US2750230A - Valving spout having a foaming orifice - Google Patents

Description

June 1956 J. w. SOFFER ET AL 2,750,230

VALVING SPOUT HAVING A FOAMING ORIFICE Filed Aug. 19, 1953 IN V EN TORS JACK W. SOFFER & Do ALD M. KITTERMAN ATTORNEY United States Patent VALVIN G SPOUT HAVING A FOAMING ORIFICE Jack W. Solfer, St. Louis, and Donald M. Kitterman, Kansas City, Mo., assignors to Development Research, Inc, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application August 19, 1953, Serial No. 375,200

Claims. (Cl. 299-83) This invention relates to valving dispensing spouts for pressure containers in which liquids such as shaving lathers, whipping cream and other substances adapted to be expanded by gas pressure may be packaged under gas pressure dispensing and on dispensing be so expanded into aerated or flufifed condition.

More particularly, it relates to valving spouts for containers of the throw-away type wherein one of the requisites is that the construction be so simple and inexpensive as to permit the disposal of the entire valve and container after a single use.

The objects of the present invention are to improve the dispensing action of valving spouts adapted for use on such containers, particularly at slow rates of flow, with a view to insuring the foaming of the product as it is slowly dispensed. To accomplish this purpose, we provided in a simple valving spout a small foaming orifice and an expansion chamber in the bore of the spout outward of the orifice.

A further object is to make possible easy variation in the size of the foaming orifice, and to fit the size and shape of the foaming orifice, and even the number of orifices, to the requirements incident to aerating the particular product being dispensed.

It is a further purpose to make possible such variation in a standardized dispensing valve, either by use of discs having special orifices inserted into the spout of such a standardized valve or by the molding of valve standardized except for the effect of variations in a single central molding core pin, by which variations the size of the orice is altered.

A still further purpose is to provide a valve stem having a simple tunneled base leaving two solid legs of fanshape cross-section to support the valve head.

Other purposes will be apparent from the details of construction described herein and the claims at the close of this specification.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows a side elevation of a valving spout constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of such spout.

Figure 3 is a sectional view of such spout taken along line 33 of Figure 2, there being also shown in section, an orifice disc inserted within the spout and a resilient sealing member and dispensing container in which said spout is mounted.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along line 44 of Figure 2, with a disc inserted as in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a horizontal section taken along line 55 of Figure l. The relative position of the bore of the dispensing spout is shown by the dashed circle.

Figure 6 is a horizontal section taken along line 66 of Figure l and showing a simple disc insert having a central foaming orifice.

Figures 7 and 8 are sectional views similar to Figure 6 showing alternate types of disc inserts.

Figure 9 is a vertical sectional view of the lower por- "ice tion of an alternative valve spout, the section being taken along a plane corresponding to that shown in Figure 3.

Figure 10 is another vertical sectional view of the alternate embodiment shown in Figure 9, taken along a plane corresponding to that shown in Figure 4.

In the embodiment illustrated, the exterior of a valving spout 1, of the general type referred to, is shown in Figure 1. Such an exterior view discloses a rigid molded plastic dispensing stem 2 having a dispensing end or tip 3 at its outer end and a solid valve head 4 at its inner end.

In Figure 3 the valving spout 1 is shown mounted in a resilient sealing member 5 having an annular valve seat portion 6 against which the valve head 4 may close, an annular aperture seal 7 opposite the seat portion 6 adapted for pressing tightly against the inner top wall, designated a, of a steel dispensing container, designated [2, the top wall a having a central flanged aperture, designated c; the resilient sealing member 5 further having a tubular sleeve portion 8 extending outward from the inner rim of the annular aperture seal 7 through the top wall aperture c. The portions described as annular, and the tubular sleeve portion 8 have a common axis, designated d, which coincides with the axis of the valving spout 1 and its valve head 4 when in closed or untilted position.

In its familiar form the valving spout 1 may be tilted in its resilient sealing member 5 by finger pressure applied just inward of the dispensing tip 3. An annular inwardfacing projection or shoulder 9 is provided on the valving spout 1 inward of the point to which finger pressure is applied; and a helical compression spring 10 is inserted between the inward-facing projection 9 and the outer side of the container top wall a so that the valving spout 1, when tilted, will be urged to erect position. Tilting of such valving spout 1 displaces its valve head 4 from the valve seat portion 6 of the resilient sealing member 5, permitting the discharge of the contents of the container b.

The foregoing describes the environment of the present invention, which is directed to the problem of obtaining proper foaming of the liquid to be dispensed with the gas which serves to dispense it under pressure. Some liquids are incapable of being foamed (aerated, fluffed or expanded); the foaming of others requires passage through a relatively small orifice and subsequent controlled expansion; and the entire problem is affected by the desired rate of flow. A liquid which will foam adequately at one rate of flow may not become sufficiently fluifed at a slower rate. This problem is particularly acute with preparations such as shaving lathers,-which, in order to be usable, must be dispensed in fully expanded condition and not as a liquid soap.

A further problem is the economic one of producing valves such as the valving spout 1 and its resilient sealing member 5, at a sutficiently low price that the dispensing container may be thrown away after a single use; and the structural problem of assuring adequate strength at the base of the dispensing stem 2 where the valve head 4 is joined thereto. The dispensing stem 2 is penetrated at this juncture by ports which will be hereafter described; these weaken the stem 2 and create a danger that the head 4 may be broken from it.

In the present invention we separate the function of porting the dispensing stem 2 from the function of foaming the liquid to be dispensed. A result of this separation is easy molding and high strength of the dispensing stem 2 at its juncture with the valve head 4 along with the optimum foaming of the dispensing liquid and its subsequent controlled expansion within the dispensing stem 2. This separation of functions also permits a standard valving spout 1 to be manufactured and adapted for use with liquids requiring varying orifices for best foaming.

3 The structure provided to accomplish these ends is shown in cross-section in Figures 3, 4, 5 and 6, with a modified embodiment shown in section in Figures 9 and 10. Attention should be directed first to the design of the two converging lateral ports 11 which are provided on opposite sides of the dispensing stem 2 immediately outward of its juncture with the valve head 4. This region of the dispensing stem 2 is referred to as the thickened or tunneled stem portion 12, in contrast to the large bore dispensing tube portion 13 which comprises the remainder of the dispensing stem 2. The height of the lateral ports 11 is the full depth of this thickened stem portion 12. Their width decreases from the outer wall of the dispensing stem 2 convergingly toward the axis 0., as shown in the sectional view Figure 5 taken through this portion of the dispensing stem 2 at the level shown in Figure l, The shape of these converging lateral ports 11 is also made evident by a comparison of the vertical section shown in Figure 3, showing the narrow width of the ports where they meet at a plane in which axis d lies, with the vertical section shown in Figure 4 taken perpendicular to such plane, and showing the inner 'rectangular faces 14 of one of the two structural legs 15 which remain to hold the valve head 4 to the dispensing stem 2 after the forming of the ports 11.

form a diametral tunnel 17 which is at its narrowest between the apexes 16.

In the present structure, the outer sides of the legs 15 lie in the same cylindrical surface as the outer surface of the dispensing stem 2 immediately adjacent. In referring to the structure of the legs 15, these portions are referred to as the arcuate faces 18. Narrowing the diametral tunnel 17 by provision of rectangular faces 14 of each leg 15, meeting at the apex 16, leaves each leg 15 with a substantial fan-shaped structural cross-section. Considering bending strength of the valving spout 1 as a whole, these fan-shaped legs provide substantially greater assurance that the valve head 4 will not be broken from the stem 2 than had the convergence toward the apexes16 not been provided. Further, having the diametral tunnel 17 wider at the outer side of the ports 11 than the inside makes possible the easy entry of fluid into the valving spout 1 with fewer ports. The use of only two ports in the present structure has been found adequate.

The description thus far has related to the entrance of the fluid and gas into the valving spout 1. In order that it be properly foamed, a variety of provisions are possible. In a preferred embodiment, a thin disc 19 having a central orifice 20, as shown in Figure 6 and in crosssection in Figures 3 and 4, is inserted into the valving spout 1 and lodged adjacent the tops of the legs 15. In this embodiment, the large bore portion 13 of the valving spout 1 may conveniently be formed by an axial core pin (not shown) having a slight taper, to occupy the position shown by the dashed circle of Figure 5, with its tip abutting the ends of the flat, laterally-movable core pins which form the converging lateral ports 11. The portions of the fan-shaped legs 15 included within this dashed circle are shoulders, facing up the large bore portion 13 and outward toward the dispensing tip 3; these shoulders are referred to as the outward-facing shoulders 21. The use of a squarely cut end on such axial core pin forms these outward-facing shoulders 21 as fiat surfaces which support the disc 19 as shown in Figure 3. In plan view, its position is outlined by the lashed circle of Figure 5. The disc 19 serves as the roof of the diametral tunnel 17 inward of the walls of the dispensing stem 2, and its central orifice 20 is the only means of passage of fluid from the diametral tunnel 17 into the large bore portion 13.

Inasmuch as the large bore portion 13 is formed with a draft angle, the disc 19 may be forced into it and retained by the tightness of fit which increases as the large bore portion 13 gradually narrows. However, we have found it advantageous to provide a slight annular undercut 22 in the inner surface of the large bore dispensing portion 13 immediately adjacent the shoulders 21, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, into which the disc 19 may be lodged. An undercut of approximately .001 inch has been sufiicient for this purpose, and the size of the undercut shown in the drawings is greatly exaggerated for clarity.

We have, then, a valving spout 1 designed not for dispensing any particular liquid, but suited for a wide variety of liquids; and a disc 19 whose central orifice 20 may be of any size or shape that will serve best to foam a particular liquid at a desired rate of flow. In addition to varying the size of the orifice 20, the number of orifices may be increased and the shape and radial portion of such orifices may be modified. Figure 7 discloses a disc 19 having two small orifices 20 spaced from the center of the disc. The dashed lines of Figure 7 indicate the position in which the disc 19' should be inserted within the dispensing spout 1, that is, so that they lie above the diametral tunnel 17 on either side of the meeting line 2, with the shoulders 21 in the position shown by the dashed lines. Figure 8 illustrates an unperforated disc 19" having orifice indentations 20 in its circumferential edge. On the insertion of the disc 19" within the bore portion 13, into position against the shoulders 21, a plurality of orifice-like openings are formed along arcs in the inner wall of the dispensing stem 2 between the opposing faces 14 of the legs 15. The edge of the undercut 22 slightly diminishes the exposed areas of the orifices 20"; and their position closely adjacent the inner wall of the stem 2 apparently facilitates the foaming of the liquids.

The sizes and shapes as well as numbers of such orifices for particular products can be readily arrived at by experiment. Discs suitable for each product, chosen to expand the particular liquid at the desired rate of flow, may be .readily manufactured and inserted into the standard valving spout 1.

Such a liquid, after emerging from the central orifice 20 (or the corresponding orifices 2t) and 20"), is released into the large bore portion 13 of the valving spout 1, where it is permitted both radial and axial expansion. Its radial expansion, however, is limited by the bore with which the valving spout 1 has been provided. It has been found that such preliminary expansion, limited radially in extent, before the substance emerges from the dispensing tip 3, is necessary for best results. Accordingly, the space within the large bore portion 13 may be referred to as the expansion chamber 23.

Somewhat similar results may be obtained by use of the modified embodiment shown in Figures 9 and 10, a one-piece valving spout 1 having no separate disc. It is provided with a similar dispensing stem 2', valve head 4, and structural legs 15' of fan-shaped cross-section and apexes 16' presented toward each other at the narrowest point in a diametral tunnel 17'. However, the large bore dispensing tube portion 13' is provided with a sharply tapering lower wall 24 and a cylindrical orifice 25 at the lower end thereof. The tapering lower wall 24 and orifice 25 are formed by tapering the end of the core pin used to mold the large bore dispensing tube portion 13 and equipping it with a cylindrical protuberance of suf ficient length to meet the lateral core pins which form the diametral tunnel 17. Persons skilled in the art will recognize that the greatest mold expense comes in the provision of the external form of the valving spout 1 and the lateral core pins necessary to form the diametral tunnel 17 (which are identical with those required to form the valving point 1 and its diamctral tunnel 17). The core pins for forming the large bore dispensing tube portions 13' are relatively inexpensive and readily changed. Accordingly, the basic molds may be adapted for manufacture of valving spouts for varying orifices by changing the bore core pins. Hence, the valving spout 1' does not possess the adaptability of the valving spout 1 and its disc 19, but the molds, with changeable bore core pins, do possess a similar type of adaptability and standardization.

Other embodiments of the invention principles herein disclosed will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the present invention is to be considered as coextensive with the inventive principles herein disclosed.

We claim:

1. A rigid, molded tilt-opening valving spout for the foamed dispensing of gas-expanded fluid substances, comprising a dispensing stern having a tubular dispensing portion, a foaming orifice at its inner end, two legs of fan-shaped cross-section at the base of the tubular portion, the arcuate portions of the legs substantially coinciding with the outer wall of the tubular portion, the apexes of the legs being presented toward each other and spaced from the axis of the tubular dispensing portion a distance less than the inner radius thereof and a solid valve head at the bases of the legs, whereby lateral passages, converging to a constricted center and communicating with the foaming orifice, are formed between the fan-shaped legs, the valve head, and the base of the tubular dispensin portion.

2. A rigid, integrally molded tilt-opening valving spout for dispensing gas-expanded substances, comprising a dispensing stern having a cylindrical tubular dispensing portion, having a constricted end opening adjacent the base thereof, two legs of fan-shaped cross-section at the base of the tubular portion, the arcuate portions of the legs coinciding with the outer wall of the tubular portion, the

apexes of the legs being presented toward each other and spaced from the axis of the tubular dispensing portion a distance less than the inner radius thereof, and a solid valve head at the bases of the legs, whereby lateral passages, converging to the constricted end opening, are formed between the fan-shaped legs, the valve head, and the base of the tubular dispensing portion.

3. A valving spout as defined in claim 1, the upper projections of those portions of the legs within the inner wall of the tubular portion forming outward-facing shoulders, and a disc inserted and lodged within the tubular dispensing portion against the shoulders, the disc having an orifice.

4. A valving spout as defined in claim 3, the tubular portion having an annular undercut in its inner wall outwardly adjacent to the shoulders, by which the disc is retained in place.

5 A molded plastic valving spout for gas pressure foam dispensers of the type including a fluid contained and a resilient spout-mounting seal, comprising a rigid dispenser stern having an axial dispensing tube portion, an integral solid valve head at the inner end thereof adapted to close against such resilient seal, structural legs outward of the axis of said tube portion connecting said head to said tube portion, the inner surfaces of each said leg converging to a point inward of the inner wall surface of said tube portion, the spaces between said legs serving as fluid-conducting channels, and a foaming orifice smaller than the bore of the tube portion, located at a level immediately outward of the level of the said legs and communicating between said channels and the bore of the dispensing tube portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,896,624 Hollands Feb. 7, 1933 2,324,605 Urquhart July 20, 1943 2,494,793 Boe Jan. 17, 1950 2,615,597 Tomasek et al Oct. 28, 1952 2,662,668 Schmidt Dec. 15, 1953

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