JP7511338B2 - Lid for storage container, filter insert member, storage container, and method for manufacturing the lid for the storage container - Google Patents

Description

One aspect of the present disclosure relates to a storage container lid, a filter insert member, a storage container, and a method for manufacturing the storage container lid.

As an example of a liquid storage container, Patent Document 1 describes a disposable paint container that is attached to a spray gun by a container attachment.

JP 2006-312144 A

When storing a liquid in a storage container or when preparing the liquid, there is a possibility that foreign matter may become mixed into the liquid. As a result, there is a possibility that the foreign matter may be discharged when the liquid is discharged from the storage container. Therefore, it is desirable to more reliably prevent or suppress the discharge of foreign matter from within the liquid.

The lid of a storage container according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a liquid outlet having an inner surface sandwiched between a first opening and a second opening through which liquid flows out, a side portion connected to the liquid outlet, a first filter, and at least one second filter disposed in the liquid outlet, the second filter being disposed so as to be located closer to the first opening than the first filter.

In this aspect, since the lid of the container is equipped with two filters, even if foreign matter in the liquid passes through the first filter, the foreign matter can be captured by the second filter. Therefore, it is possible to more reliably prevent or suppress the discharge of foreign matter in the liquid.

According to one aspect of the present disclosure, it is possible to more reliably prevent or suppress the discharge of foreign matter from within a liquid.

1 is a perspective view showing an example of a spray gun system including a storage container according to an embodiment. FIG. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating an example of a storage container according to an embodiment. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a second filter according to the embodiment. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the lid and filter insert taken along line IV-IV of FIG. 2. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the filter insertion member is attached to the lid. FIG.

Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that in the description of the drawings, identical or equivalent elements are given the same reference numerals, and duplicate descriptions will be omitted.

In this disclosure, a container refers to an article for containing a liquid. In one example, the container contains the liquid to be sprayed by the sprayer, is attached to the sprayer, and supplies the liquid to the sprayer.

A liquid refers to any form of flowable material. In one example, the liquid may be applied to the surface of a tangible object by spraying. For example, the liquid may be applied in atomized or non-atomized form depending on at least one of the material's properties and the intended use. Examples of liquids include paint-like materials such as paints, primers, surfacers, base coats, lacquers, varnishes, and other materials such as adhesives, sealers, fillers, putties, powder coatings, blasting powders, polishing slurries, release agents, foundry finishes, and the like. Paints may be water-based or oil-based paints. The liquid is not limited thereto and may be selected as desired.

A sprayer refers to a device for spraying a liquid. The type of sprayer is not limited, and the reservoir may be used for any type of spray. In this disclosure, a spray gun is shown as an example of a sprayer. In a typical spray gun, liquid in a reservoir is fed to a spray nozzle. As the liquid exits the spray nozzle, it is atomized by compressed air fed to the nozzle to form a spray. The liquid may be gravity fed, suction fed, or pumped from a compressed air line to the spray gun or by a bleed line from the spray gun itself to the reservoir. The use of the spray gun is not limited. In one example, the spray gun is used when respraying a repaired vehicle or a scratch on a vehicle.

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a spray gun system 1 including a storage container 10 according to an embodiment. The spray gun system 1 further includes a spray gun 20.

The spray gun 20 includes a body 30, a handle 31, a spray nozzle 32 provided at the front end of the body 30, a trigger 33 provided on the side of the body 30, and an inlet port 34. The inlet port 34 connects an internal spray conduit (not shown) of the spray gun 20 to the storage container 10, thereby allowing the liquid in the storage container 10 to flow to the internal spray conduit. For example, the storage container 10 contains a liquid to be sprayed (e.g., paint) and is connected to the inlet port 34. The specific structure for connecting the storage container 10 to the inlet port 34 is not limited and may be designed arbitrarily. For example, the storage container 10 may be attached to the inlet port 34 by engaging a first connector format provided near the liquid outlet 121 of the storage container 10 described later with a second connector format provided at the inlet port 34.

In use, the spray gun 20 is connected to a source of compressed air (not shown) via a connector 35 at the bottom end of the handle 31. When a user pulls the trigger 33, compressed air is pumped through the spray gun 20, forcing paint from the reservoir 10 through the spray gun 20 and out the spray nozzle 32 by gravity. As a result, the liquid (e.g., paint) is atomized as it exits the spray nozzle 32 to form a spray by the compressed air exiting the spray nozzle 32.

2 is an exploded perspective view showing an example of the storage container 10. The storage container 10 includes a liner 110 for containing the liquid to be sprayed and a lid 120 attached to the opening 111 of the liner 110. The liner 110 is an example of a storage container body. The lid 120 is joined to the liner 110 to obtain a lid/liner assembly. In one example, the storage container 10 further includes an outer container 130 for containing the liner 110 and an annular collar 140 for fixing the liner 110 to which the lid 120 is attached to the outer container 130. The lid/liner assembly is contained in the outer container 130 so that the lid 120 is located near the opening 131 of the outer container 130, and the collar 140 is attached to the outer container 130 so that the collar 140 covers the periphery of the lid 120, thereby fixing the lid/liner assembly in the outer container 130.

The lid 120 has a liquid outlet 121 for allowing the liquid contained in the liner 110 to flow to the internal spray conduit of the spray gun 20. In use, as liquid is discharged from the liner 110, air enters through holes 132 formed in the side of the outer container 130, causing the liner 110 to collapse due to the air. When the liquid in the liner 110 is gone, the user can remove the storage container 10 from the spray gun 20, remove the collar 140, and remove the lid/liner assembly from the outer container 130. The outer container 130 and collar 140 remain clean, and the user can obtain a storage container capable of supplying liquid by placing a new liner 110 and lid 120 (i.e., a new lid/liner assembly) in the outer container 130 and reattaching the collar 140 to the outer container 130. In other words, the liner 110 and lid 120 are consumables that are used only once, whereas the outer container 130 and collar 140 are reusable. This prevents the liquid in the liner 110 from adhering to the outer container 130 and collar 140, reducing the burden of cleaning the storage container 10.

The lid 120 of the storage container 10 is equipped with a filter for removing foreign matter contained in the liquid. The filter of the lid 120 will be described in detail with reference to Figs. 3 to 5. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a filter insertion member 150 according to an embodiment. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the lid 120 and the filter insertion member 150 taken along line IV-IV in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the filter insertion member 150 attached to the lid 120.

The lid 120 further includes two filters, a first filter 124 and a filter insert 150 (more specifically, a second filter 152). Both the first filter 124 and the filter insert 150 are provided to remove foreign matter contained in the liquid drained from the liner 110.

As shown in FIG. 4, the lid 120 has a cylindrical liquid outlet 121 and a side portion 125 connected to the liquid outlet 121. The side portion 125 has an inner diameter larger than the inner diameter of the liquid outlet 121. The first filter 124 is attached to the inside of the side portion 125 so as to block the liquid flow path. The first filter 124 may be detachably attached to the side portion 125. The liquid outlet 121 has a first opening 122 through which the liquid flows out, a second opening 123 located opposite the first opening 122, and an inner surface 121a sandwiched between the first opening 122 and the second opening 123.

3, the filter insert member 150 includes a tubular frame 151, at least one second filter 152 attached to the frame 151, and a flow path 155 formed by the frame 151. The filter insert member 150 (more specifically, the frame 151) has an outer surface 151a having a shape corresponding to at least a part of the shape of the inner surface 121a of the liquid outlet 121. The second filter 152 is a part of the filter insert member 150 that actually performs the function of a filter. Methods for attaching the second filter 152 to the frame 151 include, but are not limited to, ultrasonic welding. The frame 151 includes a first opening end 153 and a second opening end 154 located opposite the first opening end 153. At least one second filter 152 is attached to the frame 151. In the example of FIG. 3, the second filter 152 is attached to the first opening end 153.

4 and 5, the shape of the outer surface 151a of the frame 151 corresponds to at least a part of the shape of the inner surface 121a of the liquid outlet 121. More specifically, the shape of the outer surface 151a matches the shape of at least a part of the inner surface 121a. Therefore, the filter insert member 150 can be firmly fitted into the liquid outlet 121. The filter insert member 150 is attached to be located within the liquid outlet 121, and at this time, at least one second filter 152 is disposed in the liquid outlet 121. In one example, the filter insert member 150 is detachably attached to the liquid outlet 121. When the lid 120 is attached to the liner 110, the user can attach the filter insert member 150 to the liquid outlet 121 or remove it from the liquid outlet 121 without removing the lid 120 from the liner 110. In one example, the filter insert member 150 attached to the liquid outlet 121 does not protrude from the liquid outlet 121. That is, when the lid 120 is viewed from the side, the filter insert 150 is hidden by the liquid outlet 121. Therefore, when the storage container 10 including the filter insert 150 is connected to the inlet port 34, the filter insert 150 does not interfere with the connection. Therefore, in one aspect, the filter insert 150 can be added to the storage container 10 without changing the original design of the storage container 10 and the spray gun 20, and the spray gun system 1 can continue to be used.

The filter insertion member 150 is provided in the liquid outlet 121 so that the first opening end 153, where the second filter 152 is located, is closer to the first filter 124 than the second opening end 154. Because the second opening end 154 is located on the edge of the liquid outlet 121, the user can remove the filter insertion member 150 from the liquid outlet 121 by pinching the frame 151 without touching the second filter 152.

The first filter 124 is disposed between the liquid outlet 121 and the bottom 112 of the liner 110, and more specifically, is attached to the inside of the side 125 of the lid 120. The second filter 152 is disposed so as to be located closer to the first opening 122 of the liquid outlet 121 than the first filter 124. Thus, the liquid to be sprayed first passes through the first filter 124, then through at least one second filter 152, and then reaches the spray nozzle 32. The filter insert 150 is also exposed to liquid like the liner 110 and the lid 120, and therefore the filter insert 150 can also be considered a consumable item.

3 to 5, the second filter 152 is located at the second opening 123 of the liquid outlet 121. However, the position of the second filter 152 is not limited thereto. For example, the second filter 152 may be located at the first opening 122 of the liquid outlet 121, and may be attached to the second opening end 154 for this purpose. When the filter insert member 150 includes two second filters 152, the two second filters 152 may be attached to the frame 151 such that one second filter 152 is located at the first opening 122 and the other second filter 152 is located at the second opening 123. At least one second filter 152 may be attached at any position between the first opening 122 and the second opening 123.

The mesh widths of the first filter 124 and the second filter 152 may be selected arbitrarily. In one example, the mesh width of the second filter 152 may be equal to or smaller than the mesh width of the first filter 124. Alternatively, the mesh width of the second filter 152 may be less than the mesh width of the first filter 124. The mesh width of the first filter 124 may be any value between 100 um and 200 um (um is micrometers), for example, 200 um, 190 um, 180 um, 170 um, 160 um, 150 um, 140 um, 130 um, 125 um, 120 um, 110 um, or 100 um. In one example, if the mesh width of the first filter 124 is 200 um, the mesh width of the second filter 152 may be any value between 90 um and 200 um, for example, 200 um, 190 um, 180 um, 170 um, 160 um, 150 um, 140 um, 130 um, 125 um, 120 um, 110 um, 100 um, or 90 um. In another example, if the mesh width of the first filter 124 is 125 um, the mesh width of the second filter 152 may be any value between 90 um and 125 um, for example, 125 um, 120 um, 110 um, 100 um, or 90 um.

The material for making the first filter 124 and the second filter 152 is not limited as long as it is resistant to the liquid contained in the liner 110. For example, the material may be a resin such as plastic, nylon, or polypropylene, or may be a metal.

A method for manufacturing a lid 120 for a storage container 10 having multiple filters is described. In one example, a lid 120 for a storage container 10 is prepared. The lid 120 has a liquid outlet 121 having an inner surface 121a sandwiched between a first opening 122 and a second opening 123, a side portion 125 connected to the liquid outlet 121, and a first filter 124.

Furthermore, a filter insert member 150 is prepared. This filter insert member 150 has a tubular frame 151 and a flow passage 155 formed by this frame 151. The frame 151 has an outer surface 151a, a first open end 153, and a second open end 154 located opposite the first open end 153. The shape of the outer surface 151a corresponds to at least a part of the shape of the inner surface 121a of the liquid outlet 121. At least one second filter 152 is attached to the frame 151.

Then, the filter insert member 150 is positioned in the liquid outlet 121 so that at least a portion of the inner surface 121a of the liquid outlet 121 is adjacent to at least a portion of the outer surface 151a of the filter insert member 150. By this process, at least one second filter 152 is provided in the liquid outlet 121 so that the at least one second filter 152 is located closer to the first opening 122 than the first filter 124. By this series of processes, a lid 120 having a plurality of filters is obtained.

As described above, the lid of a storage container according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a liquid outlet having an inner surface sandwiched between a first opening and a second opening through which liquid flows out, a side portion connected to the liquid outlet, a first filter, and at least one second filter disposed in the liquid outlet, the second filter being disposed so as to be located closer to the first opening than the first filter.

A storage container according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes the above-mentioned storage container lid and a storage container body that is connected to the lid.

A method for manufacturing a lid for a storage container according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a method for manufacturing a lid for a storage container having a plurality of filters, and includes the steps of: preparing a lid for a storage container having a liquid outlet having an inner surface sandwiched between a first opening and a second opening, a side portion connected to the liquid outlet, and a first filter; preparing a filter insert member having an outer surface, a first opening end, and a tubular frame having a second opening end located opposite the first opening end, and a flow path formed by the tubular frame, the shape of the outer surface corresponding to at least a portion of the shape of the inner surface of the liquid outlet, and at least one second filter being attached to the tubular frame; and positioning the filter insert member in the liquid outlet such that at least a portion of the inner surface of the liquid outlet is adjacent to at least a portion of the outer surface of the filter insert member, the at least one second filter being provided in the liquid outlet such that the at least one second filter is located closer to the first opening than the first filter.

In this aspect, since the lid of the storage container is equipped with two filters, even if foreign matter in the liquid passes through the first filter, the foreign matter can be captured by the second filter. Therefore, it is possible to more reliably prevent or suppress the discharge of foreign matter in the liquid. This can also lead to an improvement in the quality of the discharged liquid.

In the lid of the storage container according to another aspect, the first filter may be attached to the side. By providing the first filter in a location other than the liquid outlet, foreign matter can be efficiently captured.

In the lid of the storage container according to another aspect, the first filter may be removably attached to the side. In this case, the first filter can be attached to an existing lid later, or the first filter can be replaced.

In the lid of the storage container according to another aspect, the second filter may be removably attached to the liquid outlet. With this configuration, the second filter can be attached to and detached from the liquid outlet without opening the lid (i.e., while the lid is attached to the storage container), so that foreign matter can be more reliably prevented from entering the liner when the second filter is attached or detached.

In another aspect, the lid of the storage container further includes a filter insert member, the filter insert member having a tubular frame having a first open end and a second open end, an outer surface, and a flow path formed by the tubular frame, the shape of the outer surface corresponding to at least a part of the shape of the inner surface of the liquid outlet, at least one second filter being attached to the tubular frame of the filter insert member, and the filter insert member being located within the liquid outlet. Since the second filter is firmly attached to the liquid outlet by such a filter insert member, filtering of the liquid flowing out of the liquid outlet can be more reliably performed.

In the lid of the storage container according to another aspect, the filter insertion member may be removably attached to the liquid outlet. With this configuration, the filter insertion member can be attached to and detached from the liquid outlet without opening the lid (i.e., while the lid is still attached to the storage container), so that foreign matter can be more reliably prevented from entering the liner when the filter insertion member is attached or detached.

In the lid of the storage container according to another aspect, at least one second filter may be located in the first opening. Since the first opening corresponds to the end of the liquid outlet, this configuration can facilitate attachment of the second filter to the lid.

In the lid of the storage container according to another aspect, at least one second filter may be located at the second opening. Since the second opening corresponds to the end of the liquid outlet, this configuration can facilitate attachment of the second filter to the lid. In addition, a user can handle the lid while holding the liquid outlet without touching the second filter.

In the lid of the storage container according to another aspect, the mesh width of at least one second filter may be equal to or smaller than the mesh width of the first filter. By reducing the mesh width along the flow of the liquid or arranging filters with the same mesh width, foreign matter in the liquid can be captured more efficiently.

In the lid of the storage container according to another aspect, the mesh width of at least one second filter may be 125 um or less. By setting the mesh width in this manner, foreign matter in the liquid can be more reliably captured.

In the lid of the storage container according to another aspect, the liquid may be a liquid that is sprayed. In this case, it is possible to more reliably prevent or suppress the spraying of foreign matter in the liquid.

The liquid to be sprayed may be paint. With regard to paint, foreign matter may be mixed into the paint during a preliminary process such as manual color mixing. One method for removing such foreign matter from the paint is to pass the paint through a funnel-shaped filter when the paint is placed in a container, but such preliminary processing places a burden on the user. In addition, when the paint is passed through the funnel-shaped filter, the paint flows into the container by gravity, so it takes time to fill the paint. In one aspect of the present disclosure, the lid of the container is equipped with two filters, so that it is possible to prevent or suppress the discharge of foreign matter in the paint (e.g., from the spray) without using such a burdensome and time-consuming method.

A filter insert member according to one aspect of the present invention is a filter insert member for a lid of a storage container, and comprises a tubular frame having an outer surface, a first opening end, and a second opening end located opposite the first opening end, and a filter provided at the second opening end and having a mesh width of 125 um or less, the filter being removably attached to a liquid outlet of the lid of the storage container.

In this aspect, the filter can be attached to and detached from the liquid outlet without opening the lid of the container, so that foreign matter can be more reliably prevented from entering the container when the filter insertion member is attached and detached. Furthermore, by making the mesh width 125 um or less, foreign matter in the paint can be more reliably captured. By adding such a filter to a lid that already has another filter, it is possible to more reliably prevent or suppress the discharge of foreign matter in the liquid. Furthermore, by providing a filter at the second opening end of the frame, the user can handle the filter insertion member while holding the frame without touching the filter.

Specific examples are described below, but the present disclosure is not limited to them in any way.

The performance of the storage container corresponding to the above embodiment was verified. As the spray gun system, 3M's PPS (trademark) Paint Preparation System was used. As the liquid to be sprayed, Axalta's water-based paint was used. Since foreign matter can naturally be mixed in when mixing the paint, the mixing of foreign matter into the paint was not intentional but was left to occur naturally. Examples of foreign matter that naturally mix in include dust in the air, hair from clothes, dust attached to the container, and gel-like or solid objects that have not been dissolved in the paint. The following three types of storage containers were prepared. In both Example 1 and Example 2, a storage container is obtained by attaching a part having a structure similar to the above filter insert member 150 to the liquid outlet of a 3M PPS (trademark) Series 2.0 spray cup system having a filter with a mesh width of 125 um corresponding to the first filter. The mesh width of the additional filter corresponding to the second filter was 90 um in Example 1 and 125 um in Example 2. As a comparative example, a 3M PPS (trademark) Series 2.0 spray cup system was prepared, which has a filter with a mesh width of 125 um, which corresponds to the first filter. In other words, the comparative example does not have a configuration equivalent to the filter insert member 150 in the above embodiment.

In each of Examples 1 and 2 and the Comparative Example, the water-based paint was sprayed onto a 200 mm x 200 mm area of the metal plate using a spray gun system, and then the number of foreign objects attached to the area was confirmed. Foreign objects having a diameter of 5 um to 20 um were defined as small foreign objects, and foreign objects having a diameter of 50 um to 200 um were defined as large foreign objects. The foreign objects confirmed were as follows:
Example 1: No foreign matter.
Example 2: Two small foreign bodies.
Comparative example: 4 small foreign bodies and 1 large foreign body.

The above is a detailed explanation based on the embodiments of the present disclosure. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the above embodiments. Various modifications of the present disclosure are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

In the above embodiment, the filter insert member 150 is removably attached to the liquid outlet 121, but the filter insert member may be permanently attached to the liquid outlet by a method such as welding or gluing. In the above embodiment, the at least one second filter 152 is removably attached to the liquid outlet 121, but the at least one second filter may be permanently attached to the liquid outlet by a method such as ultrasonic welding.

Although in the above embodiment the liquid is sprayed, the method of discharging the liquid is not limited and the liquid may be discharged by any method other than spraying. In this regard, the container, the container lid, and the filter insert may all be part of any device other than a spray.

1...spray gun system, 10...container, 20...spray gun, 30...body, 31...handle, 32...spray nozzle, 33...trigger, 34...inlet port, 35...connector, 110...liner, 111...opening, 112...bottom, 120...lid, 121...liquid outlet, 121a...inner surface, 122...first opening, 123...second opening, 124...first filter, 125...side, 130...outer container, 131...opening, 132...hole, 140...collar, 150...filter insert, 151...frame, 151a...outer surface, 152...second filter, 153...first opening end, 154...second opening end, 155...flow path.

Claims (7)

1. A container lid for a spray gun container, comprising:
a liquid outlet having an inner surface sandwiched between a first opening and a second opening through which the liquid flows out;
a side portion connected to the liquid outlet and having an inner diameter larger than an inner diameter of the liquid outlet ;
A first filter removably attached to the side portion ;
a filter insert member removably mounted within the liquid outlet, the filter insert member including a second filter;
the second filter is provided so as to be located closer to the first opening than the first filter ;
the filter insert member having a tubular frame having a first open end and a second open end, an exterior surface, and a flow passage defined by the tubular frame;
a shape of the outer surface corresponds to at least a portion of a shape of the inner surface of the liquid outlet;
The second filter is attached to the first opening end so as to be located at the second opening without being provided in the middle of the flow path.
The lid of the container. the filter insert further comprises an additional second filter;
the additional second filter is attached to the second open end of the tubular frame so as to be located at the first opening without being provided in the middle of the flow path ;
A lid for a storage container according to claim 1 . The mesh width of the second filter is equal to or smaller than the mesh width of the first filter.
A lid for a storage container according to claim 1 or 2 . The mesh width of the second filter is 125 um or less.
A lid for a storage container according to any one of claims 1 to 3 . 1. A filter insert for a lid of a containment vessel, comprising:
a tubular frame having an exterior surface, a first open end and a second open end opposite the first open end;
a filter attached to the first open end of the tubular frame , the filter having a mesh width of 125 um or less ;
a flow path formed by the tubular frame;
Equipped with
the lid includes a liquid outlet having an inner surface sandwiched between a first opening and a second opening through which liquid flows out, a side portion connected to the liquid outlet, and another filter different from the filter;
a shape of the outer surface corresponds to at least a portion of a shape of the inner surface of the liquid outlet;
the filter is attached to the first opening end without being provided in the middle of the flow path so that the filter is located at the second opening when the filter insert member is removably attached within the liquid outlet;
Filter insert. A container lid according to any one of claims 1 to 4 ;
A container comprising a container body coupled to the lid. 1. A method for manufacturing a lid for a container having a plurality of filters, comprising the steps of:
A step of preparing a lid for a storage container having a liquid outlet having an inner surface sandwiched between a first opening and a second opening through which liquid flows out , a side portion connected to the liquid outlet, and a first filter;
providing a filter insert member having a tubular frame having an outer surface, a first open end, and a second open end opposite the first open end, and a flow passage defined by the tubular frame, the shape of the outer surface corresponding to at least a portion of the shape of the inner surface of the liquid outlet, and a second filter attached to the first open end of the tubular frame so as to be located at the second opening without being disposed in the flow passage ;
and a step of positioning the filter insert member within the liquid outlet such that at least a portion of the inner surface of the liquid outlet is adjacent to at least a portion of the outer surface of the filter insert member, wherein the second filter is disposed within the liquid outlet such that the second filter is located closer to the first opening than the first filter and is located at the second opening .

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