U.S. patent number 3,598,324 [Application Number 04/800,402] was granted by the patent office on 1971-08-10 for valve devices.
Invention is credited to Richard Terence Macguire-Cooper.
United States Patent |
3,598,324 |
Macguire-Cooper |
August 10, 1971 |
**Please see images for:
( Certificate of Correction ) ** |
VALVE DEVICES
Abstract
An aerosol valve device which is a single moulding including
opposed, preferably annular, walls relatively movable from an
abutting, valve closure, position to a position in which the valve
device is open by applying a deforming force to the moulding, the
moulding also including a dip-tube or provision for the attachment
of a dip-tube and a nozzle or provision for the attachment of a
nozzle.
Inventors: |
Macguire-Cooper; Richard
Terence (Benson, Oxfordshire, EN) |
Family
ID: |
26241755 |
Appl.
No.: |
04/800,402 |
Filed: |
February 19, 1969 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
|
|
|
|
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Feb 19, 1968 [GB] |
|
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7913/68 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
239/541; 239/579;
222/402.24; 251/353 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D
83/48 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B65D
83/14 (20060101); B05b 001/32 () |
Field of
Search: |
;251/353,334,335
;222/518,402.24,528,529 ;239/541,579 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Blunk; Evon C.
Assistant Examiner: Lane; H. S.
Claims
I claim:
1. A valve device for controlling the passage of a medium under
pressure and which is a single moulding composed of:
a body part which in the unstressed state of said device as moulded
has one end region formed as an outlet tube and an opposite end
region formed as a tubular portion for the attachment of a
dip-tube;
a valve member having a first annular sealing surface;
an annular valve seat defined by said body part and having a second
annular sealing surface coaxial with but spaced from said first
annular sealing surface in said valve device as moulded to provide
an open condition of said device in its unstressed state;
a linkage part integrally joining said valve member to said body
part and at least in part defining a nonannular passage to provide
for flow of said medium past said valve member to said outlet tube;
and an annular spring part integrally joined to said valve seat and
having a first disposition in which said device is moulded in said
open condition and a second, deformed, disposition in which said
stress in said spring part holds said sealing surfaces in abutment
to afford a normally closed condition of said device.
2. A valve device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said spring part
is an annular portion of said body part between said outlet tube
and said valve seat.
3. A valve device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said valve seat
encircles said valve member in the unstressed state of said device
as moulded and said annular spring part is a flange integrally
encircling said body part and having said second, deformed,
disposition in which stressing said flange holds said sealing
surfaces in abutment.
4. A valve device as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least a major
portion of an outlet spray nozzle is integrally moulded to said
outlet tube.
5. A valve device for controlling the passage of a medium under
pressure and which is a single moulding comprising
a valve member defining a first annular sealing surface;
an annular valve seat defining a second annular sealing surface
facing but spaced from said first annular sealing surface in said
device as moulded to provide a through-flow path of said
device;
a linkage part integrally joining said valve member and said valve
seat; and
an annular spring part integrally connected substantially coaxially
with said valve seat and having a first disposition in which said
device is fabricated in an open condition and a second, deformed,
position in which said sealing surfaces are held in abutment to
afford a normally closed condition of said device.
6. A valve device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said valve seat
encircles said valve member in said device as moulded to define
therebetween an annular passage.
7. A valve device as claimed in claim 6, and comprising an
integral, hollow, outlet portion with which said annular passage
communicates and is substantially coaxial.
8. A valve device as claimed in claim 5 and comprising a resilient
mounting flange connected integrally to said valve seat and
defining said annular spring part which is deformable by a dishing
action between said first and second dispositions.
9. A valve device as claimed in claim 5 and comprising a tubular
body part defining a hollow outlet portion, said flange being
integrally connected around said body part, said valve seat being
defined by an internal wall portion of said body part, and said
valve device being secured within said body part by said linkage
part.
10. A valve device as claimed in claim 9, wherein said linkage part
at least partly defines a passage opening into said hollow outlet
portion and extending generally parallel to the axes of said first
and second annular sealing surfaces.
11. A valve device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said valve seat
surrounds said valve member and wherein a resilient mounting flange
encircles a part of said valve seat leaving a cylindrical part of
said valve seat free to buckle under the action of a force applied
to said valve member thereby to produce a sliding movement of said
valve member relative to said valve seat to put said device into a
stressed open condition.
12. A valve device as claimed in claim 5 and comprising a resilient
mounting flange defining said annular spring part which is
deformable by a dishing action between said first and second
dispositions and can adopt a further stressed third disposition in
which said sealing surfaces are relatively angularly displaced from
said normally closed condition.
13. A valve device as claimed in claim 12, wherein said linkage
part defines a passage opening at that end of said sealing surfaces
adjacent said linkage part.
14. A valve device as claimed in claim 5, wherein at least one of
said valve seat, said valve device and said linkage part defines a
passage which opens at one of said sealing surfaces.
15. A valve device as claimed in claim 14 and comprising more than
one said passage opening at one of said sealing surfaces and the
openings of these passages being at different regions along said
one sealing surface as considered in the axial direction of said
one sealing surface.
16. A valve as claimed in claim 5 and comprising, as moulded, a
generally tubular body part defining an outlet passage at one end,
an inlet passage at the opposite end and said valve seat between
said ends.
17. A valve device comprising a single moulding of resilient
plastics material containing a controllable fluid flow path and
having a plurality of integral portions which comprise, in the
unstressed state of said device, a generally tubular part defining
a passageway, a valve seat formed as a restriction in said
passageway, a valve member integrally attached within said tubular
part at one side of said restriction, and an annular spring portion
of said tubular part which integrally joins said valve seat to said
valve member and being deformable between an unstressed first
disposition in which said device is moulded with said passageway
open and said valve member at said one side of said restriction, a
stressed second disposition in which said valve member is at the
opposite side of said restriction and is held in abutment with said
valve seat to close said passageway, and a stressed third
disposition in which said valve member is displaced from said valve
seat to open said passageway.
18. A valve device as claimed in claim 17 and wherein said moulding
includes a linkage part integrally joining said valve member to
said body part and defining a passage substantially codirectional
with said passageway and providing a communication between opposite
ends of said passageway in said first and third dispositions.
Description
This invention relates to valve devices, such as valve devices
suitable for controlling the discharge of a pressure packed
product. Such a product will have been placed as a fluid
formulation under pressure in a container, the necessary pressure
being derived, for example, from the vaporization of a low boiling
point substance or from a compressed gas or from a compressed gas
or from a combination of such means. The products, known as
aerosols, may be domestic or industrial products such as paints,
insecticides and polishes. It is to be understood that the term
"fluid" when used herein is intended to embrace not only liquids,
gases and vapors but also dispersions of particulate solids in
liquids, gases or vapors. In fact, the term "aerosol" when used
herein is to be understood to have the meaning commonly accepted by
the pressure packaging industry and not the strict meaning as
defined in physical chemistry.
Aerosol valve devices in current use conventionally comprise at
least two relatively movable parts by which a fluid flow path
through the device may be opened and closed. In addition to these
parts there is normally a spring arranged to hold the fluid path in
a normally closed condition. As a result, the parts are, of course,
made separately and must be assembled together to produce a
complete valve device.
It is an object of the present invention to avoid the separate
manufacture of the parts and their assembly.
According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a valve
device suitable as a discharge control mechanism for a pressure
packed product and comprising a single moulding of resilient
material containing a controllable fluid path through the device
and having a plurality of integral portions which comprise:
RELATIVELY MOVABLE FIRST AND SECOND PORTIONS HAVING OPPOSED WALL
PORTIONS WHICH HAVE AN ABUTMENT POSITION IN WHICH SAID PATH IS
CLOSED;
A THIRD PORTION INTEGRAL WITH, OR FOR SECURING IN A FLUIDTIGHT
MANNER TO, A CONTAINER;
A HOLLOW FOURTH PORTION PROVIDING A FLUID OUTLET OF SAID PATH;
AND
A HOLLOW FIFTH PORTION PROVIDING A FLUID OUTLET OF SAID PATH;
A FORCE APPLIED TO ONE OF SAID FOURTH AND FIFTH PORTIONS TO
DISPLACE THAT PORTION RELATIVELY TO THE THIRD PORTION PRODUCING
RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND SECOND PORTIONS RELATIVELY
TO MOVE SAID WALL PORTIONS FROM SAID ABUTMENT POSITION TO A
POSITION IN WHICH COMMUNICATION IS PROVIDED BETWEEN THE INTERIORS
OF SAID FOURTH AND FIFTH PORTIONS.
According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a
valve device comprising a single moulding of resilient material
containing a controllable fluid path through the device and having
a plurality of integral portions which comprise:
RELATIVELY MOVABLE FIRST AND SECOND PORTIONS HAVING OPPOSED WALL
PORTIONS WHICH EXTEND ALONG AT LEAST THE MAJOR PART OF RESPECTIVE
SUBSTANTIALLY COAXIAL ANNULAR PATHS AND WHICH HAVE AN ABUTMENT
POSITION IN WHICH SAID FLUID PATH IS CLOSED;
AND A THIRD PORTION INTEGRAL WITH, OR FOR SECURING IN A FLUIDTIGHT
MANNER TO, A CONTAINER;
A FORCE APPLIED TO SAID DEVICE TO DISPLACE A PORTION OF SAID DEVICE
RELATIVE TO SAID THIRD PORTION PRODUCING RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN
SAID FIRST AND SECOND PORTIONS RELATIVELY TO MOVE SAID WALL
PORTIONS FROM SAID ABUTMENT POSITION TO A POSITION IN WHICH SAID
PATH IS OPEN.
It is to be noted especially that the unitary construction can be
readily achieved by moulding of a thermoplastic material, such as
polyethylene, modified polyethylene, a polyamide such as nylon,
polypropylene, ethylene/vinyl acrylate or acetate copolymer and
mixtures of these materials. It is also to be noted that
differential cooling may be employed to achieve a desired final
configuration. Injection moulding is particularly preferred.
By having said opposed wall portions extending for at least a major
part of a closed or annular path, it is possible to utilize
substantially axially symmetrical forces acting upon the opposed
walls to maintain them in their abutment position, thereby to
minimize leakage. Full advantage of this effect may be realized by
having both of the wall portions completely annular.
In one embodiment of the invention, the relative movement of said
first and second portions which opens the fluid path moves said
wall portions apart. In another embodiment, this relative movement
produces relative sliding motion of said wall portions thereby to
uncover an aperture of the fluid path and thus to open that path.
In other embodiments both actions can occur.
In the unstressed state of the valve device, the fluid path may be
open or closed, although it is convenient, especially having regard
to moulding technique, for the path to be normally open. A force
may then be applied to the device when it is incorporated in a
container, as by the way in which it is held by the container
and/or by the fluid pressure within the container, to urge the
opposed wall portions into their abutment position, whereby in use
the fluid path is normally closed. In one such embodiment, the
first portion encircles the second portion and the third portion
encircles the first portion. The third portion may then be
deformed, by the way in which it is held to a container and/or by
the pressure within the container, to urge the first and second
portions together, thereby to give a normally closed condition. The
third portion might be provided by a flange portion of the device.
The construction of the valve device could then be such that the
fluid path may be opened by applying a force to the device to
deflect the flange portion in a sense tending to restore it to its
unstressed form, thereby separating the opposed wall portions. In
addition to this action or in the alternative, a part of the first
portion might buckle under a force applied to the device thereby to
produce a sliding motion of the second portion relatively to the
first to produce an open fluid path through the device.
It is to be noted that, by means of a flange portion as already
mentioned, it is possible relatively to move the first and second
portions with an angular component, thereby progressively opening
and progressively closing the gap between their opposed wall
portions. This effect may be utilized to achieve different
discharge rates with different forces applied to the device. For
example, the fluid path may include at least two passages each of
which opens at one of the opposed wall portions but at different
regions as considered in the general direction of fluid flow. Thus,
one opening may be released before the other, so that a light
pressure of the device opens one passage, whilst a heavier pressure
opens both and gives a greater discharge rate. Such an effect can
similarly be achieved in a device utilizing relative siding motion
between the first and second portions.
Embodiments have been indicated in which the first portion
encircles the second portion and in which, therefore, the opposed
wall portions are generally cylindrical and/or frustoconical. This
is not necessary, however. For example, the wall-portions may
extend substantially radially of the annular path about at least
the major part of which they extend. In that case, the wall
portions need not be flat and might be formed so as to define
between them an annular channel which will be sealed along a
coaxial annular region by said wall portions when in their abutment
position.
In another embodiment, the device may comprise a tubular portion
defining a passageway which contains said first portion as a
restriction, the second portion being at one side of said first
portion and being integrally attached to the tubular portion at the
other side of said first portion, the resilience of the material
urging the second portion against the first portion to close the
passageway in the tubular portion. Deforming pressure can then be
applied to the tubular portion to produce relative movement between
the first and second portions to move their annular wall portions
apart to open the passageway. Such a device in its unstressed state
will have its second portion at that side of the first portion at
which it is secured to the tubular portion, and it will be put into
an operative condition by forcing the second portion through the
first portion so that, when the deforming force is released, the
annular wall portion of the second portion will be held in abutment
with the annular wall portion of the first portion by the force
resulting from the residual deformation of the tubular portion. In
a preferred form of this embodiment, the annular wall portions both
taper in the same direction.
When a valve device such as has been described is in use, it is
attached both to a dip-tube and to a discharge nozzle. These
components may be engaged with the device after its manufacture, as
by frictional engagement, or might even be formed integrally with
the device in the molding process.
It is also to be noted that the device might be formed so that it
can be secured to a main container body by a single mounting member
or cup. In some cases, however, such a mounting member might be
used in conjunction with a further member to be interposed between
the mounting member and the main container body.
For a better understanding of the invention and to show how the
same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way
of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a cross section of one embodiment of a valve device;
FIG. 2 is a cross section of a portion of the valve device of FIG.
1 in its operative condition;
FIG. 3 shows a further valve device;
FIGS. 4 to 8 show methods of mounting valve devices;
FIGS. 9 to 11 and 13 to 15 show other embodiments of valve device;
and
FIG. 12 shows a detail of the valve device of FIG. 11.
FIG. 1 illustrates in cross section a valve device 1 for the
filling and for the controlled discharge of a pressurized
container. The device is a single injection moulding of resilient
plastics material. As illustrated, the device comprises a single
piece of material, but it might include reinforcements, such as of
metal, moulded in the material.
The device comprises a tubular body part 2 integral with a flange 3
which is concave as viewed from one side. The tubular body part 2
includes two annular opposed walls 4 and 5 which are defined by an
annular valve seat 6 and a valve member 7 encircled by the valve
seat 6. The outer annular region 8 of the flange 3 is to be gripped
in a fluidtight manner by a pressurized container, as will be
described hereinafter. An inlet tube 9 of the body part provides a
fluid inlet tube and means for the attachment, as by frictional
engagement of a dip-tube 10. A portion 11 of the body part 2
provides a fluid outlet tube and means for the attachment of a
discharge nozzle 12. As will be described, the dip-tube and/or the
nozzle might be moulded integrally with the device.
The valve member 7 contains a passage 13 opening at one end at the
wall 5. In the illustrated unstressed state of the device the
passage provides open communication between the inlet and outlet
tubes 9 and 11.
FIG. 2 illustrates the use of a mounting member 14 which is to be
bent over at 15 onto the flange 3. The member 14 is to be crimped,
rolled or otherwise secured to a container or intermediate mounting
member. The flange is to be so gripped that it will be held in the
substantially flat condition illustrated in FIG. 2. Flattening of
the flange produces a bending moment upon the valve seat 6 giving
it an angular motion which urges its wall 4 into abutment with the
opposed wall 5 of the valve member 7. The abutment position is
illustrated in FIG. 2. It will be seen that the passage 13 is
thereby sealed from the inlet tube 9. It is also to be noted that
the sealing force acts in all radial directions of the device. Also
pressure within the container will act on the flange to increase
the sealing forces.
The flange is so secured that it may be deflected towards its
original shape by a downward force applied to the inlet tube 9 or
outlet tube 11 of the device. Such deflection produces movement of
the wall 4 from the wall portion 5 and a point will be reached at
which the opening of the passage 13 at the wall 5 is in
communication with the inlet tube 9, thus producing the discharge
under pressure of the product in the container.
It is also to be observed that the device may be attached to a
container in an inverted position. Discharge can then be achieved
by applying an upward force to the device, by a linkage if desired.
Then the inlet tube 9 will provide the outlet and the outlet tube
11 the inlet.
A container may also be filled by way of the device, because when
the valve is open, fluid flow in either direction through the
device is possible.
More than one passage 13 may be provided; in addition these
passages may open at the wall 5 at different heights so that, a
pressure is applied to the device to open it, these passages are
opened successively. Thus, a higher discharge rate is achieved with
a greater deflection of the device. In addition or alternatively to
a passage opening at one of the walls 4 and 5, there may be a
passage opening at the upper end of the walls. Such an embodiment
is illustrated in FIG. 3.
In this Figure, the valve member 7 contains a cavity 16 from which
extends a vertical passage 17 opening at its lower end at the upper
edge of the opposed walls 4 and 5.
The outlet tube 11 is here formed as a recess to receive a stem 18
of the nozzle 12. This illustrates another way of attaching a
nozzle to the device. In addition, the recess of the outlet tube
has a rib to assist in retaining the nozzle stem 18.
In the embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 3, the walls 4 and 5 are
completely annular and define, when separated, a completely annular
groove. However, the walls 4 and 5 and the groove need only extend
for the major part of an annular path, thereby to utilize the
greater part of the available generally axially symmetrical sealing
forces. In fact, each wall 4 and 5 may have distinct parts
separated from each in the direction around its associated annular
or closed loop path. In this case, there will be a corresponding
number of grooves or slits defined by the walls 4 and 5.
FIG. 4 illustrates a valve device in its stressed state in
combination with a metal mounting cup 14 to be crimped by
deformation at 20 to the flange 3 and to be crimped or rolled at 21
to an intermediate metal member 22 itself to be crimped or rolled
to a main container body 23.
FIG. 5 illustrates a valve device crimped to a mounting member 14
to be crimped or rolled or otherwise secured directly to the main
container body 23. An orifice-to-face sealing action in the device
is to be especially noted.
FIG. 6 shows a valve device in combination with the mounting member
or neck 14 of a S.A.F.C.A. type can. The flange 3 is to rest on
folds 24 of the neck and is to be covered by a plate 25 over which
the neck is to be crimped.
FIG. 7 shows a valve device attached directly to the top of a glass
or plastics container 23 by a sealing cap 14 engaged about the neck
of the container.
FIG. 8 shows an application in which the valve device is integral
with a container 23 containing a fluid under pressure. The flange 3
of the device constitutes the upper surface of the container. The
pressure within the container will tend to flatten the flange 3 and
seal the valve. The container may be moulded in two parts, a lower
part and an upper part integral with the valve device.
FIG. 9 illustrates a valve device similar in appearance to the
devices of FIGS. 1 to 8. As with those devices, the flange 3 is to
be flattened to urge the walls 4 and 5 together to seal the inlet
tube 9 from the outlet tube 11. However, the flange 3 is directly
adjacent only the lower part of the valve seat 6, leaving an upper
cylindrical region 6' of the valve seat free. Consequently,
downward pressure on the nozzle stem 18 will buckle the region 6'
to produce a downward movement of the valve member relatively to
the flange. A point will be reached at which the opening of passage
13 emerges below the wall 4. Accordingly, the flange may be
relatively rigid or could be held so that it does not flex
appreciably. However, it could alternatively be allowed to flex so
that the device operates with a combination of the action of the
previously described devices and the action of the downward
movement of the valve member 7 relative to the flange. Indeed it
may be found in practice that the latter action occurs to some
extent in the previously described valve devices.
FIG. 10 illustrates a further embodiment in which the valve seat 6
and the valve member 7 define between them an annular channel 26
which is at all times open to the interior of the outlet tube 11.
The flange 3 of the device is to be gripped by to the mounting
member 14 which is to be crimped or rolled directly to the main
body of a container without any intermediate member. A dip-tube 10
is to engage about the inlet tube 9 which has a projection to
assist in retaining the dip-tube.
The pressure within the container acts on the device to urge the
valve seat 6 into abutment with the second portion 7 to seal the
annular channel along an annular path. The pressure of the dip-tube
on the inlet valve 9 will also provide sealing pressure. In
addition sealing force may be provided by the gripping of the
flange 3 by the mounting member, as in previous embodiments.
Downward pressure on the outlet tube 11 will deflect the flange 3
and thus apply radially outward forces on the valve seat 6 to open
the fluid path through the device.
FIG. 11 illustrates a further embodiment in which the valve seat 6
and the valve member 7 define between them an annular channel 26.
In this case, both of the opposed walls 4 and 5 extend generally
radially. They may be urged into abutment to seal the channel 26
from the dip-tube by the pressure within the container. This may be
assisted by the force applied by the mounting member 14 to the
flange 3 and/or by the dip-tube 10. Figure 12 illustrates how a
projection can be provided on one of the walls 4 and 5 to assist
sealing.
It is also to be noted that the inlet tube of earlier embodiments
is replaced by another provision for attaching the dip-tube 10 to
the device; in this case there is the cylindrical outer surface of
the valve seat 6, which may be provided with a projection as
illustrated to assist in retaining the dip-tube.
FIG. 13 illustrates another form of valve device in its unstressed
state. This injection moulded device has a tubular body part 2
containing a restriction which constitutes the valve seat 6 and
which provides an annular wall 4 which tapers. Attached within the
tubular body part 2 is a valve member 7 having a recess 27 and an
annular wall 5 tapering in the same direction as the wall 4. A
further annular projection 28 is provided within the body part 2. A
flange 3 is provided to enable the device to be secured to a
container. As in all other embodiments, the flange might be moulded
integrally with a container or a container section.
FIG. 14 illustrates a valve device such as that illustrated in FIG.
13 in its operative state. The valve member 7 has been forced
through the restriction or valve seat 6 thereby buckling the
tubular wall 29 between the seat 6 and the outlet tube 11. The
stress in the wall 29 urges the annular walls 4 and 5 into abutment
to seal the passageway in the tubular body part 2. Pressure on the
outlet tube 11 further buckles the wall 29 and displaces the valve
member 7 downwardly to open the passageway, which is closed when
that pressure is released. The restriction 28 limits the downward
movement of the valve member 7.
The device of FIG. 14 is shown with an outlet tube 11 adapted to
receive the stem 18 of a nozzle 12, whereas in FIG. 11 the tube 11
is adapted to engage directly in a nozzle 12.
FIG. 15 illustrates an embodiment similar to those of FIGS. 13 and
14, but in which the nozzle 12 is moulded integrally with the valve
device. As moulded, the nozzle 12 is open at its upper end to
receive a closure plug 30.
The embodiments of FIGS. 13 to 15 may be mounted by means of their
flanges 3 in the way described for earlier devices. Accordingly,
the flanges may be provided with at least one groove and/or rib to
assist in their location.
However, the flange may be omitted and the resulting cylindrical
outer surface of the device may be held directly by a container or
mounting member. To assist in securing the valve device, the
cylindrical outer surface may have at least one groove and/or rib.
This could also be the case in a device such as is illustrated in
FIG. 9.
* * * * *