Holder for aerosol can

• US 5,348,193 A
• Filed: 05/28/1993
• Issued: 09/20/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Federal Laboratories, Inc.
• Original Assignee: MACE Security International
• Inventors: Bruckner, Tony A., Bruckner, James V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kashnikow, Andres
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kaufman, Joseph A.
• Application Number:
  US08/069,551
• Time in Patent Office: 480 Days
• Field of Search: 222/175, 222/182, 222/183, 222/402.1, 222/402.13, 222/635, 220/345, 220/625
• US Class Current: 222/175
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 15/62 Arrangements for supporting spraying apparatus, e.g. suction cups
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/384 comprising an aerosol container disposed in an outer shell or in an external container
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/388 with means for suspending the aerosol container
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/56 with means for preventing delivery, e.g. shut-off when inverted actuating means with means to disable actuation B65D83/22

Abstract

An aerosol dispenser comprises a body having an interior for holding an aerosol can. The body has a bottom portion with an opening therein that permits the insertion of the can into the interior in a first direction. A fastening end piece located on the bottom portion of the body holds the aerosol can within the interior and engages the body in a direction substantially orthogonal to the first direction of can insertion. In addition, the aerosol can may be inserted in a direction substantially parallel with the major axis of the body, the fastening end piece may have a lug which protrudes into the interior of the body when the fastening end piece has engaged the body, and the fastening end piece may engage the body by sliding into place. In one particular aspect, the aerosol dispenser is used for discharging a chemical repellant, such as tear gas.

Claims

1. An aerosol dispenser, comprising:

a body having an interior for holding an aerosol can, a bottom portion and a discharge portion, said aerosol can having a nozzle disposed thereon, said body having an opening proximate to said bottom portion for insertion of said aerosol can in a first direction into said interior and said bottom portion formed with means for slidably receiving an end piece, said discharge portion of said body including a top protective flap connected to said body for preventing accidental discharge of said aerosol can and an opening, disposed below said flap on said body, sized for said nozzle so that said nozzle is directed substantially orthogonal to said first direction; and

an end piece configured for holding said aerosol can within said interior of said body, said end piece formed for installation on said body by engaging the receiving means and sliding in a second direction substantially orthogonal to said first direction, said end piece including a positioning lug protruding away from said end piece and designed to engage said body for securely positioning said end piece on said bottom portion of said body, wherein said positioning lug is a one-way locking lug with an inclined surface with a height that increases moving in a direction away from the center of said end piece.

2. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein said first direction is substantially parallel with the major axis of said body.

3. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein said end piece uses a dovetail configuration for engaging said body.

4. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein said end piece further comprises a clip arm.

5. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein said receiving means comprises an engagement means, disposed proximate to said bottom portion and protruding downward from said body, for accepting said end piece.

6. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein said insertion of said aerosol can comprises axial insertion thereof.

7. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein said dispenser is substantially cylindrical-shaped.

8. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein said aerosol can contains a chemical repellant.

9. An aerosol dispenser for discharging a chemical repellant contained within an aerosol can, comprising:

a substantially cylindrical body having a major axis, an interior sized to accept said aerosol can, a discharge portion, and a bottom portion disposed distal from said discharge portion, said body having an opening proximate to said bottom portion for axial insertion of said aerosol can in a first direction into said interior;

a pair of engagement lugs, disposed on said bottom portion of said body and protruding downward from said body in a second direction substantially opposite to said first direction; and

an end piece shaped to engage said engagement lugs by sliding in a third direction substantially orthogonal to said first and second directions.

10. The dispenser of claim 9 wherein:

said end piece further comprises a positioning lug protruding away from said end piece and designed to engage said body for securely positioning said end piece on said bottom portion of said body.

11. The dispenser of claim 9 wherein:

said engagement lugs each have a female dovetail; and

said end piece has a pair of male dovetails oppositely disposed for engaging said female dovetails of said engagement lugs.

12. The dispenser of claim 9, 10 or 11 wherein said end piece further comprises a clip arm protruding upward alongside said body substantially parallel to said major axis.

13. The dispenser of claim 12 further comprising an aerosol can.

14. A method for encapsulating an aerosol canister into an aerosol dispenser, comprising the steps:

inserting an aerosol canister axially in a first direction tin an interior of an aerosol dispenser, said aerosol dispenser having a substantially cylindrical body, a discharge portion, and a bottom portion disposed distal from said discharge portion;

aligning a spray nozzle of said aerosol canister so that said spray nozzle fits within a spray nozzle opening of said discharge portion; and

sliding an end piece into a pair of engagement lugs of said bottom portion of said aerosol dispenser in a second direction substantially orthogonal to said first direction.