Multiple spray pattern device

© Start of patent term: October 15, 1974 Longest possible duration:

© Issued on: 25. AUGUST 1975 (72) Inventor:

© dependence:

OE 324205 © Pamphlets considered as delineated by the prior art:

FS-PS 20 32046, OS-PS3088679, ÜS-PS3246850

- 2No. 324205

The invention relates to a spray head for attachment to a valve provided with

Pressure medium container, wherein the spray head has at least two spaced-apart, provided with mutually different nozzles holes, which optionally with the valve in

Connection can be brought.

Such spray heads are known and described, for example, in US Pat. Nos. 3,088,679 and 3,246,850 or French Pat. No. 2,032,046. However, these known spray heads all have the disadvantage that the nozzles are fixed in them or worked out directly from the Sprühkopfmaterial, so that after the generation of the head no change is possible. As a result, according to the preselected combination of nozzles in terms of size, spray angle, spray distribution, etc., a corresponding large number of Sprühkopftypen required because pressure fluid containers are used with spray heads for a variety of materials, such as hair spray, liquid starch, paint and so on , This requires a large storage to meet the individual conditions. Furthermore, the consideration of individual wishes with regard to the combination of nozzles for the individual, optionally be brought into contact with the valve nozzles is not possible.

To eliminate this disadvantage, the spray head of the above-mentioned type according to the invention is designed so that the holes are designed as laterally open blind holes, in which the passage with nozzle having inserts are used interchangeable.

This allows more economical and cheaper production, since a generally usable spray head can be produced, in which only inserts with the different nozzles must be used, so that any combinations of spray distributions are possible.

The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to exemplary embodiments, wherein also further features of the invention will become apparent. FIG. 2 is a plan view of an aerosol container with a spray head according to the invention, FIG. 3 is an associated side view, partly broken away and partly in section, details of one 4 shows a partial view of the container according to FIGS. 2 and 3 with an outlet opening, and FIG. 5 shows a section along the line 5-5 in FIG. 6 shows a partial view, partly broken away and partly in section, of a further embodiment of the invention, FIG. 7 partly in section, a partial view of a further embodiment of the invention, FIG. 8 shows a further partial view of this exemplary embodiment and FIG. 9 shows a top view of this exemplary embodiment according to FIGS. 7 and 8.

The aerosol container of conventional design shown in Fig.l and 3 has a protruding, hollow valve tube -12-. The container -11- has a cylindrical body -13-, to which via a peripheral connection -15- an upper wall -14- connects. At the upper end of the container, a smaller-diameter peripheral connection 16 is provided which connects the upper wall 14-14 to an inner wall 17- (Fig. 3) having a central, upwardly directed portion -18- a hollow valve member -19- with an inlet bore -21- is rigidly secured.

An elastic ring body -22- is pressed in between the valve part -19- and the upper end -23- of the section -18-, and through which extends a stepped portion -25- of the valve tube -12- with a lateral opening -26 - which is normally closed by the surrounding opening -27- of the annular body -22-.

The reinforced, lower end -28- of the valve tube -12- is pressed by a compression spring -29- in the axial direction against the lower side of the elastic body -22- to press the annular body sealingly around the valve tube, so that the opening - 26- is closed. When the valve tube -12- is pushed into the container, the opening -26- is lowered and brought into communication with the pressurized fluid entering the bore -21- and the space surrounding the lower end of the tube -12- to vent under pressure through the open end of the pipe -12-.

The container described above and the valve assembly may correspond to the structure according to US Pat. No. 2,631,814.

In Fig.l for explaining the general structure of a spray nozzle with a plurality of nozzles, a head -31- is shown with two openings, which has on its underside downwardly directed, corresponding flat recesses -32 and 33-, each tight on the upper Fit the end of the valve tube -12-. The recess -32- is in communication with a -34- to the -35- on one side of the head extending passage -34-, while the recess -33- via a passage -36- with an outlet opening -37- on the other side of the head connected is. The passages -34 and 36- have different sizes and / or shapes to produce different "spray patterns" at the exit ports. To produce a pattern other than in the position shown in Fig.l, the head is simply pulled in the axial direction of the tube -12-, and the tube -12- then inserted into the recess -32-. The head -31- is held fully in position by the valve tube -12- and actuated by depressing the tube by hand to allow the container contents to pass through the associated outlet in the head.

- 3No.324205

The container -11- shown in FIGS. 2 to 4 corresponds to that described above. Cap -41- is removably secured to the upper end of the container with the circular lower end of a resilient skirt -42- located in a groove which is seated, as is known, within large diameter connection -15-.

The top of the cap merges into a hollow hub -43- which surrounds and rotatably supports a cylindrical head -44. As shown, the head -44- has a circumferential groove -45- at the lower end of which is an outer flange -46- which rotatably engages the interior of the hub -43-. At the upper end of the hub -43- is an inner flange -47- to turn

Bearing engagement provided with the head -44-. This head can be displaced axially in the hub -43 - with its movement limited by the flanges -46 and 47-. At the top of the head there is an enlarged part -48- which merges into a short, down-facing edge -49-.

As can be seen from FIG. 5, the head -44- has three blind bores -51, 52 and 53- staggered by 120 °, which open only downwards. Holes -51 and 52- are the same size and can each accommodate tight fitting cylindrical inserts -54 and 55-. As shown in Figure 3, the insert -54- has a passageway with an enlarged, downwardly directed portion -56-, the diameter of which allows a firm seating on the upper end of the valve tube -12-, an intermediate portion -57-, which in Connection with the upper end of the valve tube -12- stands, and a side outlet -58-, through which the material flows when depressing the valve tube -12-.

3 to 5 show that the bore -51- is located so close to the outer circumference of the head -44- that it is substantially tangential and the circumference is removed and recessed (Fig.4), whereby the insert -54 - partially laterally through a side opening - 50 - in the hub - 43-exposed. The bore -51- (Figure 5) includes an elongate rib -59- which slides in an elongated groove -61- in the insert -54- to ensure that the insert -51- only in that

Position in the hole -51- is fixed, in which the outlet opening -58- shows substantially radially outward.

A corresponding insert -55- with substantially the same passage as the insert -54-, but with different diameter in the central portion and / or the outlet opening, serves to produce a different distribution of the material to be sprayed.

Figure 3 shows that the same enlarged lower ends -56- of the insert passages are sufficiently deep to fully support the upper end of the valve tube -12- which abuts the bottoms. The parts are shown in Fig. 3 in the non-spraying position, and it will be seen that the head edge 49 is located a sufficient distance above the upper end of the container so that a displacement of the head with respect to the container down is possible. Thus, when the head -44- is pushed down by the user's finger resting on the top of the head, the valve tube -12- is depressed sufficiently far enough to dispense material through a passageway.

The head -44- can be withdrawn from the valve tube -12- so that the inlet end -56- of the insert -54- is released. By rotation can then bring the inlet end -56- of the insert -55- in alignment with the valve tube -12- and press on the container until the position shown in Figure 3 is reached, in which case, however, through the insert -55- a different material distribution is achieved. The flanges -46 and 47- together serve to prevent inadvertent removal of the head -44- from the cap.

The third bore -53- is of appreciably larger diameter than the valve tube -12- and has such a depth that upon complete pushing of the head -44- no displacement of the valve tube -12- takes place inwardly. This is done in the rotated non-spray position by the

Label locked "appears. The two spray positions are labeled -L and H - and give different distributions of the material to be sprayed (Figure 2). The three different positions of the head -44- can be determined and determined by a rounded projection on the hub -43- which cooperates with 120 ° C offset depressions (not shown) in the head -44-.

The central axes of the blind holes -51, 52 and 53- lie on a common circle, the center of which represents the axis of rotation of the head -44-. This axis of rotation is offset relative to the central axis of the valve tube by a certain eccentric distance -e- (Figure 3).

Fig. 6 shows an embodiment in which the head -44'- is rotatable within the cap hub -43'-. The two different distribution passages -56 ', 57', 58'- are not drawn in insert pieces, as shown in the embodiments according to the Fig.l to 5, for simplification of the drawings, but indicated directly in the head. In this embodiment, the head has an overhanging edge -48'- with openings -49'- which are aligned with the hub opening -50- in the indicated position.

In FIGS. 7 to 9 there is shown another embodiment in which another head 64 is rotatably disposed within the hollow hub 65 of a cap 66 which, by means of an inner shaft, is rotatably supported.

Nr.324205

Ring body -67- is attached to the container -11- which elastically holds the smaller container edge -16-. Also in this example, the inserts are not shown.

The head has an outlet from an enlarged lower end -68-, a middle portion -69- and a lateral exit opening -71- which fits onto the valve tube -12-. A 180 ° offset

Outlet consists of an enlarged lower end - 72--, an intermediate part - 73 - and a

Outlet opening -74- with different distribution characteristics. These two outlets are to be thought of as being located in inserts -54, 55- (Figures 3 and 5). As shown in Fig. 7, the outlet port -71- is aligned with a cap port -75- so that depression of the head displaces the valve tube -12- and material present in the reservoir exits through the outlet port -71- into the area to be treated.

An inner rib -76- of the hub -65- cooperates with an annular peripheral recess -77- below the outlet openings in the head -64- to allow sufficient lifting of the head to release the valve tube and to rotate through 180 °, so that the other passage end is placed. The rib -76- and the recess -77- serve to prevent inadvertent removal of the head of the cap. The marks -H and L- on the head -64- indicate which spray distribution is aligned with the opening -75-.

The use of interchangeable inserts according to the pieces -54 and 55- from Fig.l to 5 is particularly advantageous because in these the desired shapes of passages can be easier to produce than if the passages at very precisely determined locations of the larger head according to Fig.6 should be made. Furthermore, this allows a more economical and cheaper production, since all heads can have the same structure and are provided only with the different inserts, so that can be produced in the simplest way any combinations of spray distributions.

The invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments. However, it is not limited to these, but in the context of the invention, other modifications and changes are possible.