Aerosol container with position-sensitive shut-off valve

An aerosol container for delivering liquid aerosol compositions highly concentrated with respect to the active ingredient at a low delivery rate, comprising, in combination, a pressurizable container having a delivery valve movable between open and closed positions, a valve stem and a delivery port;

• an aerosol-conveying passage in the valve stem leading to the delivery port;
• wall means defining a blending space and a storage space and separating the blending space from liquid aerosol composition and propellant within the container;
• a valve stem orifice in the valve stem in flow connection at one end with the blending space and at the other end with an aerosol-conveying valve stem passage leading to the delivery port;
• the valve stem orifice having a diameter within the range from about 0.33 to about 0.65 mm;
• bias means for holding the valve in a closed position;
• means for manipulating the valve against the bias means to an open position for expulsion of aerosol composition via the valve stem orifice to the delivery port;
• at least one liquid tap orifice through the wall means, having a cross-sectional open area within the range from about 0.2 to about 0.8 mm.sup.2 for flow of liquid aerosol composition from the storage space into the blending space;
• at least one vapor tap orifice through the wall means, having a cross-sectional open area within the range from about 0.2 to about 0.8 mm.sup.2 for flow of propellant from the storage space into the blending space;
• the ratio of liquid tap orifice to vapor tap orifice cross-sectional open area being within the range from about 0.5 to about 2.5;
• the open areas of the liquid tap orifice and vapor tap orifice being selected within the stated ranges to provide a volume ratio of propellant gas:liquid aerosol composition within the range from about 8:1 to about 40:1, thereby limiting the delivery rate of liquid aerosol composition from the container when the delivery valve is opened;
• all flow from the storage space to the delivery port proceeding via the liquid tap orifice or gas tap orifice, blending space and aerosol-conveying valve stem passage to the delivery port;
• and a shut-off valve positioned across the line of flow between the storage space and the delivery port and responsive to orientation of the container to move under the force of gravity between positions opening and closing off flow at least of liquefied propellant to the delivery port, the shut-off valve moving into an open position in an orientation of the container between the horizontal and an upright position, and moving into a closed position in an orientation of the container between the horizontal and an inverted position.

An aerosol container for use with compositions containing liquefied flammable propellants, and having a shut-off valve closing off flow through an open manually-operated delivery valve whenever the container is tipped from the upright position beyond the horizontal towards a fully inverted position, comprising, in combination, a pressurizable container having at least one foam compartment and at least one storage compartment for an aerosol composition and a liquefied propellant in which storage compartment propellant can assume an orientation according to orientation of the container between a horizontal and an upright position, and a horizontal and inverted position;

• a delivery valve movable manually between open and closed positions, and including a valve stem and a delivery port;
• an aerosol-conveying passage in the valve stem in flow connection at one end with the foam and storage compartments and at the other end with the delivery port, manipulation of the delivery valve opening and closing the passage to flow of aerosol composition and propellant from the storage compartment via the foam compartment to the delivery port;
• wall means defining the foam compartment in the container, the foam compartment being in direct flow connection with the aerosolconveying passage and with the storage compartment;
• all flow between the storage compartment and the delivery port proceeding via the foam compartment and aerosol-conveying passage in the valve stem;
• and porous bubbler means having through pores interposed between the foam and storage compartments with the through pores communicating the compartments, the pores being of sufficiently small dimensions to restrict flow of propellant gas from the storage compartment therethrough and form bubbles of such gas in liquid aerosol composition in the foam compartment across the line of flow from the bubbler to the delivery valve, thereby to foam the aerosol composition upon opening of the delivery valve to atmospheric pressure, and to expel foamed aerosol composition through the open valve;
• and a shut-off valve positioned across the line of flow from the storage compartment to the delivery port and responsive to orientation of the container to move under the force of gravity between positions opening and closing off flow at least of liquefied propellant to the delivery port, the shut-off valve moving into an open position in an orientation of the container between a horizontal and an upright position, and moving into a closed position in an orientation of the container between the horizontal and an inverted position.

An aerosol container for use with compositions containing liquefied flammable propellants, and having a shut-off valve closing off flow through an open manually-operated delivery valve whenever the container is tipped from the upright position beyond the horizontal towards the fully inverted position, the container comprising, in combination, a pressurizable container having at least one foam compartment and at least one storage compartment for an aerosol composition and a liquefied propellant, in which storage, compartment propellant can assume an orientation according to orientation of the container between a horizontal and an upright position, and a horizontal and inverted position;

• a delivery valve movable manually between open and closed positions, and including a valve stem and a delivery port;
• an aerosol-conveying passage in the valve stem in flow connection at one end with the foam and storage compartments and at the other end with the delivery port, manipulation of the delivery valve opening and closing the passage to flow of aerosol composition and propellant from the storage compartment via the foam compartment to the delivery port;
• wall means defining the foam compartment;
• the foam compartment having a volume of at least 0.5 cc and being in direct flow connection with the aerosol-conveying passage and with the storage compartment;
• all flow between the storage compartment and the delivery port proceeding via the foam compartment and aerosol-conveying passage in the valve stem;
• at least one first liquid tap orifice having a diameter within the range from about 0.012 to about 0.2 cm and communicating the foam and storage compartment for flow of liquid aerosol composition into the foam compartment from the storage compartment, and of sufficiently small dimensions to restrict flow of liquid aerosol composition therethrough;
• the ratio of foam compartment volume/first orifice diameter being from about 10/x to about 400/x, where x is 1 when the orifice length is less than 1 cm, and 2 when the orifice length is 1 cm or more;
• at least one second gas tap orifice having a total cross-sectional open area within the range from about 7 .times. 10.sup.-6 to about 20 .times. 10.sup.-4 in.sup.2 and communicating the foam and storage compartments for flow of propellant into the foam compartment from the storage compartment therethrough, and of sufficiently small dimensions to restrict flow of propellant gas and form bubbles of such gas in liquid aerosol composition across the line of flow thereof to the valve, thereby to foam the aerosol composition upon opening of the valve to atmospheric pressure, and to expel foamed aerosol composition through the open delivery valve;
• and a shut-off valve positioned across the line of flow from the storage compartment to the delivery port and responsive to orientation of the container to move under the force of gravity between positions opening and closing off flow at least of liquefied propellant to the delivery port, the shut-off valve moving into an open position in an orientation of the container between a horizontal and an upright position, and moving into a closed position in an orientation of the container between the horizontal and an inverted position.