Container for flowable materials or fluids with adapters to avoid clogging of the container

#1. Field of Invention

#This invention pertains to aerosol containers and more particularly a dispensing apparatus comprising an adapter in combination with the aerosol container to enable multiple subsequent use of the aerosol container and overcome clogging of the fluid or material in the container aerosol discharge valve.

#2. Technology Review

#FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of an aerosol container with a trigger mechanism for activating the discharge valve for dispensing a material or fluid from the container and showing the adapter means of this invention above the trigger mechanism;

#FIG. 2 is a front elevation view similar to FIG. 1 but with the trigger handle rotated upwardly while disposed within a hollow cap for the container;

#FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial front elevation view of the upper container with the trigger mechanism removed;

#Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference character indicate like parts, shown generally is an aerosol container 10 for dispensing materials or fluid under pressure for application to substrates. The container 10 has a trigger mechanism 12 secured to the top end of the can 10 for providing bias engagement with the discharge mechanism of the container 10 and to facilitate discharge of the material or fluid. The trigger mechanism 12 includes a central opening 11 for receiving the upwardly extending discharge valve 18 which in turn receives the adapter means of this invention. The adapter means comprises a dispensing tip 22 and a depending sleeve insert 20 adapted to be retrofitted into the discharge valve 18 of the aerosol can 10. The trigger mechanism 12 includes a hinge 13 connected to trigger handle 14 adapted to rotate the handle 14 upwardly and reversely to enable the entire handle mechanism 12 to fit within a hollow removable top 16 attached to the top of aerosol container 10 when not in use, as shown in FIG. 2. The reversely rotated handle 14 becomes vertically aligned within the outermost circular periphery of the exterior of the container to provide full containment of the rotated mechanism within the cap 16 attached to the container 10. The trigger mechanism 12 has a forward clip point 15 for tightly engaging a top circular peripheral lip ring 17 surrounding the discharge valve 18 and located radially inward and at the uppermost top of the aerosol container 10.

#In accordance with this invention, the container 10 can be retrofitted with an adapter means comprising the tubular internal sleeve insert 20 shown in FIG. 6 and the external tubular dispensing tip 22 shown in FIG. 5, where the sleeve insert 20 slip fits within the dispensing tip 22 in use as shown in FIG. 1. The discharge valve 18 is a spring biased cylindrical hollow tube extending upwardly and operative to expel material or fluid from the container under pressure by applying a biased force to the side of the upwardly extending tube. The sleeve insert 20 has a lower extended hollow narrow tube 24 adapted to be inserted within the discharge valve 18 of a conventional aerosol container 10. The sleeve insert 20 has an upper enlarged hollow neck 26 for fitting within and engaging the midsection 28 of the dispensing tip 22, while the lower tube 24 end is inserted within the discharge valve 18 of the container 10. In use, the interior sleeve insert 20 can be slip fitted within the dispensing tip 22, which together can be inserted by the tube end 24 into the discharge nozzle 18 of the aerosol container 10. Alternatively, the sleeve insert 20 and dispensing tip 28 combination can be inserted into the valve 18 after the trigger mechanism 12 is already attached to the aerosol container 10 with the container discharge valve 18 extending upwardly through opening 11 provided in the trigger mechanism 12.

#In FIG. 3, the top end of an aerosol container 10 is shown with the discharge valve 18 of the aerosol container 10 along with plastic holder ring 19 supporting upright the sleeve insert 20 and dispensing tip 22 prior to retrofitting into the existing container discharge valve 18. Similar to FIG. 3, shown in FIG. 9 is a vertical section view along lines 9-9 in FIG. 10 of the upper ring holder 19 shown in FIG. 3 and supporting the discharge tip 22 and the sleeve insert 20 prior to use by attachment to the existing discharge valve 18 of the aerosol container 10. FIG. 10 is a full bottom view of the plastic ring holder 19 shown in FIG. 9 where the ring holder 19 contains four, but can contain up to six, radially orientated circumferentially spaced circular openings with openings disposed on either side of the ring holder 19. The openings 32 on the left side accommodate and provide support for two or three dispensing tips 22, while the openings 34 on the right side accommodate and provide support for two or three sleeve inserts 20 prior to use in a manner shown in FIG. 3. The plastic ring holder 19 comprises a discontinuous circular ring having an internal central opening 36 adapted to accommodate the trigger mechanism 12 and discharge valve 18 protruding through the central opening 36. The discontinuous circular ring 19 contains a space or discontinuity defined by an arcuate opening 40 in the circumference of the ring to accommodate the trigger handle 14 in use. The arcuate opening 40 is diametrically opposite to a notched opening 38 in the circular ring 19 to accommodate the forward clip point 15 of the trigger mechanism 12 engaging the uppermost round lip 17 of the aerosol container 10. The plastic ring holder 19 conveniently supports replacement dispersing tips 22 and sleeve inserts 20 during shipping and subsequent uses.