US3387911A - Brush dispenser - Google Patents

Description

June 11, 1968 J. R. FOCHT 3,387,911

BRUSH DISPENSER MWWWW 30 m i W 3'9? 37 34 v at 38 v I.\"VE.\ZOR.

JOHN RICHARD FOCIIT 4 TTORNE Y3 United States Patent 3,387,911 BRUSH DISPENSER John Richard Focht, Yonkers, N.Y., assignor to Precision Valve tllorporation, Yonkers, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Get. 10, 1966, Ser. No. 585,482 4 Claims. (Cl. 401190) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An applicator cap for a pressurized dispenser is comprised of two relatively movable parts such that relative rotation of the parts will actuate the container valve thereby conveying product to the applicator member.

This invention relates to a dispenser cap adapted to be associated with a pressurized aerosol dispenser of the kind which embodies a container on which is mounted a manually operable dispenser valve provided with a hollow valve stem to be actuated by a valve operating member on the applicator cap to discharge material from the container to the applicator portion of the cap.

The dispenser cap of this invention is of the type which has an applicator member for applying dispensed material and an associated valve operating member. The cap is comprised of two relatively movable parts, such that relative motion of the parts will depress the valve stem of the container mounted valve to actuate it thereby conveying the product from the interior of the pressurized container to the applicator member. The applicator member of the cap of the present invention may be comprised of brush bristles, sponge, felt, pile fabric, an orifice or other means suitable for daubing, brushing, scrubbing, extruding, spraying or otherwise applying the dispensed product. The cap of this invention has application for dispensing a variety of materials such as stain removers, hair coloring foam, shoe polish, dye, cleaning agents, shaving foam, etc.

The combination in a cap of applicator means with valve actuating means invites inadvertent valve actuation when the user is attempting to employ the applicator. For example, where the applicator is a brush and the product is a stain remover, vigorous brushing may inadvertently actuate the valve, thereby unnecessarily dispensing further product.

The ability to lock the applicator cap against accidental actuation is further desirable since it permits the stacking of such capped containers during display, transport, or storage without the possibility of accidental discharge.

The ability to continuously supply product to the ap plicator at a constant rate is of advantage in many applications. Heretofore, applicator means on a valve actuating cap for use with an aerosol container had to be recharged with product intermittently. The result was uneven application due to the diminishment of the product in the applicator. The flow rate should match the rate at which the product is used. No simple and economical means for securing continuous product flow has been available.

Since the rate at which product is extracted from the applicator during use may vary with the use and with the technique of the user, it is desirable to provide various supply rates for charging the applicator.

Conventional vertical acting aerosol valves require vertical finger force to actuate the valve. This is usually accomplished by means of a valve actuation button or hinged tab which has a product dispensing orifice at more or less right angles to the motion of the valve. Where the actuator is also an applicator, it is evident that vertical finger force necessitates either placing the operative finger on the product saturated applicator or an inconvenient resort to a ice surrounding finger engaging surface. Therefore, a simple means to actuate a vertical motion valve without contact ing the product present on the applicator is highly desirable.

An objective of this invention is to provide a combination of an applicator cap with a valve actuating member which prevents unwanted product dispensing.

More specifically, it is an objective of this invention to provide a valve actuating applicator which is capable of being locked in a non-valve actuating position.

It is a further objective of the present invention to provide an applicator cap which is capable of being locked in positions to provide continuous dispensing.

Features of the invention, other than those adverted to, will become apparent from the hereinafter detailed description and appended claims when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

The accompanying drawings illustrate one practical embodiment of the invention, but the construction therein shown is to be understood as illustrative only, and not as defining limits of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-section through an applicator cap embodying the present invention.

The following is a description of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment uses a two-piece construction for an applicator cap, and has brush bristles as the applicator member. The entire cap including the brush is preferably molded from plastic.

FIG. 1 shows a cap body or base member 10 which is generally cylindrical in shape and has a snap bead 12 to facilitate engagement with a valve mounting cup 21 on a pressurized aerosol type container 20. Applicator-actuator member 30 is telescopically associated with base member It to permit relative rotation as well as relative telescopic longitudinal movement.

The base member 10 is shown as having an upstanding cylindrical wall having a skirt portion 13 with an internal bead 12 which is adapted to frictionally engage the valve mounting cup 21 on the pressurized container 20. The upstanding wall 11 has lug members 15 which protrude radially inwardly.

The applicator, generally dcsignated as 30, is a one piece injection molded member having an upstanding cylindrical wall 39, flange 38 which depends from and is spaced outwardly from the wall 39; dimensionall the diameter of the wall 39 is constructed such that it is slightly smaller than the Wall 11 of the body member 10 and the flange 38 is spaced from the wall 39 to receive the wall 11 such that upon actuation of the valve the wall 11 may further recede or telescope into the space 34 between the Wall 39 and the flange 38. A knurled surface 37 is provided on the flange 38 to assist the user in rotating the applicator member with respect to the base member.

The wall 39 of the applicator member 30 has configured channels or slots generally designated as 40. These slots are adapted to engage lugs 15 of the base member 19. The slots have a helical camming surface or ramp 41 and terminate in circumferential locking positions or detents 42 and 43. Motion of the applicator 30 with respect to the base member 10 is restricted to movement determined by the path defined by the slot 4-3 and the associated lug 15.

Further, the applicator 30 has integrally molded brush bristles 35 on its top surface and a centrally located dependent valve actuating member 31 having a valve stem receiving socket 32 and an internal product duct or passage 33 leading to distribution orifices 36 in the base region of the brush bristle group. The applicator cap ase member is shown in FIG. 1 as being positioned ready for mounting on a conventional aerosol container 3 20. The container 20 has a valve 23 carried by a valve mounting cup 21.

Dependent valve actuator member 31 has an internal product passage 33 which leads from a valve stem receiving socket 32 to a bafile member 50 which defines radial distribution orifices 36 at the base of the brush bristles. Bafiie plate 50 is supported by, and is integral with, a plurality of longitudinal ribs 51 on the inner wall of the product passage. These ribs are tapered and achieve their maximum depth at their juncture with the bafiie plate. The ribs thereby define a plurality of smaller product channels within the upper end of the product passage. These product channels are diverted into a radial plane by bafiie plate 50, thereby causing the prod uct which has travelled longitudinally through the product passage to spread radially throughout the base region of the bristles. This construction provides even dis tribution of the product in the applicator brush.

The applicator cap of this invention, constructed as described, is highly convenient to use. To use this cap,

the operator rotates knurled portion 37 of the applicator member 30 with respect to the base member 10. This rotation is translated into longitudinal movement by means of the camming surface 41 of the configured slot 40. Lug 15 which fits into the slot causes the rotating actuator member 30 to move longitudinally toward the valve stem, thereby causing valve actuating member 31 to force the valve stem 22 downwardly to open the valve 23, thus providing a product conduit from the interior of the pressurized container through the valve 23, the hollow valve stem 22, and the product passage 33 of the valve actuating member 31 to the bafile member 50 in the base of the applicator brush. The product is then diverted radially throughout the base region of the brush by the orifices 36 defined by the bafiie member 50. When sutficient product appears in the brush, the user rotates the knurled portion 37 of the actuator member 30 in the opposite direction, causing the actuator member 30 to retreat outwardly from the base member by virtue of the lug and the camming surface 41 of the slot 40, thereby allowing the container valve to close. Continued rotation of the knurled portion in this direction causes the lug 15 to travel into the locking detent 42 of the slot 40, thereby preventing relative longitudinal movement of the applicator member with respect to the base member. This locking feature prevents inadvertent actuation of the valve and permits the user freedom to rigorously employ the brush in scrubbing or otherwise applying the product.

Where it is desirable to provide continuous product flow to the applicator, locking detents such as 43 and 44 may be provided at positions along the camming surface 41 of the slot 40. Rotation of the actuator member in the operative direction causes actuation of the valve in the manner described above. Continued rotation in this direction will cause lug 15 to enter locking detent 43 and 44 of the slot 40 to maintain the valve in an open condition. Thus, the user need not employ finger force to maintain a continuous flow of the product.

Where continuous flow at a rate less than the maximum is desired, one or more intermediate locking detents such as 44 may be provided. The user may thus select various continuous flow rates to match the rate at which 4 product is extracted from the applicator during application.

It is obvious that the coacting slot 40' and lug 15' may be interchanged in position such that the lugs are formed on the applicator member 30 and the slots are formed in the base member 10. Other modifications which provide cooperating elements which translate rotary motion into longitudinal motion are within the purview of this invention. Such alternatives would include slots or channels on both members with a rollable ball captured within the slots to provide rolling contact, or partial thread-like portions on both members, etc.

The foregoing detailed description sets forth the invention in a preferred practical form, but the invention is to be understood as fully commensurate with the appended claims.

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

I claim:

1. A dispenser cap for a valved pressurized container.

comprising a body member attachable to a pressurized container, and a valve actuator member having a valve stem receiving socket in communication with a product duct, said body member and said actuator member being relatively movable and being telescopically associated by means of at least one protruding surface and helical cam surface which surfaces cooperate to describe a helical path for said relative motion such that relative rotation of the actuator member with respect to the body member advances said actuator toward said container to actuate the container valve.

2. The dispenser cap of claim 1, wherein said cooperating surfaces have detent portions which permit locking said actuator against valve actuating motion.

3. The dispenser cap of claim 2 wherein said cooperating surfaces have further detent portions to retain said actuator member in a position to maintain said container valve open.

4. An applicator cap for a valved pressurized container comprising, a base member for attachment to said container and a relatively movable actuator member having valve actuating means, applicator means, and a product duct communicating said valve actuating means and said applicator means, said base member and said actuator member being associated by means of helical slots and interfitting protrusions such that relative rotation of the actuator member and said base member longitudinally moves said actuator member to actuate said container valve.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,064,318 12/1936 Platt l5593 2,598,308 5/1952 Samuels et al. ZZZ-402.11 X 2,703,665 3/1955 Softer. et al. M 222-40111 3,093,857 6/1963 Hersh 15552 3,228,057 1/1966 Parrish 15-552 3,252,626 5/1966 Belka 222-40211 3,256,549 6/1966 Evesque 15-56l X CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner.

ROBERT I. SMITH, Assistant Examiner.

Images