U.S. patent number 3,675,831 [Application Number 05/076,873] was granted by the patent office on 1972-07-11 for tamperproof aerosol dispenser.
This patent grant is currently assigned to VCA Corporation. Invention is credited to Steven W. Beres.
United States Patent |
3,675,831 |
Beres |
July 11, 1972 |
TAMPERPROOF AEROSOL DISPENSER
Abstract
A tamperproof aerosol dispenser comprising a container for
liquids, said container having a dispensing device such as a pump
or valve which includes a movable part. When the movable part is
actuated it effects a discharge of the liquid contents of the
container. An actuator cap is mounted on the container in such a
manner that it can be freely turned while still being held captive.
The cap movably mounts a turnable actuator button, which is
positioned in operative relation with respect to the movable part
or valve of the container. The actuator button can be moved between
discharge and non-discharge positions, and its movement to the
discharge position requires the use of both hands of the user, one
hand holding the cap body against turning movement on the
container. The container and cap body have adjoining surfaces which
enable these parts to be simultaneously grasped by the one hand and
held against turning while the actuator button is being shifted to
its discharging position. By virtue of the cap body normally having
free rotation on the container there is minimized the likelihood of
a child being able to actuate or operate the dispenser. Usually a
child will hold the container with one hand and endeavor to operate
the actuator button with the other hand as he has seen an adult do.
However, this will only result in failure to cause actuation of the
button, since the free turning of the cap body defeats his efforts,
so that no discharge occurs. To effect a discharge, it is necessary
to actuate the discharge button while the cap body is
simultaneously held against turning with respect to the container
(and the button). A locking device is provided in the illustrated
embodiment, which becomes unlocked when this proper action is
taken, after which the button may be shifted or depressed in the
necessary manner to effect the discharge. After use, the user
employs a reverse operation to return the actuator button to its
non-discharging position which, in the illustrated embodiment of
the invention, constitutes a locked position wherein depressing
movement of the button is prevented.
Inventors: |
Beres; Steven W. (Bridgeport,
CT) |
Assignee: |
VCA Corporation (Greenwich,
CT)
|
Family
ID: |
22134691 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/076,873 |
Filed: |
September 30, 1970 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
222/402.11 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D
83/205 (20130101); B05B 11/3059 (20130101); B65D
2215/04 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B05B
11/00 (20060101); B65D 83/16 (20060101); B65d
083/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;222/402.11,153,182
;220/85P |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Tollberg; Stanley H.
Claims
I claim:
1. An aerosol dispenser comprising, in combination:
a. a container having a dispensing device including a movable part
adapted to be actuated to effect discharge of the container
contents, and having means for mounting an actuator cap in
operative relation to said movable part,
b. a cap body having mounting means cooperable with the mounting
means of the container, for securing to the latter the cap body in
said operative relation while enabling the body to have
unrestricted and free turning movement on the container,
c. a depress button rotatably mounted on the cap body essentially
about the axis of rotation thereof and movable thereon between
discharge and non-discharge positions,
d. means for actuating the movable part of the container in
response to movement of the button with respect to the cap body to
its discharge position, thereby to effect a discharge of the
container contents,
e. said cap body having surfaces adjoining other surfaces on the
container to enable a user to grasp both surfaces simultaneously
with one hand so as to optionally prevent relative turning movement
of the cap body and container, and
f. restraining cooperable means on the cap body and depress button,
tending to restrain movement of the button on the cap body to the
discharging position, thereby to minimize the likelihood of
unauthorized or accidental actuation of said movable part for
effecting a discharge,
g. said cooperable restraining means being adapted to be rendered
ineffective when the button is forcibly turned toward its discharge
position with respect to the cap body while the latter is grasped
and held by the user against relative movement.
2. A dispenser as in claim 1, wherein:
a. the restraining means comprises a lug on the button and a
discontinuous track in the cap body,
b. said lug travelling along said track when the button is turned
in the cap body,
c. said cap body having a clearance space at the end of the track,
for receiving the lug of the button to enable the button to be
depressed in the body.
3. A dispenser as in claim 2, wherein:
a. the track has a sloping surface adjacent said clearance space,
to facilitate movement of the lug onto the track when the lug
leaves the clearance space as the button is turned to bring the lug
back on the track.
4. A dispenser as in claim 1, wherein:
a. the cap body has a transverse centrally apertured wall,
b. said depress button having a tubular depending boss passing
through the aperture of the wall and constituting a pivot for the
button, and
c. an annular bead on the bottom end of the depending boss,
engageable with the underside of the wall to hold the button
captive in the cap,
d. said movable part of the dispensing device comprising a hollow
valve stem received in said depending boss.
5. A dispenser as in claim 1, wherein:
a. the depress button has a pair of upstanding wings to be engaged
by the fingers of the user, to facilitate turning of the button in
the cap.
6. A dispenser as in claim 5, wherein:
a. the cap body has a deep finger notch,
b. said wings of the depress button extending at right angles to
the direction of the finger notch when the button is in the
discharging position.
7. A dispenser as in claim 1, wherein:
a. the container has an annular shoulder disposed within the cap
body,
b. said body having a depending skirt surrounding the shoulder and
having an internal annular retainer bead loosely engaged with the
shoulder,
c. said shoulder, skirt and bead comprising part of the means for
mounting the actuator cap on the container for free turning
movement thereon.
8. A dispenser as in claim 1, wherein:
a. the cap body has a cylindrical outer wall spaced outwardly of
said depending skirt,
b. said container having an annular shoulder loosely engaged by the
bottom end of said cylindrical outer wall.
Description
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
Copending application of Wolf Steiman, Ser. No. 1,343, filed Jan.
8, 1970, entitled "Locking Actuator Cap For Hand-Held Dispenser",
and having common ownership with the present application.
PRIOR PATENTS
1. patent No. 3,245,588
2. Patent No. 3,253,749
3. Patent No. 3,263,868
4. Patent No. 3,276,641
5. Patent No. 3,348,740
6. Patent No. 3,367,540
7. Patent No. 3,403,823
8. Patent No. 3,422,996
9. Patent No. 3,460,719
10. Patent No. 3,474,939
BACKGROUND
In the past various types of aerosol dispenser devices have been
proposed and produced, wherein the actuator button is locked in a
non-discharging position, being released by turning it with one
hand while holding the container with the other hand. Such action
is easily done, and can be carried out readily by young children as
well as by adults. Accordingly, if the aerosol dispenser contained
a fluid or liquid considered to be dangerous to children, there
existed a potential hazardous situation. Some types of liquids,
such as oven cleaners and the like, can seriously harm a person if
allowed to remain on the skin, or if sprayed in the face, etc.
Prior locking-type actuator caps thus had the defect that they were
not proof against unauthorized actuation or operation by a young
person or child, even though they served their originally intended
purpose of preventing inadvertent operation during shipping,
handling, etc.
SUMMARY
The above drawbacks and disadvantages of prior locking-type
dispensing devices are obviated by the present invention, which has
for its object the provision of a novel and improved lockable or
tamperproof dispenser which normally cannot be readily operated by
a young person or small child whereby there is had a greater degree
of safety than was possible by the use of prior devices of this
general type. This is accomplished, in the illustrated embodiment
of the invention, by the provision of a locking device between a
depress button and a cap body, which requires the depress button to
first be turned from a locked position to an unlocked position, and
by the provision of an unusual mounting means between the cap body
and the container whereby the cap body is completely free to easily
turn on the container while at the same time being held captive
thereon. Accordingly, in order to turn the depress button relative
to the cap body so as to unlock it, the user must first firmly hold
the cap body itself and not merely the more easily grasped
container on which the cap body is carried. For a grown person or a
person with large hands this is easily accomplished by
simultaneously grasping both the cap body and the container with
one hand, thereby to prevent the turning of the cap body. However,
with a young person or a small child, it is not readily apparent
that the cap body must be prevented from turning in order to unlock
the depress button. Accordingly, the child in attempting to turn
the button and unlock the same, will not normally be able to do so,
since no unlocking occurs in consequence of the cap body turning
freely on the container as the depress button is being turned.
Cooperable shoulders and lugs on the cap body and depress button
are arranged to effect the aforesaid locking of the latter so as to
prevent any depressing movement thereof for the locking
condition.
Other features and advantages of the invention reside in the
provision of an improved safety type tamperproof aerosol dispenser
with locking cap as above characterized, wherein the construction
of the cap body and depress button are especially simple and
inexpensive, and wherein these parts may be economically molded in
simple cavities, thereby to not unnecessarily increase the cost of
the actuator cap. A further advantage is that the locking and
unlocking of the depress button may be easily and quickly effected
when the cap body is being held in the proper manner according to
directions supplied with the dispenser. Therefore, no inconvenience
is experienced by a user due to the incorporation of the safety
device, yet there is had the added protection of a lock which
cannot be easily solved or released by children of tender age.
Still other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.
In the accompanying drawings illustrating one embodiment of the
invention:
FIG. 1 is a fragmentary axial sectional view of the upper portion
of a pressurized aerosol dispenser having mounted on it the
improved locking-type actuator cap, said actuator cap being shown
mostly in section.
FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the actuator cap and dispenser of FIG.
1, with the depress button in the unlocked or
capable-of-discharging position.
FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the actuator cap and dispenser,
showing the depress button in the locked position as effected by
turning it counterclockwise through a quarter revolution.
FIG. 4 is a transverse or horizontal section, taken on the line
4--4 of FIG. 1.
FIG. 5 is a front elevational view on a reduced scale, of the cap
body part of the actuator cap.
FIG. 6 is a rear elevational view of the cap body part of the
actuator cap.
FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of the depress button part of the
actuator cap, shown on a larger scale.
FIG. 8 is a front elevational view of the depress button.
FIG. 9 is a bottom plan view of the depress button.
FIG. 10 is a vertical section, taken on the line 10--10 of FIG.
9.
FIG. 11 is a fragmentary axial sectional view of an inner portion
of the cap body, revealing further details of construction. Also
shown in FIG. 11 is a lug portion of the depress button, the latter
being in the locked position.
As shown, the dispenser comprises a pressurized container 10 having
a crimped annular seal 12 presenting a top shoulder in the form of
an annular groove 14. The pressurized container 10 has a domed top
end or closure 16 which carries the usual aerosol valve 18 and dip
tube 20. The valve mechanism 18 includes a hollow valve stem 22 of
conventional type, projecting from a dished circular top closure
member which presents an undercut shoulder 24, also of usual type.
When the hollow valve stem 22 is depressed, a discharge of the
aerosol substance will occur through the bore of the valve stem, as
is well understood.
In accordance with the invention there is provided a novel actuator
cap comprising a large or jumbo size cap body 26 and an actuator
button 28, the cap body comprising an outer cylindrical wall 30
having a bottom edge which rests in the annular groove 14 of the
pressurized can 10. The cap body 26 has an inner, depending and
generally cylindrical mounting skirt 32 which is provided at its
bottom rim with a retainer bead 34 adapted to be engaged under the
shoulder 24 of the container, thereby to position the cap body 26
on the top closure 16 as illustrated in FIG. 1, and to hold the
body captive. However, the engagement of the bead 34 with the
shoulder 24 in accordance with the present invention is a loose
one, and this same is true of the engagement between the outer wall
30 of the cap body and the walls of the annular groove 14 of the
container whereby the body is freely turnable about a vertical
central axis which coincides with the axis of the valve stem 22.
The button 28 is shown as of the depress type, being vertically
movable in the inner skirt 32 of the cap body and engageable with
the inner walls of the latter.
The button 28 has a depending hollow boss 36 adapted to be
press-fitted on the hollow valve stem 22 so as to enable the button
to actuate or depress the stem. The button 28 is provided with a
vertical bore or discharge passage 38 communicating with a
horizontal discharge passage 40 which in turn communicates with an
orifice piece or button 42 in the usual manner. Aerosol substance
being discharged through the valve stem 22 will thus pass through
the passages 38, 40 and will be discharged as a spray from the
orifice button 42 in a known manner.
The cap body 26 has a front depressed wall 44 provided with a
clearance slot 46 through which the discharging spray from the
orifice 42 can pass. Also, the cap body 26 has a deep finger groove
48 opposite the front depressed wall 44, to accommodate the
forefinger of the user and to enable the finger to engage and
depress the button 28. The button 28 is not only vertically movable
in the depending skirt 32, but is also turnable therein, and is
provided with a pair of upstanding wings 50 to facilitate the
turning thereof.
Referring to FIG. 4, the cap body 26 is provided with a central,
transverse or horizontal wall 52 which has a central opening 54
adapted to accommodate the depending boss 36 of the depress button.
A small annular bead 56 at the bottom end of the boss 36 of the
depress button can be forced through the opening 54 of the
transverse wall; thereafter it serves to hold captive the depress
button 28 and prevent it from accidental or unintentional removal.
The wall 52 of the cap body is connected to the depending skirt 32
by three radially extending webs 58, 60, 62 which are joined to a
depending flange 64 extending downward from the periphery of the
wall 52. Between the flange 64 and the depending skirt 32 are
clearance spaces 66, 68 and 70. The skirt 32 also has oppositely
located shoulders or tracks 72 provided with sloped or camming
portions 64 (see FIG. 11) and with diametrically opposite stop
shoulders 76. The depress button 28 has a pair of oppositely
disposed depending lugs 78 which are adapted to ride on the tracks
72 and to engage the stop shoulders 76 as seen in FIG. 11. Such
engagement occurs for the locked position of the depress button 28,
as seen in FIG. 3. When the depress button is turned 90.degree.
from the locked position of FIG. 3 in a clockwise direction to the
position of FIG. 2, the lugs 78 will be disengaged from the stop
shoulders 76 and also from the tracks 74, and that one of the lugs
78 which is disposed under the orifice button 42 can be
accommodated in the clearance space 66 of the cap body when the
button is depressed. The remaining opposite lug 78 of the depress
button can be accommodated in a clearance space 80 between the
flange 64 and the depending skirt 32, as seen in FIG. 1. Thus, for
the positions of the parts shown in FIG. 1, the button 28 can be
depressed, thereby shifting downward the valve stem 22 so as to
effect a discharge. However, if the button 28 should be turned from
the position of FIGS. 1 and 2 in a counterclockwise direction as
viewed in FIG. 2 through an angle of 90.degree., the lugs 78 will
ride up on the tracks 72 and engage the oppositely disposed stop
shoulders 76 carried by the depending skirt 32. The button 28 will
thus be halted in locking position, since the tracks 72 by their
engagement with the lugs 78 will prevent the button 28 from being
depressed and effecting a discharge.
Such relative turning movement of the button with respect to the
cap body can only be effected if the cap body is held stationary.
Normally, if a user attempts to turn the button 28 while holding
only the container 10, the free turning of the cap body will enable
it to turn with the button so that there will be no relative
movement between the button and cap body and therefore no locking
or unlocking of the button can occur. In order for the button to be
either locked or unlocked, the user while holding the container 10
must grasp the cap body 26 and more particularly the adjoining
surfaces of the wall 30 of the cap body. This may be done in a very
convenient manner, and while the dispenser is so held the button 28
can be turned to either lock it or unlock it. On the button 28
there is provided a small nib or bead 82, and in the inside wall of
the depending skirt 32 there are provided grooves 84, 86 adapted to
accommodate the bead 82. A slight relief or clearance space 88 is
provided on the depending skirt 32 for the bead 82 whereby the
latter, in conjunction with the grooves 84, 86 will accomplish a
detent action, tending to retain the depress button 28 in either
its locked, non-discharging position or else its unlocked,
capable-of-discharge position. The provision of the detent bead 82
makes the tamperproof feature more secure in that it prevents
accidental turning of the depress button which might occur if the
button were only loosely carried in the cap body 26.
As a further safety measure, the cap body 26 is provided with a
raised guard rim 90, having the effect of recessing the button 28
whereby the wings 50 are less accessible, and thus there is less
tendency for a young child to discover the proper mode of release
of the button and operation of the dispenser.
It will now be seen from the foregoing that I have provided a novel
and improved tamperproof aerosol dispenser comprising a container
and a locking-type actuator cap which latter is not only held
captive on the container but is also freely turnable with respect
to the same. The actuator cap carries a depress button which is
also turnably mounted in the body about the same axis as the axis
of turning of the body. Locking means between the button and cap
body either permit or else prevent depressing movement of the
depress button. In order to turn the depress button to lock or
unlock it, the cap body must be prevented from turning and this
normally does not occur if the user holds only the container. Thus,
to make use of the dispenser the user must first hold both the
container and cap body with one hand before attempting to turn the
depress button with the other hand to shift the button to its
unlocked, capable-of-discharge position.
It will be seen that the parts of the actuator cap are relatively
simple, and that they may be economically molded of plastic
materials, in relatively simple mold cavities.
Variations and modifications are possible without departing from
the spirit of the invention.
* * * * *