US3388840A

US3388840A - Shielded dome and actuator assembly for foam valves

Info

Publication number: US3388840A
Application number: US633576A
Authority: US
Inventors: Richard C Hug
Original assignee: Clayton Corp
Current assignee: Clayton Corp
Priority date: 1967-04-25
Filing date: 1967-04-25
Publication date: 1968-06-18
Anticipated expiration: 1985-06-18

Description

R. C. HUG

June 18, 1968 SHIELDED DOME AND ACTUATOR ASSEMBLY FOR FOAM VALVES Filed April 25, 1967 III! United States Patent Oflice 3,388,849 Patented June 18, 1 6?) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLDSURE A dome and actuator assembly for pressurized foam dispensers permits rinsing without accumulating water in the valve mounting cup. Across the dome, mounted in the valve mounting cup. Across the rome, mounted exteriorly of the mounting cup rim, i a sloping drain channel having a central opening surrounded by a protecting ridge. A diametral dispensing actuator, recessed within the drain channel, is fitted onto the valve stem through the opening. Sides of the actuator overhang the protecting ridge, to shed rinse water beyond the ridge, for draining out of the lower end of the drain channel.

Background of the invention Valves and dispensing actuators for pressurized foam dispensers commonly include a metal mounting cup whose upper rim is crimped sealingly into the mouth of the dispensing container. Frequently the mounting cup is concealed by an ornamental plastic dome in which the actuator is fitted. With such construction, if the user chooses to rinse the actuator, rinse water may pass between the actuator and dome, to be retained in the mounting cup under the dome.

The general purpose of the present invention is to 50 form the dome and actuator that they cooperate in exeluding rinse water from the mounting cup. A further purpose is to provide a close-fitting dome and actuator assembly especially for tilt-operating valves, which will have increased clearance during tilting operation. Other more detailed purposes will appear from the following disclosure.

Summary the invention In the present invention the upper dome surface has a drain channel, including a channel-like recessed drain surface portion flanked by side walls and extending to the radially outward wall of the dome, preferably sloping downward across the entire diameter of the dome from a narrow upper end to a broader lower drain fiow exit end.

he drain surface has an opening elongated in the direction of the downward slope and surrounded by a protecting ridge. The actuator, which likewise extends across the entire diameter, is accommodated within the drain channel and fitted, through the opening, onto the valve stem. The sides of the actuator overhang the protecting ridge. Water applied for rinsing will drip from the overhanging sides of the actuator onto the drain surface, and flow thereon outwardly of the ridge between the channel sides to drain from the flow exit end. Hence, no rinse water will enter the mounting cup.

The actuator broadens rearwardly from the nozzle end to a finger pad portion at the opposite end; and the drain channel is likewise broadened. Pressing downward on the finger pad portion tilts the actuator aft and downward in the elongated opening; when released, it returns upward and forwardly to closed position. Aft movement of the actuator increases its clearance within the drain channel; hence in closed position it may have a minimum of clearance, which adds to the attractiveness of the assembly and of itself tends to exclude rinse water.

Brief description of the drawings FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a shielded dome and actuator assembly embodying the present invention, in place on a tilt-operating valve.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the assembly of FIG. 1, with the actuator partly broken away. The phantom outline indicates the position of the actuator when the valve is operated by tilting.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the assembly, from the rear, the left side being in section.

Description of the preferred embodiment Conventional elements shown in the drawings are the dispensing container (1, the mounting cup b crimped within its rim and having a central pedestal c, the valve mechanism including a rubber washer d clamped by a plastic adaptor cup e to which a dip tube 1 is mounted, a tubular tilt stem valve member g, and a coil spring 11 within the adaptor cup e, which serves to erect the tubular valve spout g when tilted.

The present shielded dome and actuator assembly consists of two members. A hollow plastic dome generally designated It has a hollow cylindrical side wall 11, a substantially horizontal top wall portion 12 as shown in FIG. 3, and projecting downward from it and concentric with the outer wall 11, a cylindrical mounting tube 13. The diameter of the mounting tube 13 is such that its lower rim portion 14 may grasp the outer rim surface of the mounting cup b.

Extending across the dome 10 is a channel-like recessed drain generally designated 16. As shown in FIG. 3, the drain channel 16 commences at the narrower front or nozzle end of the dome 10; and has side channel walls 17 which diverge rearwardly. The bottom of the drain channel 16 starts at a sill 18 at the nozzle end of the dome, and consists of a drain surface 20 which extends between the lower edges of the channel side walls 17 and slopes from the sill 18 to the outer wall 11 of the dome 1t) diametrically opposite. The exit end of the drain is over the rear edge 21 of the drain surface 20.

Because of the aft slope of the drain channel 20 and the actuator in it, which will be later described, the upper dome surface 12 has inward sloping facets 22 which join the channel sides 17.

Along the central vertical axis 1' of the dome and elongated aft along a recess center line k i a protective surrounding ridge 2.3 about an elongated central opening 24. The ridge 23 is formed integrally with and is elevated somewhat above the drain surface 26, being in effect a low wall about the elongated opening 24.

The other member of the assembly is the dispensing actuator, generally designated 30, seen in crosssection in FIG. 1, in plan view in FlG. 2, and partly in lateral crosssection and partly in rear elevation in FIG. 3. It has a bottom infiow opening provided by a central vertical tubular mounting portion 32 which is press fitted onto the valve stem g. The tubular portion 32 is in flow communication with an upward and outward slanting fiow channel 33 which leads to a nozzle outlet 34 in the forward end of the actuator 30.

Side surfaces 36 0f the actuator 30 are vertical and fit within the side walls 17 of the channel-like drain 16, overhanging well outwardly of the protective ridge 23. As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the side surfaces 36 diverge broadeningly from the nozzle end 34 of the actuator 30. When the valve mechanism is closed and its stem g is erect, as shown in solid lines in FIGS. 1 and 2, the actuator sides 36 fit adjacent to the drain channel side 17 with a minimum of clearance. When the valve is operated, the actuator 30 moves aft and downward, as shown in phantom lines in FIGS. 1 and 2, and clearance increases; when the valve stem g returns to erect position the close fit is restored.

The upper surface 37 of the actuator 30 is trough-like, sloping down and broadeningly from the nozzle end opening 34 to the rear. When the user places his finger between the facets 22, the trough-like rear portion of the surface 37 readily accommodates his finger; therefore this rear portion is referred to as the finger pad portion 38. As seen from FIG. 1, a downward force applied to the finger pad portion 38 will tilt the actuator 30 aft. As it does so, the undersurface 39' of the finger pad portion 38 moves downwardly in the space provided above the drain surface 20 adjacent to the rear edge 21.

If the user should rinse the assembly, the convenient tapering facets 22, which aid the user in centering his finger on the finger pad portion 38, will of course tend to direct water toward the inner portions of the dome 10. Yet a relatively small amount of water will pass between the closely fitted actuator sides 36 and drain channel side walls 17; and likewise the sill 18 will tend to prevent water from passing beneath the nozzle end 34. Regardless how much water may enter the drain channel 16, it will be shed by the sides 36 of the actuator 30 beyond the protective ridge 23 which surrounds the central opening 24. Assuming the container a is erect, the water will fiow over the surface portion 20 to the drain flow exit at the rear edge 21. Also, the upper surface 37 of the actuator 30 itself serves as a trough-like drain. As a result of these described features, rinse water will not enter the mounting cup [2.

Following out the teachings of this invention, modifications in detail may be made to fit particular design purposes. Accordingly this invention should not be construed narrowly but rather as co-extensive with the claims hereof.

I claim:

1. For use with a pressurized dispenser having a valve assembly including an upward stem'and a cup-like mounting member whose cup rim is fitted onto the mouth of a container, 7

a shielded dome and actuator assembly adapted to exclude rinse water from such cup-like member, comprising a dispensing actuator having central vertical tubular inlet means to fit on such valve stem in flow communicating relationship, and

a shielding dome having a radially outward wall covering the rim of such cup-like member and having an upper dome surface including a recess,

the recess having sides which accommodate the said dispensing actuator and further having a central opening between said sides,

characterized in that the said recess is a channel including a recessed drain surface portion extending to a drain flow exit at the radially outward wall of the dome and flanked by side channel walls, and

the said central opening is in said drain surface portion and has an integral surrounding ridge spaced between the channel walls and elevated above said drain surface portion, further characterized in that the dispensing actuator has sides overhanging outwardly of said ridge,

whereby water entering the recess will flow on the recessed drain surface portion outwardly of the ridge and to the drain flow exit.

2. A shielded dome and actuator assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the recessed drain surface portion slopes downward to the drain flow exit.

3. A shielded dome and actuator assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the recessed drain surface portion of the dome extends substantially the full diameter thereof, and

the dispensing actuator extends therein across substantially the full diameter of the dome, and

has a nozzle end opening adjacent to one end of such diameter, and

has a finger pad portion on its upper surface at the other end of said diameter.

4. A shielded dome and actuator assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the dispensing actuator has as its upper surface a radially extending trough.

5. For use with a pressurized dispenser having a valve assembly of the tilt stem type including a cup-like mounting member whose cup rim is fitted onto the mouth of a container,

a shielded dome and actuator assembly adapted to exclude rinse water from such cup-like member, comprising a shielded dome and actuator assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the central opening in the dome recess and its surrounding ridge are elongated along a center line of the recess,

whereby to permit tilting of the valve.

6. A shielded dome and actuator assembly as defined in claim 5, wherein the recessed drain surface portion of the dome extends substantially the full diameter thereof, and

has a nozzle end opening adjacent to one end of such diameter, and

has a finger pad portion on its upper surface at the other end of said diameter, and

the recessed drain surface has a sill closely beneath the actuators nozzle end, and

said drain surface portion slopes from said sill downwardly across the dome to the drain How exit spacedly beneath the actuators finger pad portion, and

the said elongation of the central opening and its surrounding ridge extends in the direction of downward slope,

'whereby downward force applied to the finger pad portion tilts the actuator aft and moves its finger pad portion downwardly within the space above the recessed surface portion adjacent to the drain flow exit.

7. A shielded dome and actuator assembly as defined in claim 6, wherein the dispensing actuator and the channel in which it is accommodated taper broadeningly from the actuator nozzle end to the finger pad portion, whereby on tilting to open the valve the actuator moves aft, to increase its clearance within the sides of the channel, and on closing the valve it moves forward to a position of minimum clearance within the sides of the channel.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,831,613 4/1958 Solfer 222-182 3,180,531 4/1965 Beard et al 222182 3,180,536 4/1965 Meshberg 222-402.13 X 3,231,142 1/1966 McGhie et al. 222-40213 3,314,572 4/ 1967 Pungitore 222-146 3,347,423 10/1967 Rahn et al 222-402.l3 X

ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner.

K. N. LEIMER, Assistant Examiner.