U.S. patent application number 13/176661 was filed with the patent office on 2012-01-12 for operating and dispensing cap connectable to an aerosol can.
This patent application is currently assigned to CAPSOL S.p.A.. Invention is credited to Ivan Maria ROVELLI.
Application Number | 20120006858 13/176661 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43650050 |
Filed Date | 2012-01-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120006858 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
ROVELLI; Ivan Maria |
January 12, 2012 |
OPERATING AND DISPENSING CAP CONNECTABLE TO AN AEROSOL CAN
Abstract
An operating and dispensing cap connectable to an aerosol can
containing pressurized fluid and provided with a valve for
dispensing the product contained therein, the cap being snap-fixed
to the aerosol can body, and an operating pushbutton, the
pushbutton containing a seat to house a hollow stem for operating
the valve. The seat presenting a first lead-in region, a second
region for fixing the stem by an interference fit, and a port for
dispensing the product in a direction substantially aligned with
the stem axis. The pushbutton being hinged in a region
substantially aligned with the stem base.
Inventors: |
ROVELLI; Ivan Maria; (Monza
(MB), IT) |
Assignee: |
CAPSOL S.p.A.
Bulciago (LC)
IT
|
Family ID: |
43650050 |
Appl. No.: |
13/176661 |
Filed: |
July 5, 2011 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
222/402.13 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 83/206
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
222/402.13 |
International
Class: |
B65D 83/00 20060101
B65D083/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 6, 2010 |
IT |
MI2010A001242 |
Claims
1. An operating and dispensing cap connectable to an aerosol can
containing pressurized fluid and provided with a valve for
dispensing the product contained therein, said cap being formed of
plastic material by moulding and comprising a cylindrical part
substantially of the same diameter as the aerosol can body and
provided with means for snap-fixing the cylindrical part to the can
body, and an operating pushbutton formed integrally with the
cylindrical part and hinged to the cylindrical part along a hinging
portion, the pushbutton comprising a seat adapted to house a hollow
stem for operating the valve, said seat presenting a converging
lead-in region, a region for fixing the stem by an interference
fit, and a port for dispensing the product in a direction
substantially aligned with the stem axis, when the cap is mounted
on the aerosol can the hinging region lies between the top of the
stem and said snap-fixing means.
2. A cap as claimed in claim 1, wherein said hinging portion is
substantially aligned with the stem base.
3. A cap as claimed in claim 1, wherein the seat presents an
abutment step for said stem, the distance between the plane
perpendicular to the stem axis and containing said abutment step,
and the plane perpendicular to the stem axis and containing the
hinging portion, is between 0 and 15 mm.
4. A cap as claimed in claim 1, wherein the distance between the
plane perpendicular to the stem axis and containing the abutment
step, and said coupling means, is between 16 and 19.5 mm.
5. A cap as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pushbutton assumes, in
longitudinal section, a convex shape with a first portion ascending
from the hinging to the dispensing port, a crest portion at said
dispensing port, and a portion descending towards a knurled resting
region for a user's finger.
6. A cap as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hinging portion is
achieved by a thickness reduction of the material from which the
cap and the cylindrical part are formed.
7. A cap as claimed in claim 1, wherein said port presents a first
section of constant diameter, and a second section which diverges
outwards.
8. A cap as claimed in claim 1, wherein the seat presents an
abutment step for said stem, the distance between the plane
perpendicular to the stem axis and containing said abutment step,
and the plane perpendicular to the stem axis and containing the
hinging portion, is 7.+-.0.3 mm.
9. A cap as claimed in claim 1, wherein the distance between the
plane perpendicular to the stem axis and containing the abutment
step, and said coupling means, is preferably 18.+-.0.2 mm.
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to an operating and dispensing
device connectable to an aerosol can containing pressurized fluid
and provided with a valve for dispensing the product contained
therein.
[0002] Common aerosol cans are known, for example for room
deodorants, with a dispensing port opening in a vertical
direction.
[0003] These aerosol cans present pushbutton caps provided with a
cylindrical portion attachable to the can. The diameter of the
cylindrical portion is the same as that of the can. The caps are
provided with a dispensing pushbutton which engages the stem of the
aerosol valve mounted on the aerosol can. Dispensing takes place
vertically.
[0004] In the known art the hinge between the cap and the
cylindrical portion is provided in a region of the cylindrical
portion which projects towards the can. Essentially, the hinging
region is positioned higher than the top of the stem, the hinging
being preferably aligned with the product dispensing port provided
in the pushbutton.
[0005] This gives the jet dispensed by the aerosol can a direction
inclined towards the user.
[0006] The user is therefore compelled to incline the can in order
to direct the jet away from the user during use.
[0007] This is an uncomfortable and hardly efficient operation.
[0008] Moreover the caps for current aerosol cans occupy a large
volume above the valve and can, they are very voluminous, and a
considerable amount of plastic material has to be used to produce
them.
[0009] An object of the present invention is to provide a cap
enabling an aerosol jet to be obtained which is safer for the user,
and occupying a very small space above the valve.
[0010] These and other objects are attained by providing a
dispensing cap in accordance with the technical teachings of the
accompanying claims.
[0011] Further characteristics and advantages will be apparent from
the description of a preferred but non-exclusive embodiment
thereof, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the
accompanying drawings, in which:
[0012] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the device of the present
invention;
[0013] FIG. 2 is a view of the cap of FIG. 1 seen from above;
[0014] FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of part of FIG. 4;
[0015] FIG. 4 is a section taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 2;
[0016] FIG. 5 is a section taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 2;
[0017] FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the cap of the present
invention while connected to an aerosol can, not shown in
section.
[0018] With reference to said figures, these show a cap indicated
overall by the reference numeral 1.
[0019] The operating cap 1 is provided for connection to a known
aerosol can containing pressurized fluid and provided with a
standard valve for dispensing the product contained in the can. The
fluid is preferably room deodorant spray, insecticide or the
like.
[0020] The cap 1 is formed of plastic material by moulding. The
plastic material used is preferably polypropylene.
[0021] The cap presents a cylindrical part 2 provided with known
means for its snap-fixing to the can body, specifically to a flange
on the can formed in proximity to its body. The fixing means
comprise mutually aligned lugs 10A defining a support plane, and
teeth 10B which press the flange against the plane defined by the
lugs. The teeth can be replaced by equivalent means, such as a
projecting circular ring.
[0022] The cylindrical part 2 preferably has a diameter
substantially equal to that of the aerosol can. In this respect,
when the cap is mounted on the can it does not project from the
lateral surface thereof.
[0023] An operating pushbutton 3 for a (conventional) aerosol can
valve is hinged to the cylindrical part 2.
[0024] The pushbutton and the cylindrical part are formed in one
piece, the hinging 4 between them being achieved by a thickness
reduction of the plastic material (or by equivalent means) from
which the cap and the cylindrical part are formed.
[0025] The pushbutton comprises, facing the can, a seat 5 adapted
to house a hollow stem 6 for operating the valve 7. The seat 5
presents a first lead-in region 5A for the stem followed, in the
product dispensing direction, by a region 5B for fixing the stem by
an interference fit, and a port 8 for dispensing the product in a
direction substantially axial to the stem axis, said port 8
preferably having a first section 8A of constant diameter, and a
second section 8B which diverges outwards.
[0026] As can be readily seen from FIG. 6, when the cap is mounted
on the aerosol can the hinging region 4 lies between the top (exit
section) 9 of the stem 6 and the means 10A, 10B for fixing the cap
to the can. It should be noted that the term "hinging region or
portion" means the entire portion of plastic material which has
been reduced in thickness to enable flexure when the cap is
operated.
[0027] This enables the can stem to be slightly inclined in the
opposite direction to the pressing direction (and hence to the
position of the user), to hence direct the jet away from the
user.
[0028] Moreover such an expedient results in a considerable saving
of material in producing the cap, which becomes much less bulky and
closer to the can body.
[0029] Advantageously the hinging portion or region is
substantially aligned with the base of the stem. The term
"substantially aligned" in the context of the present invention
means that the distance between the plane 19 containing the hinging
region perpendicular to the stem axis and the plane 7A of the valve
7 flange is preferably less than 4 millimetres (d). The plane 19
can be above or below the plane 7A.
[0030] As can be seen from FIG. 6, the seat 5 presents an abutment
step 15 for said stem 6. It should be noted that in FIG. 6 there is
a distance between the top of the stem and the step 15. On
initially operating the cap this distance is nullified as the stem
becomes inserted into the seat. The distance between the plane 18
perpendicular to the stem axis and containing said abutment step
15, and the plane perpendicular to the stem axis and containing the
hinging portion 19, is between 0 and 15 mm, but preferably 7.+-.0.3
mm.
[0031] Moreover the distance between the plane 18 perpendicular to
the stem axis and containing the abutment step, and said coupling
means 10A, 10B (plane 11), is between 16 and 19.5 mm, but
preferably 18.+-.0.2 mm.
[0032] Advantageously the form of the pushbutton 2 when viewed in
longitudinal section through said hinging portion (FIGS. 3, 4)
assumes a convex shape with a first portion 2A ascending from the
hinging to the dispensing port 8, a crest portion 2B at said
dispensing port 8, and a portion 2C descending towards a knurled
resting region 20 for a user's finger.
[0033] In the aforegoing text, reference is made to an abutment
step 15 for the stem. Seats can be provided which instead of an
abutment step present a conical surface which can house stems of
different diameters. In this case the "plane containing the
abutment step" means that plane in which the end of the stem lies
when this is fixed in its seat.
* * * * *