GB1564996A

GB1564996A - Aerosol container and method for producing the same

Info

Publication number: GB1564996A
Application number: GB49009/77A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Risdon Manufacturing Co
Current assignee: Risdon Manufacturing Co
Priority date: 1977-01-28
Filing date: 1977-11-24
Publication date: 1980-04-16
Also published as: DE2802061A1; CA1060396A; FR2378694A1; GB1564997A; FR2378694B3

Description

(54) AEROSOL CONTAINER AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING THE SAME (71) We, THE RlsDoN MANUFACTURING COMPANY a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of Connecticut, United States of America, of Risdon Way, Naugatuck Connecticut, United States of America, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: The present invention relates to an aerosol container and to a method for producing an aerosol container.

Aerosol containers are commonly used to store fluid consumer products for later use in the home. When use is desired, the product is forced from the container through a dispenser valve by a compressed propellant such as compressed nitrogen, air, of Freon. "Freon is a Registered Trade Mark.

If chemically inert with respect to the product and if not harmful to the environment or to people who might be exposed to it, the propellant may be directly introduced into a conventional container construction with the product. However, aerosol container constructions generally known as "barrier" or "piston" packages have been developed which separate the propellant from the product and prevent escape of the propellant into the atmosphere.

The container construction and method of the present invention may be adapted equally well to either the conventional or barrier or piston aerosol container constructions. Accordingly, as used in this specification and claims, the term "aerosol container" is intended to mean any container or package which stores a fluid product and which utilizes a propellant, compressed in the container, to dispense the product from it.

Many different designs for aerosol containers are presently known. Most commonly available commercial designs include a metal containar body, capable of withstanding high pressures, that defines a product receiving chamber and has an open container mouth. A metal valve ferrule or cup, which houses a dispenser valve, is installed in the container mouth by crimping a lip of the ferrule to the margin of the mouth to form an upstanding annular rim.

The ferrule then closes the container body to enclose the product receiving chamber and is a convenient means by which the dispenser valve can be mounted on the container.

This container assembly process utilizes relatively complex multichuck crimping machinery that must be able to crimp the ferrule to the container body tightly enough to withstand high aerosol propellant pressures, with a substantial margin of safety. Ordinarily, a heavy rubber sealant is required to prevent leakage. If an unsatisfactory seal is made, the container must be rejected.

Other aerosol container constructions include container bodies and valve cups which are molded from plastics materials. Plastics components may be molded in relatively complex shapes not easily made with metal by cold or hot metal working techniques. Therefore, plastics containers may be more economically produced with fewer, more easily assembled components than similar metal containers.

Still other aerosol container constructions utilize both metal and plastics parts. For example, U.S. Patent No. 3,746,218 (Risdon et al.) discloses a conventional metal container body having a mouth formed with an annular bead about its periphery. A mating lock ring is installed on this bead and has a tapered annular surface that mates with a similar tapered annular surface on a valve-housing plug. The taper of the plug surface is less than the taper of the lock ring surface so that the lower portion of the plug surface can bear tightly against the lower portion of the lock ring surface to, in turn, force the lock ring tightly against the bead.

The aerosol container construction disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 3,746,218 obviously includes an added component, namely the lock ring.

Therefore, production costs are greater than those for simpler container constructions.

U.S. Patent No. 3,270,924 (Kitabayashi) also discloses a container having metal and plastics parts. The container body has a conventional mouth rimmed by an annular bead.

A plastics disc having a depending annular wall is inserted in this mouth with the annular wall in sealing engagement with the bead. Internal pressure forces the wall against the bead.

Plastics aerosol container components, used in either all plastics or metal and plastics aerosol containers such as those described above, are usually produced in conventional molding apparatus having opposing die members that define a mold cavity configured to the shape of the component. The die members are separable along a parting plane located so that the component can be easily stripped from the cavity.

However, components made with such apparatus often have parting line protrusions that form when plastics component forming material enters small cracks which remain between the mated die members at the parting plane. If formed on a component sealing surface, the parting line protrusions often prevent formation of a product or propellant-tight seal and, therefore, can result in undesirable leakage of either the product or aerosol propellant.

Molded container components may be machined or otherwise finished to remove parting line protrusions and improve their sealing characteristics, but an extra step and its associated cost are undesirably added to the container producing process.

Other molding techniques are disclosed in U.S. Patents Nos. 3 325 576 (Kessler) and 3 006 030 (Paull). However, neither of these patents disclose a technique for producing aerosol containers or container components.

The present invention in one aspect provides an aerosol container for storing a product under pressure and having a dispenser valve for dispensing the product, the aerosol container comprising: A. a container body which defines a product receiving chamber having an open mouth, the container body being formed with (1) a conical sealing surface about the mouth inclined upwardly and outwardly from the product receiving chamber, and (2) catch means associated with the mouth; and B. a valve cup which houses the dispensing valve and is mounted in the container body mouth, the valve cup being formed with (1) a dispenser valve mounting portion, (2) a skirt depending from the dispenser valve mounting portion and having a conical sealing surface shaped and sized to mate with the conical container body sealing surface and form a product-tight seal therewith, and (3) latch means for engaging the said catch means when the valve cup and container body sealing surfaces are mated together to retain the valve cup in the container body mouth against the force of the pressurized product.

The invention in another aspect provides a method for producing an aerosol container which stores a product under pressure and is equipped with a dispenser valve for dispensing the product, the method comprising: A. providing a container which defines a product receiving chamber having an open mouth, and is formed with a conical sealing surface about the mouth inclined upwardly and outwardly from the product receiving chamber and catch means associated with the mouth; B. producing a valve cup which houses the dispenser valve in a valve mounting portion, is mountable in the container body mouth, and is formed with a skirt, depending from the valve mounting portion, having a conical sealing surface shaped and sized to mate with the conical container body sealing surface and latch means for engaging the catch means, the said producing step comprising: (1) providing a one-piece mold member which defines a single mold cavity configured at least to the external shape of the conical valve cup sealing surface; (2) providing a mandrel member which cooperates with the mold member and is configured to the internal shape of the valve cup; (3) introducing valve cup forming material between the co-operating mold and mandrel members; (4) curing the valve cup forming material; (5) removing the mandrel member from the valve cup, and (6) stripping the cured valve cup from the mold member by pushing it axially out of the mold member; and C. mounting the valve cup on the container body by pushing the valve cup skirt into the container body mouth until the respective conical sealing surfaces are mated together and the latch means engages the catch means.

In a preferred embodiment, to be described below in detail, the aerosol container of the present invention includes a container body and a plastic valve cup, mounted in the container body, which is produced by the method of the present invention without parting line protrusions on any of its sealing surfaces.

Therefore, machining or other sealing surface finishing steps are not required to produce a container body-valve cup assembly seal which is product and propellant-tight.

The container body, which may be made from metal or plastics, defines a product receiving chamber having an open mouth. Further the container body is formed with a conical sealing surface about the mouth inclined up wardly and outwardly from the product receiving chamber, and a catch surface associated with the mouth.

The plastics valve cup, which is mounted directly in the container body mouth, houses a dispensing valve and is formed with a dispenser valve mounting portion and a skirt which de pends from the valve mounting portion. The skirt is molded with a conical sealing surface shaped and sized to mate with the conical container body sealing surface. A latch surface is associated with the skirt and engages the catch surface when the valve cup and container body are assembled to mate the respective sealing surfaces together. In this way, the valve cup is retained in the container body mouth against the pressure of the compressed propellant.

The valve cup is produced without parting line protrusions on the sealing surface, in a one-piece mold member which defines a single mold cavity configured to the external shape, and primarily the conical sealing surface, of the cup. The internal shape of the cup is defined by a mandrel or core member which cooperates with the mold member.

Moreover, the valve cup is shaped to be axially pushed from the cavity and stripped from the mold member after it has been cured.

In particular, the natural elasticity and resilience of the plastics material from which the valve cup is made permits the skirt to be slightly radially collapsed to release the cup by a camming action between the mold cavity walls and the conical sealing surface.

The shape of the mating component sealing surfaces also facilitates assembly of the aerosol container by pressing the valve cup directly into the container body mouth until the latch and catch surfaces snap together.

Accordingly, there is provided an economically manufactured and easily assembled aerosol container which has a substantially leakproof seal between its container body and valve cup.

There is further provided a method for producing such aerosol containers having valve cups molded without parting line protrusions that, therefore, do not require sealing surface finishing subsequent to the cup formation process, or sealants. However, an easily applied thin sealant could be used.

The invention will be further described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of one embodiment of an aerosol container of the present invention, the valve cup-dispenser valve assembly being shown prior to being directly mounted in the container body; Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view of the upper portion of the assembled aerosol container; Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view of the upper portion of the aerosol container illustrating the valve cup being installed in the container body mouth; Figure 4 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view of the dispenser valve shown in its open position; Figure 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view of suitable molding apparatus for producing the valve cup; Figure 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the apparatus of figure 5 and showing the molded valve cup being stripped from the onepiece mold; Figure 7 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view of the upper portion of a second embodiment of an aerosol container ; and Figure 8 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view of the upper portion of a third embodiment.

As shown in Figure 1, an aerosol container, generally indicated at 10, includes a container body 12, a valve cup 14 adapted to be mounted in the container body, and a dispenser valve 16 mounted in the valve cup. Dispenser valve 16 may be of the tilt type, as shown in the drawings, that is used to dispense products such as shaving cream or whipped cream. However, it may be equipped with any other type of valve to dispense a wide variety of fluid products, such as window or all purpose cleaners, glue caulking compounds in a spray, a stream or in other desired manners.

The container body 12 has a generally right cylindrical central portion 18, a flat or concave bottom (not shown) and a frustoconical top 20. If the body 12 is made of metal,. it can be formed and assembled in any conventional manner. If it is made of plastics, the top 20 and central portion 18 may be injection or blow molded and the bottom may be attached by, for example, ultrasonic or heat welding. In the case of either metal or plastics construction, the container must be capable of withstanding high pressures of the compressed propellant which may exceed 100 psi.

The container body 12 further defines a product receiving chamber 22 which holds the stored product as well as compressed aerosol propellant. A container mouth 24 opens at the top of the frustoconical container top 20 from the product receiving chamber.

A frustoconical sealing surface 26 is formed about the mouth 24 and is inclined upwardly and outwardly from product receiving chamber 22. It has been found that an angle of inclination between 10 and 20 with the vertical axis A of the container is preferable. As will be described in greater detail below, the sealing surface 26 is the primary area of contact between the container body 12 and valve cup 14 when the two are assembled. Accordingly, it is highly desirable to make a reliable product and propellant-tight seal between these surfaces in an economical and easily achieved manner.

As shown in Figure 2, the container body 12 also has a planar, annular catch surface in the form of a shoulder 28 which is generally perpendicular to the container axis A. This catch surface 28 cooperates with a mating latch surface, described in greater detail below, formed on the valve cup 14 to lock the cup and container body firmly together against the outwardly directed pressure of the compressed propellant.

Valve cup 14 has a frustoconical dispenser valve mounting portion 30 and a generally cylindrical skirt 32 which depends therefrom.

The valve mounting portion may have another shape if desired to accommodate various types of valves. The outer side wall of the skirt 32 is molded with a frustoconical sealing surface 34 which is upwardly and outwardly inclined from the product receiving chamber to firmly mate with the conical container body surface 26. In particular, it is desirable that the conical container body and valve cup sealing surfaces have substantially equal vertex angles, and that the valve cup sealing surface has a slightly larger diameter than does the container body sealing surface. These dimensional characteristics ensure that a product and propellant-tight seal is formed between the cup 14 and body 12.

Valve cup skirt 32 is also formed with an annular rabbet 36 on its outer cylindrical wall at the lower margin of the sealing surface 34.

Rabbet 36 defines a planar, radially outwardly directed latch surface 38 which is generally perpendicular to the axis A of the valve cup 14 and engages the container body catch surface 28 when the valve cup 14 is installed in the contain body mouth 24. The mating latch and catch surfaces retain the valve cup in the container bod against the pressure of the compressed propellant indicated by arrows P. Moreover, this internal pressure serves to augment the seal formed between the respective conical sealing surfaces by forcing the valve cup skirt 32 outwardly against the container mouth 24.

Further, both the valve cup and container body sealing surfaces have small mating cylindrical portions 43 and 45 which lend added strength to the interconnection of the cup and body by decreasing any shear weakness which might be present at the rabbet vertex.

A cam surface 40 is formed at the lower margin of the skirt 32 and facilitates assembly of the valve cup 14 and container body 12.

Referring to Figure 3, the container is assembled by pressing the valve cup downwardly into the container body mouth 24, camming the cam surface 40 inwardly against the container body sealing surface 26 and further collapsing the valve cup skirt 32 radially inwardly as indicated by arrows B. An inverted V-shaped groove 41 may be formed in tile container body 14 underlying the sealing surface 26 to aid outward flexing of the body. When the valve cup 14 has been completely inserted into the container body 12 as permitted by the mating conical surfaces, the latch surface 38 overtravels the latch surface 28 and the skirt snaps radially outward to engage the latch and catch surfaces 28 and 38 and tightly mate the respective conical sealing surfaces 26 and 34. Therefore, assembly may be completed without specialized metal crimping or forming tools.

The valve mounting portion 30 of the valve cup 14 terminates in a valve mounting aperture 42 which receives the dispenser valve 16 that, as noted, may be of the tilt type. This valve includes a flexible, outer sleeve 44 which has a flared gasket flange 46 formed to sealingly mate with the inner surface of the valve cup 14. An an nular retaining rib 48 cooperates with the gasket flange 46 to tightly hold the sleeve 44 in the valve cup 14 and has an upwardly and inwardly tapered surface 50 which permits the sleeve 44 to be pressed upwardly into the valve cup 14 to complete their assembly. This sealing configura tion may be modified to accommodate other valve constructions.

A valve member 52, having a mushroom shaped foot 54, and an A-shaped head 56, is mounted in the sleeve 44 and is movable between a closed position (Figure 2) and a tilted, open position (Figure 4). When open, fluid may pass through at least one of a plu rality of radially directed outlet conduits 58 into an axial outlet passage 60 in the valve member 52 to be dispensed from the container in a conventional manner.

The valve cup sealing surface 34 is formed without parting lines or other protrusions which might otherwise result in leakage because of the high propellant pressures contained in the container. The inner surface of the valve cup valve mounting portion, which mates with the valve sleeve flange 46, is also formed wtihout parting lines. Moreover, these smooth, pro trusionless sealing surfaces are made without any special machining steps.

A one-piece mold is configured to the ex ternal shape of the valve cup sealing surface using a technique made possible by this ex ternal shape which permits the cup to be stripped from a mold that is not separable along an axial plane. Figure 5 illustrates such an apparatus which includes a main one-piece mold member 70 and a knock-out mold insert 71 that define a single mold cavity 72 con figured to the external shape of the valve cup 14. The main mold member defines the entire conical valve cup sealing surface 34. A central one-piece mandrel or core member 74 is formed to cooperate with the main mold member 70 and is configured to define the internal shape of the valve cup 14. A plastic molding material injection passage 76 is provided in the mold member 70. Accordingly, when the mandrel and mold members are mated together as shown in Figure 5, a valve cup may be produced by in jecting plastics molding material through the passage 76 to fill the cavity 72. Venting is pro vided by the sliding fit of the core member and knock-out insert. The cup is then cured in the molding apparatus.

As shown in Figure 6, after the plastics molding material has cured, the core member 74 is axially withdrawn down-wardly from the mold member 70 as shown by arrow C. The finished valve cup 14 is then pushed axially downward from the mold member 70 by the knock-out insert 72, as shown by arrows D, to strip it from the mold cavity. Since the plastics molding material is resilient and deformable, and since the sealing surface is slightly frustoconical making an angle of 10 to 200 with the vertical cup axis as noted above, the valve cup skirt 56 is cammed radially inwardly as shown by arrows E permitting the finished cup to be released from the mold member 70. Further, since the conical sealing surface 34 is formed in the onepiece mold member, the sealing surface has no parting line protrusions and requires no subsequent machining to produce a smooth sealing surface. The shape of the injection passage 76 eliminates all gate or flash so that the finished cup is ready for use.

Altemative embodiments of the aerosol container of the present invention are illustrated in Figures 7 and 8. Referring first to Figure 7, a valve cup skirt 132 may be formed iwth an annular, V-shaped groove 82, which underlies a valve cup sealing surface 134.

Groove 82 facilitates removal of the valve cup 14 from a mold member 70 since the skirt 132 can collapse more easily to cam out of a mold cavity 72.

Figure 8 illustrates an embodiment of the present invention particularly well adapted to barrier or piston type aerosol container constructions. This aerosol container 210 includes a container body 212 formed with an upper portion 220 which, instead of being frustoconical in shape, is slightly indented to form a dome-shaped inner surface 84. The container mouth 224, frustoconical sealing surface 226, and catch surface 228 are formed on a generally cylindrical section 86 which extends upwardly from the dome-shaped surface 84. This particular construction permits a piston 88 to travel farther toward the dispenser valve and thus to exhaust more of the container's contents. Moreover, modifications such as those can be made to the container to cooperate with a piston of any similar design to dispense as much of the product as possible.

Attention is drawn to our copending ap plication No 6127/79, (Serial No. 1 564 997) which describes and claims a method of producing a valve cup which is mountable on the container body of an aerosol container.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. An aerosol container for storing a product under pressure and having a dispenser valve for dispensing the product, the aerosol container comprising: A. a container body which defines a product receiving chamber having an open mouth, the container body being formed with 1) a conical sealing surface about the mouth inclined upwardly and outwardly from the product receiving chamber, and 2) catch means associated with the mouth; and B. a valve cup which houses the dispensing valve and is mounted in the container body mouth, the valve cup being formed with 1) a dispenser valve mounting portion, 2) a skirt depending from the dispenser valve mounting portion and having a conical sealing surface shaped and sized to mate with the conical container body sealing surface and form a product-tight seal therewith, and 3) latch means for engaging the said catch means when the valve cup and container body sealing surfaces are mated together to retain the valve cup in the container body mouth against the force of the pressurized product.

2. An aerosol container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the vertex angle of the conical container body sealing surface is substantially equal to the vertex angle of the conical valve cup sealing surface.

3. An aerosol container as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the said catch means is an annular member formed at the inner margin of the conical container body sealing surface, the said annular member having a planar, radially outwardly directed catch surface formed to engage the said latch means.

4. An aerosol container as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the said latch means is an annular rabbet associated with the said valve cup skirt, the said annular rabbet defining a planar, radially outwardly directed latch surface formed to engage the said catch means.

5. An aerosol container as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the said valve cup is also formed with a conical cam surface associated with the said latch means for camming the said valve cup skirt into the container body mouth when the container body and valve cup are assembled.

6. An aerosol container as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the said valve cup skirt is also formed with an annular groove which underlies the said valve cup conical sealing surface.

7. An aerosol container as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6, wherein the container body is formed with an annular groove which underlies the container body conical sealing surface to facilitate container body flexing during container body-valve cup assembly.

8. A method for producing an aerosol container which stores a product under pressure and is equipped with a dispenser valve for dispensing the product, the method comprising: A. providing a container which defines a product receiving chamber having an open mouth, and is formed with a conical sealing surface about the mouth inclined upwardly and outwardly from the product receiving chamber and catch means associated with the mouth; B. producing a valve cup which houses the dispenser valve in a valve mounting portion, is mountable in the container body mouth, and is formed with a skirt, depending from the valve mounting portion, having a conical sealing surface shaped and sized to mate with the conical container body sealing surface and

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Claims

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strip it from the mold cavity. Since the plastics molding material is resilient and deformable, and since the sealing surface is slightly frustoconical making an angle of 10 to 200 with the vertical cup axis as noted above, the valve cup skirt 56 is cammed radially inwardly as shown by arrows E permitting the finished cup to be released from the mold member 70. Further, since the conical sealing surface 34 is formed in the onepiece mold member, the sealing surface has no parting line protrusions and requires no subsequent machining to produce a smooth sealing surface. The shape of the injection passage 76 eliminates all gate or flash so that the finished cup is ready for use.

Altemative embodiments of the aerosol container of the present invention are illustrated in Figures 7 and 8. Referring first to Figure 7, a valve cup skirt 132 may be formed iwth an annular, V-shaped groove 82, which underlies a valve cup sealing surface 134.

Groove 82 facilitates removal of the valve cup

14 from a mold member 70 since the skirt 132 can collapse more easily to cam out of a mold cavity 72.

Figure 8 illustrates an embodiment of the present invention particularly well adapted to barrier or piston type aerosol container constructions. This aerosol container 210 includes a container body 212 formed with an upper portion 220 which, instead of being frustoconical in shape, is slightly indented to form a dome-shaped inner surface 84. The container mouth 224, frustoconical sealing surface 226, and catch surface 228 are formed on a generally cylindrical section 86 which extends upwardly from the dome-shaped surface 84. This particular construction permits a piston 88 to travel farther toward the dispenser valve and thus to exhaust more of the container's contents. Moreover, modifications such as those can be made to the container to cooperate with a piston of any similar design to dispense as much of the product as possible.

Attention is drawn to our copending ap plication No 6127/79, (Serial No. 1 564 997) which describes and claims a method of producing a valve cup which is mountable on the container body of an aerosol container.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. An aerosol container for storing a product under pressure and having a dispenser valve for dispensing the product, the aerosol container comprising: A. a container body which defines a product receiving chamber having an open mouth, the container body being formed with 1) a conical sealing surface about the mouth inclined upwardly and outwardly from the product receiving chamber, and 2) catch means associated with the mouth; and B. a valve cup which houses the dispensing valve and is mounted in the container body mouth, the valve cup being formed with 1) a dispenser valve mounting portion, 2) a skirt depending from the dispenser valve mounting portion and having a conical sealing surface shaped and sized to mate with the conical container body sealing surface and form a product-tight seal therewith, and 3) latch means for engaging the said catch means when the valve cup and container body sealing surfaces are mated together to retain the valve cup in the container body mouth against the force of the pressurized product.

2. An aerosol container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the vertex angle of the conical container body sealing surface is substantially equal to the vertex angle of the conical valve cup sealing surface.

3. An aerosol container as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the said catch means is an annular member formed at the inner margin of the conical container body sealing surface, the said annular member having a planar, radially outwardly directed catch surface formed to engage the said latch means.

4. An aerosol container as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the said latch means is an annular rabbet associated with the said valve cup skirt, the said annular rabbet defining a planar, radially outwardly directed latch surface formed to engage the said catch means.

5. An aerosol container as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the said valve cup is also formed with a conical cam surface associated with the said latch means for camming the said valve cup skirt into the container body mouth when the container body and valve cup are assembled.

6. An aerosol container as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the said valve cup skirt is also formed with an annular groove which underlies the said valve cup conical sealing surface.

7. An aerosol container as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6, wherein the container body is formed with an annular groove which underlies the container body conical sealing surface to facilitate container body flexing during container body-valve cup assembly.

8. A method for producing an aerosol container which stores a product under pressure and is equipped with a dispenser valve for dispensing the product, the method comprising: A. providing a container which defines a product receiving chamber having an open mouth, and is formed with a conical sealing surface about the mouth inclined upwardly and outwardly from the product receiving chamber and catch means associated with the mouth; B. producing a valve cup which houses the dispenser valve in a valve mounting portion, is mountable in the container body mouth, and is formed with a skirt, depending from the valve mounting portion, having a conical sealing surface shaped and sized to mate with the conical container body sealing surface and

latch means for engaging the catch means, the said producing step comprising: 1) providing a one-piece mold member which defines a single mold cavity configured at least to the external shape of the conical valve cup sealing surface; 2) providing a mandrel member which cooperates with the mold member and is configured to the internal shape of the valve cup, 3) introducing valve cup forming material between the cooperating mold and mandrel members, 4) curing the valve cup forming material, 5) removing the mandrel member from the valve cup, and 6) stripping the cured valve cup from the mold member by pushing it axially out of the mold member; and C. mounting the valve cup on the container body by pushing the valve cup skirt into the container body mouth until the respective conical sealing surfaces are mated together and the latch means engages the catch means.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the said one-piece mold member mold cavity is configured to produce an annular groove that underlies the conical valve cup sealing surface, the annular groove facilitating the stripping step by facilitating flexing of the valve cup skirt.

10. A method as claimed in claim 8 or 9, wherein the said one-piece mold member mold cavity and mandrel member are configured to produce a conical cam surface associated with the valve cup latch means, the conical cam surface facilitating the mounting step by producing a radial, inward camming action of the valve cup skirt when the valve cup is pushed into the container mouth.

11. A method as claimed in any of claims 8 to 10, wherein the said one-piece mold member mold cavity is configured to produce an annular rabbet associated with the said valve cup skirt, the said annular rabbet defining a planar, radially outwardly directed latch surface formed to engage the said catch means.

12. An aerosol container substantially as herein described with reference to, and as shown in, Figures 1 to 6, Figure 7 or Figure 8 of the accompanying drawings.

13. A method for producing an aerosol container substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 1 to 6, Figure 7 or Figure 8 of the accompanying drawings.

14. An aerosol container produced by the method as claimed in any of claims 8 to 11 or claim 13.