DUAL ACTUATED AEROSOL DEVICES

• US 20160194140A1
• Filed: 03/14/2016
• Published: 07/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Silgan Dispensing Systems Corporation (Silgan Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Westrock Dispensing Systems, Inc. (WestRock Company)
• Inventors: Sell, Steven A.
• Granted Patent: US 10,654,644 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/201 Lever-operated actuators B65D83/206 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/206 comprising a cantilevered actuator element, e.g. a lever pivoting about a living hinge
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/22 with a mechanical means to disable actuation B65D50/00 takes precedence

Abstract

An aerosol actuator having a button actuator on a top surface thereof and a lever actuator extending away from the button actuator may be assembled with an aerosol container and valve to provide ergonomic application of a product utilizing the aerosol actuator.

Claims

1. An aerosol actuator, comprising:

a locking ring, comprising;

a base;

a rim about an outer circumference of the base;

a manifold opening in the base; and

at least one base snap structure extending outwardly from the base;

a manifold, comprising;

an inlet;

a valve seat adjacent to the inlet;

an outlet;

a flow path between the inlet and the outlet; and

at least one actuator post;

a cap, comprising;

a wall defining a cap base opening, a trigger opening, and a spray opening;

at least one locking ring support extending off an interior surface of the wall; and

at least one trigger support;

a trigger, comprising;

a button actuator;

a lever actuator extending off of the button actuator;

at least one pivot support extending off of the trigger; and

at least one actuator wing extending away from an underside of the trigger;

wherein the rim of the locking ring is snapped into the at least one locking ring support of the cap defining an interior space between the locking ring and an interior of the cap, the manifold is seated in the interior space, the at least one pivot support is mounted on the at least one trigger support, and the at least one actuator wing is configured to interact with the at least one actuator post of the manifold.

2. The aerosol actuator of claim 1, wherein the wall of the cap is cylindrically shaped.

3. The aerosol actuator of claim 1, wherein the wall of the cap slopes inward from the cap base opening to the top of the cap.

4. The aerosol actuator of claim 1, wherein the button actuator comprises a sloping surface sloping from a front portion thereof to a hard angle where it joins the lever actuator.

5. The aerosol actuator of claim 1, wherein the button actuator comprises a sloping surface towards the lever actuator and the lever actuator comprises a greater downward sloping surface than the button actuator.

6. The aerosol actuator of claim 1, wherein the button actuator has a first length and the lever actuator has a second length, the first length being shorter than the second length.

7. The aerosol actuator of claim 1, wherein the at least one actuator wing comprises at least one actuator wing having a wave shape.

8. An aerosol dispenser, comprising:

a cap, comprising;

a cap base opening;

a trigger opening;

a spray opening; and

at least one trigger support;

a locking ring connected to the cap about the cap base opening, defining an interior space between the locking ring and an interior surface of the cap;

a manifold positioned in the interior space, the manifold comprising;

at least one actuator post; and

an outlet, wherein the outlet is positioned in the spray opening;

a trigger positioned at least partially in the trigger opening, the trigger comprising;

a button actuator;

a lever actuator extending off of the button actuator and away from the cap;

at least one pivot support extending off of the trigger; and

at least one actuator wing extending away from an underside of the trigger;

wherein the at least one pivot support interacts with the at least one trigger support and the at least one actuator wing interacts with the at least one actuator post.

9. The aerosol dispenser of claim 8, further comprising an aerosol container attached to the locking ring.

10. The aerosol dispenser of claim 9, further comprising a manifold valve seat and a valve attached to the aerosol container, wherein the manifold valve seat is seated on the valve.

11. The aerosol dispenser of claim 8, wherein the button actuator comprises a sloping surface sloping from a front portion thereof to a hard angle where it joins the lever actuator.

12. The aerosol dispenser of claim 8, wherein the button actuator comprises a sloping surface towards the lever actuator and the lever actuator comprises a greater downward sloping surface than the button actuator.

13. The aerosol dispenser of claim 8, wherein the button actuator has a first length and the lever actuator has a second length, the first length being shorter than the second length.

14. A trigger for an aerosol actuator, comprising:

a button actuator;

a lever actuator extending off of the button actuator;

at least one pivot support extending off of the trigger; and

at least one actuator wing extending away from an underside of the trigger.

15. The trigger of claim 14, wherein the button actuator comprises a sloping surface sloping from a front portion thereof to a hard angle where it joins the lever actuator.

16. The trigger of claim 14, wherein the button actuator comprises a sloping surface towards the lever actuator and the lever actuator comprises a greater downward sloping surface than the button actuator.

17. The trigger of claim 14, wherein the button actuator has a first length and the lever actuator has a second length, the first length being shorter than the second length.

18. The trigger of claim 14, further comprising at least one trigger post extending outwards from each of the at least one pivot supports.

19. The trigger of claim 14, wherein the at least one actuator wing comprises at least one actuator wing having a wave shape.

20. The trigger of claim 14, further comprising a trigger actuation lock projecting off of an underside of the trigger.