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
  • B65D83/60—Contents and propellant separated
  • B65D83/62—Contents and propellant separated by membrane, bag, or the like

Definitions

• the present invention relates to aerosol containers comprising an outer casing with a bag for product encapsulated therein.
• Such containers are commonly referred to in the art as bag-in-can aerosols.
• the invention relates to adaptation of such bag-in-can systems to allow expulsion of viscous products, for example in the form of pastes or thick gels.
• viscous products for example in the form of pastes or thick gels.
• Such products may include adhesives, sealants and fillers.
• Bag-in can aerosol dispensers have been known from the prior art since the 1960's.
• GB 1030596 (ALLIED CHEM) 22.05.1966 describes the manufacturing method used for production of a nylon bag and its incorporation into such an aerosol container.
• US 3539083 (DART IND INC) 10.11.1970 describes modification of the bag and can structure to ensure that the bag cavity fills the can and also the incorporation of a dip tube inside the bag to ensure that when the valve is opened, product being dispensed from the container does not itself throttle further product dispensing.
• US 4148416 (METAL BOX CO LTD) 04.10.1979 describes a loose core member within the bag, which prevents the formation of "pockets" within the product as the bag collapses and product is dispensed.
• MOLLER ET AL 07.10.1969 describes a dispensing container with such a pleated bag.
• the bag is formed from an integral piece of material and includes axially spaced primary fold sections and secondary fold bands collapsible subsequent to the collapse of the primary fold sections.
• the intention of the panelling is to regulate the collapse of the bag caused by the pressure forces acting on it radially and axially as product is dispensed.
• US 4062475 A (HARRIS AND MONSON) 13.12.1977 also describes in one particular embodiment a bag (flexible liner, 9) with horizontally pleated sides.
• the present invention provides an aerosol dispensing container comprising a container body and a collapsible bag therein to separate a pressurised chamber defined between the container body and the bag from a product chamber defined by the bag, and an actuating valve carried by the container body and arranged in fluid communication with the product chamber, characterised in that the bag includes extrinsic support means adapted to prevent radial collapse of the bag to maintain flow of product to the valve whilst allowing axial collapse of the bag as the product is dispensed.
• the bag tends to collapse radially, but the support means keeps the walls of the bag at a defined distance, preventing further radial collapse and defining a flow path for the remaining product to the aerosol valve.
• the inventor has used both a cage-like structure and subsequently a conventional spring as the support means with similar results.
• the cage or spring is preferably located inside the bag and it is therefore submerged in the product. Therefore, the material from which the cage or spring is made must be chosen carefully.
• the cage or spring must not be adversely affected by the product (e.g. it must not corrode) and neither must it adversely affect the product (e.g. by chemical reaction).
• the cage or spring should also be arranged so that it does not inhibit or prevent the flow of product to the actuating valve.
• Figure 1 shows a cut away isometric drawing of a prior art aerosol container with bag and an expanded area of the top section of this container.
• Figure 2 shows a cross section view through an aerosol container according to the invention with a helical spring located inside the bag.
• F[gjJ_re 3 shows a cross section through the same aerosol container as that shown in figure 2, after the contents of the bag has been dispensed and the helical spring is compressed.
• Figure 4 shows a cross section view through an aerosol container according to a second embodiment of the invention where ribs are situated within the product compartment and are adapted to define a bellows structure, which prevents radial collapse of the bag, whilst allowing axial compression of the bag.
• Figure 5 shows a cross section view through an aerosol container according to another embodiment of the invention, in which the bag sidewall incorporates ribs designed to prevent radial collapse of the bag, whilst allowing axial compression of the bag.
• a prior art aerosol container 1 comprises a body 30 having a base 20 and a cone 40.
• the free edge of the cone 40 is finished with a curl 42.
• the base 20 and cone 40 are connected to the body 30. using conventional joining methods, such as a double seam.
• the base 20 defines a charging port or aperture 25, through which propellant is inserted into the aerosol container 1, the propellant being used to drive any product in the aerosol container 1 out of the valve 5, when it is opened.
• the propellant may either take the form of a Irq ⁇ idified propellant or a compressed gas.
• the aerosol container 1 shown in figure 1 is a conventional "bag in can" aerosol.
• a bag 50 is inserted into the body 30, The inside of the bag 50 defines a product compartment and the space left outside the bag 50, between the bag 50 and the body 30, defines a propellant compartment
• RECTIFIED SHEET (RULE 91 ) ISA/EP into which propellant is introduced via the charging port 25. Once propellant has been inserted into the propellant compartment, the charging port 25 is sealed with a grommet 26.
• Figure 2 illustrates a first embodiment of the invention, in which a spring 54 is inserted into the neck 57 of the bag 50 in the vicinity of the valve 5.
• the valve 5 is mounted in a valve cup 70 and is arranged in fluid communication with the product compartment inside the bag 50.
• the spring 54 is arranged to brace the sidewall 53 of the bag against radial collapse, whilst allowing the base 52 of the bag to collapse axially.
• Figure 3 illustrates the same embodiment of the invention as figure 2, but this figure shows the spring 54 in its compressed configuration.
• the spring 54 braces the bag 50 and prevents radial collapse. This ensures that the flow path of product to the valve 5 is maintained.
• the spring 54 compresses axially, ensuring that most of the product is dispensed from the bag 50 through the valve 5.
• a disadvantage of this arrangement is that the spring 54 is submerged in the product inside the bag 50. This may cause the spring 54 to become “clogged” by the product, thus restricting its effective operation.
• the spring 54 may need to be made of more expensive materials (such as stainless steel), which is uneconomic for many aerosol applications. Spring materials that are inert in the presence of a wide variety of products are prohibitively expensive, often costing many times the cost of the finished aerosol product on the supermarket shelf.
• the inventor has designed an alternative bag arrangement (as shown in figure 4), in which ribs 55 are provided around the circumference of the bag 50 in fluid communication with the product compartment, the sidewall 53 in between the ribs 55 acting as a flexible web.
• the ribs 55 and the flexible sidewall 53 therebetween form a bellows structure.
• the ribs 55 are adapted to prevent radial collapse of the bag 50 whilst the bellows structure allows axial compression of the bag 50.
• the ribs 55 can be of any cross-section, for example, hexagonal, but preferably they have a circular cross-section.
• a disadvantage of this bellows structure is that it is difficult to manufacture and makes assembly of the bag 50 inside the aerosol body 30 complex.
• Figure 5 shows a third embodiment of the invention, which requires no spring or like component inside the bag 50 and no ribs 55, which are difficult to assemble inside the aerosol body 30.
• one or more ribs 55 are provided integrally with the sidewall 53 of the bag 50.
• the ribs 55 may be arranged to form a helix or may be provided as segments of a helix, i.e. they may be continuous or discontinuous.
• the ribs 55 are designed and arranged to restrict radial collapse of the bag 50, whilst allowing axial compression of the bag 50 in much the same way as the spring 54 (shown in figures 2 and 3) and the ribs 55 shown in figure 4.

Landscapes

• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Dispersion Chemistry (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Containers And Packaging Bodies Having A Special Means To Remove Contents (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=37988892

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (6)

Families Citing this family (12)

Citations (4)

Family Cites Families (22)

• 2007
  • 2007-03-13 GB GBGB0704821.8A patent/GB0704821D0/en not_active Ceased
• 2008
  • 2008-03-13 US US12/530,688 patent/US20100108716A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2008-03-13 CA CA002679350A patent/CA2679350A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2008-03-13 EP EP08717757A patent/EP2117962A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 2008-03-13 MX MX2009009749A patent/MX2009009749A/es not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2008-03-13 WO PCT/EP2008/053013 patent/WO2008110600A1/en active Application Filing

Patent Citations (4)

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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