Aerosol can attachment

Abstract

There is presented an aerosol dispenser attachment for use with a cylindrical pressurized tubular can with a control valve structure fixed in the can and having a liquid, cream or foam inlet tube extending therefrom down to a zone adjacent the bottom of the can and having a liquid outlet tube extending axially of the can in an air-tight manner through the top of the can, the outlet tube having an operative connection with the control valve structure such that pressure on the outlet tube releases pressurized contents from the can through the valve and the outlet tube, and in combination therewith a generally cylindrical collar fixed to the can and extending from the top of the can upwardly slightly above the level of the outlet tube, a bore through the outlet tube communicating with the control valve when the latter is opened, the bore turning radially outwardly in the zone of the collar, and a discharge spout on the collar aligned with the out-turned bore, and with a hollow connector between the spout and the out-turned bore sufficiently flexible to permit movement of the outlet tube sufficient to open the control valve.

Parent Case Text

This application is continuation-in-part of my copending application Ser. No. 406,257, filed Oct. 15, 1973, now abandoned, and particularly of FIGS. 9 and 10 thereof.

Description

An object of the present invention is to provide a compact attachment for an aerosol can whereby an attachment to the top of an outlet tube from such can provides a simple connection to open a control valve and to discharge the contents of the can laterally outwardly therefrom.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the accompanying drawings and description and the essential features thereof will be set forth in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

FIG. 1 is a central sectional view through the top of an aerosol can equipped with my new inventive attachment;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the integral attachment applied to the top of the aerosol can;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are central sectional views through the operating disk and integral downwardly extending hollow projection showing two different manners in which a compression spring may be assembled therewith;

FIG. 5 is a fragmental view showing a safe manner of attaching the actuator disk to the aerosol can as sold;

FIG. 6 is a fragmental view similar to FIG. 1 showing an actuator disk connected to the outlet tube cap and to said collar and to said spout and to said hollow connection; while

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the closure cap of FIG. 5.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, an aerosol can 10 adapted to contain a liquid material to be dispensed is closed at the top by a generally cup-shape fitting 11, the upper edge of which is bent over and sealed to the top of the can at 11a. In the center of the fitting 11 is an upturned sleeve 12 which snugly embraces an outlet tube 13 which extends downwardly and is connected integrally with a control valve 14 which has a peripheral upturned collar 14a which normally seals against a flat member 15 which is part of an upwardly opening cup 16 which, centrally of its bottom wall, includes a projection 17 which snugly fits an inlet tube 18 normally extending to the bottom of the aerosol can. A compression spring 16a extending between the bottom of the cup 16 and the cup 14a normally causes the control valve to remain closed. The outlet tube 13 snugly fits into an outlet tube cap 19 which is shown as an integral part of a dispensing spout 20 and a hollow connector tube 21 and a generally cylindrical collar 22. The cap 19 preferably extends above the level of the connector tube 21. The outlet tube 13 has a dispensing bore 23 which turns laterally outwardly at 23a within the zone of the collar 22 and then passes through the connector 21 and the spout 20 as clearly seen in FIG. 1.

It can be clearly seen in FIG. 2 that the parts 19, 20, 21 and 22 may be integrally formed, as of plastic, for assembly on the top of the aerosol can as shown in FIG. 1. It can also be seen that pressure downwardly on the outlet cap 19 will cause an opening between the small cup 14a and the flat member 15, slightly compressing the spring 16a so that flow may occur through the tube 18, the bore 17a, and the bores 23 and 23a to dispense the liquid in the can. To enable the dispensing of the liquid by hand, as seen in FIG. 2, a portion of the collar 22 is somewhat cut away as indicated at 22a on the side of the collar opposite the spout 20 so that the finger of the operator may easily press down on the cap 19.

To further facilitate the dispensing of the material from the aerosol can, I have provided a circular actuator disk 24 which has a downwardly extending central hollow projection 24a which has a diameter which fairly snugly fits around the outlet tube cap 19. A compression spring 25 is held at 25a between the disk 24 and the disk 29a so as to smoothly transmit the pressure from the disk 24 through the spring to the outlet cap 19. Pressure at any point around the disk 24 will cause a downwardly movement of the cap 19 and the tube 13 sufficient to release material from the aerosol can out the spout 20.

In FIGS. 3 and 4, there are shown two different manners in which the spring 25' or 25" might be supported in the disk 24. In FIG. 3, a projection 26 is slightly enlarged at 26a so that the last turn of the spring 25' will snap into a retained position. At the opposite end, a similar structure is shown at 27a as part of a disk 27 so as to provide a contactor to contact the outlet tube cap 19.

In FIG. 4, an alternative contruction is shown including flanges 28 integral with the disk 24 and positioned to overlie the end coil of spring 25" when it is snapped into the position shown in FIG. 4. Here a similar structure is shown at 29a as part of the disk 29 to embrace the opposite end of the spring 25" there with a snap action. This provides a smooth contactor 29 to engage the outlet tube cap 19.

The integral structure shown in FIG. 2 which includes 19, 20, 21 and 22 can be made of a plastic material of sufficient flexibility so that the connection 21 allows sufficient downward pressure on the cap 19 and the outlet tube 13 to open the control valve to release contents from the aerosol can.

FIG. 5 shows a safe manner of attaching the actuator disk to the aerosol can as sold. Here a circular closure cap 30 snugly embraces the collar 22 and has a lip 30a over the spout 20. A central opening 31 snugly receives the projection 24a of the actuator disk 24. The height of the closure cap 30, touching the disk 24, limits the downward movement of 24 and 24a in FIG. 5. The proportions of the parts are such that the actuator 25, 27 or 29 cannot depress the outlet tube cap 19 until the cap 30 is first removed and actuator 24, 24a, like FIG. 1, 3 or 4, placed in the position of FIG. 1. It should be understood that only cylindrical projection 24a of the actuator 24 passes through central opening 31 of closure cap 30, the actuator disk 24 always being exposed over the top of the closure cap. The closure cap is shown in FIG. 7. It has a lip 30a over spout 20 and a generally semi-circular recess at 30b directly below 30a which permits the collar to fit snugly over the spout 20.

FIG. 6 shows another safe protection for the actuator 24, 24a when the aerosol can is sold. Here the actuator 24 has a hollow projection 24a to which is snap fastened a spring 25a which in turn snaps onto outlet tube cap 19a which is integral with spout 20, connector 21 and collar 22. Tube 13 snugly fits in a suitable opening in the bottom of cap 19a. Then when the article is sold a hollow cover 32, shown in dot-dash lines, fits into the groove 10a of the can and encloses the actuator and all of the connected parts so that the can contents will not be accidently dispensed.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. An aerosol dispenser attachment for use with a cylindrical pressurized tubular can having a top and a bottom and an elongated body connected between them in an air-tight manner and with a control valve structure fixed in said can and having a contents inlet tube extending therefrom to a zone adjacent the bottom of said can and having an outlet tube extending axially of said can in an air-tight manner through the top of said can, said outlet tube having an operative connection with said control valve structure such that pressure on said outlet tube releases pressurized contents from said can through said valve and outlet tube; the combination therewith of a generally cylindrical collar fixed in said can and extending from the top of said can upwardly slightly above the level of said outlet tube, a bore through said outlet tube communicating with said control valve when the latter is open, said bore turning radially outwardly in the zone of said collar, an integral discharge spout on said collar aligned with said out-turned bore, an integral hollow connector between said spout and said out-turned bore sufficiently flexible to permit movement of said outlet tube sufficient to open said control valve, an attachment comprising a circular disk of lesser diameter than said can and a downwardly extending hollow cylindrical projection concentric with said disk, the hollow of said projection of a diameter snugly fitting said outlet tube cap, whereby pressure on said disk in any radial direction causes depression of said outlet tube sufficient to open said control valve, a connection in the hollow of said projection between said disk and said outlet tube, said connection between said disk and said outlet tube comprises a compression spring and a contactor in the hollow of said projection engaging said outlet tube cap, a closure cap snugly fitting over said collar and having a central through opening snugly receiving said hollow cylindrical projection passing through it, and said closure cap being proportioned by its height to prevent actuation of said outlet tube cap by pressure on said disk until said closure cap is removed.