US3236421A - One-piece aerosol dispensing cap - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 22, 1966 R. L. GLAZIER ONE-PIECE AEROSOL DISPENSING CAP 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 4, 1964 INVENTOR 05658)" 1 BY nWP-mdo-ah.

ATTORN EY Feb. 22, 1966 R. L. GLAZIER 3,236,421

ONE-PIECE AEROSOL DISPENSING CAP Filed Aug. 4, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 F/ 9 INVENTOR 08527 l GZAZ Q B 41m I? m ATTORNEY United States Patent M 3,236,421 ONE-PIECE AEROSOL DISPENSING CAP Robert L. Glazier, Croton-on-Hudson, N.Y., assignor to Richardson-Merrell Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 4, 1964, Ser. No. 387,399 6 Claims. (Cl. 222-182) This invention relates to actuator covers for aerosol devices of the type employing pressurized containers and adapted to be held in the hand. More particularly, this invention relates to a cap structure for such aerosol devices which can be molded of a resilient plastic in one piece and which can act as both a protector and actuator for the valve assembly of the aerosol container.

Aerosol devices contemplated for use with the actuator covers of this invention, generally comprise a pressurized container in the form of a bottle, jar, or can having mounted in its neck or top portion a manually operable, springcharged valve including a depress or lever-button type actuator having a side nozzle or orifice from which the container contents are discharged when the button is moved. Various types of actuator covers are used with such aerosol devices.

It is an object of this invention to provide an aerosol protective and actuating cap which can be easily molded from resilient plastic material and which is inexpensive, reliable, and attractive.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a homogeneously integral aerosol cap which can be safely used to protect the aerosol valve during transit and which is easily assembled for use.

Other objects, advantages, and results of the invention will hereinafter become apparent in the following description and drawings.

Referring now to the drawings wherein identical numerals refer to identical parts and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a cap of this invention with a flap outwardly of the cap skirt;

FIGURE 2 shows the cap of FIGURE 1 secured over the top of an aerosol container with the fiap snapped within the cap skirt;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical cross section of the cap in FIGURE 2 viewed in the plane of the line 3-3;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical cross section of the flap and a lower portion of the cap skirt viewed in the plane of the line 4-4 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a vertical cross section of the flap and a lower portion of the cap skirt viewed in the plane of the line 5-5 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 6 is a cross section of the cap assemblage as in FIGURE 3 except that the flap is sufficiently depressed to contact and actuate the valve assemblage of the aerosol container;

FIGURE 7 is a bottom view of the cap;

FIGURE 8 is a vertical cross section of the cap assemblage taken in the plane of line 8-8 of FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 9 is a vertical cross section of a cap assemblage taken in the plane of line 9-9 of FIGURE 7; and

FIGURE 10 is a top view of a nozzle fitment which is secured over the top of the aerosol container valve stem.

There is shown for the purpose of illustration in FIG-URES 3 and 6 a pressurized aerosol container which is indicated generally by thenumeral 10, said container having substantiallycylindrical side walls 12, a domeshapedupper wall 14 constituting a neck portion, a circu 3,236,421 Patented Feb. 22, 1966lar shoulder 16 disposed at the juncture of theneck portion 14 and theside walls 12, and an outwardcircular flange 24 at the top of the neck.

Secured to theneck portion 14 is a manually operable valve assemblage 18 including a valve stem 20 and afitment 19 receiving and cooperating with the valve stem. As more particularly shown in FIGURE 10,fitment 19 has anozzle 21 and opposedears 22. The valve stem 20 has an opening therein, not shown, which communicates with thenozzle 21.

The cap is generally illustrated by the numeral 26 (FIGURE 1 and FIGURE 2).Cap 26 is molded of a resilient thermoplastic material such as polypropylene and comprises atop 28, including a raisedannular periphery 30 and a slightly flared dependingskirt 32. The cap hasinner walls 34, as particularly shown in FIGURES 7-9, depending from thetop 28 which are substantially concentric withskirt 32..Walls 34 have inwardly disposedbeads 36 at their bottom end which help to hold the cap on the can as shown in FIGURES 3 and 6. Thecap skirt 32 has anopening 38, as particularly shown in FIGURE 9, to permit discharge therethrough of thematerial 37 in theaerosol container 16 and a second generally paddle-shaped opening 39 as particularly shown in FIGURE 1. Anactuator flap assemblage 41 is hingedly secured to a bottom edge of opening 39. When molded at the time of manufacture,flap assemblage 41 is molded outwardly of opening 39 as shown in FIGURE 1 and in use it is pivoted about thehinge 43 and manually swung inwardly of opening 39 as shown in FIGURE 2. The free end of the ilap is snapped through and past the downwardly disposed ledge 45 (FIGURE 3) at the top of opening 39.Ledge 45 permits the flap to be snapped through the opening because of the resilient nature of the plastic material of which the cap is made.Lodge 45 prevents the flap from resuming its original outward position. Thefiap assemblage 41 comprises aflap 42 hinged at itslower end 48 to an edge of thecap skirt 32 about opening 39.Opening 39 may have reinforcing ribs 40 (FIGURES 6 and 7) adjacent to its side edges. An arm or fin 44 is mounted on the inner side offlap 42. Except for thehinge area 48, the flap is relatively still. The stiffness offlap 42 is increased by the fin 44 which acts as a reinforcing rib for the flap. Preferably,hinge area 48 orsimple hinge 48 has a substantiallytransverse notch 43, as particularly shown in FIGURES 4 and 5, on its inner side. This notch provides a weakened area which acts as a hinge. In addition to providing a weakened area for the hinge, the upper and lower parts of the notch also provide opposed abutting shoulders which are resiliently deformed when the fin 44 is pushed against oradjacent fitment 19 within the groove ofopposed ears 22.

The operation of applicants actuator and protective cap is evident from the above description; however, it can be seen that thecap 26 is fitted over theneck 14 with the inwardlybeaded ends 36 ofarcuate walls 34 snapped with in the circular groove between theneck flange 24 andneck 14. The bottom ofskirt 32 rests oncontainer flange 16. The cap is now firmly but detachably secured to the aerosol container. In fitting the cap in place,nozzle 21 is aligned in the narrow slot betweenarcuate walls 34 opposite cap discharge opening 38. The cap is molded withflap assemblage 41 outwardly of the cap as shown in FIG- URE 1. The flap can remain outwardly of the skirt during storage or shipment of the assembled cap and container. When it is desired to use the aerosol container,

flap assemblage 41 is manually swung upwardly and inwardly of opening 39 and is snapped pastflange 45. The opening 39 admitting the flap is of such dimension so as to permit the tip or flat portion of the thumb to be partly inserted therethrough so as to push the flap inwardly. The inward movement of the flap causes arm 44 to contact the fitment within the groove betweenears 22. This causes the valve assemblage to be tilted which actuates the valve as shown in FIGURE 6 to discharge contents from the container as long as the flap arm is pressed against the valve assemblage. When the thumb is lifted away from the opening and flap, the spring loaded valve assemblage returns to its off position. Also, the resiliency of the flap hinge causes the flap to move away from the valve assemblage.

In molding the one-piece, unitary hollow cap of this invention, the flap is molded outwardly of the cap skirt and when it is desired to fully assemble the cap, it is pivoted about the hinge through the opening where it is restrained against outward movement. Since the flap is molded outwardly of the skirt, the resiliently deformable nature of the hinge area has the tendency of swinging the flap away from the valve actuator assembly after thumb pressure is released from the flap. Since the flap is molded outwardly of the skirt, this permits the molding of the cap by the use of a simple male-female mold since there are no major overlapping parts to the cap. Also, since the circumference of the cap top is less than that of the bottom of the skirt, it is relatively easy to eject the cap from a mold. The cap is preferably molded of a resilient thermoplastic material such as polyethylene, polypropylene, and the like.

Having now described the invention in specific detail and exemplified the manner in which it may be carried into practice, it will be readily understood that any number of variations, applications, modifications, and extensions of the principles involved may be made without departing from its spirit and scope.

What I claim is:

1. An aerosol dispensing cap molded of a thermoplastic resiliently deformable material, said cap having a top, a skirt depending from the top, an opening in said cap for discharging fluids therethrough, said skirt having an actuating opening, a flap hingedly attached at an edge of said actuating opening, the free end of said flap being manually swingable forwardly about the flap hinged end toward said actuating opening, the free end of said flap extending beyond the actuating opening edges and overlapping therewith, and said flap being resiliently snappable past said overlap and through said actuating opening, said flap molded outwardly of said actuating opening, said hinged end being biased on contacting the overlapping portion of the actuating opening.

2. A one-piece, unitary aerosol dispensing cap, said cap molded from a thermoplastic resiliently deformable materialand having a top and a skirt depending from the top, said skirt having a first opening for discharging fluids therethrough, said skirt having a second opening for receiving the tip of a thumb, a flap hingedly attached at its bottom end to a bottom edge of said skirt thumb opening, said flap in an unbiased condition being outwardly of said skirt, said flap being manually pivotable about its bottom hinged end forwardly through said thumb opening and wherein the upper edges of said flap and thumb opening overlap wherein an upper flap edge extends beyond an upper edge of said thumb opening, the overlapping edges being resiliently deformable on pressing the flap through the thumb opening but retaining the flap against free inward and outward movement through the thumb opening.

3. A cap of claim 2 wherein said flap has a reinforcing fin substantially normal to the plane of the flap rising from the forward side thereof, said fin passing through the thumb opening on the forward pivoting of said flap, said fin adapted to actuate an aerosol dispensing valve.

4. A unitary, one-piece aerosol dispensing cap molded of a resiliently deformable thermoplastic, said cap comprising:

(a) a top and a flared skirt depending from the top;

(b) said cap skirt having a first opening therein for discharge of fluid therethrough;

(c) said cap skirt having a vertically elongated opening of a size suflicient to receive the tip of a thumb therethrough;

(d) a relatively stiff elongated flap hinged to a bottom edge of said thumb opening;

(c) said flap having an upper edge extending beyond an upper edge of the thumb opening and normally preventing the flap from passing therethrough in its arcuate movement about the hinge, the free end of said flap being resiliently snappable forwardly into said opening in the arcuate movement of said flap about its hinge by cooperation of the flap edges and thumb opening edges;

(f) the resiliency of said flap hinge supporting said flap inan upward position substantially parallel to said skirt upon being snapped through said thumb openmg.

5. A homogeneously integral aerosol dispensing cover comprising a cap molded of resiliently deformable thermoplastic material and having a top and a skirt depending from the top, an annular opening in the side of the skirt for the passage therethrough of fluids from an aerosol nozzle, an arcuate wall extending downwardly from the container top within the skirt, said wall having a vertical slot open at its bottom end for aligning the cap and its dispensing opening with an aerosol nozzle, said wall having snapon means adjacent its bottom end for attachment to the top of an aerosol container, said skirt having a vertical upstanding paddle-shaped opening opposite the cap dispensing opening, the wide end of said opening being adjacent the cap top, a stiff paddle-shaped flap having its handle attached to the bottom edges of said paddle-shaped opening, a transverse notch on the inner bottom portion of said paddle handle providing a resiliently flexible hinge for the arc-wise movement of the body of the flap paddle inwardly and downwardly within the cap through said paddle-shaped opening, a ledge at the top edges of the paddle-shaped opening obstructing the flap from inward and outward free movement through the paddle-shaped opening, and a radially extending beak on the inner side of the paddle for actuating an aerosol valve assemblage, the area about said hinge being resiliently deformed on movement of the flap inwardly of the paddle-shaped opening.

6. An aerosol device comprising, in combination, an aerosol container having a manually operable valve assembly and a nozzle at its top end, a unitary, one-piece cap mounted over the top end of said container, said cap molded of a thermoplastic resiliently deformable material and having a top and a flared skirt depending from the top, said skirt having a first opening on one side thereof operatively aligned with said nozzle for the discharge of fluids therethrough, said skirt having a second vertically elongated opening on the opposite side thereof for receiving the tip of a thumb, a vertically elongated flap attached at its bottom end to a bottom edge of said thumb opening, a transverse notch on the inner side of the flap adjacent its bottom end providing a hinge, a reinforcing and actuating member rising from the inner side of said flap above the notch, said member reinforcing the flap and providing rigidity thereto, the free end of said flap being manually pivotable about its hinge through the top of the thumb opening, the upper edges of said flap and thumb opening overlapping in the manually pivotal movement of the flap through the thumb opening, the area of overlap being resiliently deformable on pressing the free end of the flap through the thumb opening but retaining the flap against free inward and outward movement therethrough, said flap raised member carried within the thumb opening 5 6 on pressing the free end of the flap inwardly of the thumb References Cited by the Examiner opening, said raised member operatively aligned with the UNITED STATES PATENTS K535035521??? sifii ciiiiifi i oi iifi 'ESZZZJZ 3113123 31109565 11/1963 Kutik 239-579 X g P g 3,140,014 7/1964 Lerner 222-482 assembly, said flap hinge being resiliently deformed and 5 urging the raised member away from the valve assembly LOUIS J. DEMBO, Primary Examiner. on pressing said member against the valve assembly. CHARLES CARTER,

Claims (1)

1. AN AEROSOL DISPENSING CAP MOLDED OF A THERMOPLASTIC RESILIENTLY DEFORMABLE MATERIAL, SAID CAP HAVING A TOP, A SKIRT DEPENDING FROM THE TOP, AND OPENING IN SAID CAP FOR DISCHARGING FLUIDS THERETHROUGH, SAID SKIRT HAVING AN ACTUATING OPENING, A FLAP HINGEDLY ATTACHED AT AN EDGE OF SAID ACTUATING OPENING, THE FREE END OF SAID FLAP BEING MANUALLY SWINGABLE FORWARDLY ABOUT THE FLAP HINGED END TOWARD SAID ACTUATING OPENING, THE FREE END OF SAID FLAP EXTENDING BEYOND THE ACTUATING OPENINGS EDGES AND OVERLAPPING THEREWITH, AND SAID FLAP BEING RESILIENTLY SNAPPABLE PAST SAID OVERLAP AND THROUGH SAID ACTUATING OPENING, SAID FLAP MOLDED OUTWARDLY OF SAID ACTUATING OPENING, SAID HINGED END BEING BIASED ON CONTACTING THE OVERLAPPING PORTION OF THE ACTUATING OPENING.

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