Oversized actuator and actuator assembly for a pressurized plastic vessel

An oversized actuator for a plastic vessel for a product under pressure, the plastic vessel having a neck portion, a valve cup fastened to the neck portion, and a pressure valve extending from the valve cup, the valve cup having a valve cup cross-sectional area, the actuator comprising:

• an actuating surface having an actuating surface cross-sectional area that is larger than the valve cup cross-sectional area, a valve interface, a dispensing nozzle and an outer edge,
• a sidewall,
• an adaptor configured to fasten the sidewall and the actuating surface to the valve cup on the plastic vessel;
• and
• at least one flexible hinge that movably connects the actuating surface to the sidewall, the at least one flexible hinge being configured to permit the actuating surface to pivot from an open position away from the adaptor to a closed position adjacent to the adaptor;
• wherein the actuating surface, sidewall, adaptor and flexible hinge are constructed from a unitary piece of molded plastic material;
• and
• when the actuating surface is in the closed position, activating the actuating surface will cause the valve interface to engage the pressure valve on the plastic vessel to permit the product under pressure to pass out of the plastic vessel through the dispensing nozzle.

A container for a product under pressure, comprising:

• a plastic vessel having a neck portion;
• a valve cup fastened to the neck portion, the valve cup having a valve cup cross-sectional area,
• a pressure valve extending from the valve cup;
• an actuator body comprising a unitary piece of molded plastic material, the unitary piece of molded plastic material forming
• an actuating surface having an actuating surface cross-sectional area that is larger than the valve cup cross-sectional area, the actuating surface further having an outer edge, a valve interface and a dispensing nozzle,
• a sidewall,
• a gap separating the sidewall from the outer edge of the actuating surface,
• at least one bridge spanning the gap between the actuating surface and the sidewall, said at least one bridge connecting a portion of the actuating surface to a section of the sidewall, wherein the actuating surface is permitted to move relative to the sidewall by pivoting about the bridge,
• a flip-open undercap having a base wall configured to permit the actuator and the plastic vessel to stand upright on a substantially flat supporting surface while the actuator body and the plastic vessel are fastened together, and
• at least one flexible hinge that movably connects the flip-open undercap to the sidewall and permits the flip-open undercap to pivot between an open position away from the actuating surface and a closed position adjacent to the actuating surface;
• and
• an adaptor configured to fasten the actuator body to the valve cup so that activating the actuating surface will cause the valve interface to open the pressure valve on the plastic vessel to permit the product under pressure to pass out of the plastic vessel through the dispensing nozzle.