Metering And Discharge Device

Abstract

A metering device adapted to be secured to a container of fluid comprising a housing having a main body portion and a reservoir portion of lesser dimensions than said main body. The housing has a shoulder forming a first valve seat. The reservoir portion has a second valve seat. A valve assembly is disposed mainly in said housing and has a valve head engageable with the second valve seat and a valve ring engageable with the first valve seat. A rigid stem connects the valve head with the valve ring and helical springs under compression normally urge the valve ring against the first seat and the valve head out of contact with the second valve seat.

Description

This invention relates to a liquid metering and discharge device for intermittently delivering a predetermined amount of liquid upon actuation thereof.

Various types of metering devices are presently available for use in delivering a predetermined amount of liquid. However, these devices are usually formed of a large number of parts, have metallic springs which make the device difficult and expensive to assemble and complicated to install, and which because of their cost must be individually attached and detached from the various containers of liquid with which such material is utilized.

The present invention overcomes these objections by providing a device which may be threadedly or otherwise secured on the neck of a container and which may be of such low cost and ease of manufacture that the metering and discharging device according to this invention may be disposed of or thrown away with the emptied container.

The construction of this invention features a valve assembly having a valve ring which normally engages a first valve seat to prevent flow of fluid from the container and out of the mouth of the device. A stem integrally interconnects the valve ring with a valve head and an actuating rod. When the rod is actuated, it pushes the valve head against a second valve seat while lifting the valve find thereby allowing a predetermined amount of fluid to enter a reservoir. Then, release of the actuating rod will cause helical springs integral with the valve ring to push the valve ring into a closed position and allow fluid from the reservoir position to pass out of the mouth since the valve head will be lifted off its valve seat.

One of the particular features of the invention lies in the utilization of a truncated valve ring having a resilient gasket which is integrally connected to the valve head by a stem and which is integrally interconnected with a mounting ring by a plurality of helical springs. The housing utilized in the invention is of a multiple step construction, there being four main portions of different diameters in the housing, namely a mounting portion, a main body portion, a reservoir, and a mouth portion.

Still further objects and features of this invention reside in the provision of a metering and discharging device for liquids that is adapted to be easily secured on a liquid container and normally providing a closure therefor, which is simple in construction and manufacture, inexpensive to mass produce and which is capable of being reused if so desired.

These, together with the various ancillary objects and features of the present invention, which will become apparent as the following description proceeds, are attained by this liquid metering and discharging device, a preferred embodiment of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, by way of example only, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view of the metering and discharge device as it is actuated with the valve head engaging its valve seat;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the device according to the invention shown in its normal position with the valve ring engaging its valve seat;

FIG. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the plane of line 3--3 in FIG. 1; and,

FIG. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the plane of line 4-4 in FIG. 2.

With continuing reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein like reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views, reference numeral 10 is used to generally designate the metering and discharge device according to the present invention which is adapted to be secured to a container, generally indicated by numeral 12, having any suitable liquid therein. The container 12 is provided with a neck 14 which is externally threaded at 16 and is adapted to have the device 10 secured thereon. The device 10 includes an enlarged portion 18, which is internally threaded at 20 for threaded engagement with the external thread 16 of the neck 14. The enlarged portion 18 is an integral part of the housing 22, which includes a main body portion 24 of lesser diameter than the enlarged portion 18 thus forming a step 26 and a shoulder 28. A reservoir portion 30 is of lesser diameter than the main body portion 24 forming a step 32 and a shoulder 34 as well as a first valve seat 36 which is the interior peripheral corner of the shoulder 34. The lower portion 40 of the reservoir portion is downwardly and inwardly tapered leading into a cylindrical mouth portion 42 terminating in an open mouth having a valve seat 44 defined by the lower inner peripheral edge of the mouth portion 42.

A valve assembly, generally indicated at 50, is mounted in the housing 22 with only the valve head 52 extending beyond the housing. The valve head is of a truncated conical shape and is adapted to engage the valve seat 44 when a rod 54, forming an extension of the valve head 52 and which extends beyond the valve head, is engaged by an actuating device, such as a cam or the like, to move the valve assembly 50. Integrally formed with the valve head 52 is a hollow stem 56 which is in turn integrally formed with a valve ring 58 of truncated conical shape provided with a groove 60 therein for reception of a resilient gasket 62 of rubber or rubber-like material, such as any of the suitable synthetic plastic materials. Integrally formed with the valve ring 58 are a plurality of helical springs 64 which in turn are integral with a mounting ring 66 which engages or alternatively is bonded to the shoulder 28. The entire valve assembly may be molded of any suitable synthetic plastic material, such as polyurethane, or the like, and it is to be noted that the valve head 52 and the rod head 55 may be outwardly flared to a shape as shown after the valve assembly has been placed in the housing. A guide 70, which includes a guide ring 72 and legs 74 for securing the guide to the housing, may be provided for the stem and may be inserted into the reservoir portion and bonded or spin welded, preferably, to the tapered portion 40.

In operation, with the device as shown in the position in FIG. 2, all of the fluid in the reservoir portion will have passed outwardly of the housing in the direction of arrows 80. Upon actuation of the rod 54, the valve head 52 will be pushed into a closed position, while the valve ring 58 will be disengaged from its valve seat 36 allowing fluid to enter and fill the reservoir 30. Upon release of the rod 54, the springs 64, which are normally under compression, will urge the valve ring 58 to snap into engagement with the valve seat 36 stopping further flow into the reservoir portion, while at the same time permitting fluid in the reservoir portion to pass out of the mouth in the direction of arrows 80.

A latitude of modification, substitution and change is intended in the foregoing disclosure, and in some instances some features of the invention will be employed without a corresponding use of other features.

Claims

I claim:

1. A metering device comprising a housing having a main body portion and having a reservoir portion of lesser dimensions than said main body portion, said housing having a shoulder between said main body portion and said reservoir portion forming a first valve seat, said reservoir portion having a mouth forming a second valve seat, a valve assembly disposed mainly in said housing and having a valve head engageable with said second valve seat, mounting means for securing in said housing the end of said valve assembly remote from said second valve seat, a valve ring engageable with said first valve seat, rigid means connecting said valve head with said valve ring, a helical spring means connecting said valve ring and said mounting means, said spring means being under compression and normally urging said valve ring against said first valve seat and said valve head out of contact with said second valve seat, said housing including an enlarged portion including means for detachably securing said device to a liquid container, said enlarged portion forming a second shoulder, said mounting means including a ring engaging said second shoulder.

2. A metering device according to claim 1, wherein said spring means are integral with said mounting ring and said valve ring.

3. A metering device according to claim 1, wherein said rigid means includes a stem integral with said valve ring and said valve head.

4. A metering device according to claim 3, wherein said spring means integrally join said mounting means and said valve ring.

5. A metering device comprising a housing having a main body portion and having a reservoir portion of lesser dimensions than said main body portion, said housing having a shoulder between said main body portion and said reservoir portion forming a first valve seat, said reservoir portion having a mouth forming a second valve seat, a valve assembly disposed mainly in said housing and having a valve head engageable with said second valve seat, mounting means for securing in said housing the end of said valve assembly remote from said second valve seat, a valve ring engageable with said first valve seat, rigid means connecting said valve head with said valve ring, and helical spring means connecting said valve ring and said mounting means, said spring means being under compression and normally urging said valve ring against said first valve seat and said valve head out of contact with said second valve seat, said valve ring being of a truncated conical shape, said valve ring having a peripheral groove therein, and a resilient gasket seated in said groove for engaging said first valve seat.

6. A metering device according to claim 5, wherein said valve head is of a truncated conical shape, and an actuating rod integral with said rigid means projecting beyond said valve head, and guide means in said housing surrounding said stem for guiding said valve head.