Aerosol Inventions and Development S.a. A.i.d. S.a.

Roger Anthony Butcher

Andre DeBard

In a valve assembly for a pressurized dispenser, such as of the kind commonly known as aerosol cans, a novel arrangement is proposed for sealing the spray tip or button to the ferrule or center boss of the mounting cup of the valve during `gassing`. An inwardly directed annular shoulder formed in the top wall of the ferrule or center boss is engaged by an outwardly facing annular surface on the underside of the spray tip and the higher the pressure the better the seal. As the spray tip no longer needs to be as flexible as hitherto it can be made of polypropylene. A complementary outward-facing shoulder on the underside of the top wall helps to locate the rim of the valve shell and thereby to resist displacement of the gasket during gassing.

Valve assembly for pressurized dispensers

A tilt-type aerosol dispensing valve is made child-resistant by arranging that the actuating button is axially movable between a free position (in which it can be operated) and a locked position in which parts of the button engage part of the valve mounting to prevent tilting. For example the button may have a skirt which, in the locked position, fits over the central boss of the valve mounting cup. The overcap can be arranged to push the button to the locked position automatically as the overcap is applied.

Actuators for valves for pressurized dispensers

A valve assembly for a small hand-held pressurized dispenser, such as an aerosol can, comprising the known form of valve mounting cup provided with a boss having a top wall and a peripheral side wall, a valve housing located at least partially in the boss and carrying a spring-loaded valve member, and a gasket of a flexible, resilient material trapped between and forming a seal between a rim on the housing and the top wall. The assembly is distinguished by the feature of an annular step in the boss facing away from the top wall and a flange on the valve housing which engages against the step to define the distance between the rim and the top wall and thereby limit the sealing pressure applied to the gasket. The flange may be integral with the rim in which interruptions in the step form gassing paths for filling the dispenser, or alternatively the flange and rim are separate in which case discontinuities such as notches and perforations in the rim and flange form a gassing path.

Valves for pressurized dispensers

Actuator cap for a pressurized dispenser

An actuator assembly for the pumps or valves of small hand-held dispensers, especially aerosol containers, which are actuated by depression of an actuator member such as a button, includes a stationary component adapted to be mounted on a pressurized dispenser and a collar in screw-threaded engagement with the stationary component and surrounding an actuator member, which collar when tightened down on its screw prevents depression of the actuator member but when turned to slacken it back allows such movement. Preferably the collar moves downwards to tighten it and this movement may be translated into upward movement in opposition to depression of the actuator member by an arrangement of rocking levers.

Growing community of inventors

Horndean, United Kingdom

Roger Anthony Butcher