Patent Application
20120240357
This invention relates to an inexpensive device to facilitate the storage of a plastic extension tube commonly used with aerosol spray cans by securing it to the spray can.
Aerosol spray cans are commonly used for dispensing a large number of materials such as lubricants, paints and solvents. The material is typically released from the container by manually operating a spray nozzle. Most spray nozzles are designed to dispense a diffused spray. For those applications requiring a local stream a plastic extension tube in inserted into a recess provided in the spray nozzle and delivers a spot spray when operating the spray nozzle. The extension tube being easy to insert and remove the spray pattern can be easily changed to accommodate the user's requirements.
However, a serious problem associated with the plastic extension tube is it very often becomes separated from the aerosol spray can and gets lost. Once it is lost, the versatility of being able to configure the spray pattern to the user's requirements is no longer possible.
While prior art has offered devices for securing the extension tube to the aerosol can, they have had inherent problems with being expensive, not reusable, difficult to use and not readily adaptable for use by the manufacturers of aerosol spray cans.
Accordingly, it is the object of the present invention to provide an improved, easy to use, inexpensive to manufacture storage device for aerosol spray can extension tubes. It is another object of the present invention to provide a storage means that is sufficiently durable to be used on more than one aerosol spray can. It is still further an object of the present invention to allow the storage device to be placed inside the protective cap positioned on the top of the aerosol spray can by the original manufacturers of the aerosol spray can. Still further, it is an object of the invention to allow for display advertising to be visible on the storage device.
The present invention is an improved device for securing an aerosol spray can extension tube to an aerosol spray can. Broadly stated, the device consists of an elastic band which in its free state is smaller in diameter than the aerosol can so as to provide a tight fit when positioned on an aerosol can.
Specifically, the elastic band is specially configured where the two (2) ends are joined together so an aperture is formed between the aerosol can and the elastic band when the elastic band is positioned on the aerosol can. This allows the plastic extension tube to be inserted into the formed aperture and then be moved over and under the elastic band for secure storage.
The advantages of the present invention will be readily understood with reference to the following specifications and attached drawings wherein:
2B is a front view of the elastic band 12.
2C is a side view of elastic band 12 showing display advertising 24 as it would appear when place on the elastic band 12.
is a cross section view through the aerosol spray can 10 and the elastic band 12 showing the aperture 20 that is formed between the aerosol can 10 and the elastic band 12 from the special configuration of the elastic band 12 where the two (2) ends of the elastic ban 12 is joined together.
Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. Therefore, it is to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be appreciated otherwise than as specifically described above.
