston 42 and the main cylinder 41, etc.

In Comparative Example 2, the amount of liquid ejected immediately after assembly was only 7.82 g, and the desired amount of liquid ejected could not be secured. This was because the initial force of the ejection member 43 was too small to draw enough liquid into the main cylinder 41.

In contrast, in Examples 1 and 2, a sufficient ejection volume was ensured at any time from immediately after assembly to one week after. This indicates that the initial biasing force of the biasing member 43 was sufficient and the displacement of the nozzle member 3 was also less than the allowable value. In particular, by setting the initial biasing force of the biasing member 43 to 6.8 N as in Example 1, an ejection volume of 11.28 g was ensured immediately after assembly, and an ejection volume of 12.0124 g was ensured even after one week had passed. As a result, by setting the initial biasing force to 4 N or more and 6.8 N or less (particularly 6.8 N), it is possible to reliably suppress the displacement of the nozzle member 3 and ensure the desired ejection volume, regardless of manufacturing variations, etc.

In the trigger-type liquid ejector 1 of this embodiment, the ejector main body 2 is configured to include a storage cylinder 31 into which liquid that has passed through the vertical supply tube section 10 is supplied, and a storage plunger 32 that can move in the forward/backward direction L1 within the storage cylinder 31.
In a configuration including the storage cylinder 31 and the storage plunger 32 as in this embodiment, since it is necessary to move the storage plunger 32 backward (to one axial direction), it is necessary to relatively increase the pressure of the liquid pumped by the main pump section 14. Therefore, in a configuration including the storage cylinder 31 and the storage plunger 32, there is a tendency to set the initial biasing force of the biasing member 43 large in order to ensure the biasing force of the main piston 42.
In response to this, by setting the initial biasing force of the biasing member 43 to 4.0 N or greater and 7.0 N or less, as in this embodiment, it is possible to prevent the nozzle member 3 from being displaced upward and forward beyond the allowable value that can withstand use, while making it easier to ensure the desired ejection volume.
Moreover, in this embodiment, since a metal coil spring is used for the biasing member 43, it is less prone to wear and tear compared to a resin biasing member, and even when a relatively large biasing force is required, it is easy to maintain the desired biasing force for a long period of time. As a result, the durability of the trigger-type liquid ejector 1 can be improved.

In the trigger type liquid ejector 1 of this embodiment, the nozzle member 3 is configured to include a connecting tube 3 a into which the ejection tube portion 13 is fitted and which connects the interior of the ejection tube portion 13 to the ejection port 4 .
In a configuration in which the nozzle member 3 is connected to the injection tube portion 13 as in this embodiment, depending on the bending rigidity, etc. of the injection tube portion 13, the nozzle member 3 is likely to be displaced upward and forward due to the moment acting on the regulating wall 3b caused by the biasing force of the biasing member 43.
In response to this, by setting the initial biasing force of the biasing member 43 to 4.0 N or greater and 7.0 N or less, as in this embodiment, it is possible to prevent the nozzle member 3 from being displaced upward and forward beyond the allowable value that can withstand use, while making it easier to ensure the desired ejection volume.

Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. Addition, omission, substitution, and other modifications of the configuration are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention. The present invention is not limited by the above description, but is limited only by the scope of the attached claims.
In the above embodiment, the trigger type liquid jetting device 1 is configured to include the storage pump section 12, but is not limited to this configuration. The trigger type liquid jetting device 1 according to the present invention may be configured such that the liquid delivered from the main pump section 14 is jetted without being stored.
In the above embodiment, the nozzle member 3 is connected to the ejector body 2 via the ejection tube portion 13, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration. The nozzle member 3 may be formed integrally with the ejector body 2, for example.

In the above embodiment, the bearing portion 3e that rotatably supports the trigger portion 40 has been described as an example of the first support portion of the nozzle member 3, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration. The first support portion may support the trigger portion 40 so that the trigger portion 40 is slidable in the front-rear direction L1.
In the above embodiment, the restricting wall 3b against which the upper end portion (base portion 40a) of the trigger portion 40 abuts from behind is used as the second support portion of the nozzle member 3, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration. The second support portion may support any position in the vertical direction of the trigger portion 40.

In addition, the components in the above-described embodiments may be replaced with well-known components as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and the above-described modifications may be combined as appropriate.

For example, aspects of the present invention are as follows.
<1> A jet body attached to a container body that contains a liquid;
a nozzle member provided in front of the ejector body and having an ejection port that opens forward on a nozzle axis along a front-rear direction;
Equipped with
The ejector body includes:
A vertical supply tube portion extending in a vertical direction and through which liquid flows;
a trigger mechanism including a main pump portion that sends out liquid through the vertical supply tube portion toward the ejection port, and a trigger portion that is arranged between the main pump portion and the trigger portion and that is movable rearward in a forward biased state by a biasing member that is arranged between the main pump portion and the trigger portion, and that operates the main pump portion;
Equipped with
The nozzle member is
a first support portion that supports the trigger portion so as to be movable back and forth at a portion located below the nozzle axis;
a second support portion that restricts forward movement of the trigger portion by being abutted against the trigger portion from the rear when the trigger portion is at the frontmost position;
Equipped with
A trigger-type liquid ejector, wherein an initial biasing force of the biasing member when the trigger portion is in the frontmost position is set to 4.0 N or more and 7.0 N or less.
<2> The main pump unit is
a main cylinder communicating with the vertical supply tube portion and opening forward;
a main piston that is biased forward by the biasing member interposed between the main piston and the main cylinder and that moves rearward relative to the main cylinder as the trigger portion moves rearward;
Equipped with
The ejector body includes:
a storage cylinder provided between the vertical supply tube portion and the nozzle member, into which the liquid that has passed through the vertical supply tube portion is supplied as the trigger portion moves rearward;
a storage plunger that is disposed in the storage cylinder so as to be movable in an axial direction along the axis of the storage cylinder, and that moves toward one side in the axial direction as liquid is supplied into the storage cylinder and is biased toward the other side in the axial direction;
The trigger-type liquid ejector according to <1>,
<3> The ejector body includes an ejection tube portion that communicates with the vertical supply tube portion and extends forward relative to the vertical supply tube portion,
The trigger-type liquid ejector according to <1> or <2>, wherein the nozzle member is provided with a connecting tube into which the ejection tube portion is fitted and which connects the interior of the ejection tube portion to the ejection port.
<4> The trigger type liquid ejector described in any one of <1> to <3>, wherein the biasing member is made of metal.

1 Trigger-type liquid ejector 2 Ejector body 3 Nozzle member 3a Connecting tube 3b Restricting wall (second support portion)
3e Bearing portion (first support portion)
4: Spout port 10: Vertical supply tube portion 13: Injection tube portion 14: Main pump portion 15: Trigger mechanism 31: Storage cylinder 32: Storage plunger 40: Trigger portion 41: Main cylinder 42: Main piston 43: Pressurizing member A: Container body O1: Axis O4: Central axis (nozzle axis)

Claims

An ejector body that is attached to a container body that contains a liquid;
a nozzle member provided in front of the ejector body and having an ejection port that opens forward on a nozzle axis along a front-rear direction;
Equipped with
The ejector body includes:
A vertical supply tube portion extending in a vertical direction and through which liquid flows;
a trigger mechanism including a main pump portion that sends out liquid through the vertical supply tube portion toward the ejection port, and a trigger portion that is arranged between the main pump portion and the trigger portion and that is movable rearward in a forward biased state by a biasing member that is arranged between the main pump portion and the trigger portion, and that operates the main pump portion;
Equipped with
The nozzle member is
a first support portion that supports the trigger portion so as to be movable back and forth at a portion located below the nozzle axis;
a second support portion that restricts forward movement of the trigger portion by being abutted against the trigger portion from the rear when the trigger portion is at the frontmost position;
Equipped with
The initial biasing force of the biasing member when the trigger portion is in the frontmost position is set to be equal to or greater than 4.0 N and equal to or less than 7.0 N.
Trigger-type liquid squirter.
The main pump section includes:
a main cylinder communicating with the vertical supply tube portion and opening forward;
a main piston that is biased forward by the biasing member interposed between the main piston and the main cylinder and that moves rearward relative to the main cylinder as the trigger portion moves rearward;
Equipped with
The ejector body includes:
a storage cylinder provided between the vertical supply tube portion and the nozzle member, into which the liquid that has passed through the vertical supply tube portion is supplied as the trigger portion moves rearward;
a storage plunger that is disposed in the storage cylinder so as to be movable in an axial direction along the axis of the storage cylinder, and that moves toward one side in the axial direction as liquid is supplied into the storage cylinder and is biased toward the other side in the axial direction;
Equipped with
2. The trigger type liquid ejector according to claim 1.
The ejector body includes:
an injection tube portion communicating with the vertical supply tube portion and extending forward relative to the vertical supply tube portion;
The nozzle member is
a connecting tube into which the injection tube portion is fitted and which connects the injection tube portion to the ejection port;
3. The trigger type liquid ejector according to claim 1 or 2.
The biasing member is made of metal.
3. The trigger type liquid ejector according to claim 1 or 2.