# US 10,501,243 B2 · Vent assembly and reservoirs including the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,501,243 B2 - Document ID: US10501243B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/416,189 - Filed: 2013-07-25 - Published: 2015-07-23 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2012-07-27 - Assignees: 3M Innovative Properties Company - Applicants: 3M Innovative Properties Company - Inventors: Claudia M. Mulvaney; Brian E. Duncan; Daniel E. Siltberg - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10501243B2 ## CPC - B65D 47/32: with means for venting - B05B 7/2408: {characterised by the container or its attachment means to the spray apparatus} - B05B 7/2478: {Gun with a container which, in normal use, is located above the gun} - B65D 41/0471: {with means for positioning the cap on the container, or for limiting the movement of the cap, or for preventing accidental loosening of the cap} - B65D: CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES - B05B: SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES (spray-mixers with nozzles B01F25/72; processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces by spraying B05D) ## Abstract Vent assemblies movable between a vented position and a non-vented position are described along with reservoirs in which the vent assemblies may be used. The vent assemblies each include an aperture and a closure member. The closure member is configured for movement along a cam surface to generate a compressive force such that a sealing surface on the closure member is forced against the wall of the reservoir and over the aperture such that the vent assembly is in the non-vented position. The closure member movement may be, e.g., rotational or linear (i.e., translational) when moving between the vented and unvented positions. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vent assembly comprising: an aperture formed in a wall of a reservoir, wherein the reservoir defines an interior volume, and wherein the aperture is in fluid communication with the interior volume of the reservoir; a closure member retained on the wall of the reservoir proximate the aperture, wherein the closure member is configured for movement between a vented position and an unvented position, wherein the closure member comprises a sealing surface that closes the aperture when the closure member is in the unvented position, and wherein the sealing surface does not close the aperture when the closure member is in the vented position; a closure member retainer, wherein the closure member retainer is configured to retain the closure member on the wall of the reservoir when the closure member is in the vented position; and a cam surface configured to generate a compressive force on the closure member when the closure member is moved into the unvented position, wherein the compressive force forces the sealing surface of the closure member against the wall of the reservoir when the sealing surface is positioned over the aperture, wherein the closure member is configured for rotation about an axis extending through the wall of the reservoir into the interior volume when moving between the vented position and the unvented position. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vent assembly according to claim 1, wherein the cam surface is located between the closure member and the wall of the reservoir, wherein rotation of the closure member from the vented position to the unvented position generates a compressive force between the closure member retainer and the cam surface such that the sealing surface of the closure member is forced against the against the wall of the reservoir when the sealing surface is positioned over the aperture. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The vent assembly according to claim 1, wherein closure member is mounted on a post extending from the wall of the reservoir, wherein the closure member is configured for rotation on the post; and wherein the closure member retainer is located on the post and configured to retain the closure member on the post when the closure member is in the vented position, and further wherein the compressive force is generated between the closure member retainer and the cam surface when the sealing surface is positioned over the aperture. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The vent assembly according to claim 3, wherein the closure member retainer comprises a shoulder extending outwardly from the post relative to the axis. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The vent assembly according to claim 4, wherein the closure member comprises an inner surface facing the post and a top surface facing away from the wall of the reservoir, wherein the closure member comprises a stepped transition between the inner surface and the top surface wherein a top edge of the inner surface does not coincide with an inner edge of the top surface of the closure member. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The vent assembly according to claim 5, wherein the shoulder of the closure member retainer contacts the top edge of the inner surface of the closure member when the closure member is in the unvented position. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The vent assembly according to claim 1, wherein the aperture extends through the cam surface. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The vent assembly according to claim 7, wherein the cam surface comprises an aperture surface portion that is located in a plane that is perpendicular to the axis about which the closure member rotates, and wherein the aperture extends through the aperture surface portion of the cam surface. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The vent assembly according to claim 1, wherein the reservoir comprises an opening and a detachable lid configured to close the opening when the lid is attached to the reservoir over the opening. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The vent assembly according to claim 9, wherein the reservoir comprises a base located opposite the opening, and wherein the aperture is located in the base. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The vent assembly according to claim 9, wherein the aperture of the vent assembly is located in the lid. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The vent assembly according to claim 1, wherein the vent assembly comprises a stop configured to limit movement of the closure member in one direction when the closure member is in the unvented position. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The vent assembly according to claim 12, wherein the stop protrudes from the wall of the reservoir. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The vent assembly according to claim 12, wherein the stop is located proximate the cam surface. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The vent assembly according to claim 1, wherein the vent assembly comprises a plurality of apertures and wherein the closure member comprises a plurality of sealing surfaces, wherein each aperture of the plurality of apertures is closed by a sealing surface of the plurality of sealing surfaces when the closure member is in the unvented position. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The vent assembly according to claim 15, wherein the closure member comprises a plurality of relief surfaces, wherein a relief surface is positioned above each aperture of the plurality of apertures when the closure member is in the vented position. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The vent assembly according to claim 15, wherein the vent assembly comprises a plurality of cam surfaces, and wherein each aperture of the plurality of apertures is located in a cam surface of the plurality of cam surfaces, and further wherein each aperture of the plurality of apertures is closed by a sealing surface of the plurality of sealing surfaces when the closure member is in the unvented position. ### Claim 18 A method of opening and closing a vent assembly, wherein the method comprises: moving a closure member along a cam surface between an unvented position and a vented position, wherein a sealing surface on the closure member closes an aperture when the closure member is in the unvented position, and wherein in the vented position, the sealing surface does not close the aperture; wherein movement of the closure member from the vented position to the unvented position generates a compressive force on the closure member such that the sealing surface of the closure member is forced against the wall of a reservoir when the sealing surface is positioned over the aperture, and wherein the reservoir defines an interior volume and the closure member is configured for rotation about an axis extending through the wall of the reservoir into the interior volume when moving between the vented position and the unvented position. ### Claim 19 A method of opening and closing a vent assembly, wherein the method comprises: rotating a closure member along a cam surface mounted on a post extending from a wall of a reservoir, wherein the reservoir defines an interior volume, wherein the closure member rotates on the post about an axis extending through the post and the wall into the interior volume of the reservoir, wherein the closure member rotates between an unvented position and a vented position, wherein in the unvented position a sealing surface on the closure member closes the aperture, and wherein in the vented position, the sealing surface does not close the aperture; and wherein rotation of the closure member from the vented position to the unvented position generates a compressive force on the closure member between a closure member retainer on the post and a cam surface on the wall of the reservoir such that the sealing surface of the closure member is forced wall of the reservoir when the sealing surface is positioned over the aperture. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method according to claim 19, wherein the closure member retainer comprises a shoulder located on an exterior surface of the post, and wherein the closure member is compressed between the shoulder and the cam surface when the closure member is in the unvented position. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The method according to claim 20, wherein the closure member comprises an inner surface facing the post and a top surface facing away from the wall of the reservoir, wherein the closure member comprises a stepped transition between the inner surface and the top surface wherein a top edge of the inner surface does not coincide with an inner edge of the top surface of the closure member, and further wherein the shoulder of the closure member retainer contacts the top edge of the inner surface of the closure member when the closure member is in the unvented position.