US3559851A

US3559851A - Fully-emptying valve assemblage

Info

Publication number: US3559851A
Application number: US828122A
Authority: US
Inventors: Wolf Steiman
Original assignee: Valve Corp of America Inc
Current assignee: SPECIALTY ACQUISITION Corp A CORP OF DELAWARE; Valve Corp of America Inc
Priority date: 1969-05-27
Filing date: 1969-05-27
Publication date: 1971-02-02
Anticipated expiration: 1988-02-02

Abstract

An aerosol valve assemblage comprising a tubular valve housing for disposition within a container, said housing having an end inlet opening and carrying a collector cup the rim and adjoining portions of which are slightly spaced from the valve housing and sealing gasket thereon. The said spacing constitutes a collecting area into which the last amount of liquid product can collect, to be dispensed through the valve housing when the container is in inverted position.

Description

Unite States atet 172 l lmcnlur Wolf Steiman Fairfield. Conn. Ill App]. No 828,122 [221 Filed May 27. 1969 [45] Patented Feb. 2, 1971 [73] Assignee Valve Corporation of America Bridgeport, Conn. a corporation of Delaware [54] FULLY-EMPTYING VALVE ASSEMBLAGE 5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 222/402.2, 222/377 [51 Int. Cl 865d 83/14 [50] Field of Search 222/377, 454, 455. 457, 402.2

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,781,954 2/1957 Bretz 222/4022 2.977028 3/1961 Joffe 222/454 3.176887 4/1965 Potapenko et 211.. 222/402.2 3352464 ll/l967 Frangos 222/4022 3,385.482 5/1968 Frangos 222/4022 Primary Examiner-Robert B. Reeves Assistant Examiner-John P. Shannon Att0rney-H. Gibner Lehmann ABSTRACT: An aerosol valve assemblage comprising a tubular valve housing for disposition within a container, said housing having an end inlet opening and carrying a collector cup the rim and adjoining portions of which are slightly spaced from the valve housing and sealing gasket thereon. The said spacing constitutes a collecting area into which the last amount of liquid product can collect, to be dispensed through the valve housing when the container is in inverted position.

PATENTED FEB 2|97| 3559.851

i" F J 76 46 I INVENTOR.

WOW sieunam FULLY-EMPTYING VALVE ASSEMBLAGE BACKGROUND This invention relates to valves of aerosol dispensers, and more particularly to fully-emptying valves of the type disposed within the bottle or container for the product.

Prior fully-emptying aerosol valves were either disposed outside of the container where they undesirably occupied space needed for other purposes, or else if disposed inside the container were not entirely effective in enabling the last remnants of the liquid product to be expelled.

SUMMARY The foregoing drawbacks and disadvantages of prior fullyemptying valves are obviated by the present invention, one object being the provision of an improved aerosol valve assemblage for disposition within a container, which assemblage in a simple and uncomplicated manner can effectively remove virtually all of the liquid product from the container. This is accomplished by applying to the usual or conventional open-bottorn type valve housing a liquid-collector cup which effects a storage space adjacent the sealing gasket of the housing, and effects a conduit or passage from said space to the intake opening of the housing. The storage space has a far-reaching capillary action by which it takes up the last portions of the liquid product when the container is inverted, bringing these into the valve housing for discharge therefrom.

Other objects of the invention reside in the provision of an improved valve assemblage as above, which has a one-piece component arranged to be readily applied as an attachment to existing valve housing, said component being especially simple, economical to produce, readily molded of plastic substance, and effective and reliable in its operation.

Still other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary axial sectional view of the upper portion of an aerosol dispenser in nonuse or storage condition, incorporating the improved valve assemblage of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a view like that of FIG. 1, but showing the dispenser in its inverted position with the valve assemblage in the discharging condition.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the fully-emptying component or attachment of the improved valve assemblage.

FIG. 4 is an axial sectional view of the fully-emptying attachment, taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

The valve assembly illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 includes a valve of the well known metering type, comprising a valve stem having multiple valving elements whereby a sequential valving action is had to effect the metering. However, for the purposes of the present invention a well-known type of nonmetering valve may be utilized as well, since the invention has utility for both metering and nonmetering types of valves.

The valve stem 10 is slidably carried in a generally tubular valve housing 12 comprising a tubular upper body portion 14 and a tubular lower body portion 16, said body portions having between them an external flat annular mounting flange 18. The lower body portion 16 has a tip or extremity 20 of reduced diameter, forming an external annular shoulder 22 for purposes later to be brought out. Surrounding and engaging with the upper body portion 14 and mounting flange 18 is an inverted metal mounting cup 24 having a central raised portion 26 closely fitted to the upper body portion 14 of the valve housing. The cup portion 26 is apertured to accommodate the valve stem 10, and clamps a valve seat or diaphragm 28 against the top end of the valve housing as shown.

The lower body portion 16 of the valve housing has a

stepped bore

30, 32 in which there is formed an internal annular shoulder 34 engaged with a valve seat comprising a rgsilient washer 36 and a stiff washer 38, the latter being engaged by a helical compression coil spring 40 which also en gages a valve shoulder 42 on the stem 10. The upper stem portion, above the valve shoulder 42, is hollow, and has a side aperture 44 normally disposed above the valve seat or diaphragm 28. Thus. for the FIG. I position of the valve assemblage the valve shoulder 42, held in engagement with the seat 28 by the spring 40, prevents discharge of liquid product from the dispenser. However, when the stem 10 is depressed or pushed inward as illustrated in FIG. 2, the side opening 44 of the stem is shifted past the valve seat 28, thereby permitting the liquid contents within the valve housing 12 to be discharged through the (upper) hollow portion of the stem 10 and through a usual type of mouthpiece 46 shown in broken outline.

The lower portion of the valve stem 10 has a flat 48 on one side, whereby a second valving action is had in conjunction with the

washers

36, 38 to close off the valve housing from the contents of the container at the time that the valve stem is depressed to place the

upper valve

42, 28 in the open condition. A metering action is thus had, as is well known in the art, which accordingly requires no further explanation herein except to note that the upper and lower valves open and close alternately during the axial movement of the stem 10.

The valve housing 12 has an inlet opening 50 in its lower tip portion 20, through which the liquid product from the container 52 passes to reach the interior of the housing.

The metal mounting cup 24 clamps an annular sealing element or washer 54 between the mounting flange 18 of the valve housing and the top rim 56 of the container. The sealing washer 54 fits snugly about the body portion 16 of the valve housing as shown.

In accordance with the present invention, a simple and unique, advantageous attachment is provided to be carried by the lower body 16 of the valve housing 12 for the purpose of enabling the liquid contents of the container 52 to be fully emptied when the container is in inverted, discharging position with the valve stem 10 depressed as illustrated in FIG. 2. The said attachment comprises a collector cup 58 which surrounds and is carried by the depending portion of the valve housing 12, comprising the

body parts

16, 20. The collector cup 58 has its rim and adjoining

portions

60, 62 respectively disposed to be free of and spaced from the valve housing 12 and the sealing washer or gasket 54, whereby it forms therewith an

annular storage space

64, 66 for drawing in and collecting the liquid product of the dispenser. The collector cup 58 also has means providing a conduit, comprising an internal groove 68 which effects communication between the

annular storage space

64, 66 and the intake opening 50 of the valve housing 12. The cup 58 has a stepped bore as clearly seen in the FIGS., comprising a small-diameter portion 70 which is adapted to frictionally fit and seize the tip part 20 of the valve housing 12 and a large-diameter portion 72 which encircles the body part 16 of the valve housing in spaced relation thereto, to provide the storage space 66. The cup 58 has a bottom wall 74 and an internal shoulder 76 which is engageable with the external shoulder 22 of the valve housing 12 for the purpose of properly positioning the cup 58 on the housing to establish the annular storage space 64 between the rim 60 of the cup and the sealing gasket 54. It will be noted that the internal groove 68 of the collector cup extends into the smalldiameter bore portion of the cup whereby the groove provides a degree of yieldability to the cup, enabling a press-fit to be readily established with the tip part 20, without resorting to critical tolerances. Both the cup 58 and the valve housing 12 are molded of plastic substance having a certain degree of resilience or yieldability, as will be understood.

The

annular storage space

64, 66 is sufficiently small or narrow in section to have a capillary action whereby liquid which is in contact with the sealing gasket 54 will be drawn into the storage space, and into the conduit or groove 68. Accordingly, it will be understood when considering FIG. 2 where the container is inverted, that by virtue of the shape and disposition of the collector cup 58 and the capillarity mentioned above the valve assembly will be able to discharge virtually all of the liquid contents of the container. The last remaining portions of the liquid will collect above the gasket 54 (with the container inverted) whereupon such portions will flow into the

storage space

64, 66 and the conduit 68. so as to be discharged into the valve housing 12 and ultimately from the depressed stem and mouthpiece 46.

it will be seen that the valve assemblage comprising the onepiece collector cup or component 58 has a number of advantages. lt not only provides for economical utilization of all of the liquid contents of the container 52. but the cup 58 may be readily applied as an attachment to an existing valve housing, is especially simple, economical to produce, readily molded of plastic substance, and is also effective and reliable in its operation. The provision of the collector cup 58 does not interfere with the assemblage of the valve to the container 52, and does not require a special arrangement wherein the valve housing is located externally of the container neck.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A valve assemblage for an aerosol dispenser, comprising in combination:

a. a tubular valve housing;

b. a sealing gasket extending around the valve housing;

c. said housing including a depending portion having an intake opening, disposed below said gasket;

d. a collector cup surrounding and carried by said depending portion;

e. said cup having its rim and adjoining portions free of and spaced from said housing and said sealing gasket and forming therewith an annular storage space for liquid product of the dispenser;

f. said cup having a conduit effecting communication between said annular storage space and the intake openmg of the valve housing; and

g said annular storage space serving to collect the last remaining portions of the liquid product when the dispenser is inverted with the valve housing lowermost.

2. A valve assemblage as in claim 1, wherein:

a. the depending portion of the valve housing comprises a reduced-diameter tip part and a larger-diameter body part adjoining the tip part. said depending portion having an annular external shoulder at the juncture of said tip part and body part; and

b. said collector cup having a stepped bore forming an internal annular shoulder engaged with the shoulder of the valve housing, thereby to position the rim of the cup in said spaced relation to the sealing gasket.

3. A valve assemblage as in claim 2, wherein:

a. the collector cup rim and adjoining portions surround said body portion of the valve housing and have a larger bore diameter than the remainder of the cup, said conduit of the cup comprising a groove disposed in the stepped bore and extending from the rim to the cup bottom.

4. A valve assemblage as in claim 3, wherein:

a. the intake opening of the valve housing is at the end of said reduced-tip part; and

b. the bottom wall of the collector cup being spaced from said tip part and communicating with said groove.

5. A valve assemblage as in claim 3, wherein:

a. the collector cup is press-fitted on the reduced-diameter tip part of the valve housing; and

b. said groove of the cup enabling the latter to yield slightly during said press-fitting.

Claims

1. A valve assemblage for an aerosol dispenser, comprising in combination: a. a tubular valve housing; b. a sealing gasket extending around the valve housing; c. said housing including a depending portion having an intake opening, disposed below said gasket; d. a collector cup surrounding and carried by said depending portion; e. said cup having its rim and adjoining portions free of and spaced from said housing and said sealing gasket and forming therewith an annular storage space for liquid product of the dispenser; f. said cup having a conduit effecting communication between said annular storage space and the intake opening of the valve housing; and g. said annular storage space serving to collect the last remaining portions of the liquid product when the dispenser is inverted with the valve housing lowermost.

2. A valve assemblage as in claim 1, wherein: a. the depending portion of the valve housing comprises a reduced-diameter tip part and a larger-diameter body part adjoining the tip part, said depending portion having an annular external shoulder at the juncture of said tip part and body part; and b. said collector cup having a stepped bore forming an internal annular shoulder engaged with the shoulder of the valve housing, thereby to position the rim of the cup in said spaced relation to the sealing gasket.

3. A valve assemblage as in claim 2, wherein: a. the collector cup rim and adjoining portions surround said body portion of the valve housing and have a larger bore diameter than the remainder of the cup, said conduit of the cup comprising a groove disposed in the stepped bore and extending from the rim to the cup bottom.

4. A valve assemblage as in claim 3, wherein: a. the intake opening of the valve housing is at the end of said reduced-tip part; and b. the bottom wall of the collector cup being spaced from said tip part and communicating with said groove.

5. A valve assemblage as in claim 3, wherein: a. the collector cup is press-fitted on the reduced-diameter tip part of the valve housing; and b. said groove of the cup enabling the latter to yield slightly during said press-fitting.