ES1285316U - ACTUATOR COVER WITH INNER DRUM (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding) - Google Patents

Abstract

Actuator cap with inner drum suitable for anchoring to an aerosol container (10) and through a cannula (7) associated with a button (5) to be able to press the output stem (13) facilitating the spraying of product when the button is pressed. button (5) characterized in that the inner drum comprises holes (11) in its skirt and descending vertical extensions that reach the pivot point (4) of the button (5) and the stop (6) and because it also comprises a cannula (7) with a conduit (14) with a flared area (8) that ends in a mouth whose section diameter is greater than the external section diameter of the body (9) of the cannula. (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding)

Description

DESCRIPTION

ACTUATOR COVER WITH INTERNAL DRUM

The invention relates to an actuating lid that has a cannula for the exit of the aerosol and a double dome, with an inner and an outer drum, the outer perimeter being defense and protection, and the inner being a reinforcement and support for the elements that allow the manipulation of the stem of the aerosol.

In the case at hand, it has been possible to reduce the amount of plastic used without reducing the robustness or altering the behavior of the lid, which fully maintains its functionality but becomes more environmentally friendly.

For this the inner drum presents;

- A part of its skirt trimmed but keeping the strategic support points and maintaining a structure that prevents the lid from weakening.

- An outlet cannula in which the thickness of its walls have been reduced, generating a flared mouth that allows unmolding without problems.

The technical sector to which it belongs is that of actuator caps for aerosols, especially for air fresheners and insecticides.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is common to find actuator caps that have a double dome, with two concentric drums, especially, but not exclusively, in those caps that have vertical spraying.

The outer drum has perimeter walls and an open lower base and a closed upper base, at least partially, which it usually shares with the inner drum.

The inner drum usually supports the button, which is a mobile element, normally pivoting, that can sink when vertical pressure is applied, this element being the one that presses the stem and releases the spray.

This mobile element, which is usually accessed from the upper base of the outer dome, is usually supported by the inner drum, which sometimes not only serves as a support for the pivoting element but also rests on the aerosol itself, giving it greater resistance. .

There is abundant patent literature in this regard, serving as an example, among others, the Spanish patent P302397 which refers to an actuator cover that allows the button to pivot and its descent to be "plumb" preventing the stem from bending In this patent up to three concentric domes can be seen with the consequent use of plastic On the other hand, in this patent the output cannula is in permanent contact with the stem so that any involuntary pressure exerted on the button is immediately transferred to the stem causing a spray.

Spanish patent ES2039744 (validation of European patent 89108258.8) refers to an actuator cap that allows spraying slightly inclined with respect to the vertical. In this patent there are also two concentric domes and a thick-walled outlet cannula. This outlet cannula is in permanent contact with the stem.

Patent WO93/12992 refers to a lid without a cannula, where the descent of the button causes the inclination of a specific stem until facing it with an outlet hole that presses on it, generating the outlet of the product. The execution of this patent requires a stem with bending capacity.

Patent WO2004/020313 refers to a lid that has an outer dome and an inner one with a depressible area and a cannula suitable for housing a stem. The cannula has thick partitions to assume the flaring of its lower end.

None of the previous patents contemplates an actuator cap where the use of a conventional stem is allowed that is not in permanent contact with the outlet cannula, the cannula presenting a flared end and, at the same time, walls of reduced thickness, all this together with a lightened inner dome but without loss of robustness or performance.

Since the reduction of plastic is an objective to be solved, the present invention surpasses existing caps as described below.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In order to overcome the problems exposed, the proposed actuator cover, in addition to a reduction in the thickness of its perimeter walls, has a double drum dome comprising two concentric drums, where the inner drum comprises perimeter skirts that have strategic lateral and a cannula with a specific geometry with a flared lower mouth whose diameter is greater than the outer diameter of the rest of the cannula as the thickness of its walls has been reduced.

As has been said, the skirt of the inner drum has some strategic holes on its sides that do not affect either the point on which the pusher pivots or the stop that prevents the pusher from sinking deeper than expected. These gaps narrow as they approach the upper base of the inner drum, thereby causing the physical skirt portion to widen. In this way, the area closest to the upper base of that inner drum has a complete skirt that we will call the upper ring that provides stability to the button.

On the other hand, the cannula, located inside the inner drum, presents a reduction in the thickness of its walls, maintaining the flaring of its lower mouth to such an extent that the diameter of its lower mouth is greater than the outer diameter of its main body.

To avoid problems during demoulding, due to the undercut that the flared area would entail, it has a geometry that allows it to be folded at the time of demoulding, which is carried out while hot. Once unmoulded, the flared area, when cooled, recovers its shape.

This makes it possible to obtain the desired shape of flare without having to resort to thickening the walls of the cannula to avoid undercutting.

For a better understanding of the invention, the following figures are attached.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIGURE 1 shows in section the cover (1) with the perimeter drum (2), the inner drum (3) whose skirt has some holes on its sides (which are not seen in this view) between the holes some descending vertical extensions that they reach the pivot point (4) of the button (5) and the stop (6). The outlet cannula (7) is also seen with a flared area (8) in its lower mouth, and its outlet duct (14). The diameter of the flared lower mouth section is greater than that of the body (9) of the cannula.

FIGURE 2 shows in section the lid (1) assembled to the aerosol can (10) with the stem (13) arranged in the flared area (8) but without the stem (13) being in contact with the outlet duct.

FIGURE 3 shows a bottom view of the lid (1) showing the inner drum (3) whose skirt remains extensive at the pivot point (4) and at the stop (6) and has holes (11) on its lateral perimeter. and a perimeter ring under its upper base.

DESCRIPTION OF A WAY OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

We proceed below to describe a way of carrying out the invention that is neither unique nor limiting, but merely exemplary.

The invention refers to an actuator lid with an inner drum in which said inner drum has a significant reduction in plastic without reducing its performance. For this, part of the perimeter skirt of the drum has been strategically eliminated and the thickness of the walls of the outlet cannula has been reduced, but presenting a geometry that allows the lower base of the cannula to be kept flared and facilitates unmolding.

For this, the inner drum (3) of the actuator cover comprises:

- Some side holes (11).

- Some extensions that extend one to the pivot point (4) of the button (5) and another to the stop (6).

- A perimeter ring (12) under the upper base of the inner drum.

- A cannula (7) with a conduit (14), a flared area (8) ending in its lower mouth whose section diameter in the lower mouth is greater than the outer section diameter of the body (9) of the cannula.

The side holes (11) help to lighten the inner drum and reduce plastic consumption. These holes are strategically arranged and adopt a specific shape so that the actuator cover maintains its performance in both functionality and robustness.

The holes present a gradual narrowing as they approach the upper base of the inner drum in such a way that a ring (12) is generated in the area adjacent to said upper base, which gives stability to said upper base.

In practice, the walls of the drum are reduced to two extensions, one that extends to the pivot point (4) of the push button (5) and another that extends as a stop (6) for the push button travel.

In this way the structure of the drum is lightened.

On the other hand, the outlet cannula (7), which leads the product from the stem outlet to the outside of the lid, has a flared area (8) that ends in a lower mouth suitable for guiding the conduit (14) and the body of the cannula towards the stem at each pulse. In this way, stem and conduit can be at a certain distance from each other and only come into contact at the moment of spraying once the cannula, by pushing the button move forward and save the distance that separates the stem and the conduit. This distance, in addition to facilitating the assembly operations of the actuator cap and the spray can in the assembly line, prevents any pressure on the button from directly moving the stem and generating a spray.

In order to reduce the amount of plastic on the walls of the cannula and given that the section of the conduit is given by the stem, it is necessary to reduce its external section with the problems that it entails for demoulding when an area with a larger section, in this case the flared area generates an undercut with respect to the body of the smaller section cannula.

To solve the problem, the flared area has a geometry that is open outwards to generate the flare but with a thickness of the flared walls that gradually reduces towards the end, which allows it to be folded at the time of demoulding, which is carried out in hot, so that when it cools, it resumes its shape.

With the device at rest, the upper end of the stem (13) is in the flared area (8) but without being in contact with the conduit (14).

Claims (4)

1. ACTUATOR COVER WITH INNER DRUM suitable for anchoring to an aerosol container (10) and through a cannula (7) associated with a button (5) to be able to press the output stem (13) facilitating the spraying of product when the button is pressed. button (5) characterized in that the inner drum comprises holes (11) in its skirt and descending vertical extensions that reach the pivot point (4) of the button (5) and the stop (6) and because it also comprises a cannula (7) with a conduit (14) with a flared area (8) that ends in a mouth whose section diameter is greater than the external section diameter of the body (9) of the cannula. 2. ACTUATOR COVER WITH INNER DRUM according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a perimeter ring (12) under the upper base of the inner drum. 3. ACTUATOR COVER WITH INTERNAL DRUM according to claim 1, characterized in that, at rest, the stem (13) of the aerosol container is not in contact with the conduit (14). 4. ACTUATOR COVER WITH INTERNAL DRUM according to claim 1 characterized in that, at rest, the upper end of the stem is in the flared area (8).