GB2181489A

GB2181489A - Aerosol actuator and cap

Info

Publication number: GB2181489A
Application number: GB08525024A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kenneth Ross Bullock; Roy Bladen
Original assignee: AEROSOL PROD Ltd
Current assignee: AEROSOL PROD Ltd
Priority date: 1985-10-10
Filing date: 1985-10-10
Publication date: 1987-04-23
Also published as: GB2181489B; GB8525024D0

Abstract

An actuator 1 includes a jet 29 engageable with a valve stem 3 of an aerosol 1 and the nozzle 20 of the actuator is moved in direction D with respect to a mounting portion 4 to operate the aerosol valve and provide a spray of aerosol material from said jet on to a surface in contact with the open outer end 23 of the nozzle 20 when the aerosol with actuator fitted is pushed on to said surface. The actuator has a skirt portion 31 which provides a desired spacing between said jet and said surface to be sprayed, a stencil 24 providing the required mark on the surface. The actuator nozzle 20 is reversible to engage in a compact manner over said aerosol valve to provide a cap therefor. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Aerosol actuator This invention relates to improvements in aerosols and more particularly to an improved Nozzle assembly for aerosols.

There is a problem in storing and transportation of aerosols generally. A cap means must be provided for protecting the aerosol valve during storage and the like. The provision of a cap adds to the cost in manufacture and assembly of the aerosol and further, caps to cover specialist nozzles and the like can tend to be bulky which results in losses of economy in packaging and transportation.

A problem has existed in convenient spray marking of material, for example stencilling or otherwise marking smooth surfaces or marking fibrous material for example wool and the like.

Marking of some surfaces with an aerosol has been messy and inconvenient, fibre, especially wool has tended to be damaged by branding or marking using indelible surface coatings such as paint, dyes and the like, these often cannot be removed in scouring without damage to the wool.

There is a tendency for aerosol marker sprays to be utilised to provide such marking, however, sometimes the use of an aerosol and the operation of the nozzle to provide the required spray creates some difficulty and can render the marking difficult to see. This is particularly so when the spray nozzle is placed too close to the wool and squirts the marking material between the wool fibres; there is a tendency for the surface wool to be parted by the spray and mark the lower levels only and the mark can be relatively difficult to see on or adjacent the surface of the wool. Also when spaced too far away, the jet sprays a dispersed mark which sometimes does not readily adhere to the receiving surfaces.

It is an object of this invention to come some way in overcoming the abovementioned problems or at least provide the public with a useful choice.

Other objects of this invention, which should be considered in all its novel aspects, will become apparent from the following description.

According to one aspect of this invention there is provided an aerosol actuator mountable with an aerosol, said actuator mounting a jet engageable with the aerosol valve, said actuator disengageable from said aerosol and reversible to form a cap over said aerosol valve.

Other aspects of this invention, which should be considered in all its novel aspects, will become apparent from the following description.

The invention will now be described with reference to one form and the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1: is a substantially cross-sectional side view of the aerosol nozzle apparatus in an operative condition mounted on an aerosol containing, for example, marking material under pressure.

Figure 2: is a substantially diagrammatic side view of the apparatus of Figure 1 in a stored condition, suitable for transportation of the aerosol.prior to and between use condition.

With reference to the drawings, the actuator as generally indicated by arrow 1 is provided for mounting atop an aerosol 2 in this preferred form of the invention, although not exclusively, an aerosol 2 having an upstanding tubular valve stem 3 which operates a valve (not shown) to enable aerosol material to emanate from the aerosol outwardly of said valve stem 3.

The apparatus in this preferred form of the invention is provided in readily formable material for example, metals, plastics and the like. However, alternative materials can be utilised without departing from the scope of the invention.

The actuator 1 in this form of the invention is provided in substantially cylindrical form and includes a mounting portion 4 which is preferably provided as a substantially tubular collar like member, a mid portion 5 of which is mountable via a snapped-in recess 6 with a bead 7 about the valve stem 3 of the aerosol 2 so as to mount the mounting 4 securely thereon extending preferably substantially coaxially of the aerosol.

An outer peripheral portion 8 of the mounting portion 4 preferably locates in an upwardly directed recess 9 about the rim 9A of the aerosol so as to firmly locate the mounting portion 4 on the upper portion of the aerosol 2. An upper portion 11 of the mounting portion 4 is preferably apertured for accommodating engaging projections described hereinafter of a nozzle/cap portion 20 (hereinafter called the "nozzle portion 20x) when in an actuated condition as shown in Figure 1.

The nozzle portion 20 is mounted to be coaxially moveable relative to the aerosol 2 and mounting portion 4 so that the nozzle portion 20 can move longitudinally relative to a longitudinal axis of said aerosol.

In the preferred form of the invention, the nozzle portion 20 is provided as a substantially cylindrical member having an outer open end 23 with a stencil 24 optionally mountable.

Preferably the stencil 24 is suitably apertured or configured so as to create a required mark upon a spray of material being directed thereat.

The nozzle 20 is located with the mounting portion 4 via a corresponding number of projecting locating hooks 25 which engage in apertures 11 and each having an overbearing lip portion 26 which engages through one aperture in the upper portion of the mounting portion 4 so to provide a limited degree of movement between said mounting portion 4 and nozzle 20 in a coaxial direction yet pre vents the nozzle 20 being accidentally dislodged from its operational condition.

The inner end 27 of the nozzle 20 is partially blinded by a partial bulkhead 28 which mounts a jet 29 therein substantially medially.

In this preferred form of the invention, the jet 29 is engageable with a projecting end 3a of the valve stem 3 and has a jet orifice 30 therein directed toward the outer open end 23 and in communication with the valve 3 such that upon depression of the nozzle 20 in the direction of arrow D of Figure 1 the aerosol valve will be opened against its closing bias and a spray of aerosol material will emanate from the jet 29.

Whilst the jet 29 is shown as an interchangeable jet so as to enable a varying of the shape, density or pattern of aerosol material to be jetted therefrom it is to be appreciated that in alternative forms of the invention the jet 29 may be integrally formed with remaining portions of the nozzle 20.

Operation of the device according to the present invention and the assembly as shown in Figure 1 is effected by grasping the aerosol adjacent its base with the actuator means 1 mounted thereon as is shown in Figure 1 and thereafter depressing the outer end portion 23 of the nozzle on the surface to be marked (for example a sheeps back and the like) which thus causes the aerosol material, for example an aerosol dye and the like, to emanate from the jet 29 and cause a mark (stencilled or otherwise).

It will be appreciated that the substantially skirt-like nature of the outer end portion of the nozzle 20 will maintain the fibres of wool spaced from the jet 29 so as to enable a reasonable degree of "spread" of the spray and to thus provide a relatively wide spray path for the marking to provide a readily visible marking.

Storage of the apparatus is shown by way of Figure 2 which shows the aerosol actuator 1 in a condition such as when not in use or alternatively prior to sale.

With particular reference to Figure 2, it will be seen that the nozzle portion 20 is inverted relative to the mounting portion 4 and the aerosol 2 and is engaged in that inverted condition inside a recess defined by the nozzle 20 and in particular, the skirt 31 thereof so that the substantially blind end portion 28 and adjacent inner portions of the skirt 31 act as a cover for the valve stem 3 to prevent it from damage or accidental actuation.

It will be seen that a substantially stepped nature of skirt 31 provides an abutment face 32 for abutting against an upper surface of the rim 9A of the aerosol and further, a rib enlargement 33 on an inner surface of the skirt 31 substantially adjacent and outward of the abutment surface 32 provides a substan tially "snap-on" engagement for the nozzle 20 in the inverted condition to provide a cap.

It will be appreciated that the positioning of the abutment surface 32 can enable the nozzle portion 20 to provide the most compact form of cap needed and further, that the length of the nozzle 20 between the abutment surface 32 and the outer open end 23 is of no consequence insofar as storage is concerned unless the length of that portion of the nozzle 20 is in excess of the overall length of the aerosol container 2.

It will be thus appreciated that when the nozzle 20 is in the inverted condition for storage, it is inoperative, also the aerosol and actuator is of a lesser overall length than when in an operative condition thus providing for efficiencies in storage and transportation.

In use, the skirt 31 assembly of the nozzle portion 20 causes the fibres of wool or other fibrous material to lay over when the nozzle 20 is pressed thereagainst and the spacing of the jet from the fibres causes an even relatively wide spray path of marker to be sprayed on to the wool or other fibres, thus providing a clear and definite easily seen marking for the fibrous material.

Whilst the invention has been described with reference to the use of the aerosol actuator in relation to marking of fibrous material, the invention is also provided for overcoming difficulties in conveniently marking other surfaces, for example in packaging where the use of stencilling is employed widely.

It will thus be appreciated that by this invention there is provided an aerosol actuator which additionally provides an efficient cap means for the aerosol valve.

Claims

1. An aerosol actuator mountable with an aerosol, said actuator mounting a jet engageable with the aerosol valve, said actuator disengageable from said aerosol and reversible to form a cap over said aerosol valve.

2. An aerosol actuator as claimed in claim 1 wherein the actuator has an outer contact portion spaced from said jet.

3. An aerosol actuator as claimed in claim 2 wherein portions of said actuator between the outer contact portion and said jet define a recess which form a cap for said aerosol valve.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein the recess is at least particularly defined by a skirt portion open toward the contact portion of said actuator.

5. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims 1 to 4 wherein an engage ment means is provided for engaging said ac tuator as a cap over said aerosol valve.

6. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein an abutment is pro vided to space said actuator as a cap over said aerosol valve when in an inverted condition.

7. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein locating means is provided to locate said actuator on said aerosol in a use condition.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein the locating means includes a mounting portion securable adjacent said aerosol valve with which at least a portion of said actuator portion can engage, to retain said actuator on said aerosol yet facilitate coaxial movement of said actuator relative to said aerosol.

9. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the jet is separably mounted with remaining portions of said actuator.

10. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein said actuator provides stencil means positioned in a spray path of said jet.

11. A method of marking a surface including the steps of mounting an actuator on an aerosol valve spacing a jet of said actuator from a contact face of said actuator, placing said- contact face into juxta position with said surface and depressing said aerosol to move said actuator inwardly of said aerosol to actuate said aerosol valve and to cause said nozzle to spray aerosol material on to said surface spaced from said jet by said contact face.

12. Apparatus as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

13. A method of marking as hereinbefore described with reference to the accomapanying drawings.