The present invention relates to a two-fluid dispenser.
Various two-fluid dispensers have been proposed which include a juxtaposed pair of aerosol cans and a dispenser tool fitted over the aerosol cans and are configured to dispense fluids contained in the aerosol cans through the dispenser tool. (Refer to Patent Literature 1, for example.)
The two-fluid dispenser disclosed in Paten Literature 1 includes two aerosol cans and the dispenser tool connecting upper portions of the aerosol cans. The dispenser tool includes a nozzle communicated with a stem of each aerosol can, and the nozzle is provided in a horizontally middle portion thereof with a partition plate vertically extending to divide a space in the nozzle into left and right portions. By depressing a depression head of the dispenser tool using a lever, the stem of each aerosol can is pushed down, and fluids contained in the aerosol cans are dispensed through the nozzle.
In this regard, since the space in the nozzle is divided into the left and right portions by the partition plate, the fluids from the stems are further dispensed in a form of a foam through an end of the nozzle such that the fluids have a double-layered structure in which the fluids are layered on a left side and a right side.
PTL 1: JP11334767A
In dispensing a mixture of two fluids using a two-fluid dispenser as mentioned above, when a hair dye is used as the dispensed fluids, for example, one of the fluids can have a pungent odor such as an ammonia odor. In this case, maximum reduction of the pungent odor is required. There is room for improvement in reduction of the pungent odor in the case of the conventional two-fluid dispenser in which the fluids are juxtaposed on the left and the right side.
The present invention has been conceived in view of the above problem and aims to provide a two-fluid dispenser that is capable, even when one of the two fluids dispensed in the form of either a foam or a viscous fluid has a pungent odor, of sufficiently reducing the pungent odor.
A first aspect of the present invention resides in a two-fluid dispenser comprising: a pair of a first and a second dispenser container A1 and A2 each including an upper surface from which an upwardly urged and depressible stem 11 protrudes and is configured to dispense a fluid therein in a form of one of a foam and a viscous fluid in response to the stem 11 being depressed; and a dispenser tool B fixedly fitted over the first and the second dispenser container A1 and A2 for dispensing the two fluids from the first and the second dispenser container A1 and A2, the dispenser tool B including a dispenser head B3 communicating with the first and the second dispenser container A1 and A2 and including a nozzle 41, so that when the dispenser head B3 is depressed, the fluids are dispensed from the first and the second dispenser container A1 and A2 through the nozzle 41, wherein the dispenser head B3 is provided inside thereof with a fluid guide mechanism to guide the fluids from the first and the second dispenser container A1 and A2 to be dispensed through the nozzle 41 such that a cross-sectional pattern of the dispensed fluids has a layered structure in which at least an upper surface of a first fluid layer L1 is covered by a second fluid layer L2.
A second aspect of the present invention resides in the two-fluid dispenser of the first aspect, wherein the cross-sectional pattern of the dispensed fluids comprises the first fluid layer L1 and the second fluid layer L2 layered on the first fluid layer L1, the second fluid layer L2 having a same width as the first fluid layer L1.
A third aspect of the present invention resides in the two-fluid dispenser of the second aspect, wherein the dispenser head B3 further includes: a casing 40 having a front surface from which the nozzle 41 protrudes; and a first and a second stem fitting tube 42 and 43 suspending from the casing 40 such that the first stem fitting tube 42 is fitted to a first stem 11a and the second stem fitting tube 43 is fitted to a second stem 11b, and wherein the fluid guide mechanism is structured by dividing a space in the casing 40 into a first and a second fluid compartment 46 and 47 on a right and a left side, and by dividing a base end portion of the nozzle 41 into an upper base end portion and a lower base end portion to provide a first through-hole 49 for bringing the first fluid compartment 46 into communication with a lower portion of the nozzle 41 and a second through-hole 50 for bringing the second fluid compartment 47 into communication with an upper portion of the nozzle 41.
A fourth aspect of the present invention resides in the two-fluid dispenser of the second aspect, wherein the dispenser head B3 further includes: a casing 40 having a front surface from which the nozzle 41 protrudes; and a first and a second stem fitting tube 42 and 43 suspending from the casing 40 such that the first stem fitting tube 42 is fitted to a first stem 11a and the second stem fitting tube 43 is fitted to a second stem 11b, and wherein the fluid guide mechanism is structured by providing a partition wall 45a vertically extending in a front-to-rear direction in a middle portion of the casing 40 to divide a space in the casing 40 into a first and a second fluid compartment 46 and 47 on a right and a left side, the partition wall 45a including a cross-sectional structure having a lower vertical wall 52, a horizontal wall 53 extending from an upper end of the lower vertical wall 52, and an upper vertical wall 54 standing from another end of the horizontal wall 53, and by bringing a front end of a space below the horizontal wall 53 into communication with a lower base end portion of the nozzle 41 and bringing a front end of a space above the horizontal wall 53 into communication with an upper base end portion of the nozzle 41.
A fifth aspect of the present invention resides in the two-fluid dispenser of the second aspect, wherein the dispenser head B3 further includes: a casing 40 having a front surface from which the nozzle 41 protrudes; and a first and a second stem fitting tube 42 and 43 suspending from the casing 40 such that the first stem fitting tube 42 is fitted to a first stem 11a and the second stem fitting tube 43 is fitted to a second stem 11b, and wherein the fluid guide mechanism is structured by forming a lower first fluid feed chamber 55 and an upper second fluid feed chamber 56 in a front end of the casing 40 located at a rear of the nozzle 41, by dividing a space in the casing 40 except for the first and the second fluid feed chamber 55 and 56 into a first and a second fluid compartment 46 and 47 on a right and a left side, and by bringing the first fluid compartment 46 into communication with the first fluid feed chamber 55 and bringing the second fluid compartment 47 into communication with the second fluid feed chamber 56, with the first fluid feed chamber 55 being open at a front end thereof to a lower base end portion of the nozzle 41 and the second fluid feed chamber 56 being open at a front end thereof to an upper base end portion of the nozzle 41.
A sixth aspect of the present invention resides in the two-fluid dispenser of the first aspect, wherein the cross-sectional pattern of the dispensed fluids comprises the first fluid layer L1 and the second fluid layer L2 covering the upper, a right, and a left surface of the first fluid layer L1.
A seventh aspect of the present invention resides in the two-fluid dispenser of the sixth aspect, wherein the dispenser head B3 further includes: a casing 40 having a front surface from which the nozzle 41 protrudes; and a first and a second stem fitting tube 42 and 43 suspending from the casing 40 such that the first stem fitting tube 42 is fitted to a first stem 11a and the second stem fitting tube 43 is fitted to a second stem 11b, and wherein the fluid guide mechanism is structured by forming a lower first fluid feed chamber 55 and an upper second fluid feed chamber 56 in a front end of the casing 40 located at a rear of the nozzle 41, by dividing a space in the casing 40 except for the first and the second fluid feed chamber 55 and 56 into a first and a second fluid compartment 46 and 47 on a right and a left side, by bringing the first fluid compartment 46 into communication with the first fluid feed chamber 55 and bringing the second fluid compartment 47 into communication with the second fluid feed chamber 56, and by providing, at a front end of the first fluid feed chamber 55, a first through-hole 49 communicating with the nozzle 41 and providing, at a front end of the second fluid feed chamber 56, a second through-hole 50 communicating with the nozzle 41, the first through-hole 49 having a smaller width than the second through-hole 50 and provided below a middle portion of the second through-hole 50.
An eighth aspect of the present invention resides in the two-fluid dispenser of the first aspect, wherein the cross-sectional pattern of the dispensed fluids comprises the first fluid layer L1 and the second fluid layer L2 surrounding the upper, a lower, a right, and a left surface of the first fluid layer L1.
A ninth aspect of the present invention resides in the two-fluid dispenser of the eighth aspect, wherein the dispenser head B3 further includes: a casing 40 having a front surface from which the nozzle 41 protrudes; and a first and a second stem fitting tube 42 and 43 suspending from the casing 40 such that the first stem fitting tube 42 is fitted to a first stem 11a and the second stem fitting tube 43 is fitted to a second stem 11b, and wherein the fluid guide mechanism is structured by providing a partition wall 45c in a middle portion of the casing 40 to divide a space in the casing 40 into a first and a second fluid compartment 46 and 47 on a right and a left side, the partition wall 45c including a front front-rear wall 60 extending rearward, a horizontal wall 61 extending leftward from a rear end of the front front-rear wall 60, and a rear front-rear wall 62 extending rearward from another end of the horizontal wall 61, by providing, at a middle portion of the horizontal wall 61, a dispenser hole 63 for dispensing the fluid from the first fluid compartment 46 into the second fluid compartment 47, and by providing, in front of the dispenser hole 63, a through-hole 64 communicating with the nozzle 41.
According to the present invention, the dispenser head B3 is provided inside thereof with the fluid guide mechanism to guide the fluids from the dispenser containers to be dispensed in the form of either the foam or the viscous fluid through the nozzle 41 such that the cross-sectional pattern of the dispensed fluids has the layered structure in which at least the upper surface of a first fluid layer L1 is covered by the second fluid layer L2. Accordingly, even when the dispensed first fluid layer L1 has a pungent odor and the like, volatilization thereof is prevented by the second fluid layer L2. Consequently, the pungent odor is sufficiently reduced. In particular, consider that fluids that are dispensed directly onto an application surface, palms, a comb, a cup, or the like in usage are contained, such as a case of the hair dye. In this case, even when a lower surface of the first fluid layer L1 is exposed, the exposed surface is covered by the application surface, palms, comb, cup, or the like, and it is further ensured that the odor of the dispensed fluid is reduced.
Furthermore, by depressing the dispenser head B3, the two fluids are dispensed in the aforementioned manner. Accordingly, the dispensed fluids are extremely convenient to handle.
When the cross-sectional pattern of the dispensed fluids comprises the first fluid layer L1 and the second fluid layer L2 layered on the first fluid layer L1, and the second fluid layer L2 has the same width as the first fluid layer L1, although a right, a left, and the lower surface of the first fluid layer L1 are exposed immediately after the dispensing, the upper surface of the first fluid layer L1 is covered by the second fluid layer L2. Accordingly, the above structure provides the advantageous effect of sufficiently reducing the odor. In particular when the fluids are dispensed onto the application surface with the first fluid layer L1 below the second fluid layer L2, a more remarkable advantageous effect is achieved.
The third to fifth aspects provide, in addition to the above advantageous effect, a further advantageous effect that the fluid guide mechanism is formed by a highly simple structure.
Furthermore, when the cross-sectional pattern of the dispensed fluids comprises the first fluid layer L1 and the second fluid layer L2 covering the upper, the right, and the left surface of the first fluid layer L1, although the lower surface of the first fluid layer L1 is exposed immediately after the dispensing, the upper, the right, and the left surface of the first fluid layer L1 are covered by the second fluid layer L2. Accordingly, the above structure further provides the advantageous effect of reducing the odor. In particular when the fluids are dispensed onto the application surface with the first fluid layer L1 below the second fluid layer L2, a more remarkable advantageous effect is achieved.
The seventh aspect also provides, in addition to the above advantageous effect, the advantageous effect that the fluid guide mechanism is formed by the highly simple structure as in the aforementioned case. Furthermore, despite the simple structure, the seventh aspect provides yet a further advantageous effect that the fluids are dispensed such that the cross-sectional pattern of the dispensed fluids is clearly divided by the first fluid layer L1 and the second fluid layer L2 covering the upper, the right, and the left surface of the first fluid layer L1.
Furthermore, when the cross-sectional pattern of the dispensed fluids comprises the first fluid layer L1 and the second fluid layer L2 surrounding the upper, the lower, the right, and the left surface of the first fluid layer L1, the first fluid layer L1 in its entirety, except for a front surface thereof, is surrounded by the second fluid layer L2. Accordingly, an even more remarkable advantageous effect of reducing the odor is achieved.
Similarly to the above case, the ninth aspect provides the advantageous effect that the fluid guide mechanism is formed by the highly simple structure. Furthermore, despite the simple structure, the ninth aspect also provides yet a further advantageous effect that the fluids are dispensed such that the cross-sectional pattern of the dispensed fluids is clearly divided by the first fluid layer L1 and the second fluid layer L2 surrounding the upper, the lower, the right, and the left surface of the first fluid layer L1.
The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Embodiments of the present invention are described below with reference to the drawings.
The first and the second dispenser container A1 and A2 have a first trunk 10a and a second trunk 10b from which upwardly urged and depressible stems 11a and 11b protrude, respectively. Each dispenser container employs a known mechanism in which, when the stem is depressed, an internal dispenser valve is opened, and the fluid is dispensed through the stem by a gas pressure in the container, and when the stem is undepressed, the stem is upwardly displaced due to an upwardly urging force, and the internal dispenser valve is closed to prevent the fluid from being dispensed. However, the dispenser container is not limited to the aerosol can, and the dispenser container may be any container that includes a built-in pump mechanism having a cylinder and a piston as long as the container satisfies the requirements that, when the stem is depressed, the fluid is dispensed, and when the stem is undepressed, the stem is upwardly displaced due to the upwardly urging force to prevent the fluid from being dispensed.
Furthermore, the fluids dispensed from the dispenser containers are required to have shape retention to form the cross-sectional pattern which is later described. Accordingly, the fluids contained in the dispenser containers are those that are dispensed in the form of either a form or a viscous fluid. The above dispensed forms may be selected depending on a known foam structure in the dispenser containers and properties of the contained fluids.
The dispenser tool B includes a container fixing mount B1, a container fixing tube B2, a dispenser head B3, and a depression operation part B4.
The container fixing mount B1 serves to fix the first and the second dispenser container A1 and A2 by being fitted to upper circumferential surfaces of the first and the second dispenser container A1 and A2.
The container fixing tube B2 includes an outer circumferential wall 30, and a lower portion of the outer circumferential wall 30 is fitted to the circumferential surfaces of the juxtaposed first and second dispenser container A1 and A2 via the container fixing mount B1. The container fixing tube B2 also includes a flange top wall 31 extending inward from an upper end of the outer circumferential wall 30, and an inner circumferential wall 32 suspending from the flange top wall 31 to extend across the first and the second dispenser container A1 and A2 for tight binding. Furthermore, the container fixing tube B2 includes at a front and a rear thereof a front recess 33 and a rear recess 34, respectively. The front and the rear recess 33 and 34 are each formed by forming downward dents in the inner circumferential wall 32, the outer circumferential wall 30, and the flange top wall 31. The front and the rear recess 33 and 34 each also have openings on an upper, a front, and a rear surface thereof.
As shown in
As shown in
The fluid guide mechanism guides the viscous fluids from the dispenser containers to be dispensed through the nozzle 41 such that a cross-sectional pattern of the dispensed fluids has a layered structure in which at least an upper surface of a first fluid layer L1 is covered by a second fluid layer L2. As shown in
The fluid guide mechanism of the present embodiment is structured by providing a partition wall 45 in a middle portion of the casing 40 to divide a space in the casing 40 into a first and a second fluid compartment 46 and 47 on the right and the left side, and by providing an upper-lower partition wall 48 dividing a base end portion of the nozzle 41 into an upper base end portion and a lower base end portion to provide a first through-hole 49 for bringing the first fluid compartment 46 into communication with a lower portion of the nozzle 41 and a second through-hole 50 for bringing the second fluid compartment 47 into communication with an upper portion of the nozzle 41. Note that the partition wall 45 of the present embodiment is integrally formed with the casing main body and configured to be fitted at a lower end portion thereof to a fitting recess 51 provided in a predetermined position of the bottom wall 40c.
The depression operation part B4 includes a mounting frame 80 and a depression plate 81. The mounting frame 80 is fitted to an inner surface of the inner circumferential wall 32 of the container fixing tube B2. The depression plate 81 is connected at a front end portion thereof to a front end of the mounting frame 80 via a hinge 82. The depression plate 81 has at an upper rear surface thereof a depression part and has at a bottom surface thereof a depression protrusion 83 that protrudes to abut against an upper surface of the casing 40. Accordingly, the dispenser head B3 can be pushed down by depressing and pivoting the depression part about the hinge 82.
When the two-fluid dispenser 1 configured as above is used, the depression part is depressed to cause the depression plate 81 to pivot about the hinge 82, so that the dispenser head B3 is pushed down, and the first and the second stem 11a and 11b of the first and the second dispenser container A1 and A2 are depressed, respectively. Consequently, the first fluid dispensed from the first dispenser container A1 through the first stem 11a is dispensed in the form of the foam from the first fluid compartment 46 to the lower portion of the nozzle 41 below the upper-lower partition wall 48 through the first through-hole 49. On the other hand, the second fluid dispensed from the second dispenser container A2 through the second stem 11b is dispensed in the form of the foam from the second fluid compartment 47 to the upper portion of the nozzle 41 above the upper-lower partition wall 48 through the second through-hole 50. Thus, as shown in
In the above embodiment, when the first fluid layer L1 is a volatile fluid with a pungent odor, and the second fluid layer L2 is a non-volatile fluid without a pungent odor, the odor of the first fluid layer L1 is reduced by the second fluid layer L2. In particular when a hair dye is contained as the fluids, the hair dye is dispensed directly onto the application surface or temporarily on the palms and the like, and therefore, the exposed surface of the first fluid layer L1 is mostly covered, and the odor is further reduced.
The fluid guide mechanism of the present embodiment includes a partition wall 45a that vertically extends in a front-to-rear direction in a middle portion of the casing 40. The partition wall 45a includes a cross-sectional structure having a lower vertical wall 52, a horizontal wall 53 extending from an upper end of the lower vertical wall 52, and an upper vertical wall 54 standing from another end of the horizontal wall 53, and the partition wall 45a divides a space in the casing 40 into the first and the second compartment 46 and 47 on the right and the left side. Furthermore, a front end of a space below the horizontal wall 53 communicates with a lower base end portion of the nozzle 41 through a through-hole at a base end opening position of the nozzle 41 provided on the casing circumferential wall 40a, and a front end of a space above the horizontal wall 53 similarly communicates with an upper base end portion of the nozzle 41.
In the above embodiment, the first fluid dispensed from the first dispenser container A1 is dispensed in the form of the foam from the first fluid compartment 46 to the lower base end portion of the nozzle 41 through the space below the horizontal wall 53. On the other hand, the second fluid dispensed from the second dispenser container A2 is dispensed in the form of the foam from the second fluid compartment 47 to the upper base end portion of the nozzle 41 through the space above the horizontal wall 53. Thus, similarly to the embodiment shown in
The first fluid feed chamber 55 is provided with an aperture on the right side thereof, and the second fluid feed chamber 56 is provided with a communication hole at a rear end thereof. Through the aperture, the first fluid compartment 46 communicates with the first fluid feed chamber 55, and through the communication hole, the second fluid compartment 47 communicates with the second fluid feed chamber 56. Moreover, the first fluid feed chamber 55 communicates at a front end thereof with a lower base end portion of the nozzle 41 and the second fluid feed chamber 56 communicates at a front end thereof with a upper base end portion of the nozzle 41, through through-holes at the base end opening position of the nozzle 41 provided on the casing circumferential wall 40a.
In the above embodiment, the first fluid dispensed from the first dispenser container A1 is dispensed in the form of the foam from the first fluid compartment 46 to the lower base end portion of the nozzle 41 through the first fluid feed chamber 55. On the other hand, the second fluid dispensed from the second dispenser container A2 is dispensed in the form of the foam from the second fluid compartment 47 to the upper base end portion of the nozzle 41 through the second fluid feed chamber 56. Thus, similarly to the embodiment shown in
The first fluid dispensed from the first dispenser container A1 is dispensed in the form of the foam from the first fluid compartment 46 to a lower middle base end portion of the nozzle 41 through the first fluid feed chamber 55 and the first through-hole 49. On the other hand, the second fluid dispensed from the second dispenser container A2 is dispensed in the form of the foam from the second fluid compartment 47 to an upper base end portion of the nozzle 41 through the second fluid feed chamber 56 and the second through-hole 50. In this regard, the first fluid is dispensed to the lower middle base end portion and the second fluid is dispensed to the upper base end portion such that a width of the first fluid is smaller than that of the second fluid, and therefore, both side portions of the second fluid intrude into the right and the left side of the first fluid when the fluids are dispensed into the nozzle 41. As a result, as shown in
In the above embodiment, when the first fluid layer L1 is a volatile fluid with a pungent odor, and the second fluid layer L2 is a non-volatile fluid without a pungent odor, the odor of the first fluid layer L1 is further reduced by the second fluid layer L2.
Furthermore, a dispenser hole 63 for dispensing a fluid from the first fluid compartment 46 into the second fluid compartment 47 is provided at a middle portion of the horizontal wall 61, and in front of the dispenser hole 63, a through-hole 64 communicating with the nozzle 41 is provided.
The first fluid dispensed from the first dispenser container A1 is further dispensed in the form of the foam from the first fluid compartment 46 into the nozzle 41 through the dispenser hole 63 and the through-hole 64. On the other hand, the second fluid dispensed from the second dispenser container A2 surrounds the first fluid in front of the horizontal wall 61, and further passes to the through-hole 64 to be dispensed into the nozzle 41 in the form of the foam while still surrounding the first fluid. As a result, as shown in
In the above embodiment, when the first fluid layer L1 is a volatile fluid with a pungent odor, and the second fluid layer L2 is a non-volatile fluid without a pungent odor, it is further ensured that the odor of the first fluid layer L1 is reduced by the second fluid layer L2.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2010-193738 | Aug 2010 | JP | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/JP2011/004770 | 8/26/2011 | WO | 00 | 3/18/2013 |