CA-3181311-C - AEROSOL ACTUATOR

CA3181311CCA 3181311 CCA3181311 CCA 3181311CCA-3181311-C

Abstract

The aerosol actuator includes a shroud. An actuation member situated within the shroud has a stem bore pocket adapted to receive the valve stem of the aerosol container. In high speed production, entrance of the stem into the pocket as the shroud is mounted on the aerosol container is facilitated by providing the pocket with a plurality of inwardly extending compressible ribs and a tab extending from the shroud which stabilizes the actuation member within the shroud. The tab is pivoted out of the path of movement of the actuation member upon initial depression of the actuation member by the user. To prevent accidental depression of the actuation member by a top load, the shroud wall is extended above the plane of the surface of the actuation member.

Inventors

John W. Freudenberg
Joseph G. Peschke
Paul Mierzwa
MICHAEL J. STARZMAN
Ryan Paul Davidson
Christopher Michael Howell

Assignees

WD-40 Manufacturing Company

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20200618
Priority Date: 20200618

Claims (10)

WE CLAIM: 1. An aerosol actuator for use with a container of pressurized fluid having a valve with a stem depressible to release contents of the container, said actuator comprising a shroud adapted to be situated on the container over the stem, an actuation member situated within said shroud comprising a stem bore pocket adapted to receive the stem, said actuation member being movable relative to said shroud between a first position wherein the stem is not depressed and a second position wherein the stem is depressed to release the contents of the container, said actuation member including a nozzle with an outlet port and a channel connecting the stem and said nozzle, said stem bore pocket having an axis and comprising an interior surface, and a plurality of ribs extending from said interior surface of said stem bore pocket along a direction of said axis to facilitate entrance of the stem into said stem bore pocket, wherein said ribs comprise inclined surfaces proximate the entrance of said stem bore pocket, are circumferentially arranged around said interior surface of said stem bore pocket, are formed of compressible or resilient material, have tapered edges and function to funnel the stem into said stem bore pocket.
2. An aerosol actuator for use with a container of pressurized fluid having a valve with a stem depressible to release contents of the container, said actuator comprising a shroud adapted to be situated on the container over the stem, an actuation member mounted to said shroud for movement between a first position wherein the stem is not depressed and a second position wherein the stem is depressed to release the contents of the container, said actuation member including a nozzle with an outlet port and a channel connecting said stem and said nozzle, and a tab extending from said shroud toward a path of movement of said actuation member, said tab being moved from an active position intersecting said path of movement of said actuation member to a passive position remote from the path of movement of said actuation member only a first time said actuation member is moved from said first position to said second position, wherein said tab thereafter permanently remains in said passive position remote from the path of movement of said actuation member.
3. The actuator of claim 2 wherein said actuation member comprises a stem bore pocket and said tab, in said active position stabilizes said actuation member such that said stem bore pocket is aligned with the stem. 14
4. The actuator of claim 2 wherein said tab, in its active position, maintains said actuation member in position to receive the stem during assembly of the actuator and the container.
5. The actuator of claim 2 wherein said actuation member is adapted to pivot said tab out of the path of movement of said actuation member as the actuation member is depressed for the first time.
6. The actuator of claim 2 wherein said actuation member is adapted to pivot said tab out of the path of movement of said actuation member as the actuation member is depressed for the first time by a user.
7.
8. The actuator of claim 2 wherein said tab is connected to said shroud by a living hinge. The actuator of claim 2 wherein said actuation member comprises a downwardly extending part configured to engage said tab as the actuation member is depressed for the first time.
9. The actuator of claim 8 wherein said downwardly extending part comprises an inclined surface.
10. An aerosol actuator for use with a container of pressurized fluid having a valve with a stem depressible to release contents of the container, said actuator comprising a shroud adapted to be situated on the container over the stem, an actuation member mounted to said shroud for movement between a first position wherein the stem is not depressed and a second position wherein the stem is depressed to release the contents of the container and a tab extending from said shroud toward a path of movement of said actuation member, said tab being moved from an active position intersecting said path of movement of said actuation member to a passive position remote from the path of movement of said actuation member only a first time said actuation member is moved from said first position to said second position, wherein said tab thereafter permanently remains in said passive position remote from the path of movement of said actuation member. 15

Description

1 AEROSOL ACTUATOR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to actuators for pressurized aerosol containers of the type having a spring-loaded valve stem and more particularly to an actuation member which allows a “wobbly” actuation member to be mounted on a container in high speed production due to a unique stem bore pocket design including internal ribs which maintains alignment between the bore pocket and the valve stem such that the necessary seal is created, to a tab which stabilizes the actuation member as the valve stem is inserted into the bore pocket and to a shroud with an extended wall which eliminates accidental depression of the actuation member resulting from an external top load force. 2. DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART Actuators for pressurized fluid containers with depressible spring-loaded valve stems are well-known in the art. The actuators are designed to be mounted on the top of the container, over the vertically extending valve stem. The actuator includes an actuation member which aligns with and engages the valve stem. The actuation member is moveably mounted within a shroud designed to engage the top of the container. When an external, downwardly directed force is applied to the actuation member, the member is moved WO 2021/257079 PCT/0S2020/038394 toward the container to depress the valve stem to release the contents of the container. The actuation member includes nozzle connected to the valve stem to direct the fluid exiting the container. When actuators are mounted on pressurized containers by hand or on low speed production lines, it is relatively easy to correctly align the actuator with the container such that the valve stem can be seated in the stem bore pocket at the bottom of the actuation member. However, on a high-speed production line, such as a production line running at 300 pieces per minute, problems are encountered with regard to the proper alignment and stabilization of the actuation member as the valve stems are received in the actuation member pocket unless the bore pocket is designed to be spaced from the valve stem within the bore pocket such that no seal between the bore pocket and the valve stem is required until the user depresses the actuation member or the bore pocket is designed to always be connected to the valve stem and never separated from the stem to break the seal . Otherwise, in practice, high speed assembly of actuators on containers has proven difficult to achieve. Various designs have been considered to overcome this problem. A floating pocket was unsuccessful because of the production height of the stems as well as the molding and assembly tolerances which exceed the sealing parameters. A longer bore pocket provided inconsistent release during re-engagement. A mid-range length bore pocket with a high seal and reduced vertical radial seal depth was partially successful, but the actuation member prior to engagement with the valve stem was too "wobbly" to provide consistent alignment. Those issues are overcome in the present invention by creating a "sliding seal" which allows the valve stem to move within the bore pocket to disengage and re-engage 2 CA 03181311 2022-12-2 WO 2021/257079 PCT /US2020/038394 the valve stem. This is possible through the use of internal "ribs" proximate the bore pocket entrance. The ribs engage the stem just below the radial seal area to facilitate entrance of the stem into the pocket without excessive drag that would cause the stem to stick in the pocket. The ribs are formed of material which is somewhat resilient or compressible which can be "crushed" to a small extent by the stem as the stem enters the pocket. The portion of the surface of the ribs proximate the pocket entrance is also inclined to provide the necessary lead in angle to funnel the stem into the pocket to allow high speed application that functions within the machine locating tolerances such that the production equipment can run at a targeted 300 pieces per minute. The rib design with the higher internal seal also eliminates the need to "hammer" the pocket onto the stem, preventing accidental release of the container contents and allowing for higher application run speeds. The ribs protrude from the interior surface of the stem bore pocket and extend in a direction generally parallel to the central axis of the pocket. At least five ribs circumferentially placed within the pocket are preferred to ensure consistent self-centering of the stem within the pocket. The bore pocket with the internal ribs is primarily intended for use in situations where other components of the actuator serve to stabilize the actuation member such that the seal and re-seal between the bore pocket and valve stem can occur without wobble. In those situations, a component of the actuator may be provided to stabilize the actuation member prior to the actuator being mounted on the container during high speed production. 3 CA 03181311 2022-12-2 WO 20