Aerosol dispenser temperature indicator
AssigneeIllinois Tool Works Inc.
InventorsMark Christopher Hammarth, William Henry Passarotti
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A liquid crystal temperature indicator, and aerosol dispensers equipped with a properly placed indicator, to facilitate using aerosols within preferred temperature ranges or at optimum temperatures. The temperature indicator uses different colors to graphically illustrate temperatures and/or temperature ranges, as well as temperatures above and below optimal temperatures or preferred temperature ranges. Temperature indicators are reusable; they may be self-adhesive and may optionally be transferred from one dispenser to another.
Claims20
A method of making an aerosol, the method comprising:
- providing a container having inner and outer surfaces;
- adding liquid to said container;
- pressurizing said liquid in said container;
- measuring temperature on a portion of said container outer surface with a liquid crystal indicator adhered to said portion of said outer surface, said portion of said container outer surface being opposite a corresponding portion of said container inner surface, and said corresponding portion of said inner surface contacting said pressurized liquid, said liquid crystal indicator being positioned at or below a lowest expected level of said liquid in said container;
- comparing said measured temperature to a predetermined standard;
- controlling heat flow to said container for adjusting said measured temperature to within a preferred temperature range;
- and
- releasing said pressurized liquid from said container as an aerosol when said measured temperature is within said preferred range.
An aerosol dispenser, comprising:
- a container for pressurized liquid;
- an aerosol dispenser nozzle sealingly coupled to said container;
- a liquid feed tube sealingly coupled to said nozzle for conducting said pressurized liquid to said nozzle;
- a valve for controlling liquid flow from said feed tube to said nozzle;
- and
- a liquid crystal temperature indicator adhered to said container for estimating temperature of said pressurized liquid, said liquid crystal temperature indicator being positioned at or below a lowest expected level of said liquid in said container.
An aerosol dispenser, comprising
- a container for pressurized liquid, said container comprising a bottom spaced apart from a top by a side portion;
- an aerosol dispenser nozzle sealingly coupled to said container top;
- a liquid feed tube sealingly coupled to said nozzle for conducting said pressurized liquid to said nozzle, said feed tube extending within said container from said nozzle toward said bottom;
- a valve for controlling liquid flow from said feed tube to said nozzle;
- and
- a liquid crystal temperature indicator adhered to said container side portion adjacent to said container bottom.
An aerosol dispenser, comprising:
- a container for pressurized liquid;
- liquid crystal means for estimating temperature of said pressurized liquid, said liquid crystal means being positioned at or below a lowest expected level of said liquid in said container;
- means for comparing said estimated temperature with a temperature standard;
- temperature adjusting means for adjusting said estimated temperature to said temperature standard;
- and
- means for releasing said pressurized liquid as an aerosol.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.