Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D83/00—Containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents
  • B65D83/14—Containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents for delivery of liquid or semi-liquid contents by internal gaseous pressure, i.e. aerosol containers comprising propellant for a product delivered by a propellant
  • B65D83/44—Valves specially adapted therefor; Regulating devices
  • B65D83/48—Lift valves, e.g. operated by push action

Definitions

• This invention relates to dispensers and, more specifically, to the dispensing of flowable materials from gas-pressurized containers.
• valve When the container is to be used erect the valve is conveniently located in the upper regions of the container and a dip tube within the container extends from the valve to the lower regions of the container so that, whilst the container is erect, the dip tube inlet is below the material/gas interface until substantially the whole of the material content of the container has been dispensed.
• valve is opened by depressing an actuator and the valve port opens to a chamber within the actuator from which the material is dispensed through a discharge outlet in the actuator.
• Such a material dispensing arrangement is, hereinafter, referred to as "a dispensing arrangement of the type defined".
• the material flowing through the dip tube passes through a first restriction, defined by the valve port, and then through a second restriction defined by the actuator discharge outlet.
• Other restrictions may be imposed by the valve housing, the tail-piece and the dip-tube.
• the valve may include more than one valve port and/or the actuator may have more than one discharge outlet.
• cross-sectional area of the valve port shall mean the cross-sectional area of the valve port in a single valve port arrangement and the sum of the cross-sectional areas of all the valve ports in a multi- port valve port arrangement and the term "cross-sectional area o the actuator outlet” shall mean the cross-sectional area of the actuator outlet in a single actuator outlet arrangement and the sum of the cross-sectional areas of all the actuator outlets in a multi-outlet arrangement.
• liquefied gases When such liquefied gases are used in a dispensing arrangement of the type defined vaporization of the liquefied gas establishes the gas space at a pressure sufficient to propel the material contents out of the container and, as material content is discharged and the volume of the gas space increases, the liquefied gas vaporizes within the container, thus to maintain a substantially uniform material-propelling gas pressure in the head space until substantially all the material content has been discharged.
• the liquefied gases in being readily usable with a wide range of products, in allowing containers to be charged with material contents often in excess of 70% of the container volume and in allowing the use of relatively cheap low pressure container in a wide variety of materials, have substantially dominated the dispensing industry for the past forty years.
• non-liquefied gases have now been recognised as harmful to the environment or having other undesirable features and the dispensing arrangement industry has been forced to seek alternative systems, essentially using compressed gases virtually all of which remain in their gaseous phase for all operating parameters of the dispensing arrangement and which gases are, hereinafter, referred to as "non-liquefied gases".
• Gases obey the gas laws, at stable temperature the pressure reduces proportional with increase in volume and for non-liquefied gases the initial gas content must be sufficient to maintain a pressure adequate to propel an acceptable volume of the material content of the dispensing arrangement up the dip tube and through the valve arrangement.
• the gas pressure depends upon the volume of the material content in the dispensing arrangement the dispensing arrangement with its valve and actuator arrangement must be designed to safely withstand the initial high gas pressure as will exist when the dispensing arrangement is charged with its prescribed material content.
• a dispensing arrangement can be designed to meet the above propellant requirements with the initial gas pressure little more than 100 p.s.i. (0.703 kg/cm 2 ).
• the liquefied gases used with certain material contents, solvents for material contents or additives offer a further advantage in that the said liquefied gases can be dispersed through the material content in the dispensing arrangement.
• outlet the entrained liquefied gas vaporizes, breaking up the disch-arging material into discrete particles and blowing the particles apart to form a relatively constant spray pattern.
• This advantage is particularly useful when the material content is a liquid, whereupon vaporization of the liquefied gas leaving the actuator outlet breaks the liquid material content into fine droplets, particularly advantageous for many applications such as hair sprays, air fresheners and liquid insecticides. Additional breakup can be achieved by bleeding propellant gas into the liquid stre.am from the vapour phase.
• the reasons for this are, as will be apparent from the foregoing description, that the pressure of the non-liquefied gas propellant will be continuously reducing as material content is discharged from the dispensing arrangement and without liquefied gas in the material being dispensed there can be no "blowing apart" of the material being dispensed.
• the reduction in pressure within the dispensing arrangement, with use, also reduces the flow rate of the material being dispensed.
• the present invention seeks to provide a dispensing arrangement of the type defined capable of affording substantially constant discharge characteristics for a material being dispensed for the greater part of the life of the dispensing arrangement.
• a dispensing arrangement of the type defined for use with non- liquefied gases characterized in that the cross-sectional area of the valve port is greater than the cross-sectional area of the actuator outlet.
• the cross-sectional area of the valve port is greater than twice the cross-sectional area of the actuator outlet, more preferably the cross-sectional area of the valve port is greater than five times the cross-sectional area of the said actuator outlet and most preferably the said cross- sectional area of the valve port is greater than ten times the cross-section ⁇ l area of the actuator outlet.
• the actuator outlet has a cross-sectional n area of from 0.02 mmr to 0.126 mm and, more preferably, from 0.04 mm 2 to 0.071 mm 2 .
• the actuator has a single outlet having a diameter of 0.25 mm.
• the cross-sectional area of the valve port is 0.25 mm.
• 9 9 9 is from 0.196 mm -6 to 1.57 ⁇ r more preferably from 0.2 m ⁇ r' to
• valve has more than one port and in a more preferred embodiment the said valve has four ports.
• valve ports are preferably of the same diameter and most preferably the diameters of the valve ports are in the region of 0.5 mm.
• the invention also envisages dispensing arrangements, of the type defined, having the actuator outlet/valve port relationship according to the invention, charged with a non- liquefied gas.
• Fig. 1 shows a vertical cross-section through a valve system for a dispensing arrangement in accordance with the present invention
• Fig. 2 shows a view of the valve port arrangement, on an enlarged scale with respect to Fig 1, with the valve port open,
• Fig. 3 shows, graphically, how the ' discharge rates through a fixed valve port differ with different actuator outlets for a liquid material having a viscosity of 510 c.p.s.
• Fig. 4 shows, graphically, the results of an experiment, identical to that illustrated in Fig. 3 but using air as the non- liquefied gas, and
• Fig. 5 shows, graphically, the results of an experiment identical to that shown in Fig. 4, for a liquid material having a viscosity of 20 c.p.s. (mPa s)
• a dispensing arrangement generally comprises a the valve system, supported by a conventional cup 11 intended to close the opening in a container C, generally comprising a body 12, rigidly crimped into the cup 11 within the container C, with an actuator/valve assembly supported by the body 12 and axially displaceable relative thereto.
• the body 12 is a body of revolution defining a large bore 13 with a small through bore 14, axially aligned with and opening to the bore 13.
• a dip-tube T is attached to the outer cylindrical surface of the wall defining the bore 14 and extends into the container C to open in the lower regions of the said container C.
• the body 12 includes an annular flange 15 at that radial end to which the bore 14 opens and an annular, flexible, resilient gasket 16 has its radially outermost parts clamped between the flange 15 and the cup 11.
• a coil compression spring 18 acts on the block 17b and continuously urges the block 17b against the gasket 16.
• the valve stem 17 has an actuator button 19 secured thereon.
• the valve stem is a friction fit in the bore of the gasket 16 and includes a valve port, defined by a radial opening" 17c in the wall of the valve stem 17 opening to the bore 17a.
• valve port 17 is so located from the block 17b that said valve port 17b is closed by the gasket 16 when the gasket is unflexed (as shown in Fig 1) and is open to the bore 13 when the actuator button 19 is depressed, thereby forcing the valve stem 17 into the body 12 and flexing the gasket 16 inwardly of the container as shown in Fig 2.
• valve stem 17 At its end entered into the actuator button 19 the bore 17a_ of valve stem 17 opens to a chamber 20, which may include a conventional swirl block 21, and an exit passage 19a from the chamber 20 is closed by an insert plate 22 in the actuator which has an aperture 22a_ therethrough defining the actuator discharge outlet.
• a chamber 20 which may include a conventional swirl block 21, and an exit passage 19a from the chamber 20 is closed by an insert plate 22 in the actuator which has an aperture 22a_ therethrough defining the actuator discharge outlet.
• the valve arrangement described thus far is of a conventional design, with the actuator button 19 released the spring 18 urges the valve block 17b and stem 17 upwardly to the position shown in Fig. 1 where the gasket 16 is sealing the valve port 17c.
• the block 17b When the actuator button 19 is depressed the block 17b is displaced downwardly away from the gasket 16, the gasket 16 deflects into the bore 13 exposing the valve port 17c and, under the action of the propellant pressure gas in container C, container contents are driven up the dip tube T into the bore 13 and therefrom through the valve port 17c, up the blind bore 17ja to the chamber 20 and therefrom along the passage 19a_ and through the actuator outlet 22a to discharge.
• the cross-sectional area of the valve port 17c would be similar to the cross sectional area of the actuator outlet 22a_ but, for a material dispensing arrangement of the type defined in accordance with the present invention, this relationship is disregarded and the actuator outlet has a very much smaller cross-sectional area than the valve port.
• the actuator outlet 22a may conveniently have a diameter of 0.25 mm, giving a cross-sectional area of 0.049087 mm 2 (0.049 mm 2 ), and the valve port, conveniently four ports 17c on a common plane at right angles to the axis of the stem 17, may have each port 0.5 mm in diameter, giving a cross-sectional area of 0.7854 mm 2 (0.79 mm 2 ).
• each container was charged to 55% of its volume with a furniture polish having a viscosity of 510 c.p.s.(mPa s) and the remaining volume in each container was charged with o nitrogen to a pressure of 100 p.s.i. (7.03 kg/c ⁇ r"). All six dispensing arrangements had a valve port arrangement comprising four 0.5 ran diameter ports, giving a cross-sectional area of
• the dispensing arrangements differed only in the cross-sectional areas of their respective actuator outlets and
• Table II shows the different actuator outlet sizes for the six dispensing arrangements.
• Fig. 3 illustrates, graphically, the mean values obtained for the different actuator outlets under trial, the discharge in grams being plotted vertically and the number of 10 second sprays being 0 plotted horizontally.
• Fig. 3 clearly shows that as the cross-sectional area of the actuator outlet was reduced the rate of distribution became more uniform and, contrary to what one would expect with a continuously falling propellant gas pressure, the dispensing 15 arrangements E and F illustrated substantially uniform rates of discharge for more than 90% of the material contents.
• the containers varied only in the cross-sectional area of their respective valve ports as shown in Table III;
• each dispensing arrangement to be tested was supported above a horizontal target plane with its axis inclined at an angle of 40 degrees c to the horizontal (the actuator being uppermost) and with the centre of the dispensing arrangement 200 mm above the target plane.
• the container was then discharged for 4 seconds and the area of the target plane covered by the dispensed material was measured and noted.
• ⁇ dispensing arrangements was a furniture polish having a viscosity of
• each container was charged to 55% of its volume with a laundry spray material having a viscosity of in the region of 20 c.p.s.(mPa s)and the remaining volume in each container was charged with air to a pressure of 100 p.s.i. (7.03 kg/cm 2 ).
• valve port arrangement comprising four 0.5 mm diameter ports, giving a cross- sectional area of 0.79 mm 2 .
• the dispensing arrangements differed only in the cross- sectional areas of their respective actuator outlets and Table V shows the different actuator outlet sizes for the six dispensing arrangements.
• Each dispensing arrangement was discharged in a series of 10 second sprays and the material discharged in each spray was measured and noted.

Landscapes

• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Dispersion Chemistry (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Nozzles (AREA)
• Containers And Packaging Bodies Having A Special Means To Remove Contents (AREA)
• Transition And Organic Metals Composition Catalysts For Addition Polymerization (AREA)
• Telephone Function (AREA)
• Vending Machines For Individual Products (AREA)
• Filling Or Discharging Of Gas Storage Vessels (AREA)
• Coating Apparatus (AREA)
• Sealing Material Composition (AREA)
• Materials For Medical Uses (AREA)
• Adhesives Or Adhesive Processes (AREA)
• Physical Deposition Of Substances That Are Components Of Semiconductor Devices (AREA)
• Discharge Of Articles From Conveyors (AREA)
• Paper (AREA)
• Manufacture, Treatment Of Glass Fibers (AREA)
• Disintegrating Or Milling (AREA)
• Crucibles And Fluidized-Bed Furnaces (AREA)

Priority Applications (6)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=10658940

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (19)

Cited By (1)

Families Citing this family (3)

Citations (3)

Family Cites Families (1)

• 1989
  • 1989-06-23 GB GB8914442A patent/GB2233395B/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
• 1990
  • 1990-05-21 ES ES90907355T patent/ES2044589T3/es not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1990-05-21 CA CA002060662A patent/CA2060662C/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1990-05-21 AU AU56604/90A patent/AU633581B2/en not_active Ceased
  • 1990-05-21 EP EP90907355A patent/EP0479796B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1990-05-21 DK DK90907355.3T patent/DK0479796T3/da active
  • 1990-05-21 BR BR909007412A patent/BR9007412A/pt not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1990-05-21 JP JP2507742A patent/JPH04505903A/ja active Pending
  • 1990-05-21 DE DE69002949T patent/DE69002949C5/de not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1990-05-21 WO PCT/GB1990/000794 patent/WO1991000229A1/en active IP Right Grant
  • 1990-05-21 AT AT90907355T patent/ATE93477T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1990-06-01 NZ NZ233906A patent/NZ233906A/en unknown
  • 1990-06-08 ZA ZA904437A patent/ZA904437B/xx unknown
  • 1990-06-18 GR GR900100454A patent/GR1002546B/el not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1990-06-21 PT PT94445A patent/PT94445B/pt not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1990-06-21 IE IE224990A patent/IE64132B1/en not_active IP Right Cessation
• 1991
  • 1991-12-19 NO NO915026A patent/NO915026D0/no unknown
  • 1991-12-20 FI FI916034A patent/FI91737C/fi not_active IP Right Cessation
• 1998
  • 1998-06-27 HK HK98107223A patent/HK1008003A1/xx not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1998-06-27 HK HK98107222A patent/HK1008002A1/xx not_active IP Right Cessation

Patent Citations (3)

Non-Patent Citations (1)

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events