Apparatus and method for dispensing liquids

An apparatus for discharge of liquid in stream or mist form including a container for holding a pressurized supply of liquid, passageway means for conveying liquid from said supply thereof to a nozzle having a nozzle opening for emitting said liquid in stream or mist form, a valve having at least one movable valve element operating with a sealing surface for regulating flow of liquid through said passageway means, and a filter for removing contaminants from liquid conveyed through said passageway means upstream of said nozzle opening, said filter being sized to restrict the flow of particles having a size as small as manufacturing debris resulting from the manufacture of plastics, said filter and said nozzle comprising a cartridge assembly that is a separable element from said apparatus, said passageway means extending to an assembly mounting passageway bore portion in said apparatus for frictionally receiving and thereby mounting said cartridge assembly to said apparatus, said cartridge assembly including a cylindrical sleeve with an outer wall forming a cylindrical assembly bore of a generally constant diameter and having said filter and nozzle mounted in the assembly bore at spaced locations in the direction the liquid is conveyed, said filter comprising a support ring mounted within said assembly bore and having a woven metal mesh extending in a transverse direction across the assembly bore, said support ring including a support ring side wall forming a filter flow passage communicating with said passageway means and supporting said woven metal mesh transversely across said filter flow passage, said nozzle comprising a nozzle side wall forming a rearward open flow passage for receiving liquid flow from said filter flow passage and a forward wall providing said nozzle opening, said support ring side wall and said nozzle side wall each being sized to frictionally engage said assembly bore and to thereby mount said filter and said nozzle in said assembly, and said assembly having a cylindrical shape with an axial length extending in the liquid flow direction and substantially all of said assembly axial length being received within said assembly mounting passageway bore portion with said nozzle opening being exposed for emitting liquid whereby said filter and nozzle are each self-retained in said sleeve and said sleeve is self-retained in said mounting passageway bore portion, such that separate retention elements and/or screw threading procedures for the assembly of the filter and nozzle into the sleeve to make the cartridge assembly and for operatively locating the cartridge assembly in the mounting passageway bore portion are avoided.

An actuator assembly for discharge of liquid from a container holding a pressurized supply of liquid and having a button arranged to operate a valve to regulate the supply of liquid to said actuator assembly, a filter and a nozzle, said nozzle having a nozzle opening for emitting said liquid in stream or mist form, passageway means for conveying liquid supplied to said actuator assembly to said nozzle opening, said filter being located in said passageway means upstream from said nozzle opening for removing contaminants from liquid conveyed through said passageway means, said filter and said nozzle comprising a cartridge assembly that is a separable element from said actuator assembly, said passageway means extending to an enlarged bore portion in said actuator assembly for frictionally receiving and thereby mounting said cartridge assembly to said actuator assembly, said cartridge assembly including a cylindrical sleeve forming a cartridge bore of a generally constant diameter and having said filter and nozzle mounted in the cartridge bore at spaced locations in the direction the liquid is conveyed, said filter comprising a support ring mounted within said cartridge bore upstream of said nozzle opening and having a woven metal mesh extending in a transverse direction across the cartridge bore, said support ring including a support ring side wall forming a filter flow passage communicating with said passageway means and supporting said woven metal mesh transversely across said filter flow passage, said nozzle comprising a nozzle side wall forming a rearward open flow passage for receiving liquid flow from said filter flow passage and a forward wall providing said nozzle opening, said support ring side wall and said nozzle side wall each being sized to frictionally engage said cartridge bore and to thereby mount said filter and said nozzle in said cartridge assembly, whereby said filter and nozzle are each self-retained in said sleeve and said sleeve is self-retained in said enlarged bore portion, such that separate retention elements and/or screw threading procedures for the assembly of the filter and nozzle into the sleeve to make the cartridge assembly and for operatively locating the cartridge assembly in the enlarged bore portion are avoided.

An actuator assembly for discharge of liquid from a container holding a pressurized supply of liquid and having a button arranged to operate a valve to regulate the supply of liquid to said actuator assembly, said actuator assembly including a filter and a nozzle located downstream of said valve, said nozzle having a nozzle opening for emitting said liquid in stream or mist form, passageway means for conveying liquid supplied to said actuator assembly to said nozzle opening, a cylindrical cartridge that is a separable element from said actuator assembly, said passageway means extending to an enlarged bore portion in said actuator assembly for frictionally receiving and thereby mounting said cartridge to said actuator assembly, said cartridge having a cylindrical sleeve forming a cartridge bore of generally constant diameter for conveying liquid, said filter and said nozzle being mounted in said cartridge bore with said filter being located upstream from said nozzle opening for removing contaminants from liquid conveyed through said passageway means, said support ring including a cylindrical support wall forming a filter flow passage communicating with said passageway means and supporting said woven metal mesh transversely across said filter flow passage, said nozzle comprising a cylindrical nozzle wall forming a rearward open flow passage and a forward wall providing said nozzle opening, said cylindrical support wall and said cylindrical nozzle wall each being sized to frictionally engage said cartridge bore and to thereby mount said filter and said nozzle in said cartridge, whereby said filter and nozzle are each self-retained in said sleeve and said sleeve is self-retained in said enlarged bore portion, such that separate retention elements and/or screw threading procedures for the assembly of the filter and nozzle into the sleeve to make the cartridge assembly and for operatively locating the cartridge assembly in the enlarged bore portion are avoided.