US3406877A - Pressure fluid dispensing and anti-clogging device - Google Patents

Description

J. FRANGOS Oct. 22, 1968 PRESSURE FLUID DISPENSING AND ANTI-CLOGGING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 10, 1966 .w R m N R. 3 WW M N n Q 1 N W H mm w aw d w w\ w .mm NM. v Q .ww 91 w\ v 6 Q R v R J. FRANGOS 3,406,877

PRESSURE FLUID DISPENSING AND ANTI-CLOGGING DEVICE Oct. 22, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 10, 1966 INVE ,C'

NTOR F/I/VGOS ATT United States Patent 3,406,877 PRESSURE FLUID DISPENSING AND ANTI-CLOGGING DEVICE John Frangos, Brooklyn, N.Y., assig'nor to Revlon, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Feb. 10, 1966, Ser. No. 526,563 2 Claims. (Cl. 222-4021) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE cating with a tubular end portion of said valve stem. By

displacing said valve stem endwise against spring resistance, the outlet orifice is initially moved into position in open communication with said chamber; and then with continued displacement of said stem to full operative discharge position, the inlet port is opened and thereafter continues to pass aerosol material into said chamber from the supply in the container while the outlet orifice remains in open or discharging condition in relation to the chamber.

This invention relates to the dispensing of fluid materials from pressure containers under the influence of a propellant in the container.

A widely used type of such device is known as the aerosol dispenser which comprises, generally speaking, a container body for the liquid vaporizable propellant and the material to be dispensed, a chamber therein and a valve assembly which controls the emission of such material and propellant from said chamber.

A wide variety of materials are sprayed from containers of the aerosol type and a wide variety of vaporizable liquid propellants are also used.

In the typical container which contains the material to be sprayed and the propellant therefore, the chamber is normally closed by a plunger or valve stem which has an axial channel which is provided with an emission port, or discharge orifice, which, when the valve stem is moved to one position, is opened to establish communication between the chamber and the atmosphere through said channel.

The orifice between the container and said chamber is constantly open and the emission port or discharge orifice is normally isolated from the chamber but is movable with the valve stem to be communication with said chamber. Thus, communication between the two orifices may be established and the material sprayed from the chamber under the influence of the propellant. 1

One difliculty or disadvantage arises from improper operation of the valve by the user which ofttimes is the result of lack of knowledge of the modus operandi of an aerosol device. If the valve stem is depressed by the user only sufliciently to partially open the inlet orifice into the valve stem channel, the ejection as an effective spray is not accomplished. This is because the restricted area of the orifice will not permit the projection of the spray under full pressure and at full volume.

Another disadvantage that has been encountered in the industry arises out of the clogging of the terminal or ejection orifice and in some instances the clogging of the channel of the valve mechanism. In many devices of the aerosol type clogging occurs at the ejection orifice and in the channel as a result of the evaporation of the propellant and the depositing of salts or other solids.

The present invention is directed to the elimination of both of the above referred to disadvantages, i.e. (l) the ejection of the spray under reduced pressure and consequently in inadequate amounts and (2) the referred to clogging.

I have illustrated embodiments of my invention in the drawings in which FIGURES 1 through 4 illustrate the structure and operation of one embodiment while FIG- URES 5 through 7 illustrate the structure and operation of a second embodiment.

In these drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a central vertical section of the valve assembly showing both the discharge port or orifice in the valve stem and the inlet port or orifice in the valve housing or chamber in normal closed condition;

FIGURE 2 is a similar view showing both said orifices in full open condition;

FIGURE 3 is a similar view showing the discharge orifice partly open and the inlet port in closed condition;

FIG. 4 is a horizontal sectional view on the plane of line 4 4 of FIGURE 2, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

FIGURES 5, 6 and 7 are views similar to FIGURES 1, 2 and 3 but of a different embodiment of my invention.

Each of the embodiments as shown in the drawings comprises a dispensing valve device with a vapor tap that permits the escape of vapor from the container to blow out any residue that may be present therein both before and after the ejection of or dispensing of contents of the container.

The embodiment of this invention illustrated in FIG- URES 1 through 4 of the drawings comprises a valve devicethat is attached to an aerosol type container 10 in a conventional manner as by a flange 12.

Between a chamber 32 of valve body 14, preferably cylindrical, and the flange 12 a compressible resilient gasket 16 is clamped by the flange 12 to seal the chamber 32 at one end which I shall herein term the upper end. The lower end of the valve body 14 is provided with the commonly used nipple 18 to which may be attached a dip tube 20 that extends into the container. Where the chamber 32 joins the nipple, a compressible resilient gasket or diaphragm 22 is located and is supported by a shoulder 24 Both the upper gasket 16 and the lower gasket 22 are provided with central openings through which, when open, the contents of the container pass.

This flow is controlled at the will of the user by a valve assembly that comprises a valve stem 26 that has a longitudinal channel 28 which has an orifice 30 adjacent its inner end that is designed to permit contents of the container to escape when it is open and in communication with the chamber 32 of the valve body 14 and to prevent the escape when in its other or closed position. This valve assembly is made preferably of a plastic which is not attected by the contents of the container.

This valve stem 26 is guided in its movements through the gasket 16 by a valve head 34 which is attached to the valve stem and moves freely and loosely in the body 14. This valve head has a space around it between its outer face and the inner wall of the valve body.

A compressible and expansible spring 36 is disposed between the valve head 34 and the gasket or diaphragm 22 and normally tends to force the face of the valve head into contact with the inner face of the gasket 16. The movement of this valve head into this position locates the orifice 30 between the faces of the gasket 16 as shown in FIG- URE 1. g I

The counterforce developed'by the spring 36 reacts against the gasket 22 and presses it against the shoulder 24, establishing a seal at this location.

At theinner extension 38 of the valve stem a second sealing head 40 is located. This head' is tapered and increases in lateral dimensions from its end 42 and is provided with a' shoulder 44 of greater lateral dimension than that of the portion 38 of the valve stem extension and than that of the opening in the gasket 22.

This second head 40 is designed to control the opening and closing of the opening 46.

The spring 36 is compressible sufliciently to permit the head 40 to pass completely through the opening in the gasket 22 leaving freeaccess from the container to the chamber 32 of the valve body 14 as shown in FIGURE 2. At this time the orifice 30 'of the upper portion of the valve stem 26 is open and completely within the chamber of the body portion 14.

' But until the shoulder 44 passes beyond the lower-face of the gasket 22 and the orifice 30 is located in the cham ber of the body 14 the tapered end of the valve stem will close the opening in the gasket 22, as shown in FIGURE 3. As I have pointed out, careless operation or improper operation of the valve stem because of lack of knowledge of its structure by the user ofttimes results in many of the commercial types of valves in a partial opening of the orifice such as shown at 48 in FIGURE 3. If the orifice 30 is only partly open to the chamber 32 of the valve body 14 as shown at 48 in FIGURE 3 neither spraying pressure nor the spray will be sufiicient to accomplish the desired result.

The present invention prohibits the occurrence of any such undesirable condition and assures that when there is communication between the container and the atmosphere the discharge orifice 30 will be completely open to the chamber 32 and, through the channel in the valve stem, willbe open to the atmosphere, thus insuring a full pressured properly admixed spray being ejected.

Assuming the parts of the valve assembly shown in 'FIGURES 1 through 4 to be in the positions shown in FIGURE 1 and the valve assembly emplaced on a pressure container having therein a product or material to be sprayed and a vaporizable propellant therefor, the ejection orifice 30 will be covered by the gasket 16 and therefore out of communication with the container contents and the isolation will be maintained by both the upper and lower seals at the upper and lower gaskets 16 and 22.

When the valve stem 26 is pushed inwardly by the user the orifice 30 will move into the chamber of the valve body 14 and if the movement is continued for a sufiicient distance the orifice will be completely uncovered as shown in FIGURE 2. At the same time the valve head 40 will pass entirely beyond the gasket 22.

The vapor from the propellant and the product to be dispensed will pass around the valve head 40 through the opening in the gasket 22, through discharge channel 28, by way of the orifice 30 to the spray head.

The structure of the above described device is adapted for use with spray heads of various types.

In the form of the invention shown in FIGURES 5, 6 and 7, the structure is similar to that disclosed in FIG- URES 1 through 3 hereinbefore described. Thus, the head 34 and the gasket 22 are eliminated and the guiding head 70 is provided with downwardly extending stem 72 which is adapted to be moved through the opening 74 in the shoulder or flange 7, the diameter of the opening 74 being somewhat greater than that of the stem 72 to provide a space between the stem 72 and the adjacent wall of the shoulder 78. An adapter 80 is secured to the valve body 82 and clamps a flexible diaphragm 84 between it and the valve body 82 as shown in FIGURES 5, 6 and 7. This diaphragm 84 which is preferably of rubber is provided with ports 86, which when the diaphragm is opened permits the passage of material from the dip tube into the cham- "4 ber of the valve body 82. However, communication between the interior of the container and the chamber in the valve body 82 is controlled by an enlargement 88, which when the valve stem portion 72 is retracted under the influence of'the spring 90, closes the'passage through the opening 74 and tightly seals the same by the engagement of the sharp edge 92 of the shoulder 78.

v Referring now to the form of the invention illustrated in FIGURES 1 through 4, when the various parts or elements of the valve mechanism are in the positions shown in FIGURE l,'the escape of thecontents of the container will be prevented'by the two seals or gaskets 16 and 22, the orifice 30 of the channel in the valve stem being located between the faces of the upper gasket 16 and the opening through the gasket 22 being closed by the head 34.

When'the valve head is' depressed by manual action into the position shown in FIGURE 2, the orifice 30 and the opening 46 will be completely free or open to conduct the contents of the container into the atmosphere under full pressure and at full quantity.

If through accident, or otherwise, the valve stem 26 is onlypartly depressed or moved into the valve body 14 so that only a portion of the orifice 30 is opened by such insufficient movement through the gasket 16, the head 40 will still be in position closing the opening through the gasket 22, and thus the contents of the container will be sealed from this body portion or, as stated, will be prevented from moving into the body portion through the dip tube.

I have heretofore described the use of a vapor tap in the valve body which vapor tap communicates directly with the interior of the container at the gas end thereof.

When the valve is opened or closed and while the head 40 is still in sealing engagement with the lower gasket 22 vapor will be admitted through the vapor tap 94 into the chamber of the body portion of the valve and will escape through the channel 28, whether or not it is completely or only partially open and thus will scour or flush out the channel 28.

The operation of the form of the invention disclosed in FIGURES 5, 6 and 7 is similar to that just described in connection with FIGURES 1 through 4, as is also the scouring or blowing out action.

Thus, generally speaking, I have provided a control device for an aerosol type container from which a product is ejected under pressure and admixed with the gases formed by release of the pressure on the propellant which comprises a dual seal for preventing accidental escape from the container and which prevents the escape of the contents of the container in undesirable small quantities and undesirable minimum pressures. And I have so constructed the device that the chamber of the valve body and connecting channels and ports will be scoured or blown out as the valve stem is actuated to open or close communication between the atmosphere and container.

While I have illustrated and described the application of my invention and the details of the embodiment thereof, I do not wish to be limited to these details except as necessitated by the claims, and many changes should be obvious to the industry after the disclosure made in this application.

What I claim is:

1. An aerosol dispenser for releasing pressurized fluid from a storage container comprising a valve body in the container having a fluid receiving and discharging chamber and fluid inlet and outlet passages therein; fluid control means movable with respect to said body to open, close, and partly close said outlet passage; and sealing means movable with said fluid control means and arranged and adapted to maintain said inlet passage closed when said fluid control means are in such positions that said outlet passage is closed or partly closed, and being operable to open and maintain said inlet passage open only when said outlet passage is open; said fluid control means including a valve stem having a longitudinally extending channel therein open adjacent one end thereof and an orifice adjacent the other end thereof communicating with said channel and means for normally maintaining said orifice in non-discharging condition outside of said valve body and permitting it to be manually moved into said valve body to establish full capacity communication between said valve body and said channel, said means permitting said orifice also to be moved to a position where it is partly open within said valve body to establish less than full capacity communication between said valve body and said channel; said sealing means including a sealing head movable with said valve stem and havinga tapered portion which extends into and seals said fluid inlet opening in said valve body against the entry of fluid thereinto from said container through said fluid inlet when said valve stem is positioned to'.bring said orifice outside of or only partly Within said valve body chamber, and which uncovers said inlet opening when said valve stem is positioned to bring said orifice entirely within said valve body.

2. The combination of elements as in claim 1 wherein said fluid inlet passage is a hole extending through wall of elastic stretchable material operatively interposed be- Relierences Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,856,103 10/1958 Ward 222 402.2 2,995,278 8/1961 Clapp 222-402.18 X 3,180,536 4/1965 Meshberg 222 4o2.2x 3,283,962 11/1966 Whitmore ZZZ-402.18

FOREIGN PATENTS 598,388 5/1960 Canada.

20 ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner.

F. R. HANDREN, Assistant Examiner.

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