Aerosol spray can with electrical activating means

• US 5,318,208 A
• Filed: 01/22/1993
• Issued: 06/07/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Electro Spray Co.
• Original Assignee: Jurjen Van Derwal Revocable Family Trust
• Inventors: van der Wal, Jurjen
• Primary Examiner(s): Kashnikow, Andres
• Assistant Examiner(s): Derakshani, Philippe
• Application Number:
  US08/007,916
• Time in Patent Office: 501 Days
• Field of Search: 222/323-324, 222/333, 222/402.2, 222/402.13, 222/402.15, 222/504, 222/474, 222/645, 222/649, 239/332, 239/373, 239/526, 16/110 R, 16/114 R, 251/129.21, 251/291, 200/61.86, 200/83 Q
• US Class Current: 222/402.13
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/202 combined with a hand grip hand-held or body-worn self-defense devices using aerosol containers F41H9/10
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/262 by clockwork, motor, electric or magnetic means operating without repeated human input

Abstract

A combination aerosol spray can and operator system in which the operator is a handgrip releasably attached to a modified spray can. The handgrip is electrically operated from an electrical outlet and, and includes a manually activated trigger to control the application of alternating current to a solenoid operator secured to the handgrip and extending into an annular opening formed in the spray can. Upon partial actuation of the trigger, with the handgrip plugged in, the solenoid operator is actuated to open a first valve connected to the interior of the spray can, and upon further actuation of the trigger, a lever is operated to open a second valve to allow the contents of the spray can to be sprayed.

Claims

1. A combination handgrip assembly and aerosol spray can, in which said handgrip assembly is removable from said spray can and includes a trigger means which may be activated by a finger of an operator'"'"'s hand that holds said handgrip assembly, the improvement comprising:

an integral electric switch, located within said handgrip assembly, said integral electric switch having an external on/off switch arm, which, when activated by said trigger means, as it is squeezed by the finger of the operator'"'"'s hand, closes an electric circuit; and

a lever means pivotally mounted in said handgrip assembly, which, upon further activation of said trigger means by said finger of the operator'"'"'hand, will be actuated to contact and depress a sprayhead assembly of said aerosol spray can, to allow said aerosol spray can to spray.

2. The combination handgrip assembly and aerosol spray can of claim 1, further including a space between said lever means said sprayhead assembly and an adjustment means secured to said lever means for adjusting the space between said lever means said sprayhead assembly.

3. The combination handgrip assembly and aerosol spray can of claim 2 wherein said adjustment means is an adjustment nut and a lockwasher carried by said lever means.

4. The combination handgrip assembly and aerosol spray can of claim 1, further including a pair of pivotable spring-tensioned locking blades engagable with a collar portion formed on said aerosol spray to releasably lock said handgrip assembly to said aerosol spray can;

said pair of pivotable spring-tensioned locking blades being aligned by stationary guides supporting said pair of pivotable spring-tensioned locking blades.

5. The combination handgrip assembly and aerosol spray can of claim 4, wherein said aerosol spray can has a generally cylindrical shape with a top portion including said collar portion and a sealed and separate space formed within aerosol said spray can with a sprayhead having an internal valve means secured to said aerosol spray can inside of said sealed and separate space and an annular cavity formed in said aerosol spray can surrounding said sealed and separate space;

and wherein an electric solenoid secured to said handgrip assembly is inserted into said annular cavity when said handgrip assembly and said aerosol spray can are secured together.

6. A combination handgrip assembly and aerosol spray can, in which said handgrip assembly is removable from said spray can and includes a trigger means which may be activated by a finger of an operator'"'"'s hand that holds said handgrip assembly, the improvement comprising:

said aerosol spray can having a generally cylindrical shape with a top portion including a rolled collar having a recessed ring formed below said rolled collar suitable for receiving locking blades pivotably mounted to said handgrip assembly to secure said aerosol spray can and said handgrip assembly together;

a sealed and separate space formed within aerosol said spray can;

a sprayhead having an internal valve means secured to said aerosol spray can inside of said sealed and separate space;

an annular cavity formed in said aerosol spray can surrounding said sealed and separate space; and

an electric solenoid secured to said handgrip assembly and inserted into said annular cavity.

7. A combination handgrip assembly and aerosol spray can, in which said handgrip assembly is removable from said spray can and includes a trigger means which may be activated by a finger of an operator'"'"'s hand that holds said handgrip assembly, the improvement comprising:

said aerosol spray can having substantially cylindrical top and bottom portions, with an annular cavity formed in the top portion;

an electric solenoid integrally secured to said handgrip assembly and insertable into said annular cavity;

a pair of pivotable spring-tensioned locking blades engagable with a collar portion at said top portion of said aerosol spray can to releasably lock said handgrip assembly to said aerosol spray can;

a connect/disconnect feature whereby an operator having two hands may use one hand to insert and remove said cylindrical top portion of said aerosol spray can into and out of said annular cavity, while the operator'"'"'s other hand may grip said handgrip and open and close said pair of locking blades to lock and unlock said aerosol spray can with respect to said handgrip.

8. The combination handgrip assembly and aerosol spray can of claim 7, further including a valve activated by a plunger in said cylindrical top portion of said aerosol spray can, which valve and plunger are only capable of being activate when said handgrip is secured to said aerosol spray can with said electric solenoid inserted into said annular cavity.

9. The combination handgrip assembly and aerosol spray can of claim 8, wherein said plunger is made from a material which is attached by a magnetic field so as to actuate said valve upon creation of the magnetic field when said solenoid is activated by said trigger.

10. The combination handgrip assembly and aerosol spray can of claim 9, wherein said handgrip and said aerosol spray can are specifically shaped, and fabricated from materials which will provide the least interference possible with the interaction of said magnetic field with said plunger.

11. The combination handgrip assembly and aerosol spray can of claim 7, further including an electric circuit connected to said electric solenoid having means therein which will only allow said solenoid to be operated by alternating electrical current.