DE20003479U1 - Dispensing head for a pressure vessel with a valve - Google Patents

Description

Dispensing head for a pressure vessel equipped with a valve

The invention relates to a dispensing head for a pressure vessel provided with a valve according to claim 1.

Pressure containers that contain material that is released under pressure via a corresponding valve when activated have become known in a wide variety of designs and types of application. So-called aerosol packs are particularly well known, the contents of which are pressed out through a release opening using a propellant gas (spray cans). The valve is usually a component of such a container. The container, usually a cylindrical can made of sheet metal, has an upper opening whose edge is flanged. A valve plate is pressed onto the flanged edge by press forming at the edge, whereby

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Patent Attorneys ■ European Patent Attorneys ■ Authorized Representatives before the European Patent Office
Authorised representatives at the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market

Lawyer: admitted to the Hamburg courts

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A seal between these parts ensures that the pressurized gas does not escape to the outside. The valve plate contains a separate valve, which is also held in place by compression and which is connected to a riser pipe on the inside, through which the material flows out to a discharge opening or nozzle. The valve is actuated by an upwardly projecting tappet, which is either part of the valve or part of an actuating section of a cap that is placed on the container and which has the discharge opening or nozzle.

The actuating section is usually connected in one piece to the hood-like dispensing head, which is usually made of plastic material, e.g. polypropylene, and is attached to the container via a snap connection.

If no special precautions are taken, the valve of the pressure vessel will be actuated when the actuating section is actuated. It is understood that such actuation can also occur unintentionally, e.g. if a can of hairspray is in a bag and pressure or impact is exerted on the bag. Undesirable actuation can also occur when handling already filled bottles before delivery and during transport to customers.

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It is already known to design a dispensing head in two or more parts with a first part that is fixedly mounted on the pressure vessel via a snap connection and a second part that holds the actuating section and the dispensing opening, whereby the upper part can be rotated between two rotational positions, which are identified by corresponding markings. The actuating section can only be actuated and thus the substance to be dispensed can only be dispensed in one rotational position.

The invention is based on the object of creating a dispensing head for pressure vessels which is easy to manufacture and assemble and which contains a particularly simple safety precaution to prevent unwanted dispensing.

This object is solved by the features of claim 1.

In the dispensing head according to the invention, a ring element is secured against rotation on the valve plate, which according to a further embodiment of the invention can be made of plastic, preferably of a dimensionally stable plastic material. The rotational security of the ring element is achieved by means of a frictional connection, for example by applying sufficient spring tension to prevent the ring from rotating on the valve plate. According to one embodiment of the invention, however, it is also conceivable to provide the edge of the valve plate with slots, recesses or the like in order to thereby ensure the frictional connection between the ring and

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element and valve plate and thus create greater resistance to twisting.

The ring element has at least one recess that extends over a predetermined circumferential length. At least one radially extending projection is provided on the dispensing head, which interacts with the recess and thus limits the rotation of the dispensing head. The actuating section in the dispensing head has an inner, downward-pointing pin-shaped projection that interacts with a radial, segment-shaped control surface of the ring element when the dispensing head is in a predetermined rotational end position. If the dispensing head is rotated from this position to the other end position, the pin-shaped projection can penetrate into the ring element unhindered and thus enable dispensing via the valve. In other words, in one rotational end position of the dispensing head, the actuation of the actuating section is blocked due to the interaction of the pin-shaped projection and control surface, while in the other rotational end position of the dispensing head, actuation is possible.

The dispensing head according to the invention can be manufactured and assembled in a simple manner. The same applies to the ring element, which can be prefabricated as a unit with the dispensing head. When bringing the ring element and dispensing head together, the parts do not need to be aligned with each other. They can be put together in any way. A relative rotation of the two parts leads to

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the radial projection snaps into the recess of the ring element, if it is not already in the ring element. As soon as the radial projection is in the recess, the two rotational end positions for the head are determined and thus also the orientation of the pin-like projection relative to the control surface.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the radial projection is arranged on the inside of the annular cylindrical skirt of the dispensing head. According to a further embodiment of the invention, the projection is formed by a radial rib of the dispensing head.

The pin-shaped projection and the recess can be designed in such a way that after a left-hand rotation of the dispensing head as far as it will go, the pin-shaped projection lies outside the control surface and after a right-hand rotation as far as it will go, the pin-shaped projection lies above the control surface. Therefore, when assembling the dispensing head, a right-hand rotation can always be carried out, preferably automatically, so that the ring element and dispensing head are in the "safety position".

According to a further embodiment of the invention, the ring element has an outer ring groove into which an inner radial projection of the dispensing head engages. Preferably, a circumferential ring rib is formed. In this way, the ring element and dispensing head can be snapped into one another, but allow

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nevertheless a relative rotation. In order to stabilize the dispensing head, according to one embodiment of the invention, two or more guide ribs can be provided on the inside of the dispensing head, which rest on the ring element. This prevents the dispensing head from tipping over, at least as long as the radial projection of the head engages in the outer ring groove of the ring element.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, a skirt of the ring element extends until it rests against the container. The lower end of the skirt of the dispensing head ends at a distance from the container, so that the lower section of the ring element skirt is visible from the outside. This can be used to give the ring element a different color than the dispensing head, whereby the entire dispensing head or the upper end of the dispensing container can be given a special character. In order to obtain a continuous transition between the outside of the skirt of the dispensing head and the skirt of the ring element, the ring element is preferably provided with an outer radial shoulder against which the lower end of the skirt of the dispensing head comes to rest, the parts being dimensioned such that a smooth transition is produced on the outside.

An embodiment of the invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to drawings.

Fig. 1 shows, partly in section, a dispensing head according to the invention.

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Fig. 2 shows a similar view to Fig. 1, but with the dispensing head rotated by 90° and shown completely in section.

Fig. 3 shows a section through the dispensing head according to Fig. 1 without actuating plunger.
Fig. 4 shows a section through the ring element of the dispensing head according to Fig. 1.
Fig. 5 shows the top view of the ring element according to Fig. 3.
Fig. 6 shows a section through a modified dispensing head according to the invention.

In Fig. 1, a cylindrical can-like pressure vessel 10 is indicated, which is slightly drawn in towards the top and is flanged outwards at the upper edge 12. Also visible is a valve plate 14, the edge 16 of which is placed around the flanged edge 12 in a known manner, if necessary with the interposition of a seal (not shown).

A ring element 18 is seated on the valve plate 16. It has a downwardly projecting cylindrical skirt 20, which is slightly grooved on the inside so that it can be snapped onto the valve plate 14. The frictional connection between the ring element 18 and the valve plate 14 is such that rotation of the ring element 18 is relatively

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tive to the container 10 is only possible with great force. In order to increase the frictional connection, it is also conceivable to introduce axially parallel slots into the edge of the valve plate 14, into which a little plastic material can migrate during cold flow in order to increase the torsional strength.

The structure of the ring element 18 is more clearly shown in Figures 4 and 5. At the upper end area of the apron 20, a flange 22 is formed radially inwards, which has a segment-like widening 24 in the right-hand area (see in particular Figure 5). On the outside, the ring element 18 has a circumferential annular groove 26 at the level of the flange 22, which is approximately triangular in cross-section. An axial collar 28 is formed above the annular groove, which does not run around the entire circumference, however, but leaves a recess 30 free.

As can be seen in Fig. 1, a dispensing head in the form of a one-piece cap 32 made of plastic material, for example polypropylene, is also provided. The ring element 18 can also be made of plastic, with a dimensionally stable plastic being preferred. The cap 22 has a skirt 34 which has a radial annular rib 36 on the inside, which snaps into the annular groove 26 of the ring element 18. The inside of the lower section of the skirt 34 fits snugly against the outside of the skirt 20 and extends to the retracted section of the container 10.

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A first axially parallel radial rib 38 is formed on the apron 34 and engages in the recess 30 of the ring element 18.

The rotation of the cap 32 is therefore limited by the angle of the recess 30.

Two further ribs 40, 42 on the inside of the apron 34 rest on the collar 28 and thus form guide elements.

The cap is essentially of conventional construction. It has an upper actuating section 44 which is hinged to the skirt 34 via a web 46 and which contains a spray nozzle 48. The spray nozzle is connected to an angled channel 50 which has an opening at the bottom into which a star 52 of a valve (not described in detail) engages. If the star 52 is pressed downwards, material from the container 10, which is under pressure, passes via the valve and the channel 50 to the spray nozzle 48 in order to be discharged. In this respect, these are known design features.

The actuating section 44 has a pin-like projection 54 hanging down from its upper side, which extends downwards almost parallel to the axis. It can only be seen in Fig. 2. In Fig. 2, the pin-like projection 54 is located above the segment 24 of the ring element 18. This prevents the valve from being actuated. In Fig. 3, this is indicated at 54. It can be seen that the rib 38 in Fig. 3

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end of the recess 30. If, however, the cap 32 is rotated so that the rib 38 comes to rest at the other stop, the projection 54 is located outside the segment 24 and can therefore be moved into the ring element 18, which enables the dispensing head to be actuated. The other position of the pin 54 is shown in dashed lines in Fig. 3. It therefore depends on the rotational position of the cap 32 whether the valve can be actuated or is blocked.

The skirt 34 and the ring element 38 can be connected to one another in any orientation. By rotating the two parts relative to one another, the projection 38 snaps into the recess 30, so that the ring element 18 and the cap 32 each have the predetermined relative position to one another, depending on the rotation carried out. It can be provided that when the cap is rotated to the right, the valve is locked and when it is rotated to the left, it is opened, as is also shown in Fig. 3.

The embodiment according to Fig. 6 differs from that according to Figs. 1 and 2 in that the ring element 20a has a relatively long downwardly extending skirt 60, which comes to rest with its lower end against the outside of the container 10 when the ring element 20a is snapped onto the flange of the valve plate 14 as described. The skirt 60 has a radially circumferential shoulder 62 on the outside, and the skirt 64 of the dispensing head 32a is so

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that when snapped onto the ring element 18a it comes to rest against the shoulder 62. The parts are dimensioned in such a way that a smooth transition is created on the outside between the apron 64 and the apron 60. It can be seen that the apron 60 can be seen on the outside below the shoulder 62. This section is designated 66 in Fig. 6. This section 66 or the entire ring element 18a can be provided with a different color than the cap of the dispensing head 32a, so that the dispensing head can be given a special character.

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Claims (12)

1. Dispensing head for a pressure vessel provided with a valve, which has a yielding actuating section which actuates an actuating pin for actuating the valve to dispense the pressurized material in the vessel via a dispensing opening in the dispensing head, wherein the cap-shaped dispensing head made of plastic can be attached to the vessel or the flanged edge of the valve plate which spans the vessel opening via a snap connection, characterized in that - a ring element ( 18 , 18a ) is attached to the valve plate ( 14 ) in a manner secured against rotation, said ring element having at least one recess ( 30 ) extending over a predetermined circumferential length - the dispensing head ( 32 , 32a ) has at least one radially extending projection ( 38 ) which cooperates with the recess ( 30 ) to limit the angle of rotation of the dispensing head ( 32 , 32a ), - an inner downwardly extending pin-shaped projection ( 54 ) is formed on the actuating section ( 44 ), - a radial segment-shaped control surface ( 24 ) is arranged on the ring element ( 18 ) in such a way that the actuating section ( 44 ) for actuating the valve can only be actuated when the pin-shaped projection ( 54 ) is located outside the control surface ( 24 ), wherein the position of the control surface ( 24 ) is selected such that when the radial projection ( 38 ) rests at one end of the recess ( 30 ), the pin-shaped projection ( 54 ) is located above the control surface ( 24 ) and when it rests at the other end, it is located outside the control surface ( 24 ). 2. Dispensing head according to claim 1, characterized in that the radial projection ( 38 ) is arranged on the inside of the annular-cylindrical apron ( 34 ) of the dispensing head ( 32 , 32a ). 3. Dispensing head according to claim 2, characterized in that the radial projection ( 38 ) is formed by a radial rib of the dispensing head ( 3232 a). 4. Dispensing head according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the recess ( 30 ) on the one hand and the pin-shaped projection ( 54 ) on the other hand are designed such that after anti-clockwise rotation of the dispensing head ( 32 , 32a ) up to the stop, the pin-shaped projection ( 54 ) lies outside the control surface ( 24 ) and after clockwise rotation up to the stop, the pin-shaped projection ( 54 ) lies above the control surface ( 24 ). 5. Dispensing head according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the pin-shaped projection ( 38 ) is a downwardly extended portion of a rib which is formed on the underside of the actuating portion ( 44 ). 6. Dispensing head according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the ring element ( 18 , 18a ) has an outer annular groove ( 26 ) into which an inner radial projection ( 36 ) of the dispensing head ( 32 ) engages. 7. Dispensing head according to claim 6, characterized in that the projection ( 36 ) is formed by an annular rib. 8. Dispensing head according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the ring element ( 14 ) is formed from a dimensionally stable plastic. 9. Dispensing head according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the ring element ( 18 ) has a skirt ( 60 ) which extends downwards into contact with the container ( 10 ) and the skirt ( 64 ) of the dispensing head ends above the end of the skirt ( 60 ) of the ring element ( 18a ). 10. Dispensing head according to claim 9, characterized in that the ring element has on the outside a radial circumferential shoulder ( 62 ) against which the lower end of the skirt ( 64 ) of the dispensing head rests. 11. Dispensing head according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the edge of the valve plate ( 14 ) is provided with axially parallel slots spaced apart in the circumferential direction. 12. Dispensing head according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the dispensing head has on the inside two or more axially parallel guide ribs ( 40 , 42 ), the lower end of which sits on the upper flat edge ( 28 ) of the ring element ( 18 ).