EP2314979A1 - Irritant spray device - Google Patents

Abstract

The device has a pressure container (14) i.e. irritant cartridge, for storing an irritant, and a spray head (18) arranged on the container for dispensing the irritant by pressing of the spray head. The spray head comprises a display device (34) that has a rod shaped disk element (60) and a material section (73). The disk element is movable from a position to another position with a pressing of the spray head (18) by supporting at the container. The material section is held by a thin material bridge, which is permanently deformed into the latter position during movement of the disk element.

Description

The invention relates to an irritant-spraying device according to the preamble of claim 1.

Irritant sprayers of the type mentioned are, for example, from the DE 20 2006 004 268 U1 . DE 20 2006 000 889 U1 and DE 20 2006 008 367 U1 known. The known irritant spraying devices comprise a housing in which a pressure vessel, for example an irritant cartridge, is exchangeably received. The

Irritant cartridge may be filled with irritant, such as CS, OC or PAVA. On the irritant cartridge a spray head is attached, which in turn comprises a spray nozzle. By depressing the spray head by means of the thumb or another finger of the user, a valve integrated in the irritant cartridge is opened and the release of the irritant is made possible.

Object of the present invention is to provide an irritant spray device of the type mentioned, which can be operated with even greater reliability.

This object is achieved by an irritant spray device with the features of claim 1. Advantageous developments of the invention are specified in subclaims. In addition, the invention features important features in the following description and in the drawing, these features may be important both alone and in different combinations for the invention, without being noted.

By the display device provided according to the invention, a user of the irritant spray device can determine at any time whether the pressure vessel has already been put into operation or not. This will be the risk reduces that an irritant sprayer is used, which is already half empty. Ultimately, this improves the reliability of the operation of the irritant sprayer. It is understood that the term "first startup" is not necessarily to be understood as a first removal of irritant from the pressure vessel. To achieve said advantage, it may also be sufficient to display only a first "arming" of the pressure vessel or a first depression of the spray head. It should also be noted at this point that the term "irritant" is not necessarily an eye, nose, respiratory system and / or skin irritant substance such as capsaicin, pelargonic acid vanillylamide, CS or CN to understand, as it usually in self-defense sprays or general Sprays to incapacitate action of persons or animals is used, but this can be understood, for example, a color or an odorant that marks an object, or even a neutral substance with which the handling of the device can be practiced. The use of the present invention is even conceivable in an even more general form, for example for displaying a first startup of a spray device for the application of a medically active substance.

The invention provides a frictionally held sliding element on the spray head, which changes its position upon depression of the spray head. This is done, for example, in which the sliding element shifts by supporting on the pressure vessel relative to the spray head from a first to a second position. Such a sliding element can be very easily produced for example in two-component injection molding. With appropriate structural design, it also allows both a visual and a tactile display.

For this purpose, the spray head on through a thin material bridge, which in this respect forms a predetermined breaking point, initially held on material section. When the spray head is pressed down for the first time, the sliding element moves against the material section and acts on it with a force. As a result, the material bridge is at least partially destroyed (for example, by tearing) or at least permanently strongly deformed, so that the material portion is at least partially separated from the rest. If it is completely separated, it falls off, but it is only partially separated, he works around (the remaining material bridge then forms a kind of hinge so far). The fact that the material portion is separated from the spray head or at least levered from its original position, the sliding element visible to the user through the resulting opening. This provides a reliable visual and possibly even tactile indication which informs the user whether the spray head has already been pressed once or not. It should again be noted that only an actual depression of the spray head causes a permanent and irreversible change in state of the display device, which improves the clarity of the display.

The irritant spray device works better when the sliding element is rod-shaped and held in a channel in the spray head in frictional engagement. Through the channel, the sliding element is particularly well managed, which reduces the risk of false readings.

If the material section closes off the channel to the top of the spray head, when the sliding element is still in the first position, a separated material section is particularly easily recognizable as an indication of an already existing first use of the spray device.

Furthermore, it is proposed that the material section has a semi-convex, in particular hemispherical, shape, with the convexly curved part pointing towards the sliding element and the flat part being substantially flush with the top side of the spray head. Ultimately, such an in created about annular material bridge or predetermined breaking point. The flush leads to the fact that the display initially hardly or not at all noticeable. The hemispherical shape allows for easy production of the material bridge by injection molding. It is understood that the term "halbkonvex" quite different shapes can be understood, for example, a pointed cone, a pyramidal or tetrahedral configuration, even a cylinder-like shape.

By a in its second position substantially flush with the top of the spray head sliding element, the gripping of the top of the spray head is not affected by the user. In contrast, when the sliding element projects beyond the top of the spray head in its second position, a tactile perception of the state of the display device is additionally made possible. This is helpful, for example, in the use of the invention by a visually impaired person.

The uniqueness of the status display of the display device is improved if at least the adjacent to the top of the spray head face of the sliding element has a different color from the color of the spray head. Cheap is a high Contrast. For example, the spray head has a red color and the sliding element a yellow color.

Figuren 1a und 1b:

perspektivische Ansichten eines Reizstoff- Sprühgeräts mit einem Gehäuse, einem Druckbehälter, einem Sprühkopf und einem Verriegelungselement;

Figuren 2 bis 5:

Darstellungen einer Ausführungsform einer Anzeigeeinrichtung;

Figur 6:

eine Ansicht der Unterseite des Sprühkopfs;

Figur 7:

eine Schnittansicht längs einer Linie VII-VII von Figur 6;

Figur 8:

eine Ansicht VIII von Figur 7;

Hereinafter, embodiments of the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawing show:

FIGS. 1a and 1b:

perspective views of an irritant spray device with a housing, a pressure vessel, a spray head and a locking element;

FIGS. 2 to 5:

Representations of an embodiment of a display device;

FIG. 6:

a view of the underside of the spray head;

FIG. 7:

a sectional view taken along a line VII-VII of FIG. 6 ;

FIG. 8:

a view of VIII FIG. 7 ;

An irritant sprayer carries in the FIGS. 1a and 1b It comprises a housing 12 for receiving a pressure vessel 14 and a spray head 18 placed on a delivery nipple 16 of the pressure vessel 14. The pressure vessel 14 and the spray head 18 form a total of an irritant cartridge 20, which only dashed and only in FIG. 1a is indicated.

The housing 12 comprises at its top a hinged lid 22 which is articulated or pivotally mounted in 24. The irritant cartridge 20 is inserted into the housing 12 with the hinged lid 22 open and secured in the housing 12 by a locking element 26 in the form of a safety slide. This is in the in the FIGS. 1a and 1b shown mounting position releasably locked in the housing 12.

In the pressure vessel 14, an irritant is stored under pressure. As an irritant pepper, capsaicin, Pelargonsäurevanillylamid, CS or CN gas or the like come into question. For training purposes, the pressure vessel 14 may also be filled with a neutral fluid, for example with pure water.

When using the irritant spray device 10, the user grasps the housing 12 and he pushes the thumb or another finger between hinged lid 22 and spray head 18, so that the thumb or finger rests on the top of the spray head 18. As a result, the hinged lid 22 is raised slightly against the force of a spring, not shown. The user with the remaining fingers of the hand engages around the lower portion of the housing 12. If a release of irritant is desired, the user presses with his thumb or finger on a recessed and fluted actuating surface 28 of the spray head 18. Thus, the spray head 18 to the pressure vessel 14, whereby the dispensing valve, which is arranged in the pressure vessel 14, opens, whereby an irritant jet 30 emerges from a spray nozzle 32 of the spray head 18.

That in the FIGS. 1a and 1b Irritant spray device 10 shown has a display device by which a first startup of the irritant spray device 10 is permanently displayed.

An embodiment of the irritant-spray device 10 is in the FIGS. 2 to 5 shown. The display device is designated there by a total of 34. In this, a pin or rod-shaped sliding element 60 is present, which in the in the Figures 2 and 3 shown unused initial position ("first position") is received in a channel 70 in the spray head 18 such that its in the Drawing upper end not yet touched by a predetermined breaking point or material bridge 72 secured material portion 73 of the spray head 18. The material section 73 has an overall hemispherical shape with a convex part facing the sliding element 60 (no reference numeral) and a flat part (no reference numeral) which is substantially flush with the top of the spray head 18. In contrast, the lower end of the rod-shaped sliding element 60 in the drawing is supported on a closure plate 71 of the pressure vessel 14. The sliding element 60 is held in the channel 70 in frictional engagement. It is possible to manufacture in two-component injection molding technology, or a manual or mechanical insertion of the sliding element 60 after the production of the channel 70th

When the spray head 18 is depressed for the first time by a user for the delivery of an irritant jet 30, the upper end of the rod-shaped push member 60 slides against the convex portion of the material portion 73 of the spray head 18, which is then acted upon by a force. In this case, breaking stress in the region of the material bridge 72 is exceeded, so that the predetermined breaking point or material bridge 72 is destroyed and the material section 73 removed or at least leveraged or folded (see. FIG. 4 ).

If the spray head 18 is released by the user, he returns to the in FIG. 5 shown starting position back. In this return movement, the sliding element 60 is taken from the spray head 18 due to the frictional engagement, so it remains relative to the spray head 18 in the in FIG. 4 shown location ( FIG. 5 ). The visualization of the rod-shaped sliding member 60 at the top of the spray head 18 is a visual indication to the user that the spray head 18 has already been depressed at least once (cf. FIG. 5 ). The upper end region or an end face of the sliding element 60 is thus open and is visible to the user. This is especially true when spray head 18 and sliding element 60 have different colors. For example, the spray head 18 may be red and the sliding element 60 may be yellow. In this case, after the spray head is put into operation for the first time, a yellow dot appears at the top of the spray head 18. Because the slider 60 in the second position is substantially flush with the top of the spray head 18, the gripping of the top of the spray head 18 is by the user not impaired.

In a not very similar embodiment to the FIGS. 2 to 5 the rod-shaped sliding element 60 is dimensioned in the length so that it projects beyond the top of the spray head 18 after a first use. This results in addition to the visual display and a tactile indication to the user that the spray head 18 has already been depressed at least once.

FIG. 6 shows the bottom of the spray head 18, matching the rest FIGS. 1 to 8 , The spray head 18 has an outer edge 50. In the lower part of the FIG. 6 is a locking element 26 in the form of a safety slide with two lateral, in the longitudinal direction of the locking member 26 extending actuating portions 56 visible. In the central region of the spray head 18 is a collar 41 for receiving the discharge nipple 16 of the pressure vessel 14. In the upper left of the drawing, the spray head 18 a nozzle 75 with the channel 70 in which a sliding element 60 is received. At the top of the FIG. 6 is the spray nozzle 32nd

After insertion of the irritant cartridge 20 into the housing 12, the irritant cartridge 20 must be in the housing 12 (see FIG. 2) for safe use of the irritant spray device 10.

FIGS. 1a and 1b ). For this purpose, the locking element 26 from a first position in which it releases the pressure vessel 14 (approximately FIG. 6 ), in the drawing of the FIG. 6 be pushed so far until it secures the pressure vessel 14 in the housing 12 positively (not shown).

FIG. 7 shows a sectional view through a part of the spray head 18 after FIG. 6 , For illustration purposes, the elements of the FIG. 7 drawn without hatching. Shown is the unused initial position ("first position") of the irritant spray device 10. The sliding element 60 is held in the nozzle 75 and channel 70 of the spray head 18 in frictional engagement. The FIG. 8 shows a plan view corresponding to the view VIII of FIG. 7 ,

It can be seen how a predetermined breaking point in the spray head 18 is formed by means of a (in the present case annular) thin material bridge 72. The material portion 73 and the spray head 18 form a coherent part, but because of the relatively thin material bridge 72 of the material portion 73 is only weakly attached to the spray head 18. The sliding element 60 in the lower part of FIG. 7 is spaced from the material portion 73 by a gap 77. It is understood that the nozzle 75 in the rest FIGS. 1 to 5 - Although not shown - is a suitable element for guiding the sliding element 60.

Claims (7)

An irritant sprayer (10) comprising a pressure vessel (14) for storing an irritant and a spray head (18) disposed on the pressure vessel for dispensing the irritant by depressing the spray head (18), characterized in that the spray head (18) comprises a display (34), or operatively connected to a sliding element (60) and a material section (73), the sliding element (60) being supported by a first first depression of the spray head (18) by support on the pressure vessel (14) is movable in a second position, and wherein the material portion (73) by a preferably thin material bridge (72) is held, which is at least partially destroyed or permanently deformed when moving the sliding element (60) in the second position. Irritant spray device (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the sliding element (60) is rod-shaped and is held in a channel (70) in the spray head (18) in frictional engagement. Irritant sprayer (10) according to claim 2, characterized in that the material portion (73) the Close channel (70) to the top of the spray head (18), as long as the sliding element (60) is still in the first position. Irritant sprayer (10) according to claim 3, characterized in that the material portion (73) has a halbkonvexe, in particular hemispherical shape, wherein the convex curvature facing the sliding element (60) and shows the flat part substantially flush with the top of the spray head (18) is as long as the sliding member (60) is still in the first position. Irritant sprayer (10) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sliding element (60) in the second position is substantially flush with the top of the spray head (18). Irritant sprayer (10) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sliding element (60) projects beyond an upper side of the spray head (18) in the second position. Irritant sprayer (10) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least the top of the spray head (18) adjacent end face of the sliding element (60) has a of the color of the spray head (18) has different color.

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