Aerosol can valve and cover assembly

• US 7,641,079 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2007
• Issued: 01/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Clayton Corporation
• Original Assignee: Clayton Corporation
• Inventors: Berger, Richard A., Rueschhoff, Kenneth J., Lott, Joseph C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaver; Kevin P
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shearer; Daniel R
• Application Number:
  US11/714,078
• Publication Number:
  US 20070290006A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,037 Days
• Field of Search: 222/153.05, 222/153.11, 222/402.11, 222/402.13, 222/402.15, 222/402.21, 222/402.22, 222/153.07
• US Class Current: 222/402.13
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/201 Lever-operated actuators B65D83/206 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/22 with a mechanical means to disable actuation B65D50/00 takes precedence

Abstract

A cover and trigger assembly is provided that includes having a valve that can be actuated for dispensing the contents of the can through an outlet of the valve. The assembly includes an annular component having a helical surface is secured to the can, and a cover coupled to the annular component. The cover has an opening through which a trigger extends, and the cover is rotatable relative to the helical surface on the annular component for rotatably raising or lowering the cover relative to the annular component. The raising or lowering of the cover respectively prohibits or permits movement of the trigger member to actuate the valve, thereby controlling dispensing operation of the valve.

Claims

1. A cover assembly for an aerosol can comprising:

a valve assembly secured to the aerosol can, the valve assembly having a valve stem that when displaced is operable to permit dispensing operation through an outlet of the valve;

an annular component secured to the aerosol can, the annular component having a helical surface;

a cover member having an opening therein and a trigger member pivotally coupled to the cover, the trigger member having a handle portion that extends through the opening in the cover, and an aperture therein through which a portion of the valve stem extends, the cover member being coupled to the annular component and being rotatable relative to the helical surface on the annular component, wherein the cover is movable relative to the helical surface on the annular component for rotatably raising the cover to a first position in which the pivotal movement of the trigger does not cause displacement of the valve stem and actuation of the valve, and for rotatably lowering the cover to at least a second position in which the pivotal movement of the trigger causes the displacement of the valve stem and actuation of the valve, to respectively prohibit or permit movement of the trigger member to displace the valve stem that operates the valve assembly, thereby controlling dispensing operation of the valve.

2. The cover assembly of claim 1, wherein the annular component further comprises a detachable portion extending outwardly from the annular component.

3. The cover assembly of claim 2, wherein when the detachable portion of the annular component is received within a slot in the cover member, the trigger member is restricted from operating the valve assembly to prevent dispensing operation.

4. The cover assembly of claim 2, wherein the detachable portion of the annular component is received within a slot in the cover member so as to resist rotation of the cover member relative to the annular component from a position in which movement of the trigger member is prohibited from effectuating dispensing operation of the valve assembly.

5. The cover assembly of claim 4, wherein when the detachable portion is removed from the annular component, the cover member is rotatable relative to the annular component to at least one position that permits movement of the trigger member to effect dispensing operation of the valve assembly.

6. The cover assembly of claim 1 further comprising a conduit coupled to the outlet of the valve assembly, wherein the aperture in the trigger member is received over a portion of the conduit.

7. A cover assembly for an aerosol can comprising:

a valve assembly secured to the aerosol can, the valve assembly being operable to permit dispensing operation through an outlet of the valve;

an annular component secured to the aerosol can, the annular component having a helical surface;

a trigger member having an aperture therein and a handle portion thereon;

a cover member having an opening through which the handle portion extends, the cover member being coupled to the annular component and being rotatable relative to the helical surface on the annular component, for rotatably raising or lowering the cover member relative to the annular component to respectively prohibit or permit movement of the trigger member to operate the valve assembly, thereby controlling dispensing operation of the valve;

a conduit coupled to the outlet of the valve assembly, wherein the aperture in the trigger member is received over a portion of the conduit, and

a nozzle tip releasably connected to the conduit.

8. A cover assembly for an aerosol can comprising:

a valve assembly secured to the aerosol can, the valve assembly being operable to permit dispensing operation through an outlet of the valve;

an annular component secured to the aerosol can, the annular component having a helical surface;

a trigger member having an aperture therein and a handle portion thereon;

a cover member having an opening through which the handle portion extends, the cover member being coupled to the annular component and being rotatable relative to the helical surface on the annular component, for rotatably raising or lowering the cover member relative to the annular component to respectively prohibit or permit movement of the trigger member to operate the valve assembly, thereby controlling dispensing operation of the valve; and

a conduit coupled to the outlet of the valve assembly, wherein the aperture in the trigger member is received over a portion of the conduit,

wherein the trigger member is rotatable about the conduit and pivotally movable within the opening in the cover member, such that the trigger member may be rotated about the conduit concurrent to rotation of the cover member about the annular component.

9. A cover assembly for an aerosol can comprising:

a valve assembly secured to the aerosol can, the valve assembly being operable to permit dispensing operation through an outlet of the valve;

an annular component secured to the aerosol can, the annular component having a helical surface;

a trigger member having an aperture therein and a handle portion thereon;

a cover member having an opening through which the handle portion extends, the cover member being coupled to the annular component and being rotatable relative to the helical surface on the annular component, for rotatably raising or lowering the cover member relative to the annular component to respectively prohibit or permit movement of the trigger member to operate the valve assembly, thereby controlling dispensing operation of the valve; and

a conduit coupled to the outlet of the valve assembly, wherein the aperture in the trigger member is received over a portion of the conduit,

wherein the helical surface comprises an external thread on the annular component that causes the cover member to be raised or lowered relative to the annular component when the cover member is rotated about the external thread.

10. A cover assembly for an aerosol can having a valve that can be actuated for dispensing the contents of the can through an outlet of the valve, the cover assembly comprising:

an annular component secured to the aerosol can, the annular component having an outer helical surface;

a conduit coupled to the outlet of the valve;

a cover having an opening therein and a trigger member pivotally coupled to the cover, the trigger member having an aperture therein and a handle portion that extends through the opening in the cover, the cover being received over the annular component in a manner such that a portion of the conduit extends through the aperture in the trigger member and through the opening in the cover; and

wherein the cover is movable relative to the helical surface on the annular component for rotatably raising the cover to a first position in which the pivotal movement of the trigger does not actuate the valve, and for rotatably lowering the cover to at least a second position in which the pivotal movement of the trigger causes the actuation of the valve to permit dispensing operation of the valve.

11. The cover assembly of claim 10, further comprising a detachable portion on the annular component that is received within a slot in the cover when the cover is received over the annular component, such that the detachable portion resists rotation of the cover from the first position in which pivotal movement of the trigger member does not actuate the valve.

12. The cover assembly of claim 11, wherein when the detachable portion is removed from the annular component, the cover is permitted to rotate relative to the annular component to at least a second position in which the pivotal movement of the trigger causes the actuation of the valve to permit dispensing operation of the valve.

13. The cover assembly of claim 12 further comprising a nozzle tip releasably connected to the conduit.

14. The cover assembly of claim 12, wherein the annular component comprises one or more detents corresponding to one or more rotational positions of the cover member, for varying the extent of valve actuation and dispensing operation of the valve.

15. The cover assembly of claim 10, further comprising a frangible portion spanning across at least a portion of the opening in the cover, which when the cover is rotated to at least a second position in which the pivotal movement of the trigger causes the actuation of the valve to permit dispensing operation of the valve, the trigger member causes the frangible portion to break for providing a tamper evident indication.

16. A cover and trigger assembly for an aerosol can having a valve that can be actuated for dispensing the contents of the can through an outlet of the valve, the cover assembly comprising:

an annular component secured to the aerosol can, the annular component having a detachable portion and an outer helical surface;

a conduit coupled to the outlet of the valve;

a cover having an opening therein and a trigger member pivotally coupled to the cover, the trigger member having an aperture therein and a handle portion that extends through the opening in the cover, the cover being received over the annular component in a manner such that a portion of the conduit extends through the aperture in the trigger member and through the opening in the cover; and

wherein the cover is movable relative to the helical surface on the annular component for rotatably raising the cover to a first position in which the pivotal movement of the trigger does not actuate the valve, and for rotatably lowering the cover to at least a second position in which the pivotal movement of the trigger causes the actuation of the valve to permit dispensing operation of the valve; and

wherein the detachable portion of the annular component is received in a slot in the cover such that the detachable portion resists rotation of the cover from the first position in which pivotal movement of the trigger member does not actuate the valve.

17. The cover and trigger assembly of claim 16, wherein when the detachable portion is removed from the annular component, the cover member is rotatable relative to the annular component to at least a second position in which the pivotal movement of the trigger causes the actuation of the valve to permit dispensing operation of the valve.

18. The cover and trigger assembly of claim 17 wherein when the cover is rotated relative to the annular component to at least one position that is lower than the first closed position, the movement of the trigger member engages the conduit for causing the valve to be actuated to permit dispensing operation of the valve.

19. The cover and trigger assembly of claim 18 wherein the trigger member engages a shoulder on the conduit for causing the valve to be actuated.

20. The cover and trigger assembly of claim 19 further comprising a nozzle tip releasably connected to the conduit.

21. The cover and trigger assembly of claim 18 wherein the helical surface on the annular component comprises external threads on the annular component, and the cover is threadably received onto the threads of the annular component.

22. The cover and trigger assembly according to claim 17 wherein the cover may be rotated to one or more dispensing positions that vary the extent to which the trigger member may engage the conduit, for varying the actuation of the valve to adjust the level of dispensing operation of the valve.

23. The cover and trigger assembly according to claim 22, wherein the annular component comprises one or more detents corresponding to one or more rotational positions of the cover member, for selectively varying the extent of valve actuation and level of dispensing operation of the valve.