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US 3,937,368 AGranted
Aerosol actuator nozzle
AssigneesElmer Hoagland, Curtis Ailes
InventorHarold G. Hoagland
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The assembly includes an actuator nozzle telescopically fitted to an aerosol valve and rotatable with respect thereto. The actuator includes a skirt portion which interfits with a locking ring to maintain it on the valve. The interfitted skirt portion is preferably tilted with respect to the telescopically fitted portion of the actuator to provide an initial tilt to the aerosol valve for ease of opening. The locking ring preferably also includes means for locking the actuator by rotation of the actuator to prevent opening of the valve.
Claims14
An actuator nozzle assembly for an aerosol container of the type having a tubular valve stem protruding at the center of one axial end thereof, comprising
- an actuator which is rotatable with respect to the valve stem when assembled therewith,
- said actuator comprising a member defining a cylinder surface operable to telescopically interfit with the valve stem to have a sliding fit therewith,
- said actuator including a skirt portion having a radially outwardly extending flange,
- the upper surface of said flange generally defining a plane,
- a locking ring arranged for assembly to the upper edge portion of the aerosol container,
- said locking ring having a radially inwardly extending flange portion which interlocks with the upper surface of said radially outwardly extending flange of said skirt portion of said actuator to maintain said actuator in assembled relationship with the valve stem of the aerosol container,
- said locking ring including at least two integral locking abutments extending radially inwardly from the inside walls thereof beneath said skirt portion and arranged to abut lower surfaces of said skirt portion to thereby lock said actuator against downward movement to prevent actuation of the associated aerosol container valve,
- said lower surfaces of said skirt portion engaged by said locking abutments having reduced radius portions corresponding to each of said locking abutments,
- said actuator being rotatable to position said reduced radius portions opposite to said abutments to thereby disengage said skirt portion from said locking abutments to unlock said actuator,
- said skirt portion of said actuator including a plurality of cantilever spring members extending downwardly therefrom and arranged to exert spring forces radially outwardly against the inner surface of said locking ring;
- said inner surface of said locking ring including discontinuities operable in cooperation with said cantilever spring members to provide a detent spring force for rotational indexing operation of said actuator between at least one locked rotational position in which said skirt portion is locked with said locking abutments and at least one unlocked rotational position in which said skirt portion is disengaged from said locking abutments,
- said lower surfaces of said skirt portion engaged by said locking abutments comprising the lower ends of said cantilever spring members.
9 more elements
An actuator nozzle assembly for an aerosol container of the type having a tubular valve stem protruding at the center of one axial end thereof, comprising
- an actuator which is rotatable with respect to the valve stem when assembled therewith,
- said actuator comprising a member defining a cylinder surface operable to telescopically interfit with the valve stem to have a sliding fit therewith,
- said actuator including a skirt portion having a radially outwardly extending flange,
- the upper surface of said flange generally defining a plane,
- a locking ring arranged for assembly to the upper edge portion of the aerosol container,
- said locking ring having a radially inwardly extending flange portion which interlocks with the upper surface of said radially outwardly extending flange of said skirt portion of said actuator to maintain said actuator in assembled relationship with the valve stem of the aerosol container,
- said locking ring including at least two integral locking abutments extending radially inwardly from the inside walls thereof beneath said skirt portion and arranged to abut lower surfaces of said skirt portion to thereby lock said actuator against downward movement to prevent actuation of the associated aerosol container valve,
- said lower surfaces of said skirt portion engaged by said locking abutments having reduced radius portions corresponding to each of said locking abutments,
- said actuator being rotatable to position said reduced radius portions opposite to said abutments to thereby disengage said skirt portion from said locking abutments to unlock said actuator,
- said skirt portion of said actuator including a plurality of cantilever spring members extending downwardly therefrom and arranged to exert spring forces radially outwardly against the inner surface of said locking ring,
- said inner surface of said locking ring including discontinuities operable in cooperation with said cantilever spring members to provide a detent spring force for rotational indexing operation of said actuator between at least one locked rotational position in which said skirt portion is locked with said locking abutments and at least one unlocked rotational position in which said skirt portion is disengaged from said locking abutments,
- said locking ring having a circumferential groove in a surface thereof to frictionally engage and secure said locking ring to the upper edge portion of the associated aerosol container.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.