GB2154993A - Aerosol dispenser - Google Patents

Abstract

An aerosol dispenser comprises a cap 1 with integrally moulded holding means such as resilient fingers 4a, 4b on the side wall thereof for removable retention and storage of a spray-directing tube 3. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Aerosol dispenser This invention relates to cylindrical aerosol dispensers which utilize separable extension tubes.

Aerosol dispensers are generally constructed for areal dispensing of the contents thereof. In certain applications such as for lubricating sprays and the like it is desirable that the dispensing be localized to a relatively small area. Accordingly, such aerosol dispensers are provided with a separate small tube with a diameter which is sized to enable the tube to be fit into the spray head of the aerosol dispensing mechanism. The aerosol spray is then directed by the tube to the specific desired point of application. After such use, the tube is removed from the spray head (tube removal is required since it is generally longer than the diameter or height of the cap of the aerosol dispenser and would impede proper placement of the cap on the dispenser container) and the aerosol dispensing container is then covered with a protective cap.

In the past, spray-directing tubes have been generally affixed to the aerosol container or cap, when first sold to a consumer, by adherent means such as with an adhesive tape.

However such tape is generally not reusable and the tube is accordingly usually misplaced or lost thereby considerably negating the value of the aerosol'spray for use thereafter.

An elastic band may be used to hold the container and tube together but this presumes the availability of such band and additionally elastic bands are readily subject to breakage.

In some instances the aerosol container cap has been provided with the dispensing tube clipped to the upper surface thereof. However, such emplacement almost certain causes the tube, which extends beyond the periphery of the cap, to become detached upon storage against other objects or in a non-upright position.

It is an object of the present invention to provide integral means for maintaining an aerosol dispensing container and a separable spray-directing tube in juxtaposition for convenient use during continued applications.

This and other objects features and advantages of the present invention will become more evident from the following discussion as well as the drawings in which: Figure 1 is a side elevation view of an aerosol dispenser with a spray-directing tube affixed thereto; Figure 2 is a side elevation view of the aerosol dispenser of Fig. 1 with the cap being removed and the spray-directing tube being positioned for use; Figure 3 is a top view of the cap of Figs. 1 and 2 with the integral tube holding means of the present invention; and Figure 4 is an expanded view of the integral tube holding means of Fig. 3.

Generally the present invention comprises an aerosol dispenser comprised of a cylindrical protective cap, a cylindrical aerosol container onto which said cap is seated and a separate spray-directing tube which fits into the spray head of the aerosol dispenser. The protective cap has integral means on the side wall thereof for releasably holding the separable spray-directing tube. It is highly preferred, for aesthetic and practical considerations that such holding means be as unobstrusive as possible. Furthermore, such holding means should hold the spray-directing tube in a longitudinal direction substantially parallel to the wall of the container when the cap is seated thereon. In a preferred embodiment the cap and integral holding means are comprised of a unitary molded plastic element.In such embodiment, for facilitated molding, the integral holding means is located directly adjacent the periphery of the open end of the cap.

The integral holding means preferably has the configuration of short opposing resilient fingers which protrude from the wall of the protective cap and which are spaced to grippingly hold the spray-directing tube while permitting easy removal. This spacing should be about the same as the diameter of the tube.

The fingers should have a minimal length of preferably about the diameter of the spraydirecting tube or only minimally (just sufficient to allow for material thickness) larger. Should the aerosol container or cap have protrusions such as a seal, the fingers should extend slightly beyond such protrusion to maintain as parallel a relationship between the tube and the container walls as possible. Such parallel relationship serves to keep the tube from excess protrusion and helps prevent accidental removal of the tube and is also more aesthetic in appearance.

With specific reference to the drawings, Fig.

1 depicts an aerosol dispenser 10 comprised of a container 2, a protective cap 1 and a spray-directing tube 3 removable affixed to cap 1 by means of resilient fingers 4a and 4b as more clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4. When the aerosol dispenser is to be utilized, as shown in Fig. 2, the cap 1 is removed from container 2 and the spray-directing tube 3 is snapped from the grip of fingers 4a and 4b.

Alternatively, the tube 3 may be removed from said grip by sliding it up or down until removed from the finger 4a and 4b. Thereafter such spray-directing tube 3 is inserted into aperture 6 of aerosol spray head 5 for frictional engagement therewith. The aerosol materials are then dispensed through the tube 3 as desired in a limited area. After use, the steps are reversed with the cap 1 being replaced upon container 2 and the spray-directing tube 3 removed from the spray head 5 and snapped back into the grip of resilient fingers 4a and 4b for storage. Resilient gripping fingers 4a and 4b shown in Fig. 3 and more clearly in Fig. 4 are of minimal dimensions relative to the cap 1 and are spaced from each other to just provide accommodation for the diameter of tube 3.To ensure a proper grip the ends of fingers 4a and 4b are opposingly bulbous, with reduction of the space between the fingers to less than the diameter of the tube, such that insertion of tube 3 therebetween causes the fingers 4a and 4b to spread apart to about the diameter of the tube (slightly less if the tube permits for compression thereof). After full insertion of tube 3 between fingers 4a and 4b such resilient fingers return to partially enclose tube 3 thereby providing the requisite releasable grip. Since the spray-directing tube 5 is fit within both aperture 6 and between fingers 4a and 4b the diameters are substantially identical.

It is understood that the above description and drawings are illustrative of the present invention and that changes may be made in the structure, configurations and size ratios of the various elements of the aerosol dispenser, including the spray-directing tube and tube holding means without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined in the following claims.

Claims (7)

1. An aerosol dispenser comprising a cylindrical container having an aerosol spray head, a cylindrical cap, having open and closed ends, for said container and a separate spray-directing tube adapted for insertion into said aerosol spray head, characterized in that said cap comprises means integral with the side wall thereof for removably holding said spray-directing tube in a direction longitudinal to and substantially parallel to the side wall of said container when said cap is seated on said container.

2. The aerosol dispenser of claim 1 wherein said cap and said means for removably holding said spray-directing tube are comprised of integrally molded plastic.

3. The aerosol dispenser of claim 2 wherein said means for removably holding said spray-directing tube comprises opposing resilient fingers extending from the side wall of said cap.

4. The aerosol dispenser of claim 3 wherein said fingers are spaced from each other by a distance substantially equal to the diameter of said tube.

5. The aerosol dispenser of claim 4 wherein the length of each of said fingers is minimally greater than the diameter of said tube.

6. The aerosol dispenser of claim 5 wherein the ends of said fingers are opposingly bulbous with the distance therebetween being less than the diameter of said tube.

7. The aerosol dispenser of claim 3 wherein said fingers extend from the periphery of the open end of said cap.