JPH072283A - Actuator for dispensing valve - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To variably reduce a force of a user to be needed to apply to a push- rod, not reducing a valve spring force of a distribution valve arranged at a container housing pressurized aerosol. CONSTITUTION: A projection 20 is provided on a push-button actuating as a lever for a push-rod 3 operation, and made to engage with an end 24 of the push-rod. A bearing means 32 is provided on the projection. A collar 11 is fixed on a container 1 and a stop means 44 is provided on the color. By selecting the color size suitably, and by changing a relation between an engaging position of the bearing means and the stop means and an engaging position of the projection and the end of the push-rod, the force to push the push-rod is variably reduced.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an actuating device for a dispensing valve having a tubular push rod provided in a container for containing a product to be dispensed, particularly a pressurized aerosol.

[0002]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It is well known to use devices of this type in which a product provided with projections acts as a lever for a dispensing valve having a tubular push rod.

French Patent No. 2,113,376 describes a pressure vessel in which an upper hole formed by a valve seat is provided and the valve seat is fixed in this hole by a mounting flange or a wound seal. And an actuator for controlling the delivery of the substance. This device comprises a one-piece lever provided with a surface on one end against which a user's finger can be applied and the other end with a flexible clip for fastening a flange. Between these two ends, the lever is provided with a projection adapted to be pressed against the end of the tubular push rod of the valve. The clip and the corresponding flange portion form the fulcrum of the lever. Due to its structure, the lever pivots substantially about an axis orthogonal to the longitudinal axis defined by the tubular push rod. First, the area to which the force is applied has a small angular range. Also, one finger must be applied to the area provided at this end with the appropriate dimensions. The possibility of further extending the lever action is precisely limited by the construction of the device, since the fulcrum of the lever lies approximately on the flange of the closing valve seat of the device. Also, the other end does not extend beyond the entire radial dimension of the container due to the space, and a cap can be attached which covers the entire device and is fixed to the container. Therefore, in this type of device, the force to be applied must be applied over an area having a reduced angular dimension. Moreover, the lever action is still precisely limited by the structure of the device.

GB-A-1,359,152 shows that the additional area on which the user applies force has an angular range of 360 °, which gives the user a large bearing surface and the user applies the actuating force. A device in which points can be freely selected is described. In this device, the push button has a conical surface having a projection for pushing the valve rod along the axis. The cylindrical skirt portion is integral with said conical surface and is provided with receiving means which can cooperate externally or internally with a stop formed by the mounting flange of the valve seat. According to the position of the actuating force with respect to the additional area, a lever system is formed with a fulcrum located on the mounting flange. This fulcrum lies substantially in the plane passing through the longitudinal axis and the point of application of force. However, with this device French patent 2,113,376
The possibility of prolonging the lever action, as in the device of the specification, is precisely limited by the construction of the container. Therefore, the applied force always remains significant.

In order to reduce the applied force, it has been proposed to reduce the force of the valve spring. However, in this case, the long-term sealing of the valve becomes insufficient.

The present invention is directed to a device which is capable of variably reducing the force a user must apply to push a valve stem without changing the force of the valve spring.

More particularly, the present invention comprises a tubular push rod having a delivery orifice at one end and defining a longitudinal axis for a product to be dispensed, particularly a container for containing a pressurized aerosol. In the dispensing valve actuating device,
A lever means for actuating the dispensing valve, the lever means having a push button having an outer surface with an additional area for applying a force to actuate the dispensing valve, being pressed against the push button, on the one hand on the end of the push rod And an auxiliary connected to the container so as to provide a projection with a delivery nozzle and a duct connecting the delivery nozzle with the delivery orifice and, on the other hand, to form a fulcrum for the lever means. Retaining means cooperable with the stop means are provided, said additional zone having an angle of at least about 180 ° about said longitudinal axis, said longitudinal axis being a function of the position of the actuating force relative to said additional zone. An angular range corresponding to the angular range of the additional area is defined so that the fulcrum of the lever means located substantially in the plane passing through and the point of application of the force are both defined. In dispensing operation mechanism which is to have said locking means, said locking means is in the dispensing valve operation mechanism being characterized in that forming part of the collar is fixed to the container.

According to the invention, each fulcrum of the lever for this collar should be located closer to the valve than when said fulcrum is located on the mounting flange of the valve. Therefore, less force is applied to actuate the valve. The diameter dimension of the collar can be easily selected and thus the value of the force to be applied can be varied. This kind of change could not be done with the existing equipment. The collar can be secured to any type of container, such as a one-piece container or a three-part container. Further, when the lever fulcrum is located on the valve seat mounting flange, the fulcrum is generally located at a level below the height of the valve stem. The pressure exerted by the lever is therefore always at an angle to the axis of the valve stem. This pressure causes lateral movement of the top of the valve stem when pressure is applied to the valve stem by the lever. The valve is thus damaged. The color according to the invention is
It can be simply dimensioned so that the fulcrum of the lever lies approximately in the plane orthogonal to the axis of the collar and passing through the end of the tubular push rod.

For a container having an upper hole closed by an upper valve receiving seat, the valve receiving seat is fixed in the hole of the container by a mounting flange, and the collar presses the container through the lower edge, Fixing means adapted to cooperate with the recessed portion of the container on the underside of the flange may be provided. This structure is advantageous in the present invention because the container flange acts only to fix the stopping means but not the fulcrum of the lever.

Due to the large angular extent of the area to which the actuation force is applied, this push button utilizes a large bearing surface to facilitate operation of the device.

In the preferred embodiment, the angular range of the force application area is between about 180 ° and 360 °, especially about 27 °.
It is 0 °. Due to this large support surface, the fingers will naturally move to the correct position, so you can operate the push button with multiple fingers without any special force, or with just one finger if desired, ergonomically improves.

The angular range of the receiving means and the stopping means is approximately 1 so as to correspond to a suitable value for the angular range of the force application area.
It is preferably between 80 ° and 360 °.

The fulcrums formed by the receiving means and the auxiliary stopping means advantageously have narrow strips in the form of arcs or circles as their respective geometric loci. This strip is
It has an angular opening of between about 180 ° and 360 ° and an axis which coincides with the longitudinal axis. This structure is suitable because the distance between the fulcrum and the end of the push rod is almost constant,
The actuation force exerted on the push button is thus thus substantially constant when the point of application of this actuation force remains approximately the same distance from the longitudinal axis. The length of the lever arm used therefore has a practically constant value. Under these conditions, the force exerted, for example by a finger, depends substantially on the distance between the additional area and the longitudinal axis, but is unaffected by the angular position of the additional area of the pushbutton.

In a preferred embodiment, the receiving means surrounding the stop projection have a projecting radial shoulder near the end which opens towards the container and which forms the whole of a circular ring and rotates about a longitudinal axis. And a cylindrical sleeve obtained by The outer contour of the circular ring forms a support circle adapted to co-operate with auxiliary stop means.

The auxiliary stopping means provided on the collar preferably has a flat surface fixed at a position substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal axis and facing the container. This surface is bounded by a circular hole coaxial with the longitudinal axis. The circular hole has a radius greater than the outer radius of the sleeve but less than the radius of the support circle. This construction has the advantage of holding the push button as the circular ring of the sleeve becomes pressed against the flat stop surface in the area close to the circular hole. Said means form a single fulcrum when the plane of the annulus is slightly inclined with respect to the flat stop surface while still in contact with this flat stop surface.

The circular annulus is advantageously divided into a plurality of segments by a clearance to allow these segments to be slightly deformed and to facilitate passage through the coaxial circular hole by the annulus during installation. .

Furthermore, the circular annulus may also be continued with a truncated side toward the open end of the sleeve to facilitate positioning and passage of the coaxial circular hole by the annulus.

In the preferred embodiment, the annulus contacts or is in close proximity to the face when the tubular valve rod is at rest. This structure means that the actuating force is directly applied to the valve to reduce the clearance of the mechanism.

In the preferred embodiment, the duct opens into a recess cut at the tip of the protrusion. The recess hits the end of the rod at the coupling connection and covers it. This construction allows tilting of the pushbutton with respect to the longitudinal axis, but still provides a sufficient connection between the end of the tubular rod provided with the delivery orifice and the duct and nozzle.

In the preferred embodiment, the delivery nozzle is generally longitudinally formed about the center of the outer surface of the push button. This structure means that the area to which the actuating force is applied can have an angular range of 360 °.

In another embodiment, the delivery nozzle is formed in the projection in a substantially radial direction.

The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which two embodiments are merely illustrated.

[0023]

1 to 4 show a first embodiment of the present invention, which is a known container (1) for containing a pressurized aerosol. The container (1) is of the type having an upper hole closed by a circular receiving seat (2) of the dispensing valve. Tubular push rods for valves (3)
Defines a longitudinal axis X-X. The seat (2) is fixed in the hole of the container by a mounting flange (4). The device according to the invention comprises lever means for actuating the valve. These means comprise two separate parts. The first part comprises a push button (10). The second part comprises a collar (11) for fixing to the container.

The push button (10) is an integrally molded part, especially of thermoplastic material. Push button (10)
Has a truncated shape that is shaped by rotation and has an outer surface (15) that extends about 180 ° or more around axis XX and forms an additional area (15a) that exerts an actuating force on the valve. The periphery of the outer surface (15) is formed by a peripheral surface (16) forming a cylindrical segment formed by rotation about the axis XX. Cylindrical peripheral surface (1
The diameter of 6) is smaller than the diameter of the cylindrical container (1).
The push button (10) has an inner surface (17) corresponding to the outer surface (15) and parallel to the outer surface. The inner surface (17) of the push button (10) forms a recessed space facing the container.
The two faces (15), (17) form a wall (18) with a substantially constant thickness. Parallel internal cylindrical faces (1
9) also corresponds to the peripheral surface (16). These surfaces together form a cylindrical wall having a substantially constant thickness.

The push button (10) is formed by rotation and has an axis XX and comprises a cylindrical projection (20) integrally formed with the wall (18). Protrusions (20)
Has a nozzle (21) with an axis extending substantially radially in the upper part close to its wall (18). Axis X
A nozzle (21) is connected to a longitudinal duct (22) opening at the lower end of a protrusion (20) having -X. This lower end is the fluid coupling connection at the end (24) of the push rod (3).
It is provided with a truncated recess (23) for covering the same.
The truncated recess (23) allows the projection (20) to be slightly tilted with respect to the axis of the push rod (3). However, also in this way a coupling connection between the end (24) of the push rod (3) and the nozzle (21) is possible. Protrusions (20)
Is preferably made of an elastically deformable thermoplastic material so that a good bonding contact between the end of the push rod and the truncated recess of the projection is obtained.

A generally cylindrical sleeve (30)
Project into the recess formed by the inner surface (17) of the push button. A cylindrical sleeve (30) formed by rotation about an axis XX surrounds at least a part of the projection (20) and forms a circular ring near the end opening towards the container (1). Protruding radial shoulder (3
Have 1). The outer contour of the shoulder (31) is colored (1
A support circle (3) adapted to cooperate with the auxiliary stopping means of 1).
2) is formed. Sleeve (30) on shoulder (31)
The truncated side surface (3)
3) continues.

The collar (11) comprises a first outer upper cylindrical wall (35). The cylindrical wall (35) continues with a radially projecting shoulder (36) extending by the second outer cylindrical wall (37). The collar (11) is formed by an upper cylindrical edge (38) and a lower circular edge (39). The circular edge (39) comes to be pressed onto the rim of the container (1). The first or cylindrical wall (3
5) is integral with the inner wall (40) of the collar (11).
The inner wall (40) has the shape of a truncated cone that tapers towards the top. The inner wall (40) is formed at the top by a circular wall (41) in which a circular hole (42) having an axis XX is formed. The circular hole (42) has a radius larger than the outer radius of the sleeve (30) but smaller than the radius of the support circle (32). The circular wall (41) is formed by the upper surface (43) and the lower flat stop surface (44) and acts as a stop for the shoulder (31) and the support circle (32). The lower flat stop surface (44) is substantially orthogonal to the axis XX. An inner wall (4) that forms a recessed space facing the upper end of the container (1)
0) is integral with a wall (45) in the form of a cylindrical collar that terminates towards the container in a radial rim (46) forming a circular orifice (47). The radial rim (46) underlies the mounting flange (4) so as to cooperate with the circular edge (39) of the collar (11) to form a means for securing the collar (11) to the container (1). To contact.

The surface of the peripheral surface (16) of the push button fits within the space formed by the upper end of the cylindrical wall (35) of the collar (11). In this embodiment, where the container has an upper hole closed by a circular seat (2), the radius of the support circle (32) is smaller than the radius of the circular seat (2). The movable cover (50) in the form of a cylindrical cap has a collar (11).
The device can be covered by sliding along the cylindrical outer surface to the cylindrical wall (35) of the.

As is apparent from FIG. 2, the push button (1
0) wall (18) and part of sleeve (30)
It is blocked by two radial edges forming an angular sector that is greater than or equal to the angular sector of the jet ejected when the nozzle (21) is activated. The radial edge of the wall (18) continues towards the bottom by means of the two flat walls (51), (52). Each wall (51), (52) has a projection (2
0) leading to the wall (53). Wall (53)
Consists of a circular sector which is substantially orthogonal to the axis X-X and is integrally formed with the projection (20) in the area close to its lower end. The lower end of the generally circular sleeve (30) is integrally connected to the wall (53) below the underside of the wall (53). Although not shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, as is apparent in FIG. 6, the sleeve (30) and the shoulder portion (31) forming the circular ring are divided into a plurality of segments by a clearance. Each wall (51), (52), (53) forms a recessed area in front of the nozzle for passing the ejector cone.

The device of the present invention is attached to the container (1) as follows. The collar (11) is fitted below the mounting flange (4) into the recessed part of the container (1) by fitting the radial rim (46) and the mounting flange (4).
Located at the end of the container (1). Then push button (1
0) is fixed in the circular hole (42) of the ring, and the circular hole (42)
The shoulder portion (31) of the sleeve (30) is pushed in to. This indentation is facilitated by providing a clearance in the sleeve and shoulder (31).

3 and 4 show the operation of the device according to the invention. An actuation force F is applied to the left part of the additional area (15a) of the push button (10). The push button (10) is tilted and slightly fits inside the collar (11) on the left side. The support circle (32) then becomes pressed rightward against the stop formed by the flat surface (44) of the collar (11). At the same time, the projection (20) pushes against the end of the push rod (3), pushing it into the valve and starting to release the product contained in the container (1). FIG. 3 shows the push button rotated further relative to the push rod (3), which is pushed further into the valve to open it more fully.

5 and 6 show a second embodiment of the device according to the invention. Parts corresponding to those of the previous embodiment are designated with the same reference numerals plus 100. The main difference in this embodiment is that the delivery nozzle (121) is formed in the extension of the duct (122) along the axis XX, approximately in the center of the outer surface (115) of the push button (110). That is. The central portion of the wall (118) of the push button (110) comprises a thickened portion forming a cylindrical recess (200) into which the nozzle (121) opens. Cylindrical hollow (200)
Prevents actuation of the support area by the product by forming a small reservoir for the small amount of product to be dispensed in the vicinity of the delivery nozzle (121) following activation of the valve. In this embodiment, the additional area (1
The angle range of 15) is 360 °.

FIG. 6 shows the sleeve (1
30) and the shoulder (131) forming a circular ring are divided into four segments by four clearances (201). The installation and operation of the device shown in FIG. 6 is exactly the same as described above. If the container (101) is an aerosol can, the nozzle ejects a conical jet with an axis corresponding in this case to the longitudinal axis XX.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line II-II in FIG.

3 is a longitudinal sectional view similar to FIG. 1, showing the device of FIG. 1 with its push button slightly pressed from one side.

4 is a longitudinal sectional view similar to FIG. 3, showing the device of FIG. 1 with its push button pressed further from the same side.

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view of a second embodiment of the present invention.

6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, 101 Container 3, 103 Feed rod 10, 110 Push button 11, 111 Collar 15, 115 Outer surface 15a, 115a Additional area 20, 120 Protrusion 21, 121 Delivery nozzle 22, 122 Duct 24, 124 End 32, 132 Receiving means 44, 144 Stopping means XX Vertical axis

Claims (12)

[Claims] 1. A product to be dispensed, in particular a pressurized aerosol, which comprises a tubular push rod (3, 103) with a delivery orifice at one end (24, 124) defining a longitudinal axis XX. Dispensing valve actuating device provided in a container (1, 101) for holding a container, wherein an outer surface (15, 1) having an additional area (15a, 115a) for applying a force for operating the dispensing valve.
15) with a push button (10, 110) provided with lever means for actuating the dispensing valve, the push button (10, 110) being provided on the one hand with the push rod (3, 10).
3) to be pressed against the end (24, 124) of the delivery nozzle (21, 121) and the duct (22, 122) connecting the delivery orifice to the delivery nozzle (21, 121). Protrusions (20, 12)
0) and, on the other hand, a receiving means which can cooperate with an auxiliary stop means connected to said container (1, 101) so as to form a fulcrum for said lever means, said additional area (15a) , 115a) has an angular range of at least about 180 ° about said longitudinal axis XX and passes through said longitudinal axis XX as a function of the position of the actuating force with respect to said additional zone (15a, 115a). The addition areas (15a, 115) so as to together define a fulcrum of the lever means located substantially within and an application point of the force.
In the dispensing valve actuating device in which the receiving means and the stopping means have an angular range corresponding to the angular range of a), the stopping means fixes the collar (11) fixed to the container (1, 101). , 111) is formed as a part thereof. 2. The receiving means surrounding the projection (20, 120) is formed by rotation about the longitudinal axis XX and is generally circular near an end opening towards the container. Projecting radial shoulders (3
1, 131) with a generally cylindrical sleeve (3
0, 130) and the outer contour of the circular ring is suitable for cooperating with the stop means (3).
2, 132) is formed, The actuator for dispenser valves of Claim 1 characterized by the above-mentioned. 3. In a dispensing valve actuating device for a container (1, 101) of the type having a top hole closed by a circular seat (2, 102), the radius of the support circle (32, 132) is 3. The dispensing valve actuating device according to claim 2, wherein the radius is smaller than the radius of the circular receiving seat (2, 102). 4. Each fulcrum of the lever means on the collar is substantially in a plane orthogonal to the axis of the collar (11, 111) and passing through the free end of the tubular push rod (3, 103). The dispensing valve actuating device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein 5. An actuating device for a dispensing valve for a container of the type having an upper hole closed by said circular seat (2, 102), said seat (2, 102) being fitted with a mounting flange (4). , 104) in the dispensing valve actuator fixed in the hole of the container by the collar (11, 111).
Presses the container via the lower edges (39,139),
5. A collar according to claim 1, characterized in that it is provided with fixing means (46, 146) suitable for cooperating with the recessed part of the container below the mounting flange (4, 104). Actuator for dispensing valve according to any one of 6. The actuation for a dispensing valve according to claim 1, wherein the angular range of the receiving means and the stopping means is between about 180 ° and 360 °. apparatus 7. Each fulcrum has a narrow strip in the shape of an arc or a circle as a geometric locus, and the opening angle of the strip is between about 180 ° and 360 °, 7. The dispensing valve actuating device according to claim 6, wherein the axis of the piece coincides with the longitudinal axis X-X. 8. The stop means is defined by the longitudinal axis XX.
And a flat stop surface (44, 144) that is fixed to a position facing the container (1, 101) and that is substantially perpendicular to the vertical axis X.
Characterized by a circular hole (42, 142) coaxial with -X and having a radius greater than the outer radius of the sleeve (30, 130) but less than the radius of the support circle (32, 132). The dispensing valve actuating device according to claim 2. 9. The method according to claim 2, wherein the sleeve (30, 130) or the circular ring or both are divided into a plurality of segments by a clearance (201). Actuator for dispensing valve. 10. A circular ring of the collar (11, 111) is attached to the open end (3) of the sleeve (30, 130).
4,134) and the side of the truncated face (33,
133) The actuating device for a dispensing valve according to claim 2, which is continued according to 133). 11. The circular ring is brought into contact with or in the immediate vicinity of the flat surface (44, 144) when the tubular push rod (3, 103) of the dispensing valve is at rest. The dispensing valve actuating device according to any one of claims 2 and 10, wherein the dispensing valve actuating device is located. 12. The duct (22, 122) opens into a truncated recess (23, 123) of the projection (20, 120), the truncated recess being a fluid coupling continuum of the tubular push rod. 2. Pressing against the end (24, 124) so as to cover this end.
The dispensing valve actuating device according to any one of 1.