US3235132A

US3235132A - Cap for an aerosol can

Info

Publication number: US3235132A
Application number: US175539A
Authority: US
Inventors: Franklin S Patton; Roderick V King
Original assignee: STERLING SEAL CO
Current assignee: STERLING SEAL CO
Priority date: 1962-02-26
Filing date: 1962-02-26
Publication date: 1966-02-15
Anticipated expiration: 1983-02-15

Description

Feb. 15, 1966 F. s. PATTON ETAL CAP FOR AN AEROSOL CAN Filed Feb. 26, 1962 FIGZ so FIG. 5

IN VENTQRS PATTON BY Kl N6 United States Patent This invention relates to covers and, more particularly, to covers for containers.

This application is a continuation in part of patent application, Serial No. 718,008, filed February 27, 1958, which issued as Patent No. 3,022,922 on February 27, 1962.

In the art of container covers such as a cap for the familiar aerosol can and the like which has a breast on the top with a central valve mounting cup concentric to the breast, it has been common practice to provide .a cup like cover or cap having a portion engaging the valve mounting cup and a rim engaging the outer edge of the outer portion of the container of the can. The outer portion of the cover usually has a pleasing appearance and, also, protects the valve. These covers have various disadvantages in the manner in which they are secured to the can as well as the manner in which they permit access to the valve.

The present invention provides a cover which is simpler and more efficient than prior covers.

It is, accordingly, an object of the present invention 1; a

to provide a cover for a container which is simple in construction, economical to manufacture, and simple and etficient to use.

Another objection of the invention is to provide an improved cap for an aerosol can which provides access to:

the valve of the can when the cap is in place thereon.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved cap for an aerosol can.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved means for attaching an aerosol can cap to an aerosol can.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consists of the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the form, size, proportions, and minor details of construction without departing from the spirit or sacrificing .any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a side view partly in cross section of a cap according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view partly in cross section of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 supported on a can;

FIG. 3 is a view of another embodiment of a cap;

FIG. 4 is across sectional View taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 5 is .a side view of the cap shown in FIG. 4.

Now with more specific reference to the drawing, the can shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is indicated at 10. The can has side walls 11 with a breast 12 extending upwardly from the side walls. The breast 12 is generally frustoconical and terminates at its upper end at .a mounting cup 14. The mounting cup 14 may be formed by rolling the material of the breast 12 outwardly to form an overhanging shoulder which is annular in form and overhangs the breast.

The sides extend upwardly and the breast is curved downwardly, then upwardly and again downwardly, and then overlies the side walls 11 of the can, thereby de- 3,235,132 Patented Feb. 15, 1966 fining a channel outwardly of the breast 12 in which a rim 13 can rest.

A valve such as valve 124 in FIG. 4 has a lever such as lever 125 in FIG. 4 which may be engaged by the thumb of the user. The valve may have an opening to spray a stream of fluid parallel to the axis of the can 10.

A cap 18 is generally in the form of a hollow cylinder with an outside cylindrical surface terminating at one end at the rim 13. The other end terminates in a rolled over portion 16 which overlies and grips the upper edge 27 of a spring clip 28. The spring clip 28 has generally the shape of an inverted frustocone. It extends inwardly in a downwardly curving path as shown in FIG. 2 and the inner ends 28 are curved downwardly at a greater curvature and underlies a shoulder 15 of the can.

The spring clip 28 can be made in the form of a frusto-conical sheet having an opening at the center with the inner edge defining the hole 29 thereof being rolled out to form a generally resilient part which rests against the breast of the can while the part adjacent to the intermediate part rests under the shoulder 15.

The clip 28 may have radially extending spaced slots 30 which define fingers, thereby providing more resiliency to the clip. The clip could be made without the slots. Since the top is open, the operator can reach the valve without removing the cap.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 3, similar parts are numbered the same as in FIGS. 1 and 2 but with two hundred added thereto. In this embodiment, cap 218 may be open at both ends. The lower end terminates at a rim 213. Integral clips 228 may be attached thereto and generally formed. When in position on the can, the clips 228 will be deflected and conform generally to the contour of the breast. Yet, the inner curved ends 229 will underlie the shoulder.

Any effort to remove the cap will cause the clip to straighten and grip the shoulder tighter. Of course, if a sufiicient force is exerted, the clip will. slip over the shoulder.

The aerosol valve will be accessible to the operator. It will also spray out of the top when the valve is depressed while the cap will guard the valve during shipping and storage.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, similar parts are numbered as in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 but with one hundred added thereto. A cap 118 is shown supported on the can. This cap has the rim turned inwardly to form a resilient portion to underlie the bulging part of the breast in the manner as in the parent application. The top of the cap has an integral clip 128 rolled inwardly to define an opening at 130 to receive the valve cup 114. The clip 128 will underlie the shoulder 115 and thereby hold the cap in position and urge it downwardly into a channel 122.

The cap is formed with a cleft at one side thereof into which an operator may insert his finger to more easily engage a lever 125. The cap could have a cleft similar to cleft 135 at the opposite side from the one shown so that the valve could spray laterally instead of vertically.

The foregoing specification sets forth the invention in its preferred practical forms but the structure shown is capable of modification within a range of equivalents without departing from the spirit thereof or from the scope of the appended claims.

3 The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. In combination a cap and an aerosol can, said can having a frusto-conical breast terminating at its upper end in an annular top with shoulder portions overhanging said breast, generally cylindrical sides attached at their upper ends to said breast, said cap being generally cylindrical in shape and terminating at one end in a rim, an inwardly extending clip integrally attached to said rim and inclining inwardly and upwardly toward said shoulder portions and toward the opposite end of said cap, said clip being made of resilient material, said rim of said cap resting in .a channel formed by said breast adjacent said sides, the distal end of said clip underlying and engaging said shoulder portions, said cap being open at its top and having a cleft in the side at the end thereof opposite said rim, a valve extending from the upper end of the can and received in the opening in said cap top, and an operating lever attached to said valve and extending from said valve toward said cleft, said cleft being of a size to receive the finger of an operator to operate said lever. 2. In combination, an aerosol can and a cover therefor,

said can having generally cylindrical sides and a generally frusto-conical'breast attached to the upper ends of said sides, said breast terminating at its upper end in an annular top with a shoulder portion overhanging said breast,

a cap, said cap having a rim, an inwardly extending clip attached to the inner periphery of said cap adjacent an end of said cap and inclining inwardly toward said shoulder portion and toward the opposite end of said cap,

said clip being made of resilient material,

said rim of said cap resting in a channel,

said channel being formed by said sides and said breast,

the distal ends of said clip underlying said shoulder portion,

said cap being open at one end and having a cleft in the side at the end thereof opposite said rim,

said can having a valve in said annular top extending upwardly therefrom,

a laterally extending operating lever attached to said valve extending laterally toward said cleft,

said cleft being adapted to receive the finger of an operator whereby said operator may operate said lever,

said clip being in the form of a frusto-conical shaped resilient member of sheet material having the base of said frusto-conical shape fixed to said cylindrical wall,

the inner end of said frusto-conical clip defining an opening adapted to receive the valve mounting cup of an aerosol can with the ends of said clip disposed under said shoulder portion,

the base of said clip being integrally attached to said wall at said rim.

References Cited by the Examiner LOUIS I. DEMBO, Primary Examiner.

RAPHAEL M. LUPO, ERNEST A. FALLER,

Examiners.

Claims

1. IN COMBINATION A CAP AND AN AEROSOL CAN, SAID CAN HAVING A FRUSTO-CONICAL BREAST TERMINATING AT ITS UPPER END IN AN ANNULAR TOP WITH SHOULDER PORTIONS OVERHANGING SAID BREAST, GENERALLY CYLINDRICAL SIDES ATTACHED AT THEIR UPPER ENDS TO SAID BREAST, SAID CAP BEING GENERALLY CYLINDRICAL IN SHAPE AND TERMINATING AT ONE END IN A RIM, AN INWARDLY EXTENDING CLIP INTEGRALLY ATTACHED TO SAID RIM AND INCLINING INWARDLY AND UPWARDLY TOWARD SAID SHOULDER PORTIONS AND TOWARD THE OPPOSITE END OF SAID CAP, SAID CLIP BEING MADE OF RESILIENT MATERIAL, SAID RIM OF SAID CAP RESTING IN A CHANNEL FORMED BY SAID BREAST ADJACENT SAID SIDES, THE DISTAL END OF SAID CLIP UNDERLYING AND ENGAGING SAID SHOULDER PORTIONS, SAID CAP BEING OPEN AT ITS TOP AND HAVING A CLEFT IN THE SIDE AT THE END THEREOF OPPOSITE SAID RIM, A VALVE EXTENDING FROM THE UPPER END OF THE CAN AND RECEIVED IN THE OPENING IN SAID CAP TOP, AND AN OPERATING LEVER ATTACHED TO SAID VALVE AND EXTENDING FROM SAID VALVE TOWARD SAID CLEFT, SAID CLEFT BEING OF A SIZE TO RECEIVE THE FINGER OF AN OPERATOR TO OPERATE SAID LEVER.