US2621973A - Spray dispenser - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 16, 1952 F. G. Longs 2,621,973

SPRAY DISPENSER Filed Aug. 3. 1949 2 SHEETS- SHEET 1 INVENTOR4 FREDERICK G. LODS kaf/Ma@ ATTORNEY ATTORNEY,

2 SHEETS. SHEET 2 FIG.

IIIIH F G LODES SPRAY DISPENSER Dec-16,1952

Flled Aug 3 1949 Patented Dec. 16, `1952 FFICE SPRAY DISPENSER Frederick G. Lodes, Yonkers, N. Y., assigner to Allied Chemical & Dye Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application August 3, 1949, Serial No. 108,373

3 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for dispensing material, and is more particularly directed to improvements in apparatus for dispensing material in spray or aerosol form.

The invention and the objects and advantages thereof may be understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. l is an enlarged broken vertical section of the improved dispenser;

Fig. 2 is an elevation of a cover cap taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a broken top plan View;

Fig. 4 is la broken vertical section, similar to Fig. 1, showing the parts in spray dispensing position;

Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of the cover cap taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a vertical section or a detail taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 .is a vertical section, similar to Fig. l, showing a preferred modication.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawing, the dispenser of the invention includes a spray or aerosol material container iii provided with a crimped-on bottom Il and having in the top wall thereof a circular opening, indicated at i3, which is formed with an upwardly, outwardly, downwardly and inwardly rolled bead i4 affording anupstanding flange. The container proper, the bottom and the Vtop bead thereof may be made of any material, e. g. metal, suitable to withstand the .internal pressure exerted by the particular liquid but normally gaseous dispersant utilized as the propellant in the spray or aerosol composition placed in the container.

The top of the container is closed off by a plate or a cupflike insert indicated generallyr at l5. This cup comprises a circular disk Il having .an vintegrally formed vertically disposed cylindrical section I3 lterminating in an cutwardly, downwardly'and inwardly turned flange 2t. During manufacturavdisk Il is vstamped and centrally cut to form an upwardly projecting annulus portion 22, and a short upwardly projecting, slightly outwardly haring, open-top guide sleeve 23.. A second disk 25 is stamped, drawn or otherwise worked to form a downwardly projecting annulus Vportion 2l integrally formed with ldep-ending cylindrical sections 23 and 29. Asfshownin-Fig. l, section 28 is of appreciably 'larger inside diameter than is section 29, the two sections being kconnected by a lhorizontally dispose'diannularshoulder 3l Ywhichfconstitutes a seat for a coilspring l32. The lower end of section 29 terminates in a circular wall provided with a iiow restricting orice 34. Section 29 is adapted to telescope into the upper end of a flexible dip tube 35 which, as indicated in Fig. 1, extends to approximately the bottom of the container.

As clearly shown in the drawing, the oppositely disposed annular portions 22 and 21 constitute an annular chamber which, when disk l5 and disk 25 are permanently attached to each other e. g. by spot welds, is adapted to receive and retain a disk of packing 3l which may be made of any suitable material such as natural or synthetic rubber or nylon, etc. Packing 3l has a centrally located circular opening 39 affording a valve port, and the lower periphery of such opening provides a seat for the ball Valve lill which, by the pressure of spring 32, Vnormally maintains the valve port closed. After iilling the container and on assembling the apparatus, the cup l5 and the associated parts above described are inserted in the opening in the top of the container, the vertical wall I8 of the cup is circumferentially and outwardly crimped as shown at 42, and the Adownwardly directed portion of cup iiange 2li is turned inwardly under container bead I4, this arrangement eiTecting peripheral attachment'of the cup l5 to the top of the container in gas-tight relation.

A feature of the invention comprises a clo.. sure cap indicated generally by 45 and shown in section in Fig. l and in elevation and in plan in Figs. 2 and 3 respectively. The cap comprises a body 4S and a nger pressure push button il which, in association with the cap body, provides means for operating the valve and effecting disch-arge of spray or aerosol material to the atmosphere.

The cap body llt, which may be an integrally formed molding or stamping, is of the general configuration and structure shown in the several views of the drawing. The body comprises an internal chamber 5t, a button vguide block 5l, a rectangular button opening 53 in the top surface, a spray or aerosol discharge nozzle window Ell `in side wall 55, and an annular relatively horizontally disposed ange 5l. Side .55 is substantially planar, and is preferably sloped slightly rearwardly from the vertical as shown in Figs. l and 4. The inner smooth surface of side 55 furnishes a bearing surface for the up and down movement of button lll, and block .5l forms a rear thrust support and guide for the button. The llower portion of the latter is substantially square in `horizontal cross-section and is provided with oppositely disposed inwardly projecting shoulders 53 (Fig. 6) which are shaped to conform with corresponding reversely directed shoulders 59 which are formed integrally on the cap body and act as an up-stop for the button. The length of the push button above shoulders 58 is such that, when the button is in its uppermost position as shown in Fig. 1, the knurled top surface of the button projects above the surface of the cap body to an extent convenient for finger pressure.

The push button is provided internally with a vertical bore 60 and a connecting bore 62, of slightly smaller diameter, which lies in the same vertical plane as bore 60, and is axially disposed in a slightly upwardly direction. A cylindrical nozzle 64 having a discharge orifice 66 is set into the bore 62 of the button in such a way that the outer end of the nozzle projects preferably just beyond the outer face of the cap side 55. A spindle or plunger 61 having an interior longitudinal channel 68 is set into vertical bore 69. The spindle tapers towards its lower end and terminates in a circular wall 18 which is provided with a preferably rectangular cut-out or slot 1|, both as shown in Fig. 5.

In the modification of Figs. 1-6, the cap assembly includes as one element thereof a fiat disklike inset 13 of the plan configuration indicated in Fig. 5. As shown in Figs. 1 and 5, this inset is provided with three upstanding fingers 15 which, in the assembled position, project upwardly into and contact the walls of the lower portions of cap chamber 50 with sufiicient friction to hold inset 13, and cap 45 in unitary engagement in the position of Fig. 1. The inset is bored with a central opening of a diameter just large enough to permit free movement of spindle 61. To assemble the cap unit, nozzle 64 and spindle 61 are wedged in place in the button in the position of Fig. 1. Spindle 61 is then stuck through the center opening of inset 13, and the button and inset placed in the body chamber 50, the inset being forced inwardly against the friction of fingers 15 until the upper face of inset 13 is in engagement L with the under surface of the body attaching flange 54 at three points approximating 18 as shown in Fig. 5. The cap body, push button, inset, spindle and nozzle assembly are then ready for placement as a unit on the container.

In accordance with another feature of the invention, the cap body 45 is provided adjacent its lower periphery with an annular inwardly projecting rib 8| which is shaped to engage the downwardly and inwardly turned exterior portion of the flange 20. The cap body may be made of any suitable material, but is preferably a molded plastic such as polyethylene. Whatever particular material is used, such material is so chosen as to provide a cap body which is rigid but yet sufiiciently resilient about its lower peripheral section so that the cap body by moderate handpressure may be forced down onto and engage fiange with a tight, snap-on fit. The lower rim of the cap body may be provided with a short depending flange 82 which just lightly contacts the surface of the container so as to afford a clean line appearance. As another feature of a preferred embodiment, the cuter or lower surface of the cap body may be formed with coacting slightly indented channel 84 and an associated shoulder 85, thus making provision for snap-on attachment of a hemispherical dome 81, e. g. of transparent material, which prevents application of unintentional pressure to the push button. Further, dome, cap body and container may be circumferentially tape-sealed, as indicated at 88, for shipping and merchandizing purposes.

In the position of the parts as shown in Fig. 1 the apparatus is inoperative, i. e. valve 40 is thrust tightly against the packing 31, and button 41 and spindle 61 are held in their uppermost positions partly by the upthrust of the packing material on the tapered lower end of spindle 61, and partly by spring 32. Fig. 4 shows the parts in operative position. Button 41 has been pushed down by finger pressure to such an extent that the upper edges of the knurlings are coextensive with the upper surface line of cap body 45. 'I'he distance of permissible downthrust of the push button is equal to the distance between the upper face of inset 13 and the lower surface of button 41 as shown in Fig. 1. This downthrust distance is suflicient to effect contact of the lower end of the spindle with the ball 21 and push the latter downwardly completely out of contact with the packing 31. In this manner the valve port 39 is opened, and through dip tube 35, ow restricting orifice 34, slot 1l, channel 68, and the nozzle oriiice 66, the interior of the container is placed in communication with the atmosphere. Thus, it will be noted from Figs. l and 4 that inset 13, in addition to functioning as a spindle guide, acts as a stop for downthrust of button 41.

In the particular modification of Figs. l and 6, the inside diameter of discharge orifice 66 may be approximately 0.013 inch, while the inside diameter of flow restricting orifice 34 is preferably larger than that of discharge orifice 56 and may be approximately 0.015 or 0.016 inch. It will be observed from the drawing that the diameter 0f channel 68 in spindle 61 and the similar inside diameter of nozzle 64 are each many times the diameter of either orifices 34 or 66, and in the present embodiment the diameter of enlarged upper end of channel 68 may be about 0.12 inch. Further, the lineal distance between port 39 and discharge orifice 66 is relatively great. This arrangement, of a small diameter discharge orifice, a larger diameter flow restricting orifice, and an intermediate expansion chamber of substantial length and having a diameter many times that of either orifice, effects delivery to the atmosphere of a very satisfactorily dispersed aerosol.

In the preferred modification of Fig. 7, there is placed intermediate the upper surface of disk l1 and the under surface of button 41 a coil spring the upper two or three coils of which snugly grip spindle 61. This arrangement is particularly desirable to facilitate ready attachment of the cap body, button and spindle assembly to the container after cap I5 has been crimped in place. Further, when in use, on release of finger pressure from the button, spring 90 shifts the button against its upthrust stops, and hence none of the expansive property of ball valve closing spring 32 is needed to raise the push button to its inoperative position.

In the appended claims, the term spray is intended to include a spray in the common accepted sense and a dispersion in aerosol form.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for dispensing material as a spray comprising a container adapted to hold said material in liquid form under pressure and having an opening in the top wall formed with an outwardly rolled bead, a closure plate peripherally attached to said bead in gas-tight relation by an outwardly and downwardly turned flange substantially enveloping said bead, a valve port in said vplate communicating with the interior of said container. a valve and means for normally seating said valve in said port, a unitary closure cap comprising a cap body and a basal relatively horizontally disposed annulus; said annulus overlying the outwardly turned portion of the closure plate ange and having a depending rim and an associated inwardly projecting rib shaped to conform with the exterior of said ilange, said annulus, rim and rib being made of material which is rigid but suiciently resilient to eect tight snap-on engagement with said flange; said cap body projecting upwardly from said annulus and being formed to provide a button guide including an upstanding wall provided with a spray discharge window, a nger pressure button slidable in said guide, a bore in said button for passage of spray material, a nozzle set into one end of said bore and communicating through said window with the atmosphere, a spindle set vertically into the other end of said bore and having an interior longitudinal channel, said spindle projecting downwardly from said button and engaging said valve and being adapted, on inthrust of said button, to axially move said spindle to open said valve and to place said port, channel and nozzle in spray material communication.

2. Apparatus for dispensing material as a spray comprising a container adapted to hold said material in liquid form under pressure and having an opening in the top wall formed with an outwardly rolled bead, a closure plate peripherally attached to said bead in gas-tight relation by an outwardly and downwardly turned flange substantially enveloping said bead, a valve port in said plate communicating with the interior of said container, a valve and means for normally seating said valve in said port, a unitary closure cap comprising a cap body and a basal relatively horizontally disposed annulus, said annulus overlying the outwardly turned portion of the closure plate flange and having a depending rim and an associated inwardly projecting rib shaped to conform with the exterior of said flange, said annulus, rib and rim being made of material which is rigid but suiciently resilient to effect tight snap-on engagement with said flange, said cap body projecting upwardly from said annulus and being formed to provide a button guide including an upstanding wall provided with a spray discharge window, a linger pressure button slidable in said guide, a nozzle carried by said button and communicating through said window with the atmosphere, a spindle carried by said button and having an interior longitudinal channel communicating with said nozzle, said spindle projecting downwardly from said button and engaging said valve and being adapted, on inthrust of said button, to axially move said spindle to open said Valve and to place said port, channel and nozzle in spray material communication.

3. Apparatus for dispensing material as a spray comprising a container adapted to hold said material in liquid form under pressure and having an opening in the top wall formed with an outwardly rolled bead, a closure plate peripherally attached to said bead in gas-tight relation by an outwardly and downwardly turned Iiange substantialy enveloping said bead, a valve port in said plate communicating with the interior of said container, a valve and means for normally seating said Valve in said port, a unitary closure cap comprising a cap body and a basal relatively horizontally disposed annulus, said annulus overlying the outwardly turned portion of the closure plate ilange and having a depending rim and an associated inwardly projecting rib shaped to conform with the exterior of said ilange, said annulus, rib and rim being made of material which is rigid but suiciently resilient to eiect tight snap-on engagement with said flange, said rim having an outwardly directed indented channel and shoulder and an associated snap-on protective cover; said cap body projecting upwardly from said annulus and being formed to provide a button guide including an upstanding wall provided with a spray discharge window, a finger pressure button slidable in said guide, a bore in said button for passage of spray material, a nozzle set into one end of said bore and communicating through said window with the atmosphere, a spindle set vertically into the other end of said bore and having an interior longitudinal channel, said spindle projecting downwardly from said button and engaging said valve and being adapted, on in-thrust of said button, to axially move said spindle to open said valve and to place said port, channel and nozzle in spray material communication.

FREDERICK G. LODES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNTED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,614,532 Mobley Jan. 18, 1927 1,892,759 Rotheim Jan. 3, 1933 2,119,643 Mendl June 7, 1933 2,171,591 Gebauer Aug. 29, 1939 2,225,329 Safiell Dec. 17, 1940 2,244,341 MacLean June 3, 1941 2,328,863 Threm Sept. 7, 1943 2,494,793 Boe Jan. 17, 1950 2,506,449 Greenwood May 2, 1950 2,514,030 Coyle et al. July 4, 1950 2,536,231 Simanton Jan. 2, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 620,884 Great Britain Mar. 31, 1949

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