End Unit And Liner For Aerosol Containers

Abstract

This disclosure relates to an end unit and a liner, and particularly means for defining a mechanical interlock therebetween, the liner being constructed from flexible material and having an annular radially outwardly opening groove, and the end unit having a central opening defined by a peripheral curl received in and interlocked with the annular groove of the liner.

Parent Case Text

This application is a divisional of my co-pending commonly assigned application Ser. No. 537,570, filed Mar. 25, 1966, and now U.S. Pat. No. 3,423,818.

Description

This invention relates to "aerosol-type" containers which include a product-containing compartment defined by a liner which is capable of collapsing under the influence of propellant housed between the liner and a container body. An end unit or closure of the container includes a manually operable valve-actuated dispensing mechanism which is in communication with the liner interior. Thus, upon depressing or actuating the dispensing mechanism the particular product packaged within the liner is dispensed to atmosphere as the liner collapses under the influence of the propellant.

It should be appreciated that the aerosol container or the components thereof are manufactured by some one other than the packager. For example, a manufacturer might typically assemble all of the components of the dispensing container except for the valve-actuated dispensing mechanism which would be attached to the dispensing container by the packager only after the packager has charged the collapsible liner with a dispensable product. Thereafter a suitable propellant in the form of a gaseous medium is introduced into the container by the packager by, for example, introducing a propellant charging needle through a grommet in the end unit opposite the valve-actuated dispensing mechanism. Since the manufacturer ships the aerosol container to the packager with the liner and container body united, it is essential that the unification of the container body and the liner is such as to prevent axial displacement therebetween during storage, shipment or packaging. For example, if the liner "drops" into the can body, it would be impossible to properly thereafter fill the liner with the desired product and to conventionally clamp the liner between the valve cup and a curl of the dome closure.

Accordingly, in keeping with this invention, there is provided a dispensing container which includes a collapsible product-receiving liner constructed from flexible material, and the liner includes an annular radially outwardly opening groove in which is snugly interlockingly received an inner peripheral edge of a dome closure whereby the interlocking engagement therebetween precludes the accidental or inadvertent displacement of the liner during storage, shipment, and/or packaging.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel dispensing container of the type heretofore described wherein the annular groove includes a bight portion and an adjacent radially outwardly directed wall portion terminating at a free severed edge, the bight portion being of a diameter corresponding generally to the diameter of a central opening of the dome closure, and the severed edge being of a diameter greater than the diameter of the central opening whereby the outwardly directed wall portion overlappingly engages the inner peripheral edge of the dome closure and is maintained in this position by the inherent flexibility of the material from which the liner is constructed.

With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description, the appended claimed subject matter, and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

IN THE DRAWING:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view with parts broken away and shown in section of a dispensing container constructed in accordance with this invention, and illustrates the manner in which a curl of a dome closure is interlockingly engaged with a radially outwardly opening annular groove of a resilient product-receiving liner.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of a portion of the closure and liner of FIG. 1, and illustrates the manner in which a radially outwardly directed annular wall of the liner groove at axially opposite sides of a bight portion thereof snugly embraces in inner radius portion of the closure curl.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to FIG. 1, and illustrates a dispensing valve secured to the closure after the liner has been charged with a suitable dispensable product.

A novel aerosol dispensing container constructed in accordance with this invention is generally designated by the reference numeral 10, and includes a bottom end unit or closure (not shown), a cylindrical can body 11, an upper dome-shaped end unit or closure 12, a liner 13 and a conventional manually operable valve mechanism 14 (FIG. 3).

The bottom end unit (not shown) is preferably secured to the metallic container body 11, by a double seam, such as a conventional double seam 15 which secures the end unit 12 to an upper peripheral edge (unnumbered) of the body 11. However, the bottom end unit and the can body 11 may be of an integral one-piece construction formed by, for example, impact extrusion, as is conventionally practiced in producing one-piece aluminum can bodies. Furthermore, though the closure 12 is shown united to the can body 11 by a double seam 15, it is also considered in keeping with this invention to form the can body 11 and the end unit 12 of a single piece of metal and in this instance double seam or otherwise secure a bottom end unit to the unillustrated bottom end of the can body 11. Thus, reference hereinafter to closures or end units is intended to include both closures which are separately formed and seamed or otherwise secured to the can body 11 or closures formed as integral one-piece extensions or portions thereof.

The end unit 12 when formed other than as an integral portion of the can body 11 includes an outer peripheral edge portion 16 (FIG. 3) which is conventionally united with the can body 11 to form the double seam 15. Prior to the double seaming operation a layer of sealing compound C is applied to the under surface of the peripheral edge portion 16, as indicated in FIG. 3. A panel 17 imparts a bell-like configuration to the end unit or closure 12, and merges with an inner peripheral edge 18 defined by a radially outwardly and downwardly and inwardly directed curl whose radially innermost surface establishes a predetermined diameter D of a central mouth or opening (unnumbered) of the end unit 12.

The liner 13 is constructed from flexible synthetic copolymeric material, such as polyethylene, and is formed by blow molding. The liner 13 includes a liner body 20, which by way of example may be cylindrical, having a projecting neck 21 at one end and a closed bottom (not shown) at an axially opposite end. The projecting neck 21 includes a contoured intermediate portion 22 joined to a generally conical portion 23 by a radially outwardly opening annular curl-receiving groove or recess 24. The annular groove 24 is defined by a bight portion 25, a radially outwardly and downwardly directed annular wall portion 26 merging with the intermediate portion 22, and a radially upwardly and outwardly directed annular wall portion 27 merging with the conical portion 23. The conical portion 23 merges with a terminal thickened cap 28 at another radially outwardly directed annular bead or recess 30.

As shown in FIG. 1, the conical portion 23 of the liner 13 is of a diameter larger than the diameter D of the central opening of the closure 12 while the external diameter of the bight portion 25 of the groove 24 is substantially equal to the diameter D. Due to this relative dimensioning of the conical portion 23 and the groove 24 the conical portion 23 is distended and thus reduced in diameter to pass through the central opening of the end unit 12 in the manner set forth in the latter-noted application. After passing beyond the curl 18 the conical portion 23 rebounds to its original position (FIG. 1) and the inherent bias of the resilient liner 13 thereafter maintains the curl 18 and the groove 24 in interlocked relationship.

After the liner 13 has been seated in the position shown in FIG. 1, it should be noted that the annular wall portion 27 rests over a portion of the curl 18, and that the contoured intermediate portion 22 closely conforms to the inner contoured surface of the dome-like panel portion 17 of the closure 12. When in this position an annular cutter (not shown) is employed to sever the conical portion 23 to form a terminal edge 31 (FIG. 2) of the annular wall portion 27.

A dispensing valve 35, shown symbolically, and having a dispensing tube 36 is secured to the curl 18 by any suitable means as, for example, a conventionally crimped curl 37. It is to be understood, of course, that a suitable product is first packaged in the liner 13 before the valve 35 is secured in the position shown in FIG. 3 by the packager. Sealing compound C is also preferably disposed between the curl of the valve 35 and the curl 18 of the dome closure 12.

Thereafter, a gaseous propellant is introduced between the liner 13 and the can body 11 in a conventional manner so as to exert a force against the cylindrical body 20 and thereby permit the product to be dispensed through the valve 35 upon actuation of the dispensing tube or stem 36.

While preferred forms and arrangements of parts have been shown in illustrating the invention, it is to be clearly understood that various changes in details and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure.

Claims

I claim:

1. The combination of an end unit and a liner, said end unit having a central opening defined by an inner peripheral edge, an outer peripheral edge of said end unit being adapted for securement to a can body, said liner being a collapsible product-receiving liner having axially opposite ends, said liner being constructed from flexible inherently reboundable material, said end unit being in external telescopic surrounding relationship to one of said liner ends, cooperative mechanical interlocking means between said inner peripheral edge and said one liner end for securing said end unit and liner in assembled relationship, said inner peripheral edge being formed as a curl having a radially innermost bight portion defining a predetermined minimum diameter of said central opening, said interlocking means being an outwardly opening peripheral groove of a generally semicircular radial cross section in which is snugly received said curl, said groove includes a bight portion having a diameter corresponding generally to said predetermined diameter of said radially innermost curl bight portion, said groove further being defined by an annular radially outwardly directed wall portion at axially opposite sides of said groove bight portion, an uppermost one of said annular wall portions terminating at a free edge overlying said curl and being of a diameter greater than said predetermined minimum diameter, and each of said annular wall portions having a diameter greater than said predetermined diameter whereby disassembly of said end unit and said liner is precluded under the influence of axial forces tending to separate said end unit and liner.

2. The combination of an end unit and liner as defined in claim 1 wherein said end unit is a dome closure, and said outer peripheral edge includes means for seamingly securing said end unit to a can body.

3. The combination of an end unit and a liner as defined in claim 1 wherein said end unit is a dome closure, said dome closure includes an annular contoured panel between said peripheral edges and said liner includes an annular panel complementary contoured to the configuration of said closure panel.

4. The combination of an end unit and a liner as defined in claim 1 wherein said liner consists solely of a tubular single closed-end tube of blow molded plastic material.

5. The combination of an end unit and a liner as defined in claim 4 wherein said free edge of said uppermost annular wall portion is a raw severed edge.