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
  • B65D83/38—Details of the container body
  • B65D83/384—Details of the container body comprising an aerosol container disposed in an outer shell or in an external container
  • B65D83/386—Details of the container body comprising an aerosol container disposed in an outer shell or in an external container actuation occurring by moving the aerosol container relative to the outer shell or external container
• • 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
  • B65D83/16—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 characterised by the actuating means
  • B65D83/20—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 characterised by the actuating means operated by manual action, e.g. button-type actuator or actuator caps
  • B65D83/205—Actuator caps, or peripheral actuator skirts, attachable to the aerosol container
• • 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
  • B65D83/16—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 characterised by the actuating means
  • B65D83/24—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 characterised by the actuating means with means to hold the valve open, e.g. for continuous delivery

Definitions

• This invention relates to a spraying device adapted for 5 continuous spraying and to a method of continuously spraying a material, in particular apparatus for spraying and a method of spraying a material, in particular odour neutralising agents, pest control agents, fabric refreshers, or fragrance materials and the like.
• prior art spraying devices are prone to instability, which may cause them to fall over, potentially causing the contents of the spraying device to be sprayed onto an adjacent object, rather than into the surrounding air, as intended.
• known foggers are ⁇ one-shot' devices
• a spraying device adapted for continuous spraying, the spraying device comprising: spray container holding means for holding a spray container; and spray container activating means for activating a spraying operation of the spray container held within the spray container holding means; wherein the spray container holding means are formed in a first section of the spraying device and the spray container activating means are formed in a second section of the spraying device; the spraying device further comprising locking means for locking the first and second sections together to thereby hold the spray container activating means in an activating configuration.
• the locking means preferably comprise interengaging elements, preferably interengaging projections.
• the interengaging elements are preferably wedge-shaped, the wedge shape preferably being provided to advantageously allow for progressive engagement.
• the locking means are preferably operable to lock the first and second sections together by pushing the two sections together.
• the locking means are preferably operable to lock the two sections together by means of axial pressure.
• the interengaging elements are preferably interengaging elements of the first and second sections.
• the interengaging element or elements of one of the first or second sections may be formed on at least one projection, preferably two projections. Said two projections preferably being located on opposite sides of the spray container holding means. The two projections preferably extend from the spray container holding means, preferably towards the second section.
• the at least one projection preferably incorporates a strengthening rib, which preferably extends partially along the length of the projection, and preferably terminates before the interengaging element (s) , preferably approximately 3mm before the interengaging element .
• the second section may incorporate spray container guiding means, which are preferably operable to guide a spray container to the spray container activating means.
• the spray container guiding means may be a sleeve, which may incorporate guiding ribs. Said ribs are preferably arranged to provide an interference fit with a spray container held in the spray container guiding means.
• the spray container guiding means are preferably within a body portion of the second section.
• the spray container guiding means are preferably inside outer wall of the second section.
• the interengaging element (s) of the second section is/are preferably formed at or close to an end of the spray container guiding means.
• a plurality of interengaging elements is preferably provided, preferably formed on tabs, said tabs being formed by slits, which slits preferably extend passed the interengaging elements.
• the slits extend approximately 3mm passed the interengaging elements.
• the tabs are preferably formed on an end section of the spray container guiding means.
• the tabs preferably form a ring, around an inside face of the ring, which the interengaging elements form a ring.
• the tabs of the second section and the projections of the first section advantageously allow relative movement of the interengaging elements to ease engagement and/or disengagement thereof.
• the spray container activating means and the spray container locking means are preferably located with respect to one another such that a spray container held in the spraying device is activated when the locking means are engaged.
• the spray container holding means preferably incorporate supporting ribs, which are preferably adapted to provide an interference fit with a spray container held therein.
• Openings may be provided in the first or second section to allow a user to grasp said section and facilitate separation of the first and second sections.
• At least two, preferably four, raised elements may be provided around a periphery of the first section, said raised elements being adapted to deter relative movement of the first and second sections in a non-axial direction.
• the spray container holding means are preferably located within a body section of the first section.
• the first section is preferably a base section.
• the second section is preferably an upper section, which is preferably a cover section, preferably having an outlet in an upper section thereof.
• the invention extends to a spraying device as described in the first aspect including a spray container.
• a method of continuously spraying a material from a spray container comprising holding a spray container in spray container holding means in a first section of a spraying device and urging the first section and a second section of the spraying device together, to thereby cause locking means of the spraying device to engage and to cause spray container activation means of the second section to activate the spray container.
• the spray container is preferably held within the spraying device.
• the spray container is preferably enclosed within the spraying device.
• the locking means, holding means and activating means are preferably located within external walls of the spraying device.
• the invention extends to a spray container for use in the spraying device of the first aspect.
• Figure 1 is a line drawing from one side of a spraying device incorporating an aerosol spray, showing internal parts of the spraying device;
• Figure 2 is a view from above and to one side of an upper section of the spraying device showing internal detail thereof;
• Figure 3 is a view from above and to one side of a base section of the spraying device, showing internal detail thereof.
• a spraying device 10 incorporates an upper section 12 and a base section 14.
• the spraying device 10 is shown incorporating an aerosol canister 16.
• the base section 14 comprises an internal cup 18 in which the aerosol container 16 is received.
• the cup has generally ring-shaped side walls having a diameter approximately 25 mm. The walls have a height of approximately 17 mm.
• Four ribs 20a to 2Od are provided that extend up the side walls of the cup 18 and partly across a base of the cup 18 in a radial manner.
• the ribs 20a-d are provided to give a secure placement to the aerosol canister 16 by means of an interference fit.
• the number of ribs 20a-d is selected as four to provide a stable base, but three ribs or 5 or more could be used to provide a stable base also.
• Two vertical projections 22a,b extend upwards from an upper edge of the cup 18.
• the vertical projections 22a,b have a length of approximately 20mm.
• Each vertical projection incorporates a wedge-shaped bead 24a,b on an outer face thereof.
• Each vertical projection 22a,b incorporates a rib 26a,b, each of which extends upwards from the base of the cup 18, up the centre of each of the vertical projections 22a,b to a point approximately 6mm below an upper edge of each of the vertical projections 22a,b.
• the ribs 26a,b have a depth of approximately lmm, as opposed to the depth of approximately 1.5mm for the ribs 20a-d.
• Openings 28 are provided at opposite sides of the cup 18 in a bottom part of the base section 14.
• the openings 28 are provided to allow the possibility of a user grasping the base section 14 to allow its disengagement from the upper section 12, as will be described below. Also, the openings 28 are used during a moulding process for forming the horizontal lower face of the wedge-shaped beads 24 a, b.
• the base section 14 has an outer wall consisting of a lower outer wall 30a and an upper outer wall 30b.
• the lower outer wall 30a has an inward curvature towards a bottom of the base section 14, with its widest diameter of
• the upper outer wall 30b incorporates four pads 32a-d at even spacings around an outer face of the upper outer wall 30b.
• the pads 32a-d have a depth of approximately 0.5mm and have a chamfered upper edge to allow engagement with the upper section 12 as will be described below.
• the upper section 12 of the spraying device 10 has a generally bell-shaped outer wall 34 with a slightly concave top surface 36, in the centre of which is an outlet opening 38 in the centre thereof.
• a sleeve 40 projects downwards from the concave top surface 36 through the interior of the upper section 12.
• the sleeve 40 is designed to engage with the vertical projections 22a,b of the base section 14.
• the sleeve is generally cylindrical in shape.
• the slits 42 have a length of approximately 6.5mm, which creates the length of the tabs 44.
• the bead 46 is intended to engage with the wedge-shaped beads 24a,b on the vertical projections 22a,b of the base section 14.
• the presence of the slits 42 allows flexure of the tabs 44 to allow outward movement thereof during engagement with and release from the wedge-shaped beads 24a,b of the base section 14, as described in more detail below.
• ribs 48 which project radially towards the centre of the sleeve 40.
• the ribs 48 provide a centralising guide for a boss section 51 of the aerosol canister 16.
• Lower ends of the ribs 48 are tapered slightly to allow easier guiding of the sleeve 40 over the aerosol canister 16 and to avoid engagement with a shoulder section 50 of the aerosol canister 16.
• a collar 52 which extends downwardly into the interior of the upper section 12.
• the collar 52 has an internal shoulder 54 against which a stem 56 of the aerosol canister 16 is engaged to depress a spring valve in the aerosol canister in order to cause discharge of the contents of the aerosol canister 16 in the usual way.
• a lower edge 58 of the collar 52 has a chamfer in order to ease engagement of the stem 56 with the collar 52.
• Strengthening ribs 60 are provided between the sleeve 40 and an inside of the bell-shaped outer wall 34 in order to provide greater stability and strength of the sleeve 40 with respect to the outer wall 34.
• a user places the aerosol canister 16 in the cup 18 of the base section.
• the user then places the upper section 12 onto the over the aerosol 16.
• the stem 56 of the aerosol canister 16 is guided into the collar 52, because of engagement of the boss section 51 of the aerosol canister with the ribs 48 of the upper section 12.
• the user can push the upper section 12 further onto the base section 14 to lock the two parts together and to cause activation of the aerosol canister 16 and so cause the contents of the aerosol canister to be discharged from the opening 38 in the upper section 12.
• the upper section 12 is locked onto the base section 14 by- means of engagement of the vertical projections 22a,b of the base section 14 and the tabs 44 of the upper section 12.
• Each of these parts has a bead as discussed above and the two beads engage one another to lock the upper section 12 to the base section 14.
• the relative lengths of the vertical projections 22a,b and the sleeve 40 with its tabs 44 at the base thereof is chosen to ensure that the aerosol canister 16 is activated when the upper section 12 is locked to the base section 14.
• the locking of the two together causes the entire contents of the aerosol canister to be discharged, because the aerosol canister has a continuous spray valve.
• a user would typically leave a room in which the spraying device 10 has been placed during discharge of the spraying device.
• the spraying device 10 can be removed.
• the user pulls the upper section 12 away from the base section 14, potentially by using the openings 28 in the base section 14.
• the aerosol canister 16 remains in the upper section 12, because that part has a stronger interference fit between the aerosol stem 56 and the internal collar 52 of the upper section 12, compared to the interference fit between the aerosol canister 16 and the base section 14. Consequently, the base of the aerosol canister 16 protrudes from the upper section 12, from which position it can easily be removed by a user for replacement by a full aerosol canister 16 for subsequent dispensing of material held within the aerosol canister 16.
• the length of the slits 42 is a significant factor in relation to the strength of locking between the upper section 12 and the base section 14. If the slits are too short, making flexure of the tabs 44 less pronounced, then a user will have much greater difficulty in pushing the upper section 12 down onto the base section 14 to create a lock between the two parts. Also, there will be much greater resistance to separation of the two parts after the aerosol canister 16 has been discharged. However, if the slits 42 are too long (meaning greater flexure of the tabs 44) then there will be insufficient locking action between the upper section 12 and the base section 14, such that the force of the spring valve in the stem 56 of the aerosol canister 16 will push the upper section 12 away from the base section 14.
• the amount of flexure in the tabs 44 is particularly significant to the proper working of the spraying device 10.
• the length of the slits of 7mm bearing in mind the flexibility of plastic materials typically used for such a device, is found to be particularly beneficial.
• the bead 46 is spaced approximately 3mm from the end of the slits 42. The bead must be on the tabs 44, to allow flexure thereof.
• the vertical projections 22a,b also flex at their top ends close to the wedge-shaped beads 24a,b.
• This flexure is caused by the ribs 26a and 26b extending only part way up the vertical projections 22a,b.
• the beads 24a,b bear against the aerosol canister 16 held in the cup 18.
• This flexure allows greater movement of the wedge-shaped beads 24a,b towards the aerosol canister to allow engagement of the wedge-shaped bead 24a,b with the bead 46 incorporated into the tabs 44 of the upper section.
• a delaying device to delay issue of material from the aerosol canister may be provided.
• Said delaying device may be in the form of a blockage in the stem 56, which blockage is cleared by pressure from the contents of the canister 16.
• the design described herein is advantageous in that the aerosol canister 16 is held in a vertical orientation by use of the four ribs 20a-20d in the base section 14. Further support for the aerosol canister in a vertical orientation is provided by the ribs 26a,b.
• flexure of the beads 24a,b and 46 of the upper section 12 and base section 14 respectively is particularly significant for ease of use of the spraying device 10. Flexure is needed to allow for the beads to pass one another as the two parts are engaged or disengaged.
• the advantage that follows from the above is that the device can easily be used with replacement aerosol canisters when a first canister has been discharged.

Landscapes

• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Dispersion Chemistry (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Containers And Packaging Bodies Having A Special Means To Remove Contents (AREA)
• Nozzles (AREA)

Priority Applications (6)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=32893582

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (10)

Cited By (10)

Families Citing this family (7)

Citations (3)

Family Cites Families (13)

• 2004
  • 2004-07-15 GB GBGB0415797.0A patent/GB0415797D0/en not_active Ceased
• 2005
  • 2005-07-14 WO PCT/GB2005/002794 patent/WO2006005962A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2005-07-14 EP EP05761324A patent/EP1765694A1/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 2005-07-14 US US11/572,034 patent/US20070181609A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2005-07-14 BR BRPI0513264-9A patent/BRPI0513264A/pt not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2005-07-14 CN CNA2005800238254A patent/CN1984825A/zh active Pending
  • 2005-07-14 MX MX2007000567A patent/MX2007000567A/es not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2005-07-14 AU AU2005261508A patent/AU2005261508A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2005-07-14 CA CA002573468A patent/CA2573468A1/en not_active Abandoned
• 2007
  • 2007-01-09 ZA ZA200700241A patent/ZA200700241B/en unknown

Patent Citations (3)

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