EP0338064A1

EP0338064A1 - Apparatus for discharging fusible material from sealed space with gas under higher than the atmospheric pressure

Info

Publication number: EP0338064A1
Application number: EP19880909604
Authority: EP
Inventors: Miklos Szabo; Miklósné SZABO
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1987-10-29
Filing date: 1988-10-27
Publication date: 1989-10-25
Also published as: WO1989003793A1; AU2614488A; HU197862B

Abstract

The container (2) of the apparatus receiving the material to be sprayed is in releasable, sealed contact with the valve (9) through the valve collar (4) and some kind of fixing element, e.g. threaded cap (6). The sealing is pressed in between the flange (30) of the container's (2) neck (5) and flange (4a) of the valve collar (4).

Description

APPARATUS FOR DISCHARGING FUSIBLE MATERIAL FROM

SEALED SPACE WITH GAS UNDER HIGHER THAN THE ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE

The invention relates to an apparatus for discharging fusible material from sealed space with gas under higher than the atmospheric pressure, particularly with compressed air. Several solutions are known for discharging fusible materials, e.g. cosmetics, paints and similar materials from sealed, pressuretight flask with pressurized gas. For example, such aerosol spraying apparatus is described in the GFR specification No . 2 004 856, the cylindrical external mantle of which is fitted on the top with a valve provided with valve collar, and a spring-operated perforating needle extending towards the interior of the container is fastened to the sealed bottom part. A moving, hollow, cylindrical piston is within the mantle, into the hole of which a gas cartridge made for example of aluminium foil is fitted. First the piston containing the cartridge is inserted into the mantle, then the space above the piston is filled with the material to be sprayed, and the valve with its collar is fastened to the upper part of the mantle. The apparatus is actuated by pressing the spring-operated perforating needle into the cartridge; in this case, the gas is released pressing the piston and the material to be sprayed towards the valve, whereby upon pressing down the actuating button of the valve, the material is discharged from the flask. Drawback of this solution - and of similar piston apparatuses - is that producing reliable sealing is problematic, and so is the perforating mechanism.

Subject of the USA patent specification No. 3858 659 is a fire extinguisher, from which the extinguishing agent is dispersed with the aid of gas injected into the flask, by way of perforating the gas cartridge. The apparatus is very complicated, it has many parts, and difficult to handle. In essence, the same applies to the solution of the USA patent specification No. 3 251 420, where the gas cartridge is inserted from the outside into the flask, to be opened with a perforating needle as part of a complicated mechanism.

The aerosol apparatus described in the USA patent specification No. 2 559 091 has an oblong, cylindrical flask the interior of which is divided into two parts by a wall perpendicular to the longitudinal geometric centreline of the flask. The agent to be sprayed is injected through a sealed hole into the upper part connected with the atomizer and the valve. The lower part is used for receiving the gas cartridge. The gas-conductiong perforating needle is built into the partition wall. The two parts of the flask are connected through thread with each other, and the cartridge is opened by way of screwing together. This apparatus is also complicated for technological and application-technical reasons, and the hole used for filling in the agent to be sprayed represents a source of fault.

The spraying apparatuses described in the Hungarian patent specifications No. 182 361 and 182 917 are also based on the use of gas cartridge perforating mechanisms - which although are made with the use of less number of parts and are considerably less complicated - yet are somewhat problematic mainly from technological point of view.

Such solution is also known from the Hungarian patent application No. 189 881, according to which the empty flasks are refilled with gas and the agent to be sprayed in a central plant, with the aid of a complicated, large size equipment. A serious drawback of this solution is to have the flasks transported always to the plant site for refilling, and besides this, collection, sorting out, classification and perfect cleaning of the flasks have to be organized, because the flask must not be refilled with foreign material (e.g. cosmetics into a flask earlier containing insecticide). These activities can be performed in the practice in a very complicated way and at high cost. Purpose of the invention is to provide an aerosol-type sprayer, that can be refilled with the material to be sprayed and power gas - generally with compressed air - and operated again by the users themselves. The apparatus must be simple, safe, inexpensive as well as environment and health preserving.

The invention is based on the recognition that if connection of the valve with the container is releasable and pressuretight, then in its assembled condition it functions as a conventional aerosol apparatus, and in disassembled condition - after removal of the valve from the container (flask) - it can be refilled with the material to be sprayed. The power-gas can be injected into the container through a pressuretight valve with once-used, or replaceable filling device. Thus there is no need for complicated filling equipment, central plant, organized collection, sorting out and cleaning; the apparatus can be individually used, refilled, and it does not have to be discarded after use; it can be safely operated with compressed air, thus it is not only economical, but environment and health preserving solution as well.

On the basis of this recognition, the problem was solved according to the invention with an apparatus suitable for discharge of fusible materials from sealed space with gas under higher than the atmospheric pressure, which is provided with container for receiving the material to be sprayed, and valve - in given case - atomizer and tube connected with the valve and extending into the container, and it has a mechanism suitable to bring about releasable, sealed and pressuretight contact between the container and the valve. According to a preferred criterion of the invention, the valve has a valve collar, and in operating condition of the apparatus when the container and valve are interconnected, a tightly fitting sealing seating on the flange surrounding the container's hole is connected with the flange, i.e - the sealing made of elastically deformable material, e.g. rubber - represents part of the mechanism bringing about contact between the container and the valve. It is advisable if the sealing is composed of packing ring fitting into the flange surrounding the nest around the valve collar.

A preferred embodiment of the apparatus is characterized by having a cap provided with threaded cylindrical wall on the inside and with a hole in the cover, and the container's neck is provided with external thread to allow screwing on the cap and thereby the tight fitting of the sealing to the shoulder of the container, thus bringing about pressuretight sealed contact between the container and the valve. According to a further characteristic feature of the apparatus, it has a cap provided with contracting-fixing mechanism, e.g. bayonet locking, the cap has a central hole and a circular shoulder tending outwards at an angle, its cover has a hole, furthermore an annular clamping rib starts from the lower end of the cylindrical side-wall tending inwards and inclined upwards, which in its fixed - operating - condition is tightened to the container's neck, while the inner face of the inclined shoulder is pressed to the outside of the valve collar's flange, and the annular sealing is situated between the flange and the container neck's flange.

According to a further characteristic of the invention, the part of the valve collar along the flange is shaped as a locking piece surrounding an annular space, into which flange of the container neck fits through sealing, and the locking piece has a cylindrical neck part fitting to the container neck, on to which a band provided with contracting and fixing mechanism, e.g. with bolted frog is fitted to bring about a pressuretight, sealed contact between the container and the valve.

According to another criterion of the invention, the apparatus is provided with a cover made of elastically deformable material containing a central hole, and with a cap having cylindrical mantle starting out of the part along the flange, as well as a disc-shaped plate containing a central hole and an intermediate coupling member formed by claws extending from the part along the flange of the plate made similarly of elastically deformable material; the inner face of the cap mantle is provided with thread in the vicinty of the cover, and a thread is machined on the outer cylindrical surface of the plate of the intermediate coupling member which allows to screw it together with the mantle, and thus to bring about a sealed, pressuretight contact between the container and the valve, and claws extending from part of the plate along the flange are machined as to be snapped in under the flange of the container neck. In this case it is favourable, if the distance between the inner edges of the claws is less than, or maximum the same as the outside diameter of the flange of the container neck, while the distance between the external sides of the claws is greater than the inside diameter of the cap's mantle, the latter dimension exceeds the outside diameter of the flange of the container neck.

The invention is described in detail with the aid of drawings, showing some of the preferred embodiments of the apparatus by way of example, in which:

Fig. 1. : schematic section of the apparatus showing partly its side view in disassembled condition,

Fig. 2. and 3. : two other embodiments of the apparatus shown by way of example in assembled condition, likewise in schematic axial section, partly in side view, Fig. 4. : detail A drawn to a larger scale marked in Fig. 2, Fig. 5. : detail B drawn to a larger scale marked in

Fig. 3, Fig. 6. : further embodiment of the apparatus presented according to Fig. 1 in disassembled condition, Fig. 7. : a possible embodiment of a gas filling cartridge shovm in schematic axial section. The apparatus presented in Fig. 1 is provided with a pressuretight cylindrical container 2 for the material 1 to be sprayed, valve 9, cap 6 with central hole 37 of diameter e and atomizer 18. The cap 6 is fitted with a disc-shaped cover 45 and cylindrical wall 46 extending downwards from flange of the cover. The valve 9 - joined by tube 15 - is a structural unit separate from the container 2, cap 6 and atomizer 18. The valve 9 has a valve collar 4 made for example of metal, the top view of which in the present case is circular, and a conventional valve body 12 containing spring 13 and hole 14 is centrally positioned in relation to and being in rigid connection with the valve collar. The valve is actuated by a tube stub 18a of the atomizer 18 moving into the hole 14. The valve collar 4 is provided with a circular flange 4a, bent outwards and downwards, parallel or essentially parallel with the longitudinal direction of the tube 15, surrounding a circular nest (duct) open at the bottom, in which an annular sealing 3 is situated, its mean diameter is marked with reference mark 1.

Feck 7 of the flask 2 is provided with thread 7a, and the cylindrical wall of the cap 6 has a thread 6a matching the thread 7a, The upper part of neck 7 is flanged, the annular flange is perpendicular to constituents of the cylindrical container 2, and it forms a shoulder 30, the mean diameter 1 of which is identical with such size of the elastic sealing 3.

Filling hole of the container is marked with reference number 43.

Fig. 7 shows a gas cartridge 20 containing gas 19, suitably compressed air. The gas cartridge 20 has a filling valve 16 provided with valve collar 16a, containing spring 29 and filling hole 31 similarly to the valve shown in Fig. 1. The valve collar 16a - cover at the same time - in the present case is flanged to container 32 of the gas cartridge 20, but naturally other method is also conceivable. Spacer 17 with threaded neck and containing a hole 33 is an accessory of the gas cartridge 20; the hole ends in nest 34, the threaded neck can be screwed into the hole 31 of the valve body 36. The cartridge 20 can be produced with a cubic capacity suited to a single or several gas fillings, and it may be discarded after once used, or replaceable and refilled. It is noted that the valve 16 can be constructed without spacer as to be suitable for refilling the apparatus shown in Fig. 1., and/or other embodiments with pressurized gas. The apparatus shown in Fig. 1 is used as follows: the container 2 is filled with material 1 to be sprayed, then the ascending tube 15 is guided into the container and the valve is fitted on to the container's neck 7 so that sealing 3 of the valve collar 4 rests on the annular shoulder 30. Next, the threaded part 6a of the cap 6 is screwed on the threaded part 7a of the neck 7. As a result of this, the cap 6 with the inner face 37a of its cover presses the valve collar 4 to the container 2 so that the sealing fits tightly to the shoulder 30. This way, sealed pressuretight and releasable contact is brought about between the valve 9 and container 2. The upper part of valve body 12 extends through hole 37 from the cap 6, but a hole 37 of such size may also be sufficient which is suitable to insert the tube stub 18a of the atomizer 18.

In the next step, gas - suitably compressed air - is injected into the container 2 with the aid of gas cartridge 20 shown in Fig. 7, so that first the spacer 17 is fitted into the hole 31 of the valve body 36, for example by driving the threaded neck 35 into the threaded hole 31 of the valve body 36, then after removal of the atomizer 18, the nest 34 of spacer 17 is fitted into the free hole 14 of the valve body 9. This way, the pressurized gas flows from the gas cartridge 20 into the container 2 through holes 12 and 31 of the open valves 9 and 16 leading into each other, said holes being freed by the pressure. (Fig. 1 and 7). By removing the gas cartridge 20, the conventional valve 9 closes, and thus the compressed air remains in the container together with the material 1 to be sprayed. Thereafter, the tube stub 18a of the atomizer 18 is fitted into the hole 14. From this point on the apparatus functions as a traditional aerosol flask, meaning that by pressing the atomizer 18, the material 1 leaves the container 2 in the form of spray.

When the container 2 is emptied, the atomizer 18 is kept pressed down until the compressed air completely leaves the container.

Then by screwing off the cap, the apparatus can be disassembled, refilled with the material and gas to be sprayed as described in the foregoing, and it can be properly used again. Above activities, consequently the cycles of application can be repeated on several occasions, depending on wear of the valve and/or atomizer.

Embodiment of the apparatus shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 4 differs from the one shown in Fig. 1 in the method of construction of the pressuretight, releasable coupling of the valve and container, hence the already described structural elements are marked with the same reference numbers. The downwards bent flange 4a of the valve collar 4 fits through elastic sealing 3 - packing ring - to the annular flanged shoulder 5a of the container neck 5. In this case, however, the inner face of the inclined - outwards and downwards bending - shoulder 8a of the cap 8 having a central hole 38 in its cover 47 (Fig. 4) fits tightly to the flange 4a of valve collar 4 and provides the clamping force required for the sealing. The cap 8, that can be made of elastically deformable material, has a lower circular annular clamping rib 39 starting from the cylindrical side wall 48

( Fig. 4), the plane of which is slightly inclined upwards and inwards, and its inner flange rests on the external side of the container neck 5. The cap can be provided with bayonet locking (not shown) or other releasable clamping-fixing device, as a result of its locking action, the shoulder 8a fits tightly to flange 4a and the rib 39 to the neck 5, whereby sealed contact is brought about. The apparatus is actuated and used in the sense described in connection with Fig. 1 and 7.

The examples of the embodiment shown in Fig. 3 and Fig. 5 differ from those of Fig. 2 and Fig. 4 in that the valve collar 4 is first bent up, then down along its flange so that it surrounds a partly circular cross sectional, annular space 40, and it forms a locking piece 10 (Fig. 5) - or the locking piece 10 can be snapped on the flange 5a - so that the container neck 5 and the downwards extending neck part 10a of the locking piece 10 fit tightly to each other. Here, a band 11 surrounds the apparatus, which can be contracted and fixed and naturally released by a conventional device, e.g. bolted frog. Use and actuation of the apparatus in this case too take place as described in connection with Fig. 1 and 7.

The example of the embodiment shown in Fig. 6 is similar to the apparatus presented in Fig. 1, hence the identical structural elements were marked with the same reference numbers. The difference in this case too is in the construction method of the releasable contact, and the solution is aimed at dispensing with the external thread on the container neck. This is especially practicable if the container is used not only for repeated, several occasions, but it functions as packing material for marketing the material to be sprayed, and its holes are sealed temporarily but inhibiting abuse, that is easily removed when the apparatus is assembled. (It is noted, that similar considerations led to the examples of the embodiment according to Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, where there was no need for external thread on the container neck.) Naturally, if valve is mounted on the container of packing material and atomizer is installed, then a sprayer ready for use is obtained.

For the sealed, pressuretight and releasable coupling of the pressuretight container 2 and valve 9 of the apparatus shown in Fig. 6 a cap 23 made of solid, rigid material and an intermediate coupling member 21 of elastically deformable material is allocated. A central hole 26 is in the cover 50 of the cap 23 for passing through the tube piece 28 of valve 9, containing a hole 14, furthermore it has a downwards extending cylindrical annular mantle 25, the surface 41 of which is smooth underneath with the threaded part above it. Inside diameter of the mantle is marked with reference letter D₁.

The intermediate coupling member 21 constitutes a disc-shaped plate 42 containing a central hole 27 and downwards extending claws 22, for example three claws, with inwards and slightly downwards extending edges, the distance between them is marked with d₁, while the distance between the external lower surfaces of the claws (diameter) with reference letter D₂. The outside diameter of flange 5a surrounding the hole 43 of the container 2 is marked with d₂. The ratio of these-dimensions is the following:

d₁ d₂ ; D₁ < D₂ and D₁ > D₂

The side of plate 42 is provided with thread 44.

The apparatus according to Fig. 6 is used in such a way, that in the first step after filling the container with the material 1 to be sprayed, valve 9 is placed to the flange 5a of container 2 so that the annular sealing 3 running in flange 4a of valve collar 4 rests on the flange 5a. In the next step, the intermediate coupling member 21 is placed on the container as to have the claws 22 fitted under the flange 5a. In this case the tube stub 28 of the valve 9 is slipped through the hole 27 and extends above the plane of plate 42. Then passing the tube stub 28 through hole 26, the cap is screwed on the intermediate coupling member 21, as a result of which the inner face 41 of the mantle forces the claws 22 inwards, the narrowing edges of which fit tightly under the flange 5a of the container 2, whereby a solid contact is brought about between the container and the coupling member 21. At the same time, upon screwing in the cap 23, the lower surface of plate 42 fits tightly to the flange 4a of the valve collar 4 pressing the sealing 3 to the flange 5a of the container neck 5. This way sealed and pressuretight contact is brought about between the container 2 and valve 9. The claws 22 prevent the intermediate coupling member 21 from moving up, and sealed locking exists against the gas pressure. Finally, the atomizer 18 is placed on the protruding tube stub 28. Afterwards the apparatus functions as a traditional aerosol apparatus, and as described in connection with Fig. 1 and 7, it can be refilled with material dischargeable by gas.

Benefits of the invention are the following: the container practically does not, or only slightly differs (threaded neck) from the presently produced aerosol flasks, consequently - by minimal modification of the manufacturing tools - the container can be produced on the existing assembly lines and with the presently used technologies. The same applies to the valves, valve bodies and atomizers, at the most the valve body needs little modification in certain embodiments to ensure low cost of the continuous mass production. However, the most important advantage of the invention is that the flask (container), valve and atomizer can be repeatedly used, thereby considerably reducing the specific cost of the apparatus for each usage. If replaceable gas cartridge is used for refilling, the cubic capacity of one flask is reduced to a fraction of the present one, because refilling and replacement of the gas cartridge can be easily accomplished even on mass-scale. Since compressed air can be used in the gas cartridges, this is beneficial not only in respect of the costs, but it completely eliminates the use of inflammable and explosive gases harmful to the environment and health. The multiple use of the container results in considerable diminution of the amount of communal and dangerous waste. The apparatus according to the invention requires few parts, its construction is simple and all parts can be repeatedly used. At the same time - after spraying of the material - the ascending tube, valve and atomizer can be cleaned by discharging the pressurized gas or compressed air remaining in the flask. In consequence of the apparatus' construction, upon opening the flask, the overpressure is gradually ceases through escape of the gas, and thus the risk of explosive opening of the flask is practically excluded. A further advantage is that - if required - the dispersive or discharging power can be increased by additional gas filling, and a more thorough cleaning can be accomplished.

Naturally the invention is not restricted to the above examples, but it can be realized in several ways within the protective scope defined by the claim points. For example, to inject the pressurized gas into the container, gas-generating chemicals instead of the gas cartridge can also be used, which is injected into the container simultaneously with the material to be sprayed or discharged before the valve is installed.

Claims

What we claim is :

1. Apparatus for discharge of fusible material from sealed space with gas under higher than the atmospheric pressure, which is provided with container for receiving the material to be discharged, and valve - in given case - atomizer and tube connected with the valve and extending into the container, characterized by having a mechanism suitable for establishing releasable, sealed and pressuretight contact between the container (2) and valve (9).

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized by the valve (9) having a valve collar (4) and in operative condition of the apparatus when the container (2) and valve (5) are interconnected, a sealing (3) seated on and tightly fitting the flange (30, 5a) surrounding hole (43) of the container (2) is connected with flange (4a) of the valve collar (4).

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, characterized by the sealing formed with packing ring fitting into the flange (4a) surrounding the circular nest of the valve collar (4).

4. Apparatus according to claim 2 or 3, characterized by having a cap (6) with cylindrical wall provided with thread (6a) on its inner face, and with hole (37) in its cover (45), the neck (7) of the container (2) is externally threaded (7a) to allow screwing on the cap (6) and thereby tight fit of the sealing (3) on the shoulder (30) of the container (2) and to bring about a pressuretight, sealed contact between the container (2) and valve (9) (Fig. 1).

5. Apparatus according to claim 2 or 3, characterized by having a cap containing a central hole (38) and provided with contracting-fixing device, e.g. bayonet locking (8), which has a circular shoulder (8a) tending outwards at an angle, its cover contains a hole (47), and an annular clamping rib (39) starts from its lower end tending inwards and inclined upwards, which in fixed condition of the cap (6) - the apparatus being operative - fits tightly to the container's (2) neck (5), while the inner face of the inclined shoulder (8) is pressed to the outside of the flange (4a) of the valve collar (4), and an annular sealing (3) is situated between the flange (4a) and flange (5a) of the container's neck (5). (Fig. 2 and 4).

6. Apparatus according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the part of the valve collar

(4) along the flange is shaped as a locking piece (10) surrounding an annular space (40) into which flange (5a) of the container's neck (5) fits through sealing (3), and the locking piece (10) has a cylindrical neck-part (10a) fitting tightly to the container's neck (5) on to which a band provided with contracting-fixing device, e.g. bolted frog is fitted to bring about pressuretight, sealed contact between the container (2) and valve (9). (Fig. 3 and 5).

7. Apparatus according to claim 2 or 3, characterized by having a cap (23) containing a central hole (26) with cover (50) made of elastically deformable material, and cylindrical mantle (25) starting from its part along the flange, and a discshaped plate (42) containing a central hole and an intermediate coupling member (21) - made similarly of elastically deformable material - formed by claws (22) starting from the part of the plate (42) along the flange; a thread (24) is machined on the inner face of the cap (23) mantle in the vicinity of the cover, and a thread (44) is machined on the outer cylindrical side of the plate (42) of the intermediate coupling member (21) albwing to screw together with the mantle (25) and thereby to bring about a sealed, pressuretight contact between the container (2) and valve (9), and the claws (22) are snapped in under the flange (5a) of the container's (2) neck (5). (Fig. 6.).

8. Apparatus according to claim 7, characterized by the distance (d₁) between the internal edges of the claws (22) being less than, or maximum the same as the outside diameter (d₂) of the flange (5a) of the container's (2) neck (5); and the distance (D₂) between the outer sides of the claws (22) is greater than the inside diameter (D₁) of the cap (23) mantle, the latter dimension exceeds the outside diameter (d₂) of the flange (23) of the container's (2) neck (5). (Fig. 6.).