US3757717A - Unitary aerosol mounting cap expander - Google Patents

Abstract

A unitary aerosol mounting cap expander, adapted to provide uniform crimping and sealing of an aerosol valve mounting cap in an aerosol container by interaction of inner and outer leaves in a unitary element on actuation thereof, to thereby form a circumferentially uniform leak-proof seal for an aerosol dispenser.

Description

United States Patent 1 Bennett 11 1 3,757,717 451 Sept. 11,1973

1 1 UNlTARY AEROSOL MOUNTING CAP EXPANDER [75] Inventor: Ronald Bennett, Livingston, NJ.

[73] Assignee: Fluid Chemical Company, 1nc., Newark, NJ

221 Filed: June 8, 1971 [21] 'Appl. No.: 151,098

[52] US. Cl. 113/18 E, 113/1 E, 53/330 [51] Int. Cl 321d 37/00 [58] Field of Search 113/1 N, 1 E, 18 C,

Primary Examiner-Charles W. Lanham Assistant Examiner-M. J. Keenan Attorney-Sommers & Sommers [57] ABSTRACT A unitary aerosol mounting cap expander, adapted to provide uniform crimping and sealing of an aerosol valve mounting cap in an aerosol container by interaction of inner and outer leaves in a unitary element on actuation thereof, to thereby form a circumferentially uniform leak-proof seal for an aerosol dispenser.

6 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,958,170 11/1960 Mayer, Jr 53/330 PATENTED 5E?! 1 sum 1 or 3- Ill lllll lllll 30 FIG. 1

INVENTOR.

RONALD BENNETT BY m M ATTORNEYS PAIENIEH EN sum 2 or a Q M If I Z y ATTORNEYS Pmminm m sum am 3 FIG. 4'

FIG 6 llll INVENTOR.

RONALD BENNETT ATTORNEYS UNITARY AEROSOL MOUNTING CAP EXPANDER BACKGROUND OF INVENTION This invention relates generally to sealing devices,

and more specifically relates to a unitary aerosol mounting cap expander which provides uniform sealing of an aerosol valve mounting cap in an aerosol container by forming a complete circumferential crimp seal therein.

Pursuant to the invention, the aerosol mounting cap expander may be operated conveniently and efficiently to enable unitary coordinated operation on an aerosol mounting cap to provide efficient sealing thereof. Heretofore, sealing for aerosol valves has been accomplished by segmented crimping of thecap and reliance upon metal flow to fill the gaps. This method resulted inuneven sealing of the cap, and gaps and blankings in the seal, which enabled slow microleakages of pressurized propellant from the container, resulting in serious loss of pressure and failure of product pressurization.

through use of an aerosol mounting cap expander operable, as will be described below, so that uniform seal crimping occurs thereby to form a circumferentially secure seal without blankings or spaces therein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS The invention is diagrammatically illustrated, byway of example, in the appended drawings, wherein similar reference characters indicate like parts, in which:

FIG. l is an isometric view of a unitary aerosol mounting cap expander embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is an elevational sectional view of the unitary aerosol mounting cap expander positioned in the actuation means, above the aerosol container in nonactuated position, pursuant to the invention;

FIG. 3 is a similar view thereof, with the unitary aerosol mounting cap expander positioned in the actuation means in the aerosol container in non-actuated registered position; i FIG. 4isa similar view thereof, in actuated position;

FIG. 5 is an end view of a unitary aerosol mounting cap expander in non-actuated position; and

FIG. 6 is a similar view thereof in actuated position.

- DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In accordance with the preferred mode of practicing the invention, the unitary aerosol mounting cap expander 1 1 (FIGS. 1, 5 and 6) for example, comprises ahollow unitary collet member with a collar portion 20, a plurality of outer leaves 21 and inner leaves 22, and a plurality of slots 23 therebetween, and is actuated by actuation means 12,;which are shown in sequential operation (FIGS. 2, 3 and 4) on an aerosol valve mounting cap ,M in an aerosol container C to form a circumferentially uniform seal. The actuation means 12 comprises for example, a frame 30 with bell guide portion 31 and valve nest portion 32, and an expander plug member 33. i

In operation, the unitary aerosol mounting cap expander 11 (FIG. 2) collar portion 20 is engaged in the actuator frame 30, and the outer leaves 21 and inner leaves 22 are in non-actuated positions (FIGS. 1 and 5) with the inner leaves 22 in a non-actuated position between and in back of the outer leaves 21 in the slots 23; the aerosol valve mounting cap M has been placed in the top of the aerosol container C, and the actuator expander plug member 33 is in non-actuation position. The actuator means 12 (FIG. 3) then moves into registered position with respect to the aerosol valve mounting cap M and aerosol container C whereby the bell guide portion 31 contacts the container side and the valve nest 32 contacts the valve mounting cap top; the actuator expander plug member 33 remains in nonactuation position. The actuation means 12 (FIG. 4) is then actuated by movement of the expander plug member 33 (which is generally piston-shaped with a tapered forward portion in this embodiment) through the unitary aerosol mounting cap expander 11, which thereby forces the inner leaves 22 into the slots 23 (FIG. 5), and moves the inner'leaves 22 and outer leaves 21 in a uniform crimping motion with respect to the aerosol valve mounting cap M to thereby provide a uniform circumferential leak-proof seal of the mounting cap M to the container C by uniform sealing of the mounting cap inneredge. The actuation means 12 is then deactuated by withdrawal of the expander plug member 33 back into the actuator housing and the unitary mounting cap expander 11 returns to its non-actuated condition with the inner leaves 22 depending between and in back of the outer leaves 21 in the slots 23. By virtue of the uniform circumferential seal provided, the opportunity for pressurization gasses to escape is. greatly reduced with the elimination of spacing in thecrimping operation which had been heretofore a major problem with the segmented crimping apparatus previously utilized.

While the present invention has been particularly set forth in terms of specific embodiments thereof, it will be evident in view of the instant d.isclosure,.that numerous variations upon the invention are now enabled to those skilled in the art, which variations in propriety are yet within the true scope of this teaching. 'Accordingly, the invention is to be broadly construed, and limited only by the scope and spirit of the'claims now appended hereto. a

I claim:

1. An aerosol mounting cap expander apparatus for securing an aerosol valve mountingcap to an interior offset end surface of a container, in continuous, circumferential, pressure-sealed contact therewith, said apparatus comprising:

an elongated collet member,

a plurality of outer leaf portions on the collet member disposed in circular relation. and spaced from each other to define intermediate slot portions so that said outer leaf portionswill thereby define an interrupted and nonsolid circle,

a plurality of inner leaf portions on said collet member inwardly of said outer leaf portions,

said inner leaf portions being spaced from each other to define intermediate slot portions so that said inner leafportions will define an interrupted and nonsolid circle of smaller diameter than that defined by the outer leaf portions,

and an elongated plug member positioned at one end of said apparatus, for axial movement in said apparatus interiorly of said inner leaf portions,

said plug member being so proportioned that it may be moved to engage the inner leaf portions and move the same progressively into the slots defined between the outer leaf portions, to form therewith a continuous circle of leaves to engage the aerosol valve mountingcap and thereby roll the same onto said ,end surface of the container in continuous, sealed relation therewith.

2. in an aerosol mounting cap expander apparatus as set forth in claim 1,

said plug member and inner leaf portions having complementarily formed portions such that, when said plug member is so moved in said inner leaf portions, said plug member will so engage and move said inner leaf portions into the slots defined between the outer leaf portions.

3. In an aerosol mounting cap expander apparatus as set forth in claim 1, said inner and outer leaves being formed complementarily for interfitting relation, to so form a continuous, unbroken circle when the plug member so moves the inner leaf members into the slots intermediate the outer leaf members.

4. in an aerosol mounting cap expander apparatus as set forth in claim 1, said inner and outer leaves being formed of complementary wedge shape for interfitting relation, to so form a continuous circle when said inner leaf members are so moved into said slots defined between the outer leaf members.

5. In an aerosol mounting cap expander apparatus as set forth in claim 1, said apparatus and plug having complementary engaging means foraxially so moving the plug member in said inner leaf members.

6. In an aerosol mounting cap expander apparatus as set forth in claim 1, a guide portion on said apparatus for engaging the outside of the aerosol container to thereby register the inner and outer leaf portions with the interior of said aerosol container.

Claims (6)

1. An aerosol mounting cap expander apparatus for securing an aerosol valve mounting cap to an interior offset end surface of a container, in continuous, circumferential, pressure-sealed contact therewith, said apparatus comprising: an elongated collet member, a plurality of outer leaf portions on the collet member disposed in circular relation and spaced from each other to define intermediate slot portions so that said outer leaf portions will thereby define an interrupted and nonsolid circle, a plurality of inner leaf portions on said collet member inwardly of said outer leaf portions, said inner leaf portions being spaced from each other to define intermediate slot portions so that said inner leaf portions will define an interrupted and nonsolid circle of smaller diameter than that defined by the outer leaf portions, and an elongated plug member positioned at one end of said apparatus, for axial movement in said apparatus interiorly of said inner leaf portions, said plug member being so proportioned that it may be moved to engage the inner leaf portions and move the same progressively into the slots defined between the outer leaf portions, to form therewith a continuous circle of leaves to engage the aerosol valve mountinG cap and thereby roll the same onto said end surface of the container in continuous, sealed relation therewith.

2. In an aerosol mounting cap expander apparatus as set forth in claim 1, said plug member and inner leaf portions having complementarily formed portions such that, when said plug member is so moved in said inner leaf portions, said plug member will so engage and move said inner leaf portions into the slots defined between the outer leaf portions.

3. In an aerosol mounting cap expander apparatus as set forth in claim 1, said inner and outer leaves being formed complementarily for interfitting relation, to so form a continuous, unbroken circle when the plug member so moves the inner leaf members into the slots intermediate the outer leaf members.

4. In an aerosol mounting cap expander apparatus as set forth in claim 1, said inner and outer leaves being formed of complementary wedge shape for interfitting relation, to so form a continuous circle when said inner leaf members are so moved into said slots defined between the outer leaf members.

5. In an aerosol mounting cap expander apparatus as set forth in claim 1, said apparatus and plug having complementary engaging means for axially so moving the plug member in said inner leaf members.

6. In an aerosol mounting cap expander apparatus as set forth in claim 1, a guide portion on said apparatus for engaging the outside of the aerosol container to thereby register the inner and outer leaf portions with the interior of said aerosol container.

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