Dispensing – Collapsible wall-type container – With casing or support
Reexamination Certificate
2002-06-13
2004-09-28
Bomberg, Kenneth (Department: 3754)
Dispensing
Collapsible wall-type container
With casing or support
C222S327000, C222S386000, C222S391000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06796460
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cartridge, which receives therein fluid material such as mayonnaise, toothpaste and calking agent and a dispensing apparatus such as a dispensing gun for discharging the fluid material from the cartridge.
2. Description of the Related Art
The conventional cartridge of this kind is provided with a tubular receiver “a” having a cylindrical shape, a cap member “b” disposed at the front end of the tubular receiver “a” and a plunger “c” disposed in the tubular receiver at its rear end portion so as to be slidable therein, as shown in FIG.
21
. The cap member “b” has an outlet opening “b
1
” formed in the middle of the cap member “b”. The above-mentioned outlet opening “b
1
” is closed by means of a thin sealing member “d”. The inner cavity of the tubular receiver “a” between the cap member “b” and the plunger “c” is filled with fluid material.
When the fluid material is discharged from the above-described cartridge, a single set or a plurality of sets of slits “d
1
” having a cross-shape is previously formed on the sealing member “d”, as shown in FIG.
23
. Such a cartridge is fitted in a dispensing apparatus (not shown) such as a dispensing gun. Then, actuation of a piston (not shown) of the dispensing apparatus moves the plunger “c” toward the cam member “b”. As a result, the fluid material received in the tubular receiver “a” is discharged outside through the slits “d
1
”.
When the plunger “c” moves to discharge the fluid material from the tubular receiver “a”, a frictional resistance, which is caused between the outer peripheral surface of the plunger “c” and the inner surface of the tubular receiver “a”, generates a relatively large pressing force applied to the tubular receiver “a” in the longitudinal direction thereof. Accordingly, it has been conceivable that the tubular receiver “a” would be collapsed in the longitudinal direction or buckling thereof would occur. In view of such an aspect, the conventional tubular receiver “a” is formed of cardboard having a high rigidity. For example, the tubular receiver “a” is prepared by rolling a piece of cardboard into a cylindrical shape, placing the one side edge of the piece of cardboard on the other side edge thereof and securing these side edges to each other by means of adhesive.
It is however difficult to collapse the tubular receiver “a” of the cartridge having the above-described structure in a small size due to the high rigidity of the tubular receiver “a”, after the cartridge has served completely (more specifically, the fluid material has been discharged to be used up). This may lead to an enormous waste amount of tubular receivers “a” of the cartridges, causing social problems of waste disposal. In addition, a gap “S” is formed between the inner peripheral surface of the tubular receiver “a” and outer peripheral surface of the plunger “c” in the vicinity of the joined portion of the piece of cardboard, as shown in FIG.
22
. The maximum depth of the gap “S” (i.e., the distance in the diametrical direction of the tubular receiver “a”) is relatively large and equal to the thickness of the piece of cardboard forming the tubular receiver “a”. This may lead to leakage of the fluid material through the gap “S”, thus causing a problem. Such a leakage problem may remarkably occur when pressure is applied to the fluid material received in the tubular receiver “a” through movement of the plunger “c”.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is therefore to provide a cartridge for fluid material, which permits to discharge the fluid material in an appropriate manner when the cartridge is used, on the one hand, and to be collapsed in a small size, after the fluid material has been used up, on the other hand, and a dispensing apparatus for such a cartridge.
After extensive studies carried out by the present inventors to solve the above-mentioned problems, the following findings were obtained:
(1) even when the tubular receiver is formed of a thin film having a low rigidity, the tubular receiver filled with the fluid material provides a relatively large rigidity to bear force generated due to movement of the plunger;
(2) especially, when the fluid material includes fat and oil as in mayonnaise, such fat and oil reduce a frictional resistance between the inner surface of the tubular receiver and the outer surface of the plunger, thus decreasing the pressing force applied to the tubular receiver in the longitudinal direction due to the movement of the plunger; and
(3) consequently, the tubular receiver, which is formed of a thin film, can sufficiently bear the pressing force applied by the plunger, without causing collapse or buckling of the tubular.
The present invention was made on the basis of the above-mentioned findings. In order to attain the aforementioned object, a cartridge of the present invention for fluid material, comprises:
a tubular receiver provided at its front end portion with an outlet opening; and
a plunger disposed in said tubular receiver at its rear end portion so as to be slidable therein,
wherein:
said tubular receiver is formed of a thin film.
The tubular receiver may be provided on its outer peripheral surface at a rear end thereof, in which the plunger is fitted, with a reinforcement member having a ring-shape.
The tubular receiver may be provided on its inner peripheral surface between the rear end portion thereof and the plunger with a reinforcement member having a ring-shape.
The tubular receiver may be provided on its outer peripheral surface at a rear end thereof with at least one stopper member, said stopper member projecting outwardly in a diametrical direction of the tubular receiver. The above-mentioned stopper member may be formed into a ring-shape.
The cartridge of the present invention may further comprises an outer tube having rigidity, into which said tubular receiver is to be detachably inserted from the front end portion thereof, said outer tube having an end, which is to be brought into contact with said stopper member of said tubular receiver so as to prevent said tubular receiver from moving relative to said outer tube in a direction from the rear end portion of said tubular receiver toward the front end portion thereof.
The tubular receiver may have on its outer peripheral surface a plurality of reinforcing ribs extending in a longitudinal direction of said tubular receiver, each of said plurality of reinforcing ribs having opposite ends, which are connected to the rear end portion and the front end portion of said tubular receiver, respectively, so as to prevent said tubular receiver from being collapsed in the longitudinal direction thereof. The opposite ends of each of said plurality of reinforcing ribs may be detachably connected to the rear end portion and the front end portion of said tubular receiver, respectively.
The tubular receiver may taper off from the rear end portion thereof to the front end portion thereof.
A dispensing apparatus of the present invention for a cartridge for fluid material, said cartridge comprising a tubular receiver provided at its front end portion with an outlet opening and on its outer peripheral surface at a rear end thereof with at least one stopper member projecting outwardly, and a plunger disposed in said tubular receiver so as to be slidable therein, said dispensing apparatus comprises:
a support section for supporting said cartridge; and
a piston for moving said plunger of said cartridge from a rear end side thereof toward a front end side thereof to discharge the fluid material received in said tubular receiver from the outlet opening,
wherein:
said support section has a restricting portion, which is to be brought into contact with said stopper member of said cartridge so as to prevent said cartridge from moving in a direction from the rear end side of said cartridge to the front end side thereof.
The restricting portion of said support section may have a tubular shape so that said tubular receiver of said cartridge can be inserted from
Ichikawa Tooru
Ito Masahiro
Kimura Satoru
Tanaka Youji
Bomberg Kenneth
Hosokawa Yoko Co., LTD
Parkhurst & Wendel L.L.P.
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