Dual function self-pressurized aerosol actuator overcap

An aerosol actuator overcap for a self-pressurized container having a central long axis and being filled with an atomizable liquid and fitted at one end with an aerosol valve having a valve stem with a free end extending away from the valve and a hollow bore placing the free end in pressurized flow communication with the liquid when the valve stem is moved from its normally closed position to an open position, the overcap comprising

• a shell adapted to be fixed to an outside surface of the container in such a manner that
• a cavity of an aerosol actuator button, the aerosol button being movably fixed to the shell at a hinge point and comprising a vertical portion extending parallel to the central long axis of the container on which it is to be affixed from the hinge point to a horizontal portion which is perpendicular to the vertical portion and extends over the valve and the horizontal portion has a top and bottom portion where the cavity is located in the bottom portion thereof and is in flow communication with an orifice in the top portion facing away from the container, is adapted to sealingly receive the free end of the valve stem such that the hollow bore is placed in flow communication with the orifice to permit atomization of the liquid outside of the container when the actuator button and the stem are moved from a normal non-atomizing position with the valve stem in its closed position to an atomizing position with the valve stem in its open position,
• a catch formed on a surface of the actuator button, and
• an arm that is flexibly affixed to the shell by way of a living hinge in a normally non-engaging position and is movable by a user to an engaging position for releasable locking engagement with the catch,
• wherein the aerosol actuator button may be unrestrictedly moved by the user to and from the atomizing position while the arm is in its non-engaging position, and
• wherein the arm is manually engageable with the catch by the user while the aerosol actuator button is held in the atomizing position to retain the actuator button in its atomizing position and thereby provide a continuous flow of atomized liquid from the container, and
• wherein the continuous flow of atomized liquid may be stopped when the user moves the actuator button a sufficient amount in the direction of the atomizing position to permit the arm to return to its non-engaged position without any contact of the arm by the user, thereby permitting the actuator button to return to its normal non-atomizing position.