The present specification generally relates to container pressurizing and sealing apparatus and methods of pressurizing containers.
Liquid personal care products are available in a wide variety of containers, including bottles, jars, tubes, and cans. One exemplary container is an aerosol container, such as piston in can or bag on valve type container. For bag on valve containers, as one example, a flexible bag may be attached to an aerosol valve. The flexible bag may be filled with a product that is to be dispensed by the consumer. The container may be filled with a propellant between the flexible bag and inside wall of the container. When the aerosol valve is actuated, the propellant forces the product from the bag and through the aerosol valve. Exemplary containers include those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,810,675, 6,923,342, 6,874,544, 6,789,702, 6,622,943, 6,415,800, 6,405,898, 6,250,505, 5,385,303, 4,402,427, 4,122,978 and U.S. application Ser. Nos. 11/405,320, 11/405,288, 11/405,046 and 11/405,295.
In one embodiment, a multi-position valve assembly includes a valve body member at least partially defining a body chamber and a body orifice providing an inlet for ingress of a product into the body chamber. A stem member includes a plug portion at least partially located in the body chamber and a stem portion extending vertically from the plug portion beyond a top of the body chamber. The stem member includes a stem outlet capable of communication with the body chamber via a stem orifice. A first biasing member biases the stem member toward a closed position. A second biasing member biases the stem member toward the closed position only after the stem member is moved a clearance gap to a first open position.
In another embodiment, a method of providing a multi-position valve assembly is provided. The method includes locating a stem member including a plug portion at least partially within a body chamber of a valve body member. The valve body member includes a body orifice providing an inlet for ingress of a product into the body chamber. The stem member includes a stem outlet capable of communication with the body chamber via a stem orifice. The stem member is biased toward a closed position using a first biasing member in contact with the stem member with the stem member in the closed position. A second biasing member is provided that biases the stem member toward the closed position only after the stem member is moved a clearance gap to a first open position.
These and additional features provided by the embodiments described herein will be more fully understood in view of the following detailed description, in conjunction with the drawings.
The embodiments set forth in the drawings are illustrative and exemplary in nature and not intended to limit the subject matter defined by the claims. The following detailed description of the illustrative embodiments can be understood when read in conjunction with the following drawings, where like structure is indicated with like reference numerals and in which:
Embodiments described herein generally relate to container valve assemblies that facilitate user control of the flow of a liquid, gas, or other material through the valve assemblies. The valve assemblies include multiple biasing members that are arranged to require differing opening pressures when actuating the valve assemblies to provide multiple, discrete opening positions. Such multi-position valve assemblies can allow user control of the opening of a fluid passageway to a stem orifice of the valve assemblies, which, in turn, can be used to control the delivery rate of the product through the valve assemblies.
Referring to
The outer container 12 may be rigid. By rigid, it is meant that the outer container 12 does not substantially change shape or size in response to normal usage forces or depletion of the contents of the pressurized container assembly 10. A rigid outer container 12 may allow the pressurized container assembly 10 to be conveniently shipped, stored, displayed, placed on a tabletop, etc. Furthermore, a rigid outer container 12 can provide protection in the event that the pressurized container assembly 10 is dropped, or otherwise disturbed. In other embodiments, the outer container may not be formed by a rigid material. For example, the outer container 12 may become more and more flexible as the contents of the pressurized container assembly 10 are depleted. Suitable materials for the outer container 12 may include metals, plastics, glass and combinations thereof of any wall thickness suitable for the intended pressurization.
The inner container 14 may generally be formed of a material more flexible than the outer container 12 and includes an end 32 that is connected to a valve assembly 34 of the valve cup assembly 28. The inner container 14 may be connected to the valve assembly 34 so that a product located in the inner container 14 can be dispensed through the valve assembly 34, when the valve assembly 34 is actuated. While a pressurized container is shown, non-pressurized containers may also be employed. For example, potential energy associated with an energy band may be used. In some embodiments, a dip tube may be used instead of an inner container.
Referring also to
The valve cup assembly 28 can be inserted into or outside of the mouth 25 of the outer container 12. While crimping is described above, the valve cup assembly 28 may be joined to the container mouth 25 in any suitable fluid tight or vapor tight manner, sufficient to withstand internal (represented by arrows 45) or external pressurization of the pressurized container assembly 10. A press fit, interference fit, clearance fit may be utilized for joining the mouth 25 and valve cup assembly 28. Joining may also be accomplished by friction welding, solvent welding, high frequency welding, adhesive, or a combination thereof. If desired, an intermediate material or component may be disposed between the valve cup assembly 28 and mouth 25, so long as such material or component provides an adequate seal.
Referring to
A sealing member 64 (e.g., a gasket) is located between the valve body member 52 and the valve cup 36. The sealing member 64 may be any device/component that seals the stem portion 60 at rest and unseals the stem portion 60 when disturbed during an actuation operation. The sealing member 64 includes an opening 66 through which the stem portion 60 extends. The sealing member 64 provides a seal in a closed position as shown by
A spring 72 is seated against a floor 74 of the body chamber 54, above a downwardly extending tailpiece 76 that includes a body orifice 78 leading to the body chamber 54 for ingress of product into the body chamber 54. The spring can be any type of structure which provides a mechanical return force when deformed from its rest position. In some embodiments, the spring may be a leaf spring, a coil or a compressible elastomeric structure. The spring may also be structures such as a flange that extends outwardly from the stem member 56 and/or inwards from the valve cup 36. The spring 72 includes an upper contacting end 80 that is slidingly received within a recess 82 formed in a bottom 84 of the plug portion 58. As can be seen, with the valve assembly 34 in the illustrated closed position, a clearance gap 86 or distance is provided between the contacting end 80 of the spring 72 and a seating surface 88 within the recess 82 of the plug portion 58. As will be described in greater detail below, the contacting end 80 of the spring 72 is offset the clearance gap 86 from the seating surface 88 such that the seating surface 88 engages the contacting end 80 only after the stem member 56 is depressed the clearance gap 86. In other embodiments, the clearance gap may be between the floor 74 and the spring 72, for example, by affixing the spring 72 to the surface 88, for example, by friction or any other suitable connection.
Referring to
Referring now to
Applied Force=k1X1,
where k1 is the spring constant of the sealing member; and X1 is the distance moved toward the first open position.
In the first open position, the seating surface 88 engages the spring 72, which provides tactile feedback to the user that the valve assembly 34 is in the first open position due to the increased resistance provided by the two biasing members (i.e., the spring 72 as the second biasing member and the sealing member 64 as the first biasing member). As can be seen by
Referring to
Applied Force=k1(X1+X2)+k2X2,
where k1 is the spring constant of the sealing member;
k2 is the spring constant of the spring; X1 is the distance to the first open position; and
X2 is the distance moved from the first position.
During movement beyond the first open position to the second open position, the seating surface 88 depresses the spring 72, which increases the resistance provided. As can be seen by
Referring now to
The first spring 110 extends between a floor 124 of the valve body member 104 and the plug portion 120 of the stem member 106. In some embodiments, a bottom end 134 of the first spring 110 is received about a spring locating support 136 located in a spring housing recess 138 at the floor 124. A contacting end 126 of the first spring 110 may be received within a recess 128 formed in a bottom 130 of the plug portion 120. In this embodiment, no clearance gap is provided between the contacting end 126 of the first spring 110 and a seating surface 132 located within the recess 128. Instead, the first spring 110 may be engaged with the seating surface 132 with the valve assembly 102 in the illustrated closed position.
The second spring 112 extends between the floor 124 of the valve body member 104 and the plug portion 120 of the stem member 106. In some embodiments, a bottom end 142 of the second spring 112 is received within a spring wall support 144 providing an outer wall for the spring housing recess 138 at the floor 124. A contacting end 146 of the second spring 112 may be located outside the recess 128 formed in the bottom 130 of the plug portion 120. As can be seen, with the valve cup assembly 100 in the illustrated closed position, a clearance gap 147 or distance is provided between the contacting end 146 of the second spring 112 and an outer seating surface 148 located outside the recess 128 of the plug portion 120. The contacting end 146 of the second spring 112 is offset the clearance gap 147 from the outer seating surface 148 such that the outer seating surface 148 engages the contacting end 146 only after the stem member 106 is depressed the clearance gap 147.
Referring to
Referring now to
Applied Force=(k1+k2)X1,
where k1 is the spring constant of the sealing member;
k2 is the spring constant of the first spring; and
X1 is the distance moved toward the first open position.
In the first open position, the seating surface 148 engages the second spring 112, which provides tactile feedback to the user that the valve assembly 102 is in the first open position due to the increased resistance provided by the three biasing members (i.e., the first spring 110, the second spring 112 and the sealing member 114). As can be seen by
Referring to
Applied Force=(k1+k2)(X1+X2)+k3X2,
where k1 is the spring constant of the sealing member;
k2 is the spring constant of the first spring;
k3 is the spring constant of the second spring;
X1 is the distance to the first open position;
and X2 is the distance moved from the first position.
During movement beyond the first open position to the second open position, the seating surface 148 engages and depresses the second spring 112, which increases the resistance provided. As can be seen by
While two open positions are discussed above, there may be more than two open positions, such as three open positions (e.g., “On-low”, “On-medium” and “On-high”) or more. Referring again to
Applied Force=(k1+k2)(X1+X2+X3)+k3(X2+X3)+k4X3,
where k1 is the spring constant of the sealing member;
k2 is the spring constant of the first spring;
k3 is the spring constant of the second spring;
k4 is the spring constant of the third spring;
X1 is the distance to the first open position;
X2 is the distance to the second open position; and
X3 is the distance moved toward the third open position.
The valve assemblies described herein may be used with a number of packaged compositions such as pressurized dispensers including, for example, personal care products (e.g., cosmetics, antiperspirants/deodorants, skin care products, shave care products, fragrances, and hair care products), home care products, air care products, and pet care products. By providing valve assemblies having multiple positions as described above, a controlled release profile can be achieved by positioning the valve stem in various discrete open positions. For example, during use, it may be desirable for a user to place the valve assemblies described above in the first open position at initial use when the dispensing pressure within the containers may be at a peak. This can reduce the dispensing rate of the product through the valve assemblies compared to fully opening the valve assemblies. As the product is dispensed over time, it may become desirable for a user to place the valve assemblies in the second open position when the dispensing pressure within the containers is reduced (e.g., due to the reduction of volume of an inner bag). This can increase the dispensing rate of the product compared to if the valve assemblies were in their first open positions and can accommodate for the reduction in the dispensing pressure.
The dimensions and values disclosed herein are not to be understood as being strictly limited to the exact numerical values recited. Instead, unless otherwise specified, each such dimension is intended to mean both the recited value and a functionally equivalent range surrounding that value. For example, a dimension disclosed as “40 mm” is intended to mean “about 40 mm”.
Every document cited herein, including any cross referenced or related patent or application, is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety unless expressly excluded or otherwise limited. The citation of any document is not an admission that it is prior art with respect to any invention disclosed or claimed herein or that it alone, or in any combination with any other reference or references, teaches, suggests or discloses any such invention. Further, to the extent that any meaning or definition of a term in this document conflicts with any meaning or definition of the same term in a document incorporated by reference, the meaning or definition assigned to that term in this document shall govern.
While particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it would be obvious to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is therefore intended to cover in the appended claims all such changes and modifications that are within the scope of this invention.