Aerosol valve having mechanism to reset flow shutoff if valve is tipped beyond a certain inclination from vertical

In an aerosol valve comprising:

• a. a cup-shaped valve body adapted to be installed facing outward in a mouth of an aerosol can;
• b. an annular resilient gasket sealingly disposed in the open end of said valve body;
• c. a valve stem comprising a tubular element snugly disposed in said gasket and having a lateral opening therein normally closed by said gasket and an enlarged head normally disposed against an underside of said gasket;
• d. spring means compressively disposed between said valve element and said valve body urging said valve element with the enlarged head against the underside of said gasket;
• e. said valve stem having a discharge passage therein and an outlet orifice;
• f. a dip tube operatively connected to said valve body so that said dip tube, said valve body, said lateral openings in said valve stem, and said tubular element constitute a flow path for the product through said valve;
• the improvement comprising a flow shutoff mechanism fixed in position with respect to said valve body and disposed along the product flow path and, in a first position, normally permitting flow therethrough, said flow shutoff mechanism including a generally vertical passage with a gravity-responsive element located adjacent the vertical passage, whereby when said aerosol valve is open and said aerosol valve is tipped beyond a certain angle from vertical, said gravity-responsive element becomes entrained in the product flow and moves up to a second position to block off the second opening to shutoff flow of product through said aerosol valve;
• and
• said valve includes a second downwardly extending tubular stem arranged to engage with said gravity-responsive element, when seated against said product flow passage, to move said flow shutoff mechanism to the first position and again allow the flow of product through said flow shutoff mechanism.

In a product container containing an aerosol valve, in which said aerosol valve comprising a valve body having a product inlet;

• a valve element being captively accommodate by said valve body and having a valve stem extending out from said valve body, and said valve element including a product outlet;
• spring means being compressively disposed between said valve element and said valve body for urging said valve element into a normally closed position for preventing the flow of product through said valve;
• a product flow path for product being defined through said valve and interconnecting said product inlet with said product outlet;
• a dip tube being connected to said product inlet of said valve body;
• and a flow shutoff mechanism being formed along the product flow path, said flow shutoff mechanism having a first position which permits the flow of product past said flow shutoff mechanism and a second position which prevents the flow of product therethrough;
• and
• said product container being sealed with respect to the environment and at least of said portion of said valve element projecting from a top exterior surface of said product container for actuation of said valve;
• the improvement wherein said valve element supports an extension which, upon further actuation of said valve element against the bias of said spring means, engages with said flow shutoff mechanism to positively move said flow shutoff mechanism from the second position towards the first position to again allow the flow of product past said flow shutoff mechanism.