Valve Actuator

Abstract

A valve actuator for use in admixing and discharging at least two materials codispensed by a valve from an aerosol container comprising an intake section with a conduit for receiving the materials from the valve and a discharge section for dispensing the mixed materials, the intake section being snugly received in a cavity in the discharge section and the conduit combining with the cavity to form an elongate admixing and expansion chamber in the actuator.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

For many applications in the cosmetic, food and chemical fields, two or more materials are dispensed from the same aerosol container, as for example in the dispensing of hair dyes, paints, and foams. The aerosol valves used for this purpose are specially adapted to permit passage therethrough of the two materials to an actuator in which, in many cases, it is necessary to admix the materials prior to dispensing. Thorough admixing is particularly desired in order to insure that the user will have the proper ratio of materials to obtain in every instance uniform results.

However, while at present the aerosol valves used in such codispensing containers are adequate, the valve actuators in which expansion and admixing of the materials from the containers take place are not satisfactory since the materials are not adequately admixed prior to being discharged. This is particularly true when it is desired to admix liquid components as they issue forth from a codispensing aerosol valve. Equally important, as large numbers of such actuators are required, it has not been possible to have a simple molded actuator meeting the cost requirements necessary for large-scale commercial use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A valve actuator has now been found which can be cheaply and expeditiously molded and which provides for the necessary admixing of two or more component liquids or other materials to be dispensed by a valve from an aerosol container.

The instant invention comprises a valve actuator comprising an intake section and discharge section, said intake section comprising a socket for reception of the hollow valve stem of the aerosol valve, a conduit and an intake orifice spaced between and maintaining said socket and said conduit in fluid-flow communication, said orifice having a diameter smaller than that of said socket and said conduit, said discharge section comprising a discharge spout, a cavity and a discharge orifice spaced between and maintaining said spout in said cavity in said fluid-flow communication, said orifice having a diameter smaller than that of said spout and said cavity, said intake section snugly received in said cavity so that said cavity combines with said conduit to form therewith an elongate admixing and expansion chamber.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of an actuator of the instant invention;

FIG. 2 is a section taken through line 2--2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a section taken through line 3--3 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 3, there is shown a valve actuator 10 comprised of two unitary sections, an intake section 11 and a discharge section 12.

The two sections are each preferably formed by molding and after molding force-fit together in order to form the valve actuator. Though preferably formed of plastic such as polyethylene, nylon, polystyrene, and the like, it will be evident that the actuator elements can be made of a metal or other substance, if desired. For most satisfactory commercial purposes, however, the use of a plastic is preferred.

The intake section 11 has a somewhat hour-glass shape and is molded so that the walls thereof define a socket 13, a conduit 14 and an orifice 15 spaced therebetween which maintains the socket and conduit in fluid-flow communication. The socket 13 is so shaped so that it will receive and can be force-fit onto a hollow valve stem 22 of a codispensing valve. The valve stem 22 illustrated is one having a tube 23 disposed within a concentric outer tube 24. In addition, the orifice 15 between the conduit 14 and socket 13 is of a much smaller diameter than that of the socket and conduit, for reasons hereinafter noted. Preferably, the socket 13 has a sloping shoulder 25 which prevents insertion of the stem 22 up to the orifice 15 thereby providing a premixing zone 26.

The walls of the discharge section 12 define a discharge spout 16. A cavity 17 and a discharge orifice 18 spaced between and maintaining the spout 16 and cavity 17 in fluid-flow communication. The orifice 18 must have a diameter smaller than that of the spout and cavity and the spout 16 is preferably at right angles to the cavity 17. If desired, the spout 14 and cavity 17 can be in vertical alignment.

The cavity is formed so that the lower portion 19 has a diameter greater than that of the upper portion 20. A restraining rim 21 is formed at the junction of the portions 19 and 20 which acts to limit the depth to which the intake section 11 can be inserted into the discharge section 12. The lower portion 19 of the cavity 17 is of a diameter slightly larger than the outer diameter of the intake section 11, as best shown in FIG. 1, thereby permitting snug insertion of the intake section 11 into the cavity 15 up to the restraining rim 21.

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 3, the conduit means 14 of the intake section and the upper portion 19 of the cavity 17 in the discharge section 12 are preferably of substantially the same diameter and when the two sections are fitted together, as described, the conduit 14 and upper portion 19 are in vertical alignment and combine to form an elongate admixing and expansion chamber A. The chamber A is between the much smaller diameter intake orifice 15 and discharge orifice 18, thereby insuring the thorough and rapid expansion and admixing of the materials in the chamber before they are dispensed through the spout 16.

FIG. 4 illustrates an alternate embodiment of the invention wherein the expansion chamber is horizontally disposed with respect to the intake orifice and the diameter of the cavity in the discharge section is substantially uniform.

Specifically, there is shown an actuator 40 formed of an intake section 41 force-fit into a discharge section 42.

The walls of the intake section define a socket 43 for reception of a valve stem such as shown in FIG. 1, a conduit 44, and an orifice 45 being of smaller diameter than the socket and conduit and maintaining the socket 43 and conduit 44 in fluid-flow communication. The open end of the conduit 44 is disposed at right angles to the orifice 45.

The discharge section 42 has walls defining a discharge spout 46 and a cavity 47 maintained in fluid-flow communication by discharge orifice 48 spaced therebetween and having a smaller diameter than discharge spout and cavity. As illustrated, the inner diameter of the walls of cavity 47 is essentially the same as the outer diameter of the walls of conduit 44 permitting the conduit 44 to be force-fit into the cavity 47 to form elongate admixing and expansion chamber B. To further ensure inadvertent separation of the two sections, a projecting tongue 49 is provided on the inner surface of the wall of cavity 47 which engages a mating groove 50 in the outer surface of the walls of the conduit 44 to lock the two sections together.

The portion of the discharge section 42 defining one end of the cavity 47 having the discharge orifice 48 therein acts to close the open end of the conduit 44 to form the horizontally disposed elongate admixing and expansion chamber B.

While the instant invention has been described with reference to the intake and discharge sections being formed, as by molding the unitary pieces, it will be understood that if desired the socket, conduit and orifice portions of the intake section, for example, can be separately formed and united as by being glued together. The spout, cavity and orifice of the discharge section can be formed in like manner.

It will be understood that it is intended to cover all changes and modifications of the disclosure of the invention herein chosen for the purpose of illustration which do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A valve actuator for use in admixing and discharging fluids from an aerosol container having an aerosol valve for codispensing at least two fluid materials from the container through a single hollow valve stem, comprising a unitary intake section comprising a socket for reception of the hollow valve stem of said valve, a premixing zone communicating with said socket, a conduit, and an intake orifice spaced between and maintaining said premixing zone and said conduit in fluid-flow communication, said intake orifice having a diameter smaller than that of said premixing zone and said conduit; and a unitary discharge section comprising a discharge spout, a cavity, and a discharge orifice spaced between and maintaining said spout and said cavity in fluid-flow communication, said discharge orifice having a diameter smaller than that of said spout and said cavity; at least a portion of said intake section snugly received in said cavity so that said cavity in said discharge section combines with said conduit to form therewith an elongate admixing and expansion chamber between said intake orifice and said discharge orifice.

2. The valve actuator of claim 1 wherein said intake section and discharge section are each unitary molded structures.

3. The valve actuator of claim 1 wherein said cavity is provided with means to restrict the depth to which the intake section can be inserted into the discharge section.

4. The valve actuator of claim 2 including means to lock said sections together once the conduit has been snugly received in said cavity.

5. The valve actuator of claim 3 wherein the intake section in completely inserted in said cavity.