JPH0351468B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a dispensing cap for use in pressurized containers. Aerosol-type pressurized containers are traditionally equipped with an actuation button or actuation cap. Such a drive button or drive cap is equipped with a flow duct through which the product to be dispensed (hereinafter referred to as dispensing agent) flows to a discharge orifice located within the drive button or drive cap. To release a dispensing agent from a pressurized container, the user grasps the pressurized container and uses one finger of the grasping hand to press a drive button or portion of the drive cap to release the contents of the pressurized container. .

Although they have been of substantial commercial success, finger-driven buttons or caps suffer from the drawback of finger fatigue for some users. Additionally, with conventional drive systems, aiming the dispensed agent to be released onto the desired surface area is somewhat difficult as it is relatively difficult to grasp and finger. A more natural grip and actuation of the pressurized container is achieved through the use of a trigger mechanism.

Conventional aerosol containers driven by trigger mechanisms have the following drawbacks. the ease of actuation of the valve cannot be optimized, the extension of part of the drive mechanism beyond the periphery of the pressurized vessel, and the attendant problems of inadvertent contact with the trigger during transportation or storage. The first is to drive the trigger in advance, and the second is to not attract the aesthetic interest of the customer. Examples of conventional trigger-driven aerosol containers are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,189,232, 3,580,432 and 3,987,942.

The dispensing cap according to the invention is simple and aesthetically pleasing. In general, the dispensing cap of the present invention includes a housing having a base portion that attaches to a valved lid portion of an aerosol or pressurized container, a valve connecting portion having a flow passage therebetween, and a discharge portion, the housing preferably having a drive member for discharging. It includes a drive member hingedly mounted diametrically opposite the end and a trigger member mounted proximate and generally perpendicular to the discharge orifice.
Additionally, the dispensing cap of the present invention utilizes a multi-lever mechanism to facilitate actuation.

A dispensing cap according to the invention includes a housing that is attached to a bead of a pressurized container formed between a bore in the pressurized container and a valved lid (commonly referred to as a mounting cup). A drive member is disposed within the housing and hingedly attached to the housing, the drive member including a flow duct. The drive member includes a valve connecting portion sealingly connecting a lower end to the valve discharge side of the valved lid, and a discharge portion extending from the upper end of the valve connecting portion and terminating in a discharge orifice. A flow duct in the drive member communicates with a duct or passageway on the discharge side of the valve, thereby forming a sealed duct or passageway for flowing the dispensing agent from the discharge side of the valve to the discharge orifice. By pivotally or hingedly attaching the drive member to the housing, preferably diametrically opposed to the discharge end of the drive member, the length of force from the hinge to the point of application of pressure on the drive member is reduced. A first lever is configured with an application arm. This force-applying arm has a longer length than the working arm from the hinge to the portion of the drive member that contacts and pushes (opens) the valve.

Additionally, the ejection portion of the drive member is fitted with a trigger member extending downwardly substantially perpendicular to the ejection portion. In particular, in accordance with the invention, the trigger member is pivotally mounted to the housing behind the attachment or contact location of the drive member to the discharge end;
form a lever. In this second lever, the force-applying arm constituting the first lever extends from the hinge point of the trigger member to the point of contact between the trigger member and the drive member, at which point the trigger member points downwardly toward the ejection portion of the drive member. force is applied). This force-applying arm is longer than the working arm, which has a distance from the point of contact between the trigger member and the drive member to the gripping area of the trigger member. Thus, the dispensing cap of the present invention is actuated with cumulative mechanical advantage provided by the combination of the first and second levers.

The effects obtained by the invention described in claim 1 are as follows.

First, by using the actuating member and the trigger member in sequence and applying the force applied by the finger to the trigger member parallel to the valve stem, the force required to actuate the valve is removed from the finger. to reduce the force of
The cumulative mechanical advantage of multiple levers is obtained.

Second, because the gripping area of the trigger member is located entirely within the periphery of the pressurized container, inadvertent contact with the trigger member occurs during transportation or storage of the pressurized container with the dispensing cap attached. By doing so,
Avoid pre-driving the trigger member.

The effects obtained by the invention described in claim 24 are as follows.

Excess dispensing agent on the discharge orifice drips onto the grooved capture plate and flows into the dispensing cap.
The advantage is that there is no flow into the pressure vessel or into the user's hands.

The effects obtained by the invention described in claim 25 are as follows.

The fingers required to actuate the valve by first applying a force applied by the fingers to the trigger member parallel to the valve stem using a single lever constituted by the actuating member. The mechanical advantage of a single lever is that it allows you to reduce the forces from the lever.

Second, because the gripping area of the trigger member is located entirely within the periphery of the pressurized container, inadvertent contact with the trigger member occurs during transportation or storage of the pressurized container with the dispensing cap attached. By doing so,
Avoid pre-driving the trigger member.

Embodiments of the dispensing cap of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, a dispensing cap 10 according to the present invention has hollow side walls 14, 16 forming a slot 18, a vertical rear wall 20, and a dispensing cap 10 defining a slot 18. A housing 12 is provided having front walls 22 and 24 forming a front wall. Housing 12
The hollow side walls 14, 16 are provided with circular flanges 26 at their lower ends. The flange 26 is connected in a conventional manner to a mounting cup or valved lid 28 (shown diagrammatically in FIG. 3) of a pressurized container 30 (partially shown in FIGS. 2 and 3). ) is fitted into an ordinary bead formed by joining the hole in the pressurized container 30. Extending outwardly from the vertical rear wall 20 is a rear panel 21.

The drive member 32 is connected to the slot 18 of the housing 12.
located within. The drive member 32 includes a discharge portion 34 and a valve connection portion 36 . A flow duct 38 is formed through the valve coupling portion 36 of the drive member 32 . Flow duct 38 follows flow duct 40 within discharge section 34 . A valve stem socket 42 is formed at the lower end of the valve connecting portion 36 of the drive member 32. The valve stem receptacle 42 includes a recess for receiving a valve stem 44 of a conventional valved pressurized vessel 30. One end of the ejection portion 34 of the drive member 32 terminates in a post 46 suitable for receiving an insert member 48 having an ejection orifice 50.

Posts 46 and inserts 48 may be of any type known in the aerosol spray container industry, but a discharge system commonly referred to as a vortex, which utilizes a series of ducts leading to a discharge orifice, is preferred.

Discharge portion 34 and valve connection portion 3 of drive member 32
Extending from the joint 6 is a hinge arm 52 terminating in a hinge 54 . The hinge arm 52 is attached to the housing 1 at its distal end from the valve coupling portion 36.
It is preferable that it be joined to 2.

Housing 12 and drive member 32 are preferably formed in one piece from a plastic material.
The hinge 54 is integrally molded into the housing 12.

When driving a vertically acting aerosol valve (as is well known in the art), the path of travel determined by the movement of the drive member 32 during valve opening is as close as possible to the path of the valve stem, i.e. in the vertical direction. This is desirable. To obtain this valve opening direction for movement of the drive member 32, the pivot point or hinge between the drive member 32 and the housing 12 is placed in a plane radially outward from the top of the valve stem, preferably in a plane radially outward from the top of the valve stem. Provided at the midpoint of the travel distance.

Trigger member 56 includes a frame portion 58 having a top plate 60 and side walls 62, 64 as seen in FIG. Projections 66 are provided on both side walls 62 and 64. Trigger member 56 includes a finger-receiving portion or gripping area 68 topped with a grooved capture plate 70 . The frame portion 58 includes 72. Hole 72 is dimensioned such that rim portion 58 slides through hole 72 over discharge portion 34 of drive member 32 .

Grooved capture plate 70 is useful as an additional feature of the present invention to create a capture channel for drops of dispensing agent that drips after the valve is closed. Dispensing agent dripping onto the grooved capture plate 70 flows along this groove into the enclosure of the dispensing cap of the present invention without dripping outside the pressurized container 30 or onto the user's hand.

When attaching the trigger member 56 to the drive member 32, the ledge 66 is passed along the groove 74 in the inner surface of the hollow side walls 14,16. Each groove 74
should be slightly flared outward toward the discharge end of the drive member 32. Each groove 74 terminates in a recess 76 deeper than its inner terminus such that each ledge 66 fits into each recess 76 as the trigger member 58 is advanced past each groove 74 to its final position, permanently locking the trigger member 58. It is designed to be held in place.

As shown in FIG. 2, the front end of the frame portion 58 is
It terminates in the front wall 22 of the housing 12.

Each ledge 66 acts as a fulcrum for the trigger member 56, thereby creating a second lever action when the trigger member 56 is moved toward the pressurized container.

The maximum lever action on the trigger member 56 is
The fulcrum of the trigger member 56 located on the ledge 66 is
This is achieved by positioning the pressurized container 30 as close as possible to the resisting pressure of the valve and away from the contact between the trigger member 56 and the drive member 32 during molding and assembly.

In operation of the dispensing cap of the present invention, the valve of the pressurized vessel 30 is opened by moving the trigger member 56 toward the pressurized vessel 30, thereby depressing the drive member 32 and thus the valve stem 44. . The dispensing agent is then discharged via the flow ducts 38 , 40 into the vortex chamber at the discharge end of the discharge portion 34 of the drive member 32 and finally through the discharge orifice 50 .

In a variation of the dispensing cap of the invention shown in FIG. 6, the trigger member is integrally molded with the drive member 32. Components shown in FIG. 6 that correspond to those shown in FIGS. 1-5 are given the same reference numerals.

The positions of the trigger member and the drive member 32 during driving are shown by chain lines. The drive member 32 includes a valve connecting portion 36
and a discharge portion 34. The trigger member includes a drive member 34. the trigger member is integral with the ejection portion 34 of the drive member 32;
It hangs down from this discharge portion 34. Drive member 32 includes a hinge arm 52 hingedly attached to rear wall 20 of housing 12 . The trigger member includes a gripping area 68 located outside the housing but within the periphery of the pressurized container 30. Grip area 68 is substantially parallel to valve coupling portion 36 of drive member 32 .
Hinge 54 is disposed proximate a radial plane extending from distal end 40 of valve coupling portion 36 of drive member 32 .

Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to its embodiments, it is obvious that the present invention can be modified in various ways without departing from its spirit.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 is a perspective view showing one embodiment of the dispensing cap of the present invention with its trigger member removed; FIG. 2 is a reduced perspective view showing the dispensing cap of FIG. 1 attached to a pressurized container; 3 is an enlarged axial sectional view of the dispensing cap of FIG. 1 attached to the bead formed by the mounting cup; FIG. 4 is a plan view of the dispensing cap of FIG. 3; and FIG. 6 is an axial cross-sectional view of a variation of the dispensing cap of FIG. 3; FIG. 10...distribution cap, 12...housing,
14, 16... Side wall, 18... Groove, 20... Rear wall, 26... Flange, 28... Lid with valve, 3
0... Pressurized vessel, 32... Drive member, 34... Discharge section, 36... Valve connection section, 38, 40... Flow duct, 50... Discharge orifice, 52... Hinge arm, 54... Hinge, 56...Trigger member, 58...Frame portion, 66...Protrusion, 68...
...Gripping area (finger rest).

Claims (1)

Claims: 1. A multi-lever trigger actuated dispensing cap 10 suitable for use in a pressurized vessel 30 having a valved lid 28, comprising: (a) a rear wall 20; hollow side walls 14, 16; a housing 12 adapted to be attached to a peripheral bead of the valved lid 28 and having a circular flange 26 at its base; (b) a distal end sealingly connected to a valve stem 44; a valve connection part 36 for valve stem connection, having a flow duct 38; a discharge part 34 for discharge, having an end provided with a discharge orifice 50, and a flow duct 40;
The drive member 32 disposed within the housing 12 further includes a hinge arm 52 connecting the drive member 32 and the housing 12 by a hinge so as to form a first lever. (c) at a location between the discharge orifice 50 and the valve coupling portion 36;
a manually operated trigger member 56 that engages the ejection portion 34 of the dispensing cap and is hingedly connected to the housing 12; Suitable for 10 to be fitted,
The trigger member 56 is provided with a gripping area 68 disposed within the periphery of the pressurized container 30 , the distance from the surface of the gripping area to the hinge of the triggering member being equal to the ejection portion 34 of the drive member 32 . A second lever is formed by connecting the trigger member 56 to the housing 12 by the hinge at a position that is greater than the distance from the engagement point between the trigger member and the trigger member to the hinge of the trigger member. Multi-lever trigger-driven dispensing cap. 2 the hinge arm 52 of the drive member 32;
extends rearwardly and downwardly from the valve connecting portion 36 of the drive member 32 and extends from the hinge arm 5
2. The multiple valve assembly of claim 1, wherein the hinge arm 52 is connected to the housing 12 by forming a hinge 54 at a distal end of the hinge arm 52 distal from the valve coupling portion 36 of the valve connecting portion 36 of Lever-type trigger-driven dispensing cap. 3 the hinge arm of the drive member 32;
3. A multi-lever trigger drive dispensing cap as claimed in claim 2, hingedly connected to said rear wall 20 of said housing 12. 4. A multiple lever according to claim 3, wherein the drive member (32) is hingedly connected to the rear wall (20) of the housing (12) radially outwardly from the distal end of the valve coupling portion (36). Trigger-driven dispensing cap. 5. The drive member 32 is hinged to the housing 12 in a plane radially outward from the midpoint of the travel distance during drive of the valve coupling portion 36 of the drive member. Multi-lever trigger actuated dispensing cap as described in Section 1. 6. A point at which the trigger member 56 is pressed against the ejection portion 34 of the drive member 32 is further rearward of the ejection end of the ejection portion 34 of the drive member 32 than the grip area 68 of the trigger member 56. A multi-lever trigger actuated dispensing cap according to claim 1. 7 the trigger member 56 in the discharge portion 3 of the drive member 32 remote from the discharge orifice 50;
7. A multi-lever trigger actuated dispensing cap as claimed in claim 6, wherein said multi-lever trigger actuated dispensing cap is hingedly attached to said housing 12 near the end of said 4 end. 8. The multi-lever trigger drive dispensing cap of claim 7 wherein said trigger member 56 is hingedly mounted adjacent said ejection portion 34 of said drive member 32. 9 The trigger member 56 is pressed against the ejection portion 34 of the drive member 32 at a location further rearward of the ejection end of the ejection portion 34 of the drive member 32 than the grip area 68 of the trigger member 56. A multi-lever trigger actuated dispensing cap according to claim 2. 10 The trigger member 56 is pressed against the ejection portion 34 of the drive member 32 at a location further rearward of the ejection end of the ejection portion 34 of the drive member 32 than the grip area 68 of the trigger member 56. A multi-lever trigger actuated dispensing cap according to item 3. 11 The trigger member 56 is pressed against the ejection portion 34 of the drive member 32 at a location further rearward of the ejection end of the ejection portion 34 of the drive member 32 than the grip area 68 of the trigger member 56. A multi-lever trigger actuated dispensing cap according to item 4. 12 The trigger member 56 is pressed against the ejection portion 34 of the drive member 32 at a location further rearward of the ejection end of the ejection portion 34 of the drive member 32 than the grip area 68 of the trigger member 56. A multi-lever trigger actuated dispensing cap according to claim 5. 13 the trigger member 56 is pressed against the ejection portion 34 of the drive member 32 further rearward of the ejection end of the ejection portion 34 of the drive member 32 than the grip area 68 of the trigger member 56; The member 56 is connected to the drive member 3
Claim 1: hingedly attached to the housing 12 near the end of the discharge section remote from the discharge end of the discharge section 34 of the second embodiment.
Multi-lever trigger actuated dispensing cap as described in Section 1. 14 The trigger member 56 is connected to the drive member 32.
14. A multi-lever trigger actuated dispensing cap as claimed in claim 13, wherein said multi-lever trigger actuated dispensing cap is hingedly mounted proximate said ejection portion 34 of said cap. 15 the trigger member 56 is pressed against the ejection portion 34 of the drive member 32 further rearward of the ejection end of the ejection portion 34 of the drive member 32 than the grip area 68 of the trigger member 56; The member 56 is connected to the drive member 3
Claim 2: hingedly attached to the housing 12 near the end of the discharge portion remote from the discharge end of the discharge portion 34 of 2;
Multi-lever trigger actuated dispensing cap as described in Section 1. 16. The multi-lever trigger drive dispensing cap of claim 15 wherein said trigger member 56 is hingedly mounted adjacent said ejection portion 34 of said drive member 32. 17 the trigger member 56 is pressed against the ejection portion 34 of the drive member 32 further rearward of the ejection end of the ejection portion 34 of the drive member 32 than the grip area 68 of the trigger member 56; The member 56 is connected to the drive member 3
2 near the end of the discharge section 34 remote from the discharge end of the discharge section 34 of the housing 1.
4. A multi-lever trigger drive dispensing cap according to claim 3, which is hingedly attached to the cap. 18 The trigger member 56 is connected to the drive member 32.
18. The multi-lever trigger actuated dispensing cap of claim 17, wherein said multi-lever trigger actuated dispensing cap is hingedly mounted adjacent said ejection portion 34 of said dispensing device. 19 the trigger member 56 is pressed against the ejection portion 34 of the drive member 32 further rearward of the ejection end of the ejection portion 34 of the drive member 32 than the grip area 68 of the trigger member 56; The member 56 is connected to the drive member 3
2 near the end of the discharge section 34 remote from the discharge end of the discharge section 34 of the housing 1.
5. A multi-lever trigger drive dispensing cap according to claim 4, which is hingedly attached to the cap. 20 The trigger member 56 is connected to the drive member 32.
20. A multi-lever trigger actuated dispensing cap as claimed in claim 19, wherein said multi-lever trigger actuated dispensing cap is hingedly mounted adjacent said ejection portion 34 of said dispensing cap. 21 the trigger member 56 is pressed against the ejection portion 34 of the drive member 32 further rearward of the ejection end of the ejection portion 34 of the drive member 32 than the grip area 68 of the trigger member 56; The member 56 is connected to the drive member 3
2 near the end of the discharge section 34 remote from the discharge end of the discharge section 34 of the housing 1.
6. A multi-lever trigger drive dispensing cap according to claim 5, which is hingedly attached to the cap. 22 The trigger member 56 is connected to the drive member 32.
22. The multi-lever trigger actuated dispensing cap of claim 21, wherein said multi-lever trigger actuated dispensing cap is hingedly mounted adjacent said ejection portion 34 of said dispensing cap. 23 The grooved capture plate 70 is attached to the drive member 32.
The multi-lever type according to claim 1, wherein the multi-lever type is located outside of and in close proximity to the discharge orifice 50 of the grooved capture plate, and the groove of the grooved capture plate communicates with the interior of the housing 12. Trigger-driven dispensing cap. 24 In a trigger drive dispensing cap 10 comprising a housing 12, a drive member 32 and a trigger member 56 for driving a valve, and suitable for use in a pressurized container 30 having a valved lid 28, said drive member 32 A grooved capture plate 70 is provided outwardly of and adjacent to the discharge orifice 50, and the groove in the grooved capture plate is
A trigger drive dispensing cap communicating with the interior of the housing 12. 25. A trigger-actuated dispensing cap suitable for use with a pressurized vessel 30 having a valved lid, comprising: (a) a rear wall 20, a hollow side wall and a peripheral bead of said valved lid; , a circular flange 26 provided at the base; (b) a valve coupling part 3 for connecting the valve stem, having a distal end sealingly connected to the valve stem and a flow duct 38;
6 and a laterally oriented discharge portion 34 for discharge, having an end provided with a discharge orifice 50 and a flow duct, forming a lever in a drive member 32 disposed within said housing 12; The drive member 32
and a rear wall 20 of the housing 12, the drive member 32 further comprising a hinge arm 52, (c) located outside the housing 12;
suitable for said dispensing cap to be fitted into;
a trigger-driven dispensing cap comprising: a manually operated trigger member having a gripping area 68 disposed within the periphery of the pressurized container 30 and attached to the ejection portion 34 of the drive member 32; 26. The trigger drive dispensing cap of claim 25, wherein said discharge portion 34 of said drive member 32 is substantially orthogonal to said valve coupling portion 36. 27. The trigger drive dispensing cap of claim 26, wherein said trigger member is substantially parallel to said valve coupling portion 36 of said drive member 32. 28. The trigger drive dispensing cap of claim 27, further comprising a hinge arm (52) at the distal end of the ejection portion (34) of the drive member (32) connecting the drive member (32) and the housing (12). 29 The hinge arm 52 extends radially and downwardly from the valve coupling portion 36 of the drive member 32 to form a hinge 54 at an end remote from the valve coupling portion 36 . 28. A trigger drive dispensing cap as claimed in claim 27, further comprising: 52 connected to said housing 12. 30. The trigger actuation dispensing cap of claim 29, wherein the hinge arm 52 is hingedly attached to the rear wall 20 of the housing 12 radially outwardly from the distal end of the valve connecting portion 36. . 31. The trigger drive dispensing cap of claim 29, wherein said hinge arm (52) is located in a plane radially outward from a midpoint of travel of said valve coupling portion (36) of said drive member (32).