DESCRIPTION TITLE OF INVENTION: AEROSOL METERING VALVE TECHNICAL FIELD [0001]
The present invention relates to an aerosol valve provided in a substantially central portion of an upper end mountain cup of an aerosol container, and more particularly to an aerosol metering valve having a metering chamber in the valve and capable of jetting a constant quantity of contents with a single jet. BACKGROUND ART [0002]
Conventional aerosol metering valves of this type include those described in the following Patent Documents previously offered by the present applicant. [0003]
In the aerosol metering valve described in Patent Document 1, it is an object to provide the aerosol metering valve that can be advantageously manufactured in terms of cost.
The aerosol metering valve comprises a valve housing, a valve stem housed in the valve housing, a shield member housed in on the bottom portion within the valve housing having a return spring mounted between the shield member and the valve stem, forming a fluid passage between the shield member and the valve stem, wherein the shield member is replaceable. [0004]
In the aerosol metering valve described in Patent Document 2, it is an object to provide the aerosol metering valve capable of reducing the capacity of a metering chamber.

The aerosol metering valve comprises a valve housing, a valve stem installed within the valve housing, and a shield connected to the valve stem, installed within the valve housing, having a return spring assembled between the shield and the valve housing to form a metering chamber when the valve stem is pressed down against the return spring. The return spring is disposed below the valve stem. PRIOR ART DOCUMENTS PATENT DOCUMENTS [0005]
Patent Document 1: JP 2010-208675 A
Patent Document 2: JP 2010-247886 A SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION [0006]
An metering chamber of an aerosol metering valve according to the present invention is different from that of the above second conventional example. In fact the concept is completely opposite. It is an object to provide a metering chamber whose internal volume is larger.
Aerosol products, depending on the type of its contents, are required to be able to jet a predetermined constant quantity of the contents, for example, 10 ml or more, to the outside with a single jet operation.
For example, the contents can include a propellant, various content liquids, powder (fine particles), or the like. [0007]

In order to cope with this requirement, an object of the present invention is to provide the aerosol metering valve capable of jetting a predetermined constant quantity of the contents with a single jet operation.
On the other hand, in view of increasing the volume of the metering chamber, it is also an object of the present invention to provide the aerosol metering valve capable of effectively jetting all of the contents in the metering chamber from the upper end ejection port of the valve stem to the outside. MEANS TO SOLVE THE PROBLEMS [0008]
In order to solve the above problem, a first aspect of the present invention is directed to an aerosol metering valve provided at a substantially central portion of an upper end mountain cup of an aerosol container, the aerosol metering valve comprising a housing, a valve stem fitted into the housing from an upper end portion of the housing, a tube that sucks up contents in a container provided at a lower end portion of the housing, a metering chamber provided in the housing, and an urging member that constantly urges the valve stem upward, wherein a constant quantity of the contents stored in the metering chamber is jetted, when the valve stem is pushed down and a flow path of the contents is closed, wherein the metering chamber is disposed below the urging member and is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape having an outer diameter larger than an outer diameter of the housing, and wherein the metering chamber comprises an inner metering chamber on an inner side of the metering chamber and an outer metering chamber on an outer side of the metering chamber, the inner metering chamber and the outer metering chamber are partitioned by an annular partition wall hanging downward from a top portion of the metering chamber, and the

inner metering chamber and the outer metering chamber communicate with each other
at a lower end portion of the annular partition wall.
[0009]
A second aspect of the present invention is directed to the aerosol metering valve according to the first aspect of the present invention, wherein a path for flowing contents in an aerosol container into the metering chamber, and discharging the contents from the metering chamber is formed at an upper end portion of the inner metering chamber.
EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION [0010]
A first aspect of the present invention is directed to an aerosol metering valve provided at a substantially central portion of an upper end mountain cup of an aerosol container, the aerosol metering valve including a housing, a valve stem fitted into the housing from an upper end portion of the housing, a tube that sucks up contents in a container provided at a lower end portion of the housing, a metering chamber provided in the housing, and an urging member that constantly urges the valve stem upward, wherein a constant quantity of the contents stored in the metering chamber is jetted, when the valve stem is pushed down and a flow path of the contents is closed, wherein the metering chamber is disposed below the urging member and is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape having an outer diameter larger than an outer diameter of the housing, and wherein the metering chamber comprises an inner metering chamber on an inner side of the metering chamber and an outer metering chamber on an outer side of the metering chamber, the inner metering chamber and the outer metering chamber are partitioned by an annular partition wall hanging downward from a top portion of the metering chamber, and the inner metering chamber and the outer metering

chamber communicate with each other at a lower end portion of the annular partition wall. As a result, when the valve stem is pushed down, the flow path leading to the metering chamber is closed, and the predetermined quantity of the contents stored in the metering chamber is jetted. [0011]
More specifically, by disposing the metering chamber below the urging member, it is possible to form an appropriately large internal volume of the metering chamber.
That is, by disposing the urging member above the housing, it is easy to dispose the metering chamber in the lower part of the housing and to form an appropriately large outer diameter or an appropriately large inner diameter thereof according to the necessary quantity of the contents. [0012]
In addition, by making the metering chamber a dual structure of the inner metering chamber and the outer metering chamber, it is possible to further increase the internal volume and to easily eject the contents stored therein to the outside. [0013]
Furthermore, the presence of the partition wall that partitions the inner metering chamber and the outer metering chamber makes it possible to divide the contents stored in the outer metering chamber appropriately into a liquid phase and a gas phase, and to appropriately and satisfactorily eject all of the contents in the liquid phase to the outside by the pressure of the gas phase. [0014]
In the second aspect of the present invention, a configuration is limited such that a path for flowing contents in an aerosol container into the metering chamber, and

discharging the contents from the metering chamber is formed at an upper end portion of the inner metering chamber.
This limitation is a constitutive limitation for making the inflow and discharge of contents into and from the metering chamber further effective because the metering chamber is provided under the urging member.
An object of the present invention is achieved by the above configuration in which the metering chamber is disposed at an appropriate position, and the metering chamber has a dual structure, thereby increasing the internal volume thereof. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS [0015]
FIG. 1 is a central longitudinal cross-sectional view of an aerosol metering valve according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing a state during non-operation and storage.
FIG. 2 is a central longitudinal cross-sectional view showing a state during operation according to the above embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT [0016]
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is a central longitudinal cross-sectional view of an aerosol metering valve according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing a state during non-operation and storage.
FIG. 2 is a central longitudinal cross-sectional view showing a state during operation according to the above embodiment. [0017]

In these figures, illustration of an aerosol container is omitted, and a metering valve 10 according to the present invention and part of a mountain cup 20 at the upper end portion of the aerosol container where the metering valve 10 is disposed are shown. [0018]
The metering valve 10 according to the present invention comprises a housing 11, a valve stem 12 fitted from the upper end portion of the housing 11, a coil spring 13 as an urging member that constantly urges the valve stem 12 upward, a metering chamber 15 disposed below the coil spring 13, a dip tube 17 connected to a lower end portion 16 of the housing 11, and a shield member 18 in contact with the lower end of the coil spring 13. [0019]
A flow path through which the contents in the aerosol container flow is formed from the dip tube 17 disposed at the lower end to the inside of the housing 11 and an upper end opening 12k of the valve stem 12. In the non-operation state of FIG. 1, the flow path is in a state in which an orifice 12h provided above the valve stem 12 is sealed by the presence of a stem rubber 19. [0020]
In the non-operation state of FIG. 1, a valve rod portion 12v at the lower end of the valve stem 12 is positioned at the uppermost position, and a gap is formed between the valve rod portion 12v and an annular valve portion 18v provided on the inner peripheral wall of a through hole in the up-and-down direction of the shield member 18 that interacts with the valve rod portion 12v to seal the flow path. Thus, the contents in the aerosol container enter the metering chamber 15 and the flow path and is stored and filled there. [0021]

More specifically, the valve stem 12 has a rod shape which is vertically long, a hole 12t serving as a flow path is formed in its axial core portion upward from its substantially central portion, the orifice 12h is perforated at a substantially central portion of, or slightly below the hole 12t, an annular collar portion 12f is provided on the lower outer peripheral face thereof, and the coil spring 13 serving as an urging member is interposed between the annular collar portion 12f and the upper end face of the shield member 18. [0022]
Accordingly, the valve stem 12 is constantly urged upward, and in the non-operation state of FIG. 1, the flow path of the orifice 12h of the valve stem 12 is blocked and sealed by the presence of the stem rubber 19. [0023]
The upper edge portion of the housing 11 of the metering valve 10 is caulked and fixed by the substantially central portion of the mountain cup 20 of the aerosol container.
Therefore, the stem rubber 19 is held between the upper end inner peripheral edge portion of the housing 11 and the mountain cup 20, sealing and opening operation with the orifice 12h of the valve stem 12 is performed, and distribution of the contents in the aerosol container can be blocked and opened. [0024]
Next, the metering chamber 15, which is a feature according to the present invention, will be described in detail.
The metering chamber 15 is provided in the lower part of the housing 11 of the metering valve 10 mounted on the aerosol container.

This metering chamber 15 is provided in the lower part of the housing 11 on the outer periphery of a lower flow path 11t formed in the axial core portion thereof. [0025]
That is, the metering chamber 15 is provided on the outer side of a peripheral wall 11w of the lower flow path 11t in the lower part of the housing 11.
A path 15t for flowing the contents into the metering chamber 15 and discharging the contents from the metering chamber 15 is formed on the peripheral wall 11w side of the lower flow path 11t of a top portion 15s of the metering chamber 15. [0026]
Further, the metering chamber 15 is formed of an inner metering chamber 15i on the inner side thereof and an outer metering chamber 15j on the outer side thereof.
That is, the metering chamber 15 is partitioned into the inner metering chamber 15i and the outer metering chamber 15j by an annular partition wall 15k hanging downward from the top portion 15s thereof.
Therefore, the path 15t for flowing the contents into the metering chamber 15 and discharging the contents from the metering chamber 15 is formed in the upper end portion (top portion) of the inner metering chamber 15i. [0027]
A space or gap is provided between the annular partition wall 15k and the bottom face of the metering chamber 15.
If this space is not provided, the inner metering chamber 15i and the outer metering chamber 15j do not communicate with each other, and it is impossible to form one metering chamber 15.

In this way, by setting the metering chamber 15 to have a dual structure of the inner metering chamber 15i and the outer metering chamber 15j, the internal volume of the metering chamber 15 can be appropriately increased as necessary. [0028]
Next, the operation of the metering valve 10 according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 2.
FIG. 2 shows a state in which the valve stem 12 is pushed in the direction of arrow D from the non-operation state of FIG. 1, and the contents in the metering chamber 15 is ejected from the upper end opening 12k of the valve stem 12. [0029]
In detail, when the valve stem 12 is pushed in the direction of arrow D, the coil spring 13 contracts, and the valve rod portion 12v at the lower part of the valve stem 12 engages with the annular valve portion 18v provided on the inner peripheral wall of the through hole of the shield member 18, whereby the flow path is closed and sealed. [0030]
Simultaneously, the orifice 12h of the valve stem 12 communicates with an upper flow path 11r in the housing 11, the contents stored in the inner metering chamber 15i and the outer metering chamber 15j pass through the path 15t provided in the top portion 15s of the metering chamber 15 and flow through the upper flow path 11r in the housing 11, pass through the orifice 12h of the valve stem 12, pass through the hole 12t as the flow path of the axial core portion above the valve stem 12, and are ejected from the upper end opening 12k of the valve stem 12. [0031]
By the above-described single pushing-down operation, the contents in the metering chamber 15 and the upper flow path 11r of the housing 11 are discharged and

ejected, and by appropriately designing the internal volume of the metering chamber 15,
a larger constant amount of contents as necessary can be ejected.
[0032]
Here, such a configuration of the metering chamber 15 is employed, as described above, to secure the internal volume of an appropriate size. In addition, the configuration is employed because due to the dual structure of such a metering chamber, the state of the liquid and gas phases of the contents to be stored in the metering chamber can be made appropriate, so that the contents in the metering chamber can be ejected to the outside in a more complete manner by the pressure of the gas phase. [0033]
Although the embodiment related to the present invention has been described above, in the present invention, various design changes can be made to the embodiment as follows.
First, the shape, size, material, and the like of the metering valve can be selected and used as appropriate. [0034]
With respect to sealing between the valve rod portion 12v at the lower portion of the valve stem 12 and the shield member 18, it suffices that the flow path can be sealed by pushing down the valve stem 12. The sealing may be implemented so that the shield member 18 is not formed separately and an annular valve portion is provided inside the flow path of the housing 11. [0035]
Regarding the manufacture of the housing, in the above embodiment, the lower member and the upper member are manufactured so as to be united together, but this can also be freely designed and assembled.

[0036]
As described above, the present invention has a feature in that the metering chamber is formed from the inner metering chamber and the outer metering chamber to form a dual structure, whereby the metering chamber can be made larger, and it is possible to provide the aerosol metering valve capable of ejecting the contents in the metering chamber more completely. REFERENCE SIGNS LIST [0037]
10 Aerosol metering valve
11 Housing
11r Upper flow path 11t Lower flow path 11w Peripheral wall
12 Valve stem
12h Orifice
12k Upper end opening
12t Hole
12v Valve rod portion
13 Coil spring
15 Metering chamber
15i Inner metering chamber
15j Outer metering chamber
15k Annular partition wall 15s Top portion 15t Path

17 Dip tube
18 Shield member
18v Annular valve portion
19 Stem rubber
20 Mountain cup

WE CLAIM:
1. A aerosol metering valve (10) provided at a substantially central portion of an
upper end mountain cup of an aerosol container, the aerosol metering valve (10) comprising:
a housing (11);
a valve stem (12) fitted into the housing (11) from an upper end portion of the housing (11);
a tube (17) that sucks up contents in a container provided at a lower end portion of the housing (11);
a metering chamber (15) provided in the housing (11); and
an urging member (13) that constantly urges the valve stem (12) upward,
wherein a constant quantity of the contents stored in the metering chamber (15) is jetted, when the valve stem (12) is pushed down and a flow path of the contents is closed;
wherein the metering chamber (15) is disposed below the urging member (13) and is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape having an outer diameter larger than an outer diameter of the housing (11); and
wherein the metering chamber (15) comprises an inner metering chamber (15i) on an inner side of the metering chamber (15) and an outer metering chamber (15j) on an outer side of the metering chamber (15), the inner metering chamber (15i) and the outer metering chamber (15j) are partitioned by an annular partition wall (15k) hanging downward from a top portion (15s) of the metering chamber (15), and the inner metering chamber (15i) and the outer metering chamber (15j) communicate with each other at a lower end portion of the annular partition wall (15k).

2. The aerosol metering valve according to claim 1, wherein a path (15t) for
flowing contents in an aerosol container into the metering chamber (15), and discharging the contents from the metering chamber (15) is formed at an upper end portion of the inner metering chamber (15i).