Actuator for an aerosol spray device

Abstract

An actuator 100 suitable for an aerosol spray device having a product passage 202 that receives product propelled by the aerosol and a first channel 204 that has a semicircular cross section, with an

Claims

1. An actuator for an aerosol spray device, wherein the actuator comprises:a product passage for receiving product propelled by the aerosol spray device;a first channel having a semicircular cross sectional area along its length, an inlet end, and an outlet end,wherein an outlet of the product passage provides fluid connection between the product passage and the inlet end of the first channel;the actuator further comprising an expansion chamber, the expansion chamber comprising:an expansion chamber inlet end fluidly connected to the outlet end of the first channel; andan expansion chamber outlet end configured to receive an atomiser insert for expelling the product out of the aerosol spray device.

2. The actuator of claim 1, wherein when an atomiser insert is received in the expansion chamber outlet end, the distance between the outlet end of the first channel and the atomiser insert is 0.1 - 0.9 mm.

3. The actuator of any preceding claim, wherein the first channel has a cross sectional area of 0.5 - 3.0 mm2.

4. The actuator of any preceding claim, wherein the outlet of the product passage has a cross sectional area of 0.5 - 2.0 mm2.

5. The actuator of any preceding claim, wherein the first channel has a length of 1.0 - 10.0 mm, preferably 2.0 - 7.0 mm.

6. The actuator of any preceding claim, wherein the outlet of the product passage has a hyperbolic quadrilateral cross section.

7. The actuator of any preceding claim, wherein the expansion chamber is a hollow cylinder.

8. The actuator of any preceding claim, further comprising a second channel having a secondchannel inlet end and a second channel outlet end,wherein a second outlet of the product passage provides fluid connection between the product passage and the second channel inlet end, andwherein the expansion chamber inlet end is fluidly connected to the second channel outlet end.

9. The actuator of any preceding claim, wherein the actuator comprises an atomiser insert fluidly connected to the expansion chamber outlet end.

10. The actuator of claim 9, wherein the atomiser insert comprises one or more passageways around an outlet orifice of the atomiser insert for imparting a tangential velocity to the product during discharge.

11. The actuator of claims 9 or 10, wherein the diameter of a / the outlet orifice of the atomiser insert is between 0.14 - 3.00 mm, preferably between 0.14-1.00 mm.

12. The actuator of any preceding claim, wherein the actuator comprises a boss for coupling a / the atomiser insert to the actuator.

13. The actuator of any preceding claim, wherein the actuator is a button actuator, cap actuator, L-shaped actuator, or trigger pump actuator.

14. An aerosol spray device comprising a pressurised or pressurisable container configured to hold a product to be discharged from the device by a gaseous propellant, the aerosol spray device comprising an actuator according to any of claims 1 to 13.

15. The aerosol spray device of claim 14, wherein the container contains the gaseous propellant, the gaseous propellant comprising a compressed gas, preferably compressed air.

16. The aerosol spray device of claims 14 or 15, wherein the gaseous propellant is configured to be pressurised to a pressure between 50 - 2500 kPa, preferably between 500 - 2000 kPa.

17. The aerosol spray device of any of claims 14 to 16, wherein the aerosol spray device is configured to expel the product using effervescent atomisation.

18. An atomiser insert for an aerosol spray device comprising a pressurised or pressurisable container configured to hold a product to be discharged from the device by a gaseous propellant, the atomiser insert comprising:an outlet orifice; andone or more passageways around the outlet orifice of the atomiser insert for imparting a tangential velocity to the product during discharge, wherein the depth of the one or more passageways is between 0.05 - 0.60 mm.

19. The atomiser insert of claim 18, wherein the width of the one of more passageways is between 0.20 - 0.60 mm.

20. The atomiser insert of claim 18 or claim 19, wherein the length of the one or more passageways is between 0.40 - 2.00 mm.

21. The atomiser insert of any of claims 18 to 20, wherein the diameter of the outlet orifice is between 0.14-1.50 mm.5 22. The atomiser insert of any of claims 18 to 21, wherein the length of the outlet orifice is between0.30 - 0.80 mm.

23. The atomiser insert of any of claims 18 to 22, wherein the container contains the gaseous propellant, the gaseous propellant comprising a compressed gas, preferably nitrogen.1024. The atomiser insert of any of claims 18 to 23, wherein the gaseous propellant is configured to be pressurised to a pressure between 50 - 2500 kPa, preferably between 500 - 2000 kPa or 50 - 200 kPa.15 25. The atomiser insert of any of claims 18 to 24, wherein the atomiser insert is configured to expelthe product using effervescent atomisation.IntellectualPropertyOfficeApplication GB2507762.9Search report under Section 17 of the Patents Act 1977Date search completed: 15 July 2025Claims searched: 1-17International classificationSubclass and subgroup Valid from B65D83 / 20 01 / 01 / 2025 B65D83 / 28 01 / 01 / 2025Field of searchWorldwide search of patent documents classified in the following areas of the IPC:B65DDatabases used in the preparation of this search report:SEARCH-PATENTDocuments considered to be relevantPatent literatureCategory Relevant claims Document of relevance X 1-5, 7, 9-17 JP H05246474 A (PURETSUIJIYONSU FUENTEIRU GMBH), See figures, paragraphs [0009], [0014]X 1-7, 9, 11- 14, 16, 17 US 4247049 A (GAILITIS), See figures, column 3 lines 5-33 Non-patent literature Category Relevant claims Document of relevanceCategoriesLetter or symbolDescriptionDocument indicating lack of novelty or inventive step.Document indicating lack of inventive step, if combined with another document of the same category.& Member of the same patent family. A Document indicating technological background. P Document published on or after the priority date but before the fling date of the present application. E Earlier application published on or after the filing date of the present application.

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