Aerosol valve construction

May 29, 1962

W. STEIMAN ETAL

AEROSOL VALVE CONSTRUCTION

Filed Aug. 11, 1959

3,036,744

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United States Patent Office

3,036,744

Patented May 29, 1962

3,036,744 AEROSOL VALVE CONSTRUCTION

Wolf Steiman, Fairfield, and William R. O’Donnell, Trumbull, Conn., assignors to VCA Incorporated, Bridgeport, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut

Filed Aug. 11, 1959, Ser. No. 833,077

Claims. (CI. 222—394)

Bh, This invention relates to· manually operable aerosol devices, and more particularly to the valve structures of small aerosol dispensers such as those involving pressurized containers adapted to be held in the hand when in use.

General objects of the invention are to simplify the valve and container closure structures of small hand-held aerosol devices, and to reduce the cost of producing such structures while at the same time improving their operation.

A specific object of the invention is to provide an improved one-piece molded closure and valve seat structure for an aerosol device of the above type, which structure is associated with a longitudinally movable valve stem or pin and provides therefor an effective and smoothacting bearing and support while at the same time making possible a simplification of the fastening ring or ferrule by which the closure structure is secured to the container.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel one-piece closure and valve seat structure having improved valve bearing means as above set forth, wherein a free and unimpeded flow of the pressurized fluid past the valve is insured whenever the valve is opened.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a novel simplified metering valve construction for an aerosol device, wherein sticking and malfunctioning of the valve is obviated and wherein the valve return spring is arranged to serve a double function, acting as a loose but effective valve guide for positioning a valve stem which has a long, normally free floating or unsupported body and end portion.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear. In the drawings accompanying this specification:

FIG. 1 is an axial sectional view, enlarged, of the improved closure and valve structure as provided by the invention, mounted on an aerosol container shown in fragmentary section.

FIG. 2 is an axial sectional view, per se, of the closure and valve seat member.

FIG. 3 is an end view of the member shown in FIG. 2. Referring to the figures, the aerosol device comprises a pressurized container indicated generally by the numeral 10, paid container having a reduced neck portion 12, adt joining which there is a wide shoulder portion 14. ’ Be- ' tween the neck and shoulder portions 12 and 14 an annular groove or depression 16 is provided, forming a downwardly facing annular shoulder 17 on the neck portion for cooperation with a clincher ring or ferrule to be described later.

_ In accordance with the present invention there is provided for disposition within the neck portion 12 of the container 10 a novel, simplified yet effective and economical-to-manufacture combined closure member and valve means constituted as a one-piece member molded of resilient or flexible plastic composition such as polyethylene or similar formulations. This combination closure member and valve means is indicated generally by the numeral 20, and comprises a main, valve-carrying barrel portion 22 of significant length and having a through bore or opening, the said main portion being provided with an outwardly extending flange 24 intermediate its ends, which overlies the rim of the container neck 12 for the purpose of having one side sealed thereto. The combination one2 piece plastic closure member and valve means has a second tubular or barrel portion 26 which is coaxial and aligned with the main barrel portion 22 and is adapted for connection to a dip tube 28, a portion only of which 5 is shown in FIG. 1. The one-piece plastic closure and valve means also has an annular internal valve seat 30 disposed between the said main and second barrel portions, which seat is cooperable with a longitudinally movable valve stem or pin indicated generally by the numeral 10 32.

As shown, the upper portion 33 of the valve stem 32 is of hollow or tubular construction, the lower portion 34 being solid. Preferably the valve stem 32 is molded of a plastic composition such as nylon (synthetic fiber15 forming polymeric amide).

The valve stem 32 carries a helical compression spring 36 which engages at its lower end the valve seat 30 and at its upper end an annular enlargement 38 provided intermediate the ends of the valve stem 32.

Immediately above the enlargement 38 of the valve stem 32 there is provided a resilient sealing disc 40· constituted as a flat washer and through which the upper portion of the valve stem 32 passes.

To provide for passage of the pressurized fluid, the 25 hollow upper portion of the valve stem 32 has a side opening 44 disposed slightly above the valve seal member or washer 40.

In accordance with the invention, the combined onepiece plastic closure member and valve means 20 is ar30 ranged to provide a novel and effective bearing means for the valve stem 32 in an assemblage involving a clincher ring or ferrule by which the latter may be of simplified construction and may be especially economical to manufacture, as will be shortly brought out. One bearing sur35 face or support for the valve stem 32 is constituted by the annular seat 30 of the closure member 20, at the time that the valve stem is depressed, which will be explained in more detail below. To provide another bearing or support means which is spaced an appreciable distance ⁴⁰ above the first bearing means 30, the main barrel portion of the closure member is made to extend above the mounting and sealing flange 24 as shown and already mentioned, such extension (indicated at 46) being of larger external diameter than that part on the main barrel por₄₅ tion 22 which extends below the flange 24. The bearing ⁰ function of the extension 46 will shortly be described.

To accommodate the upper end 46 of the main barrel portion a stepped or dished clinching ring or ferrule 48 of relatively simple construction is provided, the said fer₅₀ rule having a main or large cylindrical body portion 50 which fits about the container neck 12 and about the sealing flange 24, such body portion having its lower edge or rim 52 crimped or turned inward so as to occupy the annular groove 16 and to engage under continual pres₅₅ sure the circular shoulder 17 of the container neck to effect a securement of the closure member to the container. The ferrule 48 has a ring-shaped outer top portion 53 which engages the upper surface of the flange 24, and has a smaller cylindrical portion 55 which surrounds ₆₀ and engages the upper part 46 of the main barrel portion 22 of the closure member. The ferrule 48 also has an inner perforated central top portion 57 through which the valve stem 32 passes, said inner top portion 57 engaging and retaining in place the valve sealing disc 40. Prefer₆₅ ably, as illustrated, the upper part 46 of the closure member has a circular recess 46α in which the valve sealing member 40 is disposed and by which it is held centralized with respect to the closure member.

The enlargement 38 on the valve stem 32 has a sliding fit in the bore of the upper part 46 of the closure member, and it will be seen that such sliding fit constitutes a second bearing means which is spaced an appreciable dis3,036,744 ³ tance from the lower bearing means 30, by virture of the provision of the upper extension constituted by the portion 46 of the closure member. The bore of the part 46 of the closure member has a plurality of longitudinal grooves 47 to enable the pressurized fluid to readily pass the bearing enlargement 38, and if desired the enlargement 38 may have notches 47α for the same purpose. This construction constitutes an important feature of the invention, in providing an effective and stable bearing and mounting for the valve stem 32 while enabling fluid to flow freely past the stem.

Further, with such construction the opening in the top center portion 57 of the ferrule, which is usually somewhat rough and not reamed smooth, need not be especially closely fitted to the valve stem 32 nor depended on to guide and provide a bearing for the stem, but instead may have a certain amount of clearance, this resulting in several distinct advantages. For one thing, by the avoidance of a snug, sliding fit or bearing there is eliminated the necessity for tight tolerances for the opening and valve stem diameters, and smooth finishing of the opening. For another thing the clearance provided by a larger opening about the valve stem 32 enables the valve to have an easier and much smoother action when depressed, without resorting to drifting or flanging the opening as was heretofore done. The valve stem 32 has an appreciable length from the lower extremity or end portion 34 thereof to the enlargement 38, said portion of appreciable length being surrounded by the compression spring 36 and the relatively great length of the spring 36 enabling it to have a desirable smooth action while always insuring proper return of the valve stem to its upper, sealing or shut-off position. Thus, the smooth action of the valve structure is further enhanced in this respect. Also, in addition to the spring 36 providing for the return of the valve stem, the spring fits fairly closely about the portion 34 of the stem, and also fits closely within the barrel portion 22 of the closure member whereby it constitutes a loose but effective guide for the body and lower portions 33, 34 of the stem. As seen in FIG. 1, the lower end of the stem 32 is chamfered or provided with a pronounced bevel, thereby to provide a leading edge which will always readily enter and pass through the valve seat 30 without obstruction, especially in conjunction with the guiding function of the spring as above explained. Normally, as seen in FIG. 1, the lower end or extremity of the stem 32 is disposed slightly above and out of contact with the valve seat 30, and upon the valve stem being depressed, the lower extremity thereof will be disposed below the valve seat 30, as shown by the dotted outline.

Preferably, as illustrated, the top center portion 57 of the ferrule 48 is made slightly convex and is surrounded by a peripheral bead 60, whereby a concavo-convex formation is imparted to the valve seal member 40 to increase the surface available for engagement by the annular valve stem enlargement 38. Also by the provision of the convex shape of the ferrule portion 59 high pressure sealing points are made to exist adjacent the outer periphery of the sealing member 40 and upper portion 46 of the closure member 20.

For the purpose of actuating the valve stem 32 a depress button or knob 62 is carried by the upper end portion of the valve stem, said knob having intersecting fluid discharge channels 63 and 64 and the latter channel communicating with a side nozzle or orifice member 65 on the knob.

With the above construction, the valve mechanism as shown may be actuated to its open position by applying a suitable downward pressure upon the depress knob 62. This will cause the knob to move downward, shifting with it the valve stem 32, whereupon the side opening 44 thereof will be shifted past the valve seal member 40. While this is occurring, the normally floating lower portion 34 of the valve stem will be moved downward into and through the valve seat 30, and the full circular cir4 cumference of the valve stem will completely fill the valve seat 30, shutting off the flow of pressurized fluid into the metering chamber occupied by the compression spring 36. The entrance of the side opening 44 into the said metering chamber will enable a charge of the pressurized fluid to be discharged through the hollow upper portion of the valve stem 32, and through the discharge channels 63 and 64 of the depress knob, said charge emerging from the nozzle or orifice 65. Upon release of the depressing force from the knob 62, the spring 36 will restore the valve stem 32 and the knob to the valve-closing positions shown in detail wherein the stem enlargements 38 engages the valve sealing member 40 and shuts off futher flow.

As shown in the figure, the lower portion 26 of the closure member 20 has a stepped bore comprising a largediameter channel 67 and a small diameter channel 69, there being an annular shoulder 71 at the point where the channels 67 and 69 meet. The shoulder 71 constitutes a positioning means for the dip tube 28, and the upper end of said tube is preferably press fitted into the lower portion 26 of the closure member, as shown. By such organization there is prevented any likelihood of the upper end of the dip tube cracking or becoming loose; further, the reduction in the diameter of the dip tube provides a desirable capillary action by v/hich the pressurized fluid is maintained at a high level within the metering chamber containing the compression spring 36.

It will now be understood from the foregoing that we have provided a novel and improved valve and container closure construction for an aerosol device whereby a desirable simplicity is obtained, both as relates to the number of parts or components involved and also the structures of these. Also, there is had a desirable economy of manufacture together with increased reliability and smoothness of operation, thereby making for an improved overall product.

The elimination of dependence on the ferrule 48 as a bearing for the valve stem 32, the provision of the combined sealing and bearing enlargement 38 on the valve stem in conjunction with the cooperable bearing surfaces in the upward extension 46, together with the relatively long compression spring and guiding action of the latter and appreciable length of the stem body and lower end 33, 34 all combine to provide the above improved result and action. The above listed advantages together with the ease and economy of manufacture are dependent on the provision of the novel, one-piece molded plastic combination closure and valve seat member 20 as provided by the invention, as will now be readily understood.

In the foregoing specification and in the appended claims reference is made to an “upward” direction or a “downward” direction; it will be understood that this is for convenience of description only, and is not to be taken in a limiting sense.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of the claims, and portions of the improvement may be used without others.