Compact aerosol container

Abstract

An aerosol container includes a single piece or a two-piece mounting cup that is concave and, preferably, enables stacking and is lightweight.

Claims

1. An aerosol container comprising: a can body having an enclosed base and a sidewall; a mounting cup that is attached to the can body by a double seam at an upper end of the can body, the mounting cup including a dish portion and an upstanding ferrule, the dish portion being outwardly concave and extending continuously downward from the seam to the ferrule; and a valve that is attached to the mounting cup within the ferrule.

2. The aerosol container of claim 1 wherein the dish portion is a single piece and the upstanding ferrule extends upwardly from the dish portion and supports the valve.

3. The aerosol container of claim 1 wherein the ferrule contacts the valve.

4. The aerosol container of claim 1 wherein an uppermost point on the ferrule is no higher than an uppermost point on the seam.

5. The aerosol container of claim 1 wherein the valve includes a stem and wherein an uppermost point on the stem is no higher than an uppermost point on the seam.

6. The aerosol container of claim 1 wherein the can base and can sidewall are integral as formed by either drawing and ironing or impact extrusion.

7. The aerosol container of claim 1 wherein the can sidewall is a tube that is attached to the can body by a seam.

8. The aerosol container of claim 1 wherein the valve is a female valve.

9. The aerosol container of claim 1 wherein the container is stackable on a second container, wherein the second container includes a second can body having an enclosed base and a sidewall; a second mounting cup that is attached to the second can body by a seam at an upper end of the second can body, the second mounting cup being outwardly concave and including an upstanding ferrule; and a valve that is attached to the second mounting cup within the ferrule.

10. The aerosol container of claim 1 wherein the upper end of the can body includes a neck at the seam, and wherein an outside diameter of the neck at the seam is at least 75% of an outside diameter of the sidewall.

11. The aerosol container of claim 1 wherein the ferrule comprises an upstanding wall that extends from the dish portion at an inward angle.

12. The aerosol container of claim 1 wherein the mounting cup is a single unitary piece.

13. An aerosol container comprising: a can body having an enclosed base and a sidewall; a mounting cup that is attached to the can body by a seam at an upper end of the can body, the mounting cup including a ring-like, concave outer part and an inner part that is crimped to the outer part, the outer part being outwardly concave and extending continuously downward from the seam to the inner part, the inner part including an upstanding ferrule; and a valve that is attached to the mounting cup within the ferrule.

14. The aerosol container of claim 13 wherein an uppermost point on the ferrule is no higher than an uppermost point on the seam.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 (Prior Art) is a cross sectional view of a conventional aerosol package;

(2) FIG. 2 is a side view of the prior art package of FIG. 1, with valve cup and valve removed;

(3) FIG. 3 is a side view of an aerosol package illustrating a first embodiment of the present invention;

(4) FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of a portion of the embodiment of FIG. 3;

(5) FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of a portion of a mounting cup that is a portion of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

(6) FIG. 6 is a side by side perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 next to a prior art embodiment;

(7) FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view of a portion of the another embodiment; and

(8) FIG. 8 is a schematic view of conventional valve technology and terminology that may be employed with the embodiments illustrated herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

(9) As illustrated in FIGS. 3 through 6, an aerosol container 10 includes a body, which in the figures is illustrated by a sidewall 12 and a seamed on base 14. Alternatively, the base and sidewall can be integral (not shown), such as in an impact extrusion, drawn and ironed body, or the like. Sidewall 12 has a neck 16 that is a reduced diameter portion of the sidewall. Preferably, the outside diameter of the neck at the seam 22 is at least 75% of the outside diameter of the sidewall 12, preferably at least 80%, more preferably at least 85%.

(10) Container 10 also includes a mounting cup 20 and a valve 90 that is mounted into mounting cup 20. Cup 20 is coupled to sidewall 12 at seam 22. Preferably, seam 22 is a conventional seam, sometimes referred to as a double seam. As best shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, cup 20 includes an inner seam wall 24 that merges into a downwardly oriented dish portion 26 at radius r4. In other words, disk portion 26 extends downwardly from seam 22. Dish portion 26 is formed by radii r1, r2, and r3, each of which has a center that it outside the container or above the cup, as shown in the figures. A ferrule 28 includes an upstanding wall 30 that extends generally upwardly, and slightly angled inwardly, from an inner end of dish portion 26 at radius r5. Wall terminates 30 makes a bend at shoulder 32 to a generally horizontal, inwardly extending panel 34, which terminates at an upwardly extending neck 36. Preferably, wall 30 is angled to form an angle of about 98 degrees with the horizontal. Other dimensions are provided in the table below, as well as in FIG. 5:

(11) TABLE-US-00001 Optimised parameters d1 3.421516 d2 4.763429 r1 63.92925 r2 68.92486 r3 61.09736 r4 0.676908 r5 1.891776 Thickness 0.288732

(12) Thus, mounting cup 20 is a single, unitary piece that extends from the seam 22 with the container sidewall 12 to the ferrule 28 to which valve 90 is attached. Preferably, the dimensions are as shown such that the uppermost point (that is, the extent) P-stem of the stem of valve 90 is no higher than or below the uppermost point (that, is extent) of the seam 22 at P-seam (FIG. 3). And upper panel 34 of ferrule 28 is also below the point P-seam.

(13) FIG. 7 illustrates a second embodiment mounting cup 40 that includes a ring-like, concave outer part 60 and an inner part 62. Outer part 60 includes a seam 42 that is connected to the can sidewall, and downwardly extending inner wall 44, a downwardly extending dish portion 46 that terminates in a curl 48. Inner part 62 includes a curl 54 that mates to curl 48, a downwardly depending inner sidewall 52, an upwardly extending panel wall 50, and a ferrule 56.

(14) Curl 54 is crimped onto curl 48, preferably according to structure and methods that are conventional, as understood by persons familiar with aerosol can technology. Accordingly, inner sidewall 52 preferably is configured for the purpose of the crimp. Panel wall 50, in the embodiment illustrated has a center of its radius or radii located within the can or below cup 40. Preferably, ferrule 56 is as described for first embodiment ferrule 28.

(15) Preferably, the dimensions of cup 40 are such that the uppermost point (that is, the extent) P-stem of the stem of valve 90 is no higher than or below the uppermost point (that, is extent) of the seam 42 at P-seam (FIG. 3). And the upper panel of ferrule 56 is also below the point P-seam. Preferably, valve 90 is a conventional, female valve that is well understood by persons familiar with aerosol can technology. FIG. 8 illustrates conventional valve terminology and structure. Thus, valve 90 can be preassembled with the valve cup and installed on the can as one piece or two piece by the can manufacturer, prior to pressure-filling or prior to shipping from the can manufacturer. The actuator can be added later. Preferably, the ferrule is formed by drawing metal over a boss. The valve is crimped under the ferrule, so that it is internal to the container.

(16) Referring to the first embodiment of FIG. 3, finite element analysis on cup 20 demonstrates adequate pressure performance of 12 bar for temper 3 tinplate of 0.29 mm thickness, which the inventors surmise in some cases is a savings of approximately 50% by weight compared to conventional top & cup. The inventors calculate that the second embodiment cup 40 of FIG. 7 has a weight savings of approximately 22 percent, uses existing assembly routes, uses a standard one inch opening at the crimp, uses existing assembly routes that enable fillers to fill and crimp using existing methods and equipment.

(17) Some concave aerosol can tops existed in the mid 1900s. The top components on these prior art cans were effectively can bottoms with holes in the centre and the valve attached externally, for example by soldering or by a separate mechanical fitting, rather than internal to the ferrule as illustrated in the figures.

(18) The present invention is illustrated by employing embodiments and dimensions disclosed herein. The invention is not limited to the particular dimensions, however, but rather is entitled to the full extent of the claims, as allowed.