EP0479796B1 - Improvements in or relating to dispensers - Google Patents

Improvements in or relating to dispensers Download PDF

Info

Publication number
EP0479796B1
EP0479796B1 EP90907355A EP90907355A EP0479796B1 EP 0479796 B1 EP0479796 B1 EP 0479796B1 EP 90907355 A EP90907355 A EP 90907355A EP 90907355 A EP90907355 A EP 90907355A EP 0479796 B1 EP0479796 B1 EP 0479796B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
valve
cross
sectional area
actuator
dispensing
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP90907355A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0479796A1 (en
Inventor
Hazel Pool
Arthur Richard Speed
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
COLMAN PRODUCTS Ltd
Reckitt Benckiser Healthcare UK Ltd
Original Assignee
Reckitt and Colman Products Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
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Application filed by Reckitt and Colman Products Ltd filed Critical Reckitt and Colman Products Ltd
Publication of EP0479796A1 publication Critical patent/EP0479796A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0479796B1 publication Critical patent/EP0479796B1/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D83/00—Containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents
    • B65D83/14—Containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents for delivery of liquid or semi-liquid contents by internal gaseous pressure, i.e. aerosol containers comprising propellant for a product delivered by a propellant
    • B65D83/44—Valves specially adapted therefor; Regulating devices
    • B65D83/48—Lift valves, e.g. operated by push action

Definitions

  • This invention relates to dispensers and, more specifically, to the dispensing of flowable materials from gas-presswized containers.
  • valve When the container is to be used erect the valve is conveniently located in the upper regions of the container and a dip tube within the container extends from the valve to the lower regions of the container so that, whilst the container is erect, the dip tube inlet is below the material/gas interface until substantially the whole of the material content of the container has been dispensed.
  • valve is opened by depressing an actuator and the valve port opens to a chamber within the actuator from which the material is dispensed through a discharge outlet in the actuator.
  • Such a material dispensing arrangement is, hereinafter, referred to as "a dispensing arrangement of the type defined".
  • the material flowing through the dip tube passes through a first restriction, defined by the valve port, and then through a second restriction defined by the actuator discharge outlet.
  • Other restrictions may be imposed by the valve housing, the tail-piece and the dip-tube.
  • valve may include more than one valve port and/or the actuator may have more than one discharge outlet.
  • cross-sectional area of the valve port shall mean the cross-sectional area of the valve port in a single valve port arrangement and the sum of the cross-sectional areas of all the valve ports in a multi-port valve port arrangement
  • cross-sectional area of the actuator outlet shall mean the cross-sectional area of the actuator outlet in a single actuator outlet arrangement and the sum of the cross-sectional areas of all the actuator outlets in a multi-outlet arrangement.
  • One inherent problem with dispensing arrangements of the type defined resides in providing a pressurizing gas capable of maintainig sufficient pressure throughout the life of the container as to propelling at least the greater part of the material content from the container.
  • liquefied gases When such liquefied gases are used in a dispensing arrangement of the type defined vaporization of the liquefied gas establishes the gas space at a pressure sufficient to propel the material contents out of the container and, as material content is discharged and the volume of the gas space increases, the liquefied gas vaporizes within the container, thus to maintain a substantially uniform material-propelling gas pressure in the head space until substantially all the material content has been discharged.
  • the liquefied gases in being readily usable with a wide range of products, in allowing containers to be charged with material contents often in excess of 70% of the container volume and in allowing the use of relatively cheap low pressure container in a wide variety of materials, have substantially dominated the dispensing industry for the past forty years.
  • non-liquefied gases have now been recognised as harmful to the environment or having other undesirable features and the dispensing arrangement industry has been forced to seek alternative systems, essentially using compressed gases virtually all of which remain in their gaseous phase for all operating parameters of the dispensing arrangement and which gases are, hereinafter, referred to as "non-liquefied gases".
  • Gases obey the gas laws, at stable temperature thy pressure reduces proportional with increase in volume and for non-liquefied gases the initial gas content must be sufficient to maintain a pressure adequate to propel an acceptable volume of the material content of the dispensing arrangement up the dip tube and through the valve arrangement.
  • the dispensing arrangement with its valve and actuator arrangement must be designed to safely withstand the initial high gas pressure as will exist when the dispensing arrangement is charged with its prescribed material content.
  • a dispensing arrangement can be designed to meet the above propellant requirements with the initial gas pressure little more than 100 p.s.i. (0.703 kg/cm2).
  • the liquefied gases used with certain material contents, solvents for material contents or additives offer a further advantage in that the said liquefied gases can be dispersed through the material content in the dispensing arrangement.
  • the entrained liquefied gas vaporizes, breaking up the discharging material into discrete particles and blowing the particles apart to form a relatively constant spray pattern.
  • This advantage is particularly useful when the material content is a liquid, whereupon vaporization of the liquefied gas leaving the actuator outlet breaks the liquid material content into fine droplets, particularly advantageous for many applications such as hair sprays, air fresheners and liquid insecticides. Additional breakup can be achieved by bleeding propellant gas into the liquid stream from the vapour phase.
  • the present invention seek to provide a dispensing arrangement of the type defined capable of affording substantially constant discharge characteristics for a material being dispensed for the greater part of the life of the dispensing arrangement.
  • a dispensing arrangement of the type defined for use with non-liquefied gases characterized in that the cross-sectional area of the valve port is greater than twice the cross-sectional area of the actuator outlet.
  • the cross-sectional area of the valve port is greater than five times the cross-sectional area of the said actuator outlet and most preferably the said cross-sectional area of the valve port is greater than ten times the cross-sectional area of the actuator outlet.
  • the actuator outlet has a cross-sectional area of from 0.02 mm2 to 0.126 mm2 and, more preferably, from 0.04 mm2 to 0.071 mm2.
  • the actuator has a single outlet having a diameter of 0.25 mm.
  • the cross-sectional area of the valve port is from 0.196 mm2 to 1.57 mm2 more preferably from 0.2 mm2 to 0.8 mm2.
  • valve has more than one port and in a more preferred embodiment the said valve has four ports.
  • valve ports are preferably of the same diameter and most preferably the diameters of the valve ports are in the region of 0.5 mm.
  • the invention also envisages dispensing arrangements, of the type defined, having the actuator outlet/valve port relationship according to the invention, charged with a non-liquefied gas.
  • the said non-liquefied gas comprises air, nitrogen or carbon dioxide.
  • a dispensing arrangement generally comprises a the valve system, supported by a conventional cup 11 intended to close the opening in a container C, generally comprising a body 12, rigidly crimped into the cup 11 within the container C, with an actuator/valve assembly supported by the body 12 and axially displaceable relative thereto.
  • the body 12 is a body of revolution defining a large bore 13 with a small through bore 14, axially aligned with and opening to the bore 13.
  • a dip-tube T is attached to the outer cylindrical surface of the wall defining the bore 14 and extends into the contalner C to open in the lower regions of the said container C.
  • the body 12 includes an annular flange 15 at that radial end to which the bore 13 opens and an annular, flexible, resilient gasket 16 has its radially outermost parts clamped between the flange 15 and the cup 11.
  • a valve stem 17, with a blind bore 17 a extends through a clearance bore in the cup 11, through the bore in the gasket 16 and terminates in an integral annular block 17 b , within the bore 13, having a diameter larger than the diameter of the bore in gasket 16.
  • a coil compression spring 18 acts on the block 17 b and continuously urges the block 17 b against the gasket 16.
  • the valve stem 17 has an actuator button 19 secured thereon.
  • the valve stem is a friction fit in the bore of the gasket 16 and includes a valve port, defined by a radial opening 17 c in the wall of the valve stem 17 opening to the bore 17 a .
  • the valve port 17 c is so located from the block 17 b that said valve port 17 b is closed by the gasket 16 when the gasket is unflexed (as shown in Fig 1) and is open to the bore 13 when the actuator button 19 is depressed, thereby forcing the valve stem 17 into the body 12 and flexing the gasket 16 inwardly of the container as shown in Fig 2.
  • valve stem 17 opens to a chamber 20, which may include a conventional swirl block 21, and an exit passage 19 a from the chamber 20 is closed by an insert plate 22 in the actuator which has an aperture 22 a therethrough defining the actuator discharge outlet.
  • valve arrangement described thus far is of a conventional design, with the actuator button 19 released the spring 18 urges the valve block 17 b and stem 17 upwardly to the position shown in Fig. 1 where the gasket 16 is sealing the valve port 17 c .
  • the block 17 b When the actuator button 19 is depressed the block 17 b is displaced downwardly away from the gasket 16, the gasket 16 deflects into the bore 13 exposing the valve port 17 c and, under the action of the propellant pressure gas in container C, container contents are driven up the dip tube T into the bore 13 and therefrom through the valve port 17 c , up the blind bore 17 a to the chamber 20 and therefrom along the passage 19 a and through the actuator outlet 22 a to discharge.
  • the cross-sectional area of the valve port 17 c would be similar to the cross sectional area of the actuator outlet 22 a but, for a material dispensing arrangement of the type defied in accordance with the present invention, this relationship is disregarded and the actuator outlet has a very much smaller cross-sectional area than the valve port.
  • the actuator outlet 22 a may conveniently have a diameter of 0.25 mm, giving a cross-sectional area of 0. 049087 mm2 (0.049 mm2), and the valve port, conveniently four ports 17 c on a common plane at right angles to the axis of the stem 17, may have each port 0.5 mm in diameter, giving a cross-sectional area of 0.7854 mm2 (0.79 mm2).
  • each container was charged to 55% of its volume with a furniture polish having a viscosity of 510 c.p.s. (mPa s) and the remaining volume in each container was charged with nitrogen to a pressure of 100 p.s.i. (7.03 kg/cm2). All six dispensing arrangements had a valve port arrangement comprising four 0.5 mm diameter ports, giving a cross-sectional area of 0.79 mm2.
  • the dispensing arrangements differed only in the cross-sectional areas of their respective actuator outlets and Table I shows the different actuator outlet sizes for the six dispensing arrangements.
  • Each dispensing arrangement was discharged in a series of 10 second sprays and the material discharged in each spray was measured and noted.
  • Fig. 3 illustrates, graphically, the mean values obtained for the different actuator outlets under trial, the discharge in grams being plotted vertically and the number of 10 second sprays being plotted horizontally.
  • Fig. 3 clearly shows that as the cross-sectional area of the actuator outlet was reduced the rate of distribution became more uniform and, contrary to what one would expect with a continuously falling propellant gas pressure, the dispensing arrangements E and F illustrated substantially uniform rates of discharge for more than 90% of the material contents.
  • the containers varied only in the cross-sectional area of their respective valve ports as shown in Table III;
  • each dispensing arrangement to be tested was supported above a horizontal target plane with its axis inclined at an angle of 40 degrees to the horizontal (the actuator being uppermost) and with the centre of the dispensing arrangement 200 mm above the target plane.
  • the container was then discharged for 4 seconds and the area of the target plane covered by the dispensed material was measured and noted.
  • each container was charged to 55% of its volume with a laundry spray material having a viscosity of in the region of 20 c.p.s.(mPa s) and the remaining volume in each container was charged with air to a pressure of 100 p.s.i. (7.03 kg/cm2).
  • valve port arrangement comprising four 0.5 mm diameter ports, giving a cross-sectional area of 0.79 mm2.
  • the dispensing arrangements differed only in the cross-sectional areas of their respective actuator outlets and Table V shows the different actuator outlet sizes for the six dispensing arrangements.
  • Each dispensing arrangement was discharged in a series of 10 second sprays and the material discharged in each spray was measured and noted.

Landscapes

  • Dispersion Chemistry (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Containers And Packaging Bodies Having A Special Means To Remove Contents (AREA)
  • Nozzles (AREA)
  • Transition And Organic Metals Composition Catalysts For Addition Polymerization (AREA)
  • Vending Machines For Individual Products (AREA)
  • Telephone Function (AREA)
  • Filling Or Discharging Of Gas Storage Vessels (AREA)
  • Coating Apparatus (AREA)
  • Physical Deposition Of Substances That Are Components Of Semiconductor Devices (AREA)
  • Paper (AREA)
  • Discharge Of Articles From Conveyors (AREA)
  • Manufacture, Treatment Of Glass Fibers (AREA)
  • Disintegrating Or Milling (AREA)
  • Crucibles And Fluidized-Bed Furnaces (AREA)
  • Materials For Medical Uses (AREA)
  • Sealing Material Composition (AREA)
  • Adhesives Or Adhesive Processes (AREA)
EP90907355A 1989-06-23 1990-05-21 Improvements in or relating to dispensers Expired - Lifetime EP0479796B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB8914442 1989-06-23
GB8914442A GB2233395B (en) 1989-06-23 1989-06-23 Improvements in or relating to dispensers

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0479796A1 EP0479796A1 (en) 1992-04-15
EP0479796B1 true EP0479796B1 (en) 1993-08-25

Family

ID=10658940

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP90907355A Expired - Lifetime EP0479796B1 (en) 1989-06-23 1990-05-21 Improvements in or relating to dispensers

Country Status (19)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0479796B1 (xx)
JP (1) JPH04505903A (xx)
AT (1) ATE93477T1 (xx)
AU (1) AU633581B2 (xx)
BR (1) BR9007412A (xx)
CA (1) CA2060662C (xx)
DE (1) DE69002949C5 (xx)
DK (1) DK0479796T3 (xx)
ES (1) ES2044589T3 (xx)
FI (1) FI91737C (xx)
GB (1) GB2233395B (xx)
GR (1) GR1002546B (xx)
HK (2) HK1008003A1 (xx)
IE (1) IE64132B1 (xx)
NO (1) NO915026L (xx)
NZ (1) NZ233906A (xx)
PT (1) PT94445B (xx)
WO (1) WO1991000229A1 (xx)
ZA (1) ZA904437B (xx)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US7621468B2 (en) 2007-10-01 2009-11-24 The Procter & Gamble Company System for pressurized delivery of fluids

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CA2020223C (en) * 1989-07-19 1996-02-27 Shinya Kobayashi Aerosol container cap
FR2739086B1 (fr) * 1995-09-21 1997-11-14 Oreal Valve pour pulverisateur et pulverisateur ainsi equipe
PT1357057E (pt) 2002-04-22 2006-12-29 Sara Lee De Nv Recipiente para uma substância a ser pulverizada, tampa para um tal recipiente, e método de fabrico de um tal recipiente

Family Cites Families (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3332626A (en) * 1965-06-21 1967-07-25 Meshberg Philip Dispensing valve
IT1087449B (it) * 1977-11-17 1985-06-04 Coster Tecnologie Speciali Spa Perfezionamento nelle valvole erogatrici di aerosol
US4230243A (en) * 1978-08-08 1980-10-28 Spitzer Joseph G Aerosol container with flameless delivery valve
JPS6233115A (ja) * 1985-08-05 1987-02-13 Kao Corp 人体塗布用噴霧組成物

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US7621468B2 (en) 2007-10-01 2009-11-24 The Procter & Gamble Company System for pressurized delivery of fluids

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
FI91737C (fi) 1994-08-10
GB2233395A (en) 1991-01-09
HK1008002A1 (en) 1999-04-30
EP0479796A1 (en) 1992-04-15
NO915026D0 (no) 1991-12-19
PT94445B (pt) 1997-05-28
DK0479796T3 (da) 1993-10-18
DE69002949T2 (de) 1993-12-23
NO915026L (no) 1991-12-19
WO1991000229A1 (en) 1991-01-10
NZ233906A (en) 1992-04-28
FI916034A0 (fi) 1991-12-20
AU5660490A (en) 1991-01-17
ZA904437B (en) 1991-03-27
DE69002949C5 (de) 2006-05-18
ATE93477T1 (de) 1993-09-15
JPH04505903A (ja) 1992-10-15
ES2044589T3 (es) 1994-01-01
PT94445A (pt) 1992-03-31
GB8914442D0 (en) 1989-08-09
IE64132B1 (en) 1995-07-12
GB2233395B (en) 1994-01-12
BR9007412A (pt) 1992-04-28
GR1002546B (el) 1997-01-28
IE902249L (en) 1990-12-23
IE902249A1 (en) 1991-01-16
GR900100454A (el) 1991-11-15
HK1008003A1 (en) 1999-04-30
FI91737B (fi) 1994-04-29
AU633581B2 (en) 1993-02-04
DE69002949D1 (de) 1993-09-30
CA2060662C (en) 2000-02-01

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