TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a liquid pouring member and a container.

BACKGROUND ART

A generally employed container has a nozzle attached to a plug fitted to an opening of a container that contains liquid such as liquid medicine so as to be poured to the diseased part. After pouring the liquid, the nozzle is capped. There may be the case that when removing the cap for the subsequent use of the container, the liquid remaining on the inner wall surface of the nozzle is extruded under the internal pressure higher than the external pressure, causing accidental sprouting from the nozzle.

PTL 1 discloses the technique for solving the above-described problem. Referring toFIG. 1of PTL 1, the plug fitted to the disclosed squeeze container includes a mount fitting cylinder3to be internally fitted to the neck portion2of the container1, a straight cylindrical nozzle5disposed while projecting from the mount fitting cylinder3substantially vertically upward, and an outlet hole4penetrating through the nozzle5. The lower end of the nozzle5is formed as an inclined plane marked by substantially T-like symbol.

Each of the nozzle5and the outlet hole4of the plug in the description of PTL 1 is substantially vertically thin and long shaped. Although the liquid adheres to the inner wall surface of the outlet hole4as foam when pouring the liquid, external air flowing into the container1through the outlet hole4after pouring the liquid forces the foam to fall down to the lower end of the nozzle5. At this time, the foam falling down to the lower end of the nozzle5easily drops into the container1along the inclined plane marked by substantially T-like symbol of the lower end of the nozzle5. This may prevent the liquid that has adhered to the inner wall surface of the outlet hole4and the nozzle5from being kept remained. Accordingly, the remaining foam-like liquid is never extruded from the outlet hole4when removing the cap8in the subsequent pouring.

If the liquid remains on the inner wall surface of the mount fitting cylinder3(skirt), and in the gap between the inner wall of the skirt3and the lower end of the nozzle5, the remaining liquid may infiltrate into the outlet hole4by the capillarity. The disclosed technique as PTL 1 may fail to prevent spouting of the infiltrated liquid under the internal pressure upon removal of the cap8.

CITATION LIST

Patent Literature

PTL 1: Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 2-48561

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Technical Problem

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-described circumstances, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a liquid pouring member and a container, capable of effectively preventing the liquid from spouting upon opening.

Solution to Problem

For the purpose of solving the above-described problem, the present invention provides a liquid pouring member that includes a nozzle, a base to be engaged with an opening of a container, and a hollow cylindrical skirt extending from the base to be fitted into the opening of the container. The nozzle includes a nozzle upper part that extends from an upper surface of the base opposite the skirt, and includes an outlet port for pouring a liquid content from the container, a nozzle lower part that is formed in a radial inner side of the skirt while extending from a lower surface of the base, and includes an inlet port through which the liquid content flows from the container, and an inner passage formed from the inlet port to the outlet port while passing through the nozzle lower part and the nozzle upper part. The nozzle lower part includes an end portion with an inclined surface in which the inlet port is formed. The end portion has at least a part protruding from the skirt. A constriction is formed inside the inner passage of the nozzle lower part. The nozzle lower part and the skirt are configured to form a relatively radially wide portion and a relatively radially narrow portion between the nozzle lower part and an inner wall of the skirt adjacent to the nozzle lower part.

Preferably, the nozzle lower part includes a column portion vertically extending from the lower surface of the base, and the column portion includes a side surface and a bottom surface from which the end portion extends. In this case, more preferably, the bottom surface has the same height as an edge of the skirt.

More preferably, the constriction is formed from a position at the same height as the bottom surface to an inner side of the column portion.

More preferably, an edge portion as an intersection between the side surface and the bottom surface forms an angular portion at an angle of 90°.

The end portion may include a convex portion axially extending along a side surface of the radially narrow portion for guiding falling droplets. Preferably, the convex portion radially protrudes in a range not in excess of a diameter of the column portion.

The nozzle lower part according to another preferred embodiment has no stepped portion, and extends up to the end portion.

In the present invention, the structure having the radially wide and narrow portions may be formed by the means (1) to (3) to be described below, for example.(1) The nozzle lower part extends from a position on the lower surface of the base, biased from a center of the skirt to form the radially wide and narrow portions. At this time, the nozzle upper part may extend from a biased position on the upper surface of the base in alignment with the nozzle lower part. Alternatively, only the nozzle lower part is biasedly positioned from the center of the skirt, and the nozzle upper part may extend concentrically with the skirt.(2) The skirt further includes a partial inner circumferential wall that partially surrounds the nozzle lower part in a radial inner side of an outer circumferential wall of the skirt. The radially narrow portion is formed between the nozzle lower part and the partial inner circumferential wall adjacent to the nozzle lower part. The radially wide portion is formed between the nozzle lower part and the inner wall of the skirt adjacent to the nozzle lower part in a region where the partial inner circumferential wall is not formed.(3) The nozzle lower part includes a portion with relatively large thickness, and a portion with relatively small thickness of an outer circumference of the inner passage. The radially narrow portion is formed between the portion with large thickness and the inner wall of the skirt, and the radially wide portion is formed between the portion with small thickness and the inner wall of the skirt.

Preferably, a length of the inner passage from the constriction to the outlet port is equal to or longer than 5 mm.

Concerning the structure for fitting the member according to the present invention to the container, the base includes a top having the upper surface and the lower surface, and a side surface extending downward from the top. A thread may be formed on an inner wall of the side surface for threaded engagement with a thread formed over an outer circumference of a side surface of the opening of the container. In this embodiment, a cap for closing the outlet port by covering at least the nozzle upper part may be provided. In this case, a thread is formed on an inner wall of the cap, and a thread is formed over an outer circumference of the side surface of the nozzle upper part for threaded engagement with the thread of the cap.

Concerning another structure for fitting the member according to the present invention to the container, the base may be a plate-like member including the upper surface and the lower surface. In this case, the plate-like member is engaged with a top end portion of the opening of the container to lock further entry of the inner plug into the container. In this embodiment, a cap for closing the outlet port by covering at least the nozzle upper part may be provided. In this case, a thread is formed on an inner wall of the cap for threaded engagement with a thread formed over an outer circumference of the side surface of the opening of the container.

According to a preferable embodiment of the present invention, as the capped member, an upper cap for closing the outlet port by covering at least the nozzle upper part may be provided. The base is a lower cap to be fitted to the opening of the container, and the upper cap is pivotally connected to the lower cap to allow opening and closing. Preferably, the upper cap is configured to be engaged with the lower cap in a snap-fit manner when the upper cap is closed.

More preferably, the cap or the upper cap according to the respective embodiments includes a protrusion to be inserted into the outlet port when the cap or the upper cap is closed.

Concerning the member according to the respective embodiments, preferably, the nozzle upper part includes a liquid drip-off portion formed over an outer circumference of an end portion of the nozzle upper part.

The inclined surface of the end portion of the nozzle lower part may be directed to either the wide portion or the narrow portion.

