Aerosol container valve

Abstract

A valve 100 for an aerosol container 200 (FIG. 1), comprising a housing 104, a stem 102 fastened to a mounting cup 106 by a stem gasket 103, a stem venturi 111 connecting the stem 102 to a housing cavity 112, a spring 105, a push button (actuator) 101 on top of the stem 102, the push button (actuator) 101 having an orifice 110, and a dip tube 107 at the bottom of the housing 104, wherein at least three housing venturis 108 connect different points on the housing 104 to the interior space of the aerosol container 200, thereby keeping the housing cavity 112 filled with material / product at any angle, position and orientation of the aerosol container 200.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a valve for aerosol containers. The valve enables spraying of the material / product / liquid inside the aerosol container at any angle, position and orientation of the aerosol container. [Background Art]

[0002] Valves for spraying the contents of aerosol containers are known. Typically, aerosol containers are in a vertical or inverted position, particularly during spraying of the material / product filled in the aerosol container. However, if the aerosol container is tilted, placed in a horizontal position, or arranged at an angle other than 180 degrees, the material / product filled in the aerosol container may not be ejected. A remarkable feature of the present invention is that, despite the aerosol container being tilted at any angle, position and orientation, the material / product filled in the aerosol container can be continuously sprayed as actuated by a user.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses an aerosol can having means for forming an aerosol integrated with a valve. An aerosol formulation can be generated even when the aerosol can is used upside down. The valve also has passages arranged at the root of each other such that aerosol flows when the aerosol can is in a vertical or inverted orientation, but such passages only facilitate free flow of liquid from the reservoir to the ejection opening when the push button is actuated. Furthermore, such valves are only suitable for specific materials / products and do not function at all angles.

[0004] Patent Document 2 discloses the use of a membrane for filtering materials / products stored in a canister. The size of the cap or tap and the liquid tap orifice are selected according to the properties of the porous membrane and the aerosol composition. This ensures that the volume ratio of gas to liquid passing through the membrane is at least about 8:1, regardless of the orientation of the container. When the container is tilted, the liquid passes through the membrane, preventing the liquefied propellant from escaping the container because there is no time for it to reach the delivery part of the system while the valve is open. Such a valve is suitable only for specific materials / products and does not function at all angles. At the same time, this device does not include a mechanism to ensure that the liquefied propellant is submerged in any chamber to ensure output at all angles / directions. Therefore, this device has limitations in its use.

[0005] Patent Document 3 discloses a liquid level spray control means including a valve body and a hollow immersion tube operably connected to a surrounding immersion tube. The hollow immersion tube defines an opening means internally spaced below the base of the valve body, the opening means defining an opening flow path from inside the container, between the immersion tube and the hollow tube, and relative to the valve body, the hollow tube extends downward from the base of the valve body, and the opening means is positioned at a distance of at least about 20% or more of the distance between the base and the lower end of the immersion tube, and no more than about 80% of the distance between the base and the lower end of the immersion tube, and the opening means communicates with the flow path inside the valve body both when the aerosol container and valve assembly are in the inverted position and in the upright position. Such a valve is suitable only for specific materials / products, does not function at all angles, and the structure of the valve relies on a metal ball to open and close the communication between the valve body and the immersion tube. Therefore, the use of this device is limited.

[0006] Patent Document 4 discloses an aerosol spray gravity valve, which is installed on a container filled with liquid and gas, and is automatically opened and closed by a ball actuation mechanism, in which a first actuation ball and a second actuation ball move together with the aerosol spray gravity valve. In a gravity valve like the one disclosed in this document, the first actuation ball closes an opening inside the ball actuation tube, and the second actuation ball presses against the top of the second inlet, preventing the fluid from flowing into the second inlet. The filling liquid introduced into the first inlet moves through the gap into the fluid passage and is discharged to the nozzle through a discharge hole formed at the top. Such a valve is suitable only for specific materials / products, does not function at all angles, and the structure of the valve relies on metal balls to open and close the communication between the valve body and the first and second inlets. Therefore, the use of this device is limited.

[0007] A valve for aerosol containers that sprays materials or products filled in the container while the container is tilted at any angle (360 degrees), position, and direction, can be manufactured without using metal balls or similar components, is cost-effective, and is designed for everyday use has not yet been developed.

[0008] In conventional technology, it is known that various materials / products are filled into aerosol containers along with various propellants. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0009] [Patent Document 1] Belgian Patent No. 1003982 [Patent Document 2] U.S. Patent No. 4141472 [Patent Document 3] U.S. Patent No. 4475667 [Patent Document 4] Korean Published Patent Publication No. 2019-0076169 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0010] The object of the present invention is to overcome the shortcomings and problems of devices known in the prior art by providing a valve for an aerosol container that allows the material / product filled in the aerosol container to be sprayed continuously or intermittently as operated by the user, even when the container is tilted at any angle, position, or direction.

[0011] Another object of the present invention is to provide a valve for an aerosol container suitable for all kinds of fluid liquids / emulsions.

[0012] A further object of the present invention is to provide a valve for an aerosol container that can be operated from all directions, enabling different actuators to achieve different spray patterns at any angle (360 degrees) and position / direction.

[0013] A further object of the present invention is to provide a valve for an aerosol container that achieves cost reduction by eliminating the use of a metal ball or any other ball. Structures such as those described in the present invention are also more economical because they use less plastic and also reduce the carbon dioxide emissions of the aerosol container. [Means for solving the problem]

[0014] The present invention relates to a valve for an aerosol container. The valve for an aerosol container comprises a housing, a stem fastened to a mounting cup by a stem gasket, a stem venturi tube connecting the stem to the housing cavity, a spring, a push button (actuator) at the top of the stem having an orifice, and an immersion tube at the bottom of the housing, wherein at least three housing venturi tubes connect different locations in the housing to the internal space of the aerosol container, thereby keeping the housing cavity filled with material / product at any angle, position, and direction of the aerosol container.

[0015] The present invention also relates to a valve for an aerosol container as described above, wherein at least four housing venturi tubes connect different parts of the housing to the internal space of the aerosol container.

[0016] The present invention also relates to a valve for an aerosol container as described above, wherein at least three stem venturi tubes connect the stem to the housing cavity.

[0017] The present invention also relates to a valve for an aerosol container as described above, wherein at least four stem venturi tubes connect the stem to the housing cavity.

[0018] The present invention also relates to a valve for an aerosol container as described above, wherein the diameter of the stem venturi tube is 0.1 mm or more and 1.2 mm or less.

[0019] The present invention also relates to a valve for an aerosol container as described above, wherein the diameter of the housing venturi tube is 0.2 mm or more and 2 mm or less. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0020] The following drawings illustrate specific examples for realizing the operation of the present invention. They are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Unless otherwise stated, the drawings are not to scale and are intended to be used in conjunction with the detailed description below. The drawings are as follows.

[0021] [Figure 1]Figure 1 shows a cross-sectional view of the valve 100 according to the present invention when the valve 100 is not activated. The valve 100 is composed of a push button (actuator) 101, an orifice 110, a stem 102, a stem gasket 103, a stem venturi tube 111, a housing 104, a housing venturi tube 108, a housing cavity 112, a housing tailpiece 104A, a spring 105, a mounting cup 106, a cup gasket 109, and a dip tube 107. The aerosol container is denoted by reference numeral 200, and the material / product is denoted by reference numeral 201. [Figure 2] Figure 2 shows a cross-sectional view of the valve 100 according to the present invention when the valve 100 is in the activated position. In this position, the stem 102 and the spring 105 are in a compressed position, and the stem gasket 103 is flexibly bent to open the stem venturi tube 111.

[0022] Those skilled in the art will understand that the elements in the figures are illustrated simply and clearly, and may not be drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements for the purpose of facilitating understanding of various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. It should be noted that like reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to describe the same or similar elements, features and structures. However, the drawings and / or examples are in no way intended to limit the scope of the present invention. It is understood that modifications and / or variations of the drawings / illustrations of the present invention other than those specifically described herein can be achieved by those skilled in the art, and such modifications and variations are considered to fall within the overall scope of the present invention. Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0023] The following description, with reference to the accompanying drawings, is provided to assist in a comprehensive understanding of the exemplary embodiments of the present invention as defined by the claims and equivalents thereof. Various specific details are included to aid this understanding, but these should be considered merely illustrative. Accordingly, those skilled in the art will recognize that various changes and modifications of the embodiments described herein can be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Furthermore, descriptions of known functions and structures have been omitted for clarity and brevity.

[0024] Furthermore, it should be made clear that the explanation is merely illustrative of the present invention and does not in any way limit its use to identical examples.

[0025] The expressions and terms used in the following description and claims are not limited to their bibliographic meanings, but are used solely to enable the inventor to provide a clear and consistent understanding of the invention. Accordingly, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the following description of exemplary embodiments of the invention is provided for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to limit the invention as defined by the appended claims and any equivalents thereof.

[0026] Figure 1 shows a preferred embodiment of the present invention, which is a valve 100 for an aerosol container 200. The valve 100 includes a push button (actuator) 101 mounted on a stem 102, the type of push button (actuator) 101 may vary depending on the required spray pattern.

[0027] The stem 102 is secured to the housing 104 together with the stem gasket 103 and spring 105 by being crimped onto the mounting cup 106, and the mounting cup 106 is then crimped onto the aerosol container 200 together with the cup gasket 109. The spring 105 provides the elasticity required by the stem 102 to supply the material / product 201 contained in the aerosol container 200 to the push button (actuator) 101. This allows for continuous or intermittent spraying by the compressed stem 102 when compressed by the user.

[0028] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the mounting cup 106 is crimped and secured to the aerosol container 200, and the stem gasket 103 is fitted inside the mounting cup 106 and acts as a seal to prevent the material / product 201 from leaking out of the aerosol container 200 when the stem 102 is not operated by the user.

[0029] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the immersion tube 107 is attached to the tailpiece 104A of the housing 104. Here, the length of the immersion tube 107 depends on the size of the aerosol container 200, but the immersion tube 107 should be at least slightly above the bottom of the aerosol container 200.

[0030] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the housing 104 comprises a housing venturi tube 108, and the stem 102 comprises a stem venturi tube 111 and an immersion tube 107, which are attached to the tailpiece 104A of the housing 104. The immersion tube 107 and housing venturi tube 108 on the housing 104 allow the material / product 201 to flow from the aerosol container 200 into the housing cavity 112, through the stem venturi tube 111 to the stem 102, and finally to the push button (actuator) 101. This allows the material / product 201 to be sprayed continuously or intermittently from an orifice 110 which is activated when the user presses the push button (actuator) 101.

[0031] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the housing venturi tube 108 on the housing 104, together with the immersion tube 107 attached to the tailpiece 104A of the housing 104, keeps the housing 104 filled with material / product 201 at all times when the aerosol container 200 is tilted at any angle (360 degrees) and position / direction for omnidirectional operation. When the push button (actuator) 101 is pressed by the user, the stem 102 is pushed by the spring 105, and the stem gasket 103 is flexibly bent, opening the stem venturi tube 111 present on the stem 102. This allows the material / product 201 to flow from the housing cavity 112 to the push button (actuator) 101 through the stem venturi tube 111 on the stem 102, as shown in Figure 2.

[0032] In a preferred embodiment, when the user releases the push button (actuator) 101, the spring 105, stem gasket 103, and stem 102 return to their original non-operating positions as shown in Figure 1. The stem venturi 111 located in the stem 102 is sealed by the stem gasket 103, stopping the flow of material / product 201 filled in the aerosol container 200 from the housing cavity 112 to the push button (actuator) 101.

[0033] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, at least three housing venturi tubes 108 are present on the housing 104.

[0034] In a more preferred embodiment of the present invention, there are at least four, five, or six housing venturi tubes 108 on the housing 104.

[0035] In a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, there are at least three stem venturi tubes 111 on the stem 102. In a more preferred embodiment of the present invention, there are at least four stem venturi tubes 111 on the stem 102.

[0036] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, when a free-flowing liquid / emulsion is filled into an aerosol container, the diameter of the stem venturi tube is in the range of 0.2 mm to 1.2 mm, and the diameter of the housing venturi tube is in the range of 0.2 mm to 2 mm.

[0037] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the spray pattern of the push button (actuator) is a spray pattern that can be selected from one of the following: hollow cone narrow dispersion, hollow cone wide dispersion, full cone, spiral full cone, solid stream, mist / fog, flat fan, etc.

[0038] Advantage 1. The passages at various positions in the venturi tube, housing, and stem make the present invention highly efficient for many applications.

[0039] Advantage 2. Venturi tubes positioned at different locations are effective when filling the housing cavity with material / product at any angle, position, or direction of the aerosol container.

[0040] Advantage 3. The flow path of the present invention allows for the proper discharge of the material / product filled in the aerosol container when the aerosol container is at any angle, position, and direction as needed, for omnidirectional movement of the aerosol container.

[0041] Advantage 4. Depending on the product and propellant, the position / dimensions / shape / number of venturi tubes can be customized to suit the product, and the propellant can be made easy to apply.

[0042] Advantage 5. In this invention, extension nozzles / tubes for extension, accessories for omnidirectional spray patterns, and other accessories can be attached to facilitate operation.

[0043] Advantage 6. This invention eliminates components such as metal balls disclosed in the prior art. Eliminating the space required for metal balls reduces the amount of plastic used in the valve structure, resulting in economic advantages.

[0044] Advantage 7. The housing of the present invention can be manufactured in a single process, thereby saving costs and reducing carbon dioxide emissions.

[0045] Many of the features and advantages of the present invention are evident from the detailed specification, and therefore the appended claims are intended to encompass all of the features and advantages of the present invention, which are within the spirit and scope of the invention. Furthermore, since numerous modifications and variations are readily available to those skilled in the art, it is undesirable to limit the invention to the configuration and operation presented in the illustrations and description. Accordingly, all appropriate modifications and equivalents may be adopted as falling within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A valve (100) for an aerosol container (200), Housing (104) and The stem (102) is fastened to the mounting cup (106) by the stem gasket (103), A stem venturi tube (111) connects the internal space of the stem (102) to the housing cavity (112), Spring (105), The push button (actuator) (101) at the top of the stem (102) is a push button (actuator) (101) having an orifice (110), An immersion tube (107) connected to the bottom of the housing (104), Equipped with, The housing cavity (112) is defined by the inner surface of the housing (104) and the outer surface of the stem (102). An internal space is formed at the bottom of the housing (104) that houses the spring (105) and connects to the housing cavity (112). At least three housing venturi tubes (108) connect to the internal space of the aerosol container (200) at locations where the internal space of the housing (104) and the housing cavity (112) are at different heights, thereby continuously filling the housing cavity (112) with material or product at any angle, position, and direction of the aerosol container (200). One or more of the housing venturi tubes (108) connect the internal space of the housing (104) to the internal space of the aerosol container (200). A valve (100) for an aerosol container (200), characterized by the above.

2. At least four of the housing venturi tubes (108) connect different locations of the housing cavity (112) to the internal space of the aerosol container (200). A valve (100) for an aerosol container (200) according to claim 1, characterized in that it is a valve (100).

3. At least three of the stem venturi tubes (111) connect the stem (102) to the housing cavity (112). A valve (100) for an aerosol container (200) according to claim 1, characterized in that it is a valve (100).

4. At least four of the stem venturi tubes (111) connect the stem (102) to the housing cavity (112). A valve (100) for an aerosol container (200) according to claim 2, characterized in that it is a valve (100).

5. The diameter of the aforementioned stem venturi tube (111) is 0.1 mm or more and 1.2 mm or less. A valve (100) for an aerosol container (200) according to claim 1, characterized in that it is a valve (100).

6. The diameter of the housing venturi tube (108) is 0.2 mm or more and 2 mm or less. A valve (100) for an aerosol container (200) according to claim 1, characterized in that it is a valve (100).

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