US3089625A

US3089625A - Flow channeling device and valve actuating means for pressurized container

Info

Publication number: US3089625A
Application number: US148909A
Authority: US
Inventors: Sorber Hilbert; Kenneth G Coolidge
Original assignee: Schering Corp
Current assignee: Merck Sharp and Dohme Corp
Priority date: 1961-10-31
Filing date: 1961-10-31
Publication date: 1963-05-14
Anticipated expiration: 1980-05-14

Description

M y 1963 H. SORBER ETAL FLOW CHANNELING DEVICE AND VALVE ACTUATING MEANS FOR PRESSURIZED CONTAINER Filed 001;. 51, 1961 INVENTORS HILBERT SORBER KENNETH G.COOL |DGE ATTORNEY 3,089,625 Patented May 14, 1963 3,089,625 FLOW CHANNELING DEVICE AND VALVE ACTU- ATING MEANS FOR PRESSURIZED CONTAINER Hiibert Sorber, Avenel, and Kenneth G. Coolidge, West Orange, NJ., assignors to Schering Corporation, Bloomfield, N.J., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Oct. 31, 1961, Ser. No. 148,)09 1 Claim. (Cl. 222-393) This invention relates to improvements in liquid dispensing devices and, in particular, to a valve actuating and flow channeling device for pressurized containers.

It is a particular object of the present invention to provide a removable valve actuating and flow channeling device for pressurized liquid dispensing containers.

Many liquid materials, including medicinals, are packaged in containers or cans under pressure for dispensing by spraying in the form of an aerosol. Most of the containers are intended to be thrown away after the contents have been used and it is an object of the present invention to provide a valve actuating and flow channeling device which may be conveniently attached to such containers and removed therefrom for further use after the container is empty.

Another object is to provide a flow channeling device that may be separately sterilized by conventional heat or gas sterilization procedures. Such a device has particular utility for dispensing medicinal compositions where, after use, the flow channeling device may 'be disposed of or set aside for subsequent sterilization and a new or re-sterilized flow channeling device may be con veniently and quickly inserted into operative arrangement with the pressure container, thereby reducing to a minimum the spread of infections or diseases being treated.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention are provided by a valve actuating means for a pressurized container of the type having a dip tube terminating at one end adjacent the bottom of a container and at the other end in a chamber, an outlet from the chamber, a valve member in the chamber normally resiliently urged into sealing engagement with said outlet, said valve actuating mechanism comprising: an elongated removable tubular flow channeling member, the inlet end of the tubular member adapted to 'be sli-da'bly received in the outlet from the container chamher and when depressed to urge the valve member into the unsealed position, a lever member, a hand-engaging surface and a pivot point at opposite ends thereof, an opening in the lever member between the pivot point and the hand-engaging surface to slidably receive a substantial portion of the flow channeling member and adapted to engage the said flow channeling member adjacent the inlet end thereof, a fulcrum member supported about the outlet end of the container having means engaging the lever for pivotal movement at the pivot point thereof.

The invention will be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view in partial section of a pressurized container embodying the structures of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the device shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view through a portion of the valve, the valve actuating mechanism and the flow channeling device of the invention.

Referring to the drawings, generally designates a pressurized container provided with applicants improvement generally designated 12.

The container 10 has a generally cylindrical side wall 14, a bottom 16, and a recessed top 18. The top 18 is provided with a central opening 20 which supports generally internally of the container a dispensing valve structure 22.

The dispensing valve structure 22, in the illustrated form of the invention, is of the type that is adapted to dispense a metered quantity of material from the container each time the valve mechanism is opened.

The valve mechanism 22 includes a dip tube 24, the lower end 26 of which terminates adjacent the bottom 16 of the container. The upper end 28 of the dip tube 24 discharges into a dispensing chamber 30. The dispensing chamber 30 is provided with a reciprocally mounted valve member 32 which includes a stem portion 34 having a tapered end 36 and an enlarged head portion 38. The stem 34 has a diameter substantially less than the internal diameter of the chamber 30 and the opening from the dip tube 24 to the chamber 30 is sized such that liquid is forced into the chamber when the valve member 32 is in the position illustrated in FIG. 3 with the enlarged head portion 38 in sealing engagement with a sealing member 40 about the discharge outlet 42 from the container. The valve member 32 is normally urged into this position by the spring 44.

The valve structure 32 also includes a tubular extension portion 46 provided with a radial opening 48 which communicates with the bore in the tubular extension 46. In operation of the metered quantity flow dispensing valve structure, when the valve 32 is depressed, the lower tapered portion 36 is urged into liquid and pressure sealing relationship to the opening between the upper end 28 of the dip tube 24 and the valve chamber 30. Thereafter, further movement of the valve 32 brings the radial opening 48 into communication with the press-urized fluid in the chamber 30 and the pressurizing gas forces the material within the chamber 30 out of the tubular outlet 46. Material will continue to flow from the outlet 46 until the quantity of the material in chamber 30 is dispensed. Upon release of the valve, the coil spring 44 urges the valve mechanism into the position shown in FIG. 3 whereby the outlet from the container is sealed and another quantity of material from the container flows into the chamber 30.

In order to channel the dispensed material to where it is needed, an elongated removable tubular flow channeling member 5t having a reduced diameter lower end 52 is provided for the container. The reduced diameter lower end 52 is sized to be slidably received in the outlet from the container and when inserted to engage the upper surface of the tubular extension piece 46 of the valve structure 32.

In the illustrated form of the invention, the elongated removable tubular flow channeling member 50 is gradually tapered outwardly from its outlet end 54 to a boss or ferrule 56 positioned adjacent the inlet end 52 thereby to provide a medicinal flow channeling element which may be conveniently inserted in body orifices to direct metered quantities of medicinal where desired.

The elongated removable tubular flow channeling member 50 may be constructed of, for example, stainless steel whereby the =flow channeling member may be conveniently sterilized or the flow channeling 50' may be cast or molded from suitable plastic compositions and be disposed of after each treatment.

The assembly also includes a lever member 60 having a depending hand-engaging portion 62 and a pivot point forming portion 64. Between the hand-engaging portion 62 and the pivot forming portion 64, the lever arm 60 is provided with an opening 66 which opening is large enough to slidably receive the tapered portion of the flow channeling member 50 whereby the lever member 60 lies in engagement with the boss or ferrule 56 formed about the inlet end of the flow channeling member.

A fulcrum member 68 is supported about the outlet end of the container by means of a ring element 70 and the fulcrum member is provided with an upstanding arm 72 which contacts the lever arm 60 at the pivot point 64. In the illustrated form of the invention, the upstanding arm 72 is re-curved as at 74 to receive a formed end 76 of the lever member 60 which formed end, together with an offset portion 78, restricts sliding movement of the lever 60 in a direction normal to the pivotal axis of the lever member about the fulcrum member 68.

To disassemble the improved valve actuating and liquid dispensing device of the invention, the lever arm 60 is rotated about the flow channeling member 50 in either of the directions indicated by directional arrows A in FIG. 2 to free the end 64 of the lever arm 60 from the fulcrum member 68. Then the lever arm and the flow channeling member 50 may be removed from the top of the can and the flow channeling member 50 may be slipped from the opening 66 in the lever arm. To reassemble the device, the reverse of the above procedures is followed.

In operation of the device, with the elements assembled as shown in FIG. 1, pressure on the hand-engaging portion 62 of the lever 60 in the direction of the directional arrow B causes the lever arm 60 to pivot about the pivot point 64 which, in turn, urges the flow channeling member 50 downwardly against the resilient force of the spring 44, opening communication between the chamber 30 and the radial opening 48 in the upper end 46 of the valve member 32 to permit a metered quantity of liquid to be dispensed through the opening in the tubular member 50.

From the foregoing description of the invention, it will be seen that the aims and objects thereof are fully accomplished. It will also be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made in the structures of the invention without departing from the scope of the appended claims. For example, while the improved flow channeling and valve actuating mechanism has been illustrated and described as attached A to a metering type pressure container, it will be apparent that the structures may be readily employed with non-metering type pressure containers.

We claim:

Valve actuating means for a pressurized container of the type having a dip tube terminating at one end adjacent the bottom of the container and at the outer end in a chamber, an outlet from the chamber, a valve member in the chamber normally resiliently urged into sealing engagement with said outlet, said valve actuating means comprising an elongated tapered removable tubular flow channeling member, the inlet end of the tubular member adapted to be slidably received in the outlet from the container chamber and when depressed to urge the valve member into the unsealed position, thereby providing a removable continuation of the flow channel through said valve, a flange adjacent the inlet end of the tubular flow channeling member, a lever memher, a hand-engaging surface and a pivot point at opposite ends thereof, a bore in the lever member between the pivot point and the hand-engaging surface, said bore being sized to slidably receive the tapered portion of the flow channeling member and to engage the flange about the inlet end of the flow channeling member, a fulcrum member supported about the outlet end of the container, said fulcrum member having a re-curved surface portion adapted to slidably receive the lever arm for pivotal movement of the lever arm about its pivot point.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 674,674 Fernald May 21, 1901 1,403,197 Rieck Jan. 10, 1922 2,765,965 Reswick Oct. 9, 1956 2,788,925 Ward Apr. 16, 1957 2,941,700 Gable June 21, 1960 3,039,654 Lopatka et al June 19, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS 366,626 Great Britain Feb. 11, 1932