Actuating Cap For An Aerosol Device

Abstract

This invention relates to a device for dispensing a liquified gas propellant including one or more active ingredients such as is used for insecticides or exterminating purposes. More particularly, the device, which is commonly known as an "Aerosol Bomb", comprises a container of conventional type having a discharge nozzle which is actuated by pressing or tilting to release the contents of the container as a spray. The container has an annular flange near its upper end to which a cap is releasably connected. The cap has a transversely extending wall between its ends which is longitudinally displaced more from one end of the cap than from the other, so that in one position of the cap on the flange, the transverse wall will be spaced from the nozzle and in the reverse position of the cap, the transverse wall will abut against the nozzle to actuate the latter to release the pressurized contents of the container through an aperture in the transverse wall.

Description

As conducive to the understanding of the invention, it is noted that in the use of insecticide aerosol bombs to clean out a room, for example, it is common practice for an exterminator to position one or more aerosol bombs on the floor of the room and by means of a separate metal or plastic latch for example, which connects to the top of the container, actuate the nozzle so that the contents of the container will be released in the form of a spray. Thereupon, the exterminator leaves the room after sealing the latter.

Where the latches take any appreciable time to connect to an associated container to actuate the latter, the use of more than one pressurized container or aerosol bomb in a room is not practicable, for after one bomb has been actuated, and is rapidly expelling insecticide, the exterminator wishes to leave the room as quickly as possible due to the health hazard resulting from inhalation of excessive amounts of such insecticide.

In addition, after a pressurized container has been actuated, it is possible that it may, for a short period of time, properly dispense the insecticide as an aerosol, and subsequently due to clogging of the valve controlling the nozzle, or failure of pressure, permit a stream of liquid to be slowly expelled. Since the exterminator is not in the room, the expulsion or seepage of such liquid from the container, which is normally placed on the floor, will cause damage to carpets, flooring, rugs and the like and even when paper is placed beneath the container, stains may well occur, and in any event, stained paper is difficult to handle.

It is accordingly among the objects of the invention to provide a cap for a pressurized dispenser or aerosol bomb of the type comprising a conventional container, having a discharge nozzle, which cap may readily be fabricated at low cost, and which may be removably affixed to the container without any modification thereof, to protect the nozzle from accidental discharge in one position of the cap and which with a simple operation may be moved to a second position and affixed to the container to actuate such nozzle and retain the latter in actuated condition, without likeihood of being blown off the container by pressure buildup in the cap and without need for separate latches or the like, which cap when actuating said nozzle also serves to collect any discharge which is not in aerosol form, thereby preventing staining of the floor, rugs, carpets in which the device is positioned.

According to the invention, these objects are accomplished by the arrangement and combination of elements hereinafter described, and more particularly recited in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which are shown one or more of various possible embodiments of the several features of the invention;

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of one embodiment of the invention partly in cross section;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing the nozzle in actuated condition;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 of another embodiment of the invention, and

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing the embodiment of FIG. 3 of the device in actuated condition.

Referring now to the drawings, as shown in FIG. 1 the liquified gas propellant as well as the active ingredients comprising the insecticide, are enclosed under pressure in a container 11, having an upwardly domed end 12 surrounding the swingable stem or discharge nozzle 13 which connect with a valve (not shown) which is opened when the nozzle 13 is normally swung by finger pressure to open the valve and release the pressure on the propellant which then ejects from the nozzle in the form of a spray.

The wall formed by the container end 12 extends laterally from the nozzle 13 since this wall surrounds the nozzle and extends radially therefrom. The domed end 12 has an annular raised portion 14 defining a retaining bead which has an annular recess 15 adjacent end 12, as is clearly shown in FIG. 1.

As the construction above described,including the actuating valve, is conventional, being shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,707,968, it will not be further described.

According to the invention, in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a double cup shaped cap 17 is provided which preferably is formed by molding from a suitable plastic such as polyethylene. The cap in its final form is relatively rigid, but somewhat elastic. The cap is rigid enough to maintain its shape and properly perform its functions of protecting the nozzle 13 and actuating the latter in the manner herein after to be described.

The cap 17 has a cylindrical side wall 18, the opposed ends 19 and 21 of which have an inwardly extending projection formed integrally therewith in the form of an annular rib 22, 23 respectively. The ribs 22, 23 are of a diameter such that either may be force fitted on to the annular retaining bead 14, so that the associated rib 22, 23 engages into the annular recess 15.

As the result of the "elastic memory" of the plastic forming the cap, when the cap is forceably deformed by being force fitted on to the annular bead 14, it actually attempts to return to its original shape. As a result, the cap is dependably secured to the annular bead 14 and a dependable seal is provided.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the cap has a transverse wall 25 formed integrally therewith which is longitudinally spaced a greater distance from end 21 of the cap than from end 19. More particularly the transverse wall 25 is spaced from the rib end 21 by a distance such that when the end 21 of the cap 17, is secured to annular bead 14, the wall 25 will be longitudinally spaced from the outer end 26 of nozzle 13. Thus the cap 17 when so positioned will protect the nozzle 13 against inadvertent actuation.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the transverse wall 25 has a protuberance 31 formed integrally therewith. The prohas a internal conical cavity 32, the apex 33 of which has a discharge opening 34 of relatively small diameter. The protuberance 31, which is molded integrally with the transverse wall 25 and the cap 17, has its vertical axis extending through the apex 34 which is laterally displaced slightly from the longitudinally axis of the cap 17 and the nozzle 13. The inclined inner surface of the conical wall 35 of the protuberance 31 forms a cam surface to actuate the nozzle 13 in the manner hereinafter to be described.

It is to be noted that the length of the protuberance 31 is such that the apex 33 thereof will also be spaced from the inner end 26 of the nozzle 13 when the rib end 21 of the cap is secured to the annular bead 14, whereby the cap when secured to the position shown in FIG. 1 will protect the nozzle against inadvertent actuation.

As is clearly shown in FIG. 2, the transverse wall 25 is spaced from the rib end 19 of the cap 17 by a distance such that when the rib 19 of the cap is secured to annular bead 14, the end 26 of the nozzle 13 will enter the cavity 32 and abut against the inclined wall 35. Consequently, with further downward movement of the cap, until the rib 22 engages the annular bead 14, the nozzle 13 will be cammed to the left referring to FIG. 2, thereby tilting the nozzle to actuate the associated valve for release of the contents of the container 11 through the discharge opening 34 in the form of an aerosol or spray.

It is apparent, that with the use of the cap above described, in one position of the cap for example, with the rib end 21 engaging the annular bead 15, the nozzle 13 will be completely protected from accidental actuation.

In the other position of the cap for example, with the rib end 19 thereof engaging the annular bead 14, the nozzle will be tilted for actuation of the associated valve and discharge of the contents of the container through opening 34.

As added protection, if desired, when the rib end 21 of the cap is engaging the annular bead 14 as shown in FIG. 1, an additional cover member or cap 38 may be provided. This cap also is of similar plastic and is cup shaped as shown so that depending wall 39 thereof may engage the end 19 of the cap 17.

With the cap construction above described, in the actuating position of the cap shown in FIG. 2, it is apparent that if after the exterminator leaves the room, the container should function improperly and for example, should discharge a stream from the nozzle 13 rather than a spray, in the first instance, the liquid will be collected in the chamber A from the transverse wall 25 and the end wall 12. When chamber A is filled, further liquid would ooze through opening 34 and be collected in the cup shaped chamber B. As the result of such two collection chambers it is unlikely that liquid would overflow and seep onto the floor.

In some cases it might be possible that the pressure buildup in chamber A could be excessive if the aperture 34 for example should clog. Thus, if such gas pressure should react directly against the wall of the cap adjacent the end 19 thereof, it could force such wall outwardly causing the annular rib 22 to move away from the retaining bead 14 so that the cap would be blown off the end of the container.

To solve this problem, the partition may have a skirt 41, preferably molded integrally therewith and extending in the direction of end 19 of the cap, said skirt being coaxial with the cylindrical wall of the cap and having an outwardly extending projection at its outer edge formed integrally therewith in the form of an annular rib 42. The rib 42 is of diameter such that it may be force-fitted onto the annular retaining bead 14 so that rib 42 engages into the annular recess 43 of said bead simultaneously with the engagement of rib 22 into recess 15.

As a result of such construction, if there should be pressure buildup in chamber A (FIG. 1), the force reacting against skirt 41 will urge the annular rib 42 more securely into recess 43 to retain the cap in fixed position.

The embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 is similar in many respects to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, except that the cap,according to the invention shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 is utilized in conjunction with the annular bead of a pressurized container having a nozzle which is moved vertically for actuation. Elements of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 corresponding to those shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 will have the same reference numerals primed.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the nozzle 13' is of the type that is actuated by pressing vertically downward to open the associated valve (not shown) for release of the insecticide in the form of a spray. A container of this type is conventional in the art and will not be further described.

The cap 17 is identical to the cap shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 except that the vertical axis of the protuberance 31' is longitudinally aligned with the nozzle 13'.

Consequently, when the cap is to be used to actuate the nozzle 13', as it is moved downward to bring the rib end 19' thereof into engagement with the annular bead 14', the outer end 26' of the nozzle 13' will abut against the inner wall 35' of the cavity 32' aligned with the apex 33' thereof. Thus, with further downward movement of the cap to bring the rib end 19' into locking engagement with annular bead 14', the nozzle 13' will be displaced inwardly and actuated for release of the contents of the container through the discharge opening 34'.

As a result of the constructions above described, a simple but highly efficient cap is provided for an aerosol bomb, which may readily be fabricated at low cost and which will permit the actuation of a plurality of aerosol bombs in rapid sequence with the assurance that the exterminator is able to set off a desired number of aerosol bombs in a very short period of time, thereby avoiding any health hazard and with assurance that liquid discharging from improperly performing bombs will not damage the floor of the room in which the aerosol bombs are located.

Claims

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A cap for an aerosol bomb of the type comprising a container with an end wall having an annular retaining bead and having a discharge nozzle extending axially outward from said end wall, said cap having a cylindrical wall, a partition extending transversely in said cap, said partition having a discharge aperture, means on both ends of the cap releasably to clamp onto the retaining bead, said partition being spaced a shorter distance from one of the ends of the cylindrical wall of the cap than the other end, the distance being such that the nozzle will be engaged by the partition when the end of the cap a shorter distance from the partition engages said annular bead, to actuate said nozzle to release the contents of the container through said aperture, and when the other end of the cap engages said annular bead, said partition will be longitudinally spaced from the outer end of said nozzle.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which said nozzle is actuated by tilting the same from its longitudinal axis, and said partition has cam means associated therewith which engage the outer end of said nozzle to tilt the latter when the associated end of the cap engages said annular bead.

3. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which said nozzle is actuated by depressing the same axially and said partition has cam means associated therewith which engage the outer end of said nozzle to depress the latter when the associated end of the cap engages said annular bead.

4. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which said partition has a protuberance formed integrally therewith defining a substantially conical cavity facing the end of the cap which is a shorter distance from the partition, the inner wall surface of said cavity defining a cam surface adapted to engage the outer end of said nozzle to actuate the latter when the end of the cap which is the shorter distance from the partition is secured to said annular bead, said discharge aperture being in said proturberance.

5. The combination set forth in claim 4 in which said protuberance has its longitudinal axis extending through its apex, transversely displaced from the longitudinal axis of said nozzle, said nozzle having its outer end adapted to be aligned with the inner wall of said cavity when the end of the cap, the shorter distance from the partition is secured to said annuular bead, whereby said inner wall of the cavity will cam said outer end of the nozzle laterally to actuate the valve associated with the nozzle.

6. The combination set forth in claim 4 in which said protuberance has its longitudinal axis extending through its apex and longitudinally aligned with the longitudinal axis of said nozzle, said nozzle having its outer end adapted to be aligned with the apex of said conical cavity when the end of the cap, the shorter distance from the partition, is secured to said annular bead, whereby said inner wall of the cavity coaxially with the nozzle will cam said nozzle axially inwardly to actuate the valve associated with said nozzle.

7. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which the means on the end of the cap a shorter distance from the partition engages the outer periphery of the annular retaining bead and said cap has an internal retaining means releasably to engage the inner periphery of said annular retaining bead when the end of the cap engages said outer periphery of said annular retaining bead.

8. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which the means on the end of the cap a shorter distance from the partition engages the outer periphery of the annular retaining bead, said cap has a skirt extending from said partition in the direction of the end of the cap a shorter distance from the partition, said skirt being coaxial with the cylindrical wall of the cap and having means on the outer edge thereof releasably to clamp onto the inner periphery of said annular retaining bead.