ACTUATORS FOR FLUID-DISPENSER CONTAINERS AND CONTAINERS INCLUDING SUCH ACTUATORS

• US 20070295754A1
• Filed: 06/25/2007
• Published: 12/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zynon Technologies, LLC
• Original Assignee: Zynon Technologies, LLC
• Inventors: Tourigny, Jay
• Granted Patent: US 7,784,647 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 222/205
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/1052 Actuation means locking means therefor B05B11/1059; the dispensing stroke being affected by the stored energy of a spring B05B11/109
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/20 operated by manual action, e.g. button-type actuator or actuator caps actuators formed as a rigid elongate spout B65D83/306

Abstract

An actuator (10, 10′, 110) for a fluid-dispenser container, e.g., an aerosol container (14) or a non-aerosol pump container (114), has in one version (actuators 10 and 10′) a base (18) having a port (20) which receives fluid from the container (14) and dispenses the fluid via a shallow cavity (24, 24′). In another version of the actuator, the actuator (110) has a base (44) and a cover (46) which may be positioned either in a closed or open position relative to each other. In the closed position, fluid is transported through an extended conduit of actuator (110) provided by a base conduit (58) which is connected in fluid flow communication with a cover conduit (70) to discharge fluid through a cover orifice (66). When cover (46) is in the open position, fluid is dispensed via base conduit (58) through a shallow cavity (54) in the same manner as that of actuators (10, 10′).

Claims

1. An actuator for a fluid-dispenser container having a dispensing valve which is manipulatable to dispense stored fluid from the container, the actuator comprising:

a base having a port side in which there is a valve port and an opposite, deck side having a cavity in which there is a deck orifice, the deck orifice being connected in fluid flow communication with the valve port to define a base conduit;

the valve port being configured to be connected to the dispensing valve in fluid flow communication therewith, whereby manipulating the actuator to operate the dispensing valve dispenses stored fluid through the base conduit and out the deck orifice into the shallow cavity.

2. The actuator of claim 1 wherein the deck side of the actuator is configured for manipulating by a user'"'"'s finger or fingers while leaving the deck side sufficiently exposed during such manipulating that fluid dispensed from the actuator is accessible to the user during such manipulating.

3. The actuator of claim 1 further comprising a cover having an interior side and an exterior surface, the cover being movable between a closed position in which the interior side of the cover overlies the deck side of the base, and an open position in which the cover is displaced from the deck side of the base to expose the deck orifice to enable dispensing stored fluid therefrom, the cover having a cover orifice in its exterior surface and a cover port in its interior side, the cover orifice and the cover port being connected in fluid flow communication with each other to define a cover conduit, and wherein the cover port is configured to be connected in fluid flow communication with the deck orifice when the cover is in the closed position to thereby connect the cover conduit in fluid flow communication with the base conduit to define an extended conduit, whereby manipulating the actuator to operate the dispensing valve dispenses stored fluid from the cover orifice via the extended conduit when the cover is in the closed position.

4. The actuator of claim 1, claim 2 or claim 3 wherein such dispensing valve is one which has a valve stem and wherein the valve port of the actuator is configured to receive therein such valve stem.

5. The actuator of claim 1, claim 2 or claim 3 wherein such dispensing valve is one which has a valve seat in lieu of a valve stem, and wherein the actuator further comprises a valve stem carried on the port side of the base of the actuator and configured to be seated within such valve seat.

6. The actuator of claim 5 wherein the valve stem is carried in the valve port of the actuator.

7. The actuator of claim 3 wherein the cover port comprises a nipple which is configured to be inserted into the deck orifice in fluid-tight relationship therewith when the cover is in the closed position.

8. The actuator of claim 3 wherein the deck orifice has a longitudinal axis and the cover conduit has a first leg which is disposed coaxially with the longitudinal axis of the deck orifice when the cover is in the closed position, and a second leg which is disposed transversely of the first leg and terminates in the cover orifice.

9. The actuator of claim 3 wherein the cover is connected to the body by a hinge about which the cover pivots relative to the body between the closed position and the open position.

10. The actuator of claim 1, claim 2 or claim 3 mounted on a fluid-dispenser container having stored fluid therein.

11. The actuator of claim 10 wherein the deck orifice has a longitudinal axis and the dispensing valve is operated by depressing its valve stem in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the deck orifice.

12. The actuator of claim 1, claim 2 or claim 3 wherein the length of the shallow cavity equals the width of the shallow cavity, and the depth of the shallow cavity is less than one-half the length.

13. The actuator of claim 1, claim 2 or claim 3 wherein the length of the shallow cavity is greater than the width of the shallow cavity, and the depth of the shallow cavity is less than one-half the width.

14. The actuator of claim 1, claim 2 or claim 3 wherein the fluid-dispenser container is an aerosol container and the actuator is mounted on the container for dispensing fluid therefrom by holding the valve stem open.

15. The actuator of claim 1, claim 2 or claim 3 wherein the fluid-dispenser container is a pump-dispenser container and the actuator is mounted on said container for dispensing of fluid therefrom by repeated pumping of the valve.