US20030116591A1 - Cone-shaped aerosol can spray nozzle - Google Patents

Abstract

A cone-shaped nozzle for an aerosol spray can is disclosed. The nozzle preferably has a tip with a top end, and an opposing bottom end that connects to a stem in the release valve on the top of the can Through the nozzle from the top center of the tip to its bottom center is a central cylindrical passageway. The top end of the passageway is the tip orifice, through which is discharged the contents of the can, and the bottom end of the passageway is an orifice, which orifice receives the stem and the contents of the can for passage to the tip. The bottom orifice cooperates with the top of a stem of the release valve in the top of the can, so that the nozzle is supplied through the stem into the orifice. The bottom orifice permits the cone-shaped nozzle to be depressed on its top, and travel downwardly far enough to activate the release valve. Optionally, there is an opening in the wall of the nozzle to permit the ingress of aspirating air into the central cylindrical passageway when the release valve is activated.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
• This application is a continuation in part application of, and claims priority from, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/906,584, filed on Jul. 13, 2001, entitled “Cone-Shaped Aerosol Can Spray Nozzle”, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,478,198, which claims priority of Provisional Application Serial No. 60/218,645, filed on Jul. 14, 2000, the disclosure of which applications is incorporated herein by this reference.[0001]
DESCRIPTION
• 1. Field of the Invention[0002]
• This invention relates generally to aerosol spray cans, and more specifically to a cone-shaped nozzle for an aerosol spray can.[0003]
• 2. Related Art[0004]
• Knight (U.S. Pat. No. 4,239,407), issued Dec. 16, 1980, describes an aerosol spray can with several nozzles for application of the spray can contents into hard-to-reach places. This patent discloses a cone-shaped nozzle which discharges through orifices in its outer conical surface, but not through its tip. The release valve in this patent is activated by a push-button in the side of the can.[0005]
• Still, there is a need for a simple and economical aerosol can spray nozzle which can also activate the release valve. This invention addresses this need.[0006]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
• This invention is a cone-shaped nozzle for an aerosol spray can. The nozzle discharges through an orifice in the tip of the cone. The tip orifice is the top of a cylindrical passageway near the center of the top of the cone. The central cylindrical passageway extends through the center of the cone. Preferably, at or near the bottom of the cone is a cylindrical stem sleeve, through which the central cylindrical passageway also extends.[0007]
• The nozzle is supplied through an orifice in the bottom of the central cylindrical passageway. Preferably, the bottom of the cylindrical passageway has a wider stem sleeve that cooperates with the top of a stemmed release valve in the top of the aerosol can. The stem sleeve is long enough to permit the cone-shaped nozzle to be depressed on its top, and travel downwardly far enough to activate the release valve. Optionally, there is an opening in the wall of the nozzle to permit the ingress of aspirating air into the central cylindrical passageway when the release valve is activated.[0008]
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• FIG. 1 is a top side perspective view of one embodiment of the invention mounted on the top of an aerosol can.[0009]
• FIG. 2 is a bottom side perspective view of the embodiment of the invention depicted in FIG. 1, but without the spray can.[0010]
• FIG. 3 is a side, cross-sectional view of the embodiment of the invention depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2.[0011]
• FIG. 4 is a side, cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the invention.[0012]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
• Referring to the Figures, there is depicted one, but not all, of the embodiments of the invention.[0013]Conical nozzle10 is mounted on the top of aerosol spray can12. Nozzle10 has atip orifice14 in its tip, aconical section15 and acylindrical base16. Can12 has a release valve (not shown) in its top. Typically, the release valve is centrally located and activated by downward pressure on its top.
• The top of the release valve attaches to a cylindrical stem (not shown) that cooperates with[0014]stem sleeve26 throughorifice20 in the bottom ofcylindrical base16 ofnozzle10. The stem preferably fits intostem sleeve26, but is too large to fit intocylindrical passageway22. Orifice20 is the bottom of acylindrical passageway22, which extends from the bottom to the top ofnozzle10. The top of centralcylindrical passageway22 istip orifice14. Preferably,nozzle10 has anopening24 in its base that permits the ingress of aspirating air intocylindrical passage22 when the release valve is activated.
• [0015]Conical nozzle10 may be any convenient size. Smaller,finer nozzles10 will be more appropriate for supplying the aerosol can contents to smaller spaces, and vice-versa. Preferably,nozzle10 is cone-shaped, but other, tapering shapes will also do. For example, instead of rounded sides,nozzle10 may also have squared-off, but tapering sides, as long as the top of the nozzle terminates in a fine or pointed tip.Cylindrical base16 is optional, but when it is present, it may be rounded or squared-off also.
• [0016]Nozzle10 may be made of any suitable material, including metal or plastic, and may be made by any conventional technique, including machining, forging, stamping, or molding.
• Aerosol spray can[0017]12 may be any conventional spray can with a gas propellant and liquid contents for dispensing. Preferably, spray can12 has a release valve in its top which is activated by downward pressure onnozzle10. When the release valve is activated, propellant gas and liquid contents of the spray can are released.
• Preferably, spray can[0018]12 is an aerosol can containing a light, low viscosity lubricant and a light propellant gas, like hexane, for example. This way, spray can12 andnozzle10 may be used to effectively dispense the lubricant to a specific, small area. For example,nozzle10 may conveniently be inserted into the small lubricant hole opening in the nose of a chain saw sprocket. This way, whennozzle10 is depressed, the release valve is activated, and the pressurized contents of the spray can12, namely lubricant and hexane, are discharged from the top of the release valve. This way, the new lubricant sprayed into the hole can clean out the old lubricant and other debris on the surface to be lubricated, blasting it away. Then, the excess hexane propellant will evaporate quickly, leaving a cleaner and freshly-lubricated surface. Therefore, this apparatus and technique have advantages over the prior art pumping liquid-lubricant-only technique.
• A friction fit is preferably established between the top of the release valve stem and the[0019]stem sleeve26. This way, the discharged contents exiting through the valve are directed throughstem orifice20 into centralcylindrical passageway22, up through the center ofnozzle10, and outtip orifice14. Preferably, additional aspiration air is admitted intopassageway22 through opening24 in the side wall ofnozzle10. This way, a more turbulent mixing of the can12 discharged contents is effected, for ultimately better distribution of the lubricant.
• The preferred friction fit between the top of stem and the[0020]stem sleeve26 also permits convenient change-out of thenozzle10 to prevent accidental discharge of the can's contents, or to permit the installation instead of a different size or type nozzle, for example.
• [0021]Tip orifice14 may be any effective size of shape. Preferably,tip orifice14 is a flat circle. However, a slanted oval, or a slot, or a plurality or combination of any of these orifices may be used.Tip orifice14 may be the same diameter as centralcylindrical passageway22, or of different diameter. Additional aspirators and/or diffusers may be included inorifice tip14.
• [0022]Conical section15 may have any effective angle of taper. Shorter, blunterconical sections15 may be more appropriate for tighter spaces, while longer, sharper conical sections may be more appropriate when there is more room for the user to work in.
• The release valve stem has an outer diameter slightly smaller than[0023]stem sleeve26.Stem sleeve26 must be long enough to allow the stem to enter and create a preferred friction fit, yet be shallow enough to allow depression of stem to trigger the release valve. Therefore, the difference between the lengths of the stem and stemsleeve26 must be at least as long as the downward travel or movement during activation of the valve.
• [0024]Stem orifice20 is the bottom ofcylindrical passageway22, andorifice20 and stemsleeve26 are preferably larger in diameter thanpassageway22.Passageway22 is preferably smaller than the stem to prevent ingress of the stem intopassageway22 in order to insure function of the release valve whennozzle10 is depressed.
• [0025]Opening24 in the side wall ofnozzle10 is for allowing aspirating air to enter centralcylindrical passageway22 when the release valve is activated. Therefore, opening24 preferably exists on a location on the side wall ofpassageway22 where air can flow intopassageway22 when the release valve is activated, preferably at least a distance up from the bottom ofpassageway22 greater than the length of the stem.
• Although this invention has been described above with reference to particular means, materials, and embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to these disclosed particulars, but extends instead to all equivalents within the scope of the following claims.[0026]

Claims (2)

I claim:

1. A aerosol can spray nozzle for cooperating with a release valve in the top of an aerosol can comprising:

a cone-shaped tip with a top and a bottom;

an orifice near the center of the top of the tip;

an orifice near center of the bottom of the tip; and

a central passageway extending through the center of the tip, from the orifice near the center of the top, to the orifice near the bottom of the nozzle;

wherein said orifice near the bottom of the tip is adapted to receive a stem of the release valve in the top of the can.

2. The nozzle ofclaim 1 wherein there is an opening in the wall of the nozzle to permit the ingress of aspirating air into the central passageway when the release valve is actuated.

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