Abstract
An activator for use with an aerosol spray can is presented having a two-part housing formed from a first side and a second side that when aligned and connected together retains a trigger that is pivotally attached to one of the first and second sides. Snap fittings or a can adjuster can be used to slidably engage with the spray can to securely hold the spray can and preventing axial movement relative to the housing. A nozzle elbow is movable contained within the housing having a distal end and a proximal end, where the proximal end accepts and operatively connects with a valve stem on the spray can. A spray head is releasably positioned in the distal end of the elbow nozzle.
Claims
1. An aerosol spray can activator comprising: a two-part housing comprising a first side and a second side; a trigger pivotally attached to one of the first and second sides; a snap fitting positioned on an inside portion of the housing; a nozzle elbow having a distal end and a proximal end, where the proximal end accepts an aerosol spray can valve stem; and a spray head positioned in the distal end, where the spray head comprises an outlet opening.
2. The activator of claim 1, wherein the first and second sides each comprise a can holder portion and a trigger portion, where the can holder portions when connected to each other defines a sleeve having a longitudinal axis that forms an angle with the outlet opening greater than 0 degrees and less than 90 degrees.
3. The activator of claim 2, wherein the first side and the second side are each manufactured as single parts.
4. The activator of claim 2, wherein the sleeve has a lower portion and an upper portion, where the lower portion is shaped to match a dome configuration of the aerosol spray can.
5. The activator of claim 1, wherein the trigger comprises a top and bottom, where the top comprises a bearing surface configured to engage the nozzle elbow when the trigger is squeezed by a user.
6. The activator of claim 5, wherein the bottom of the trigger comprises a resilient member that biases the trigger in a non-activated position when the activator in not in use.
7. The activator of claim 6, wherein the resilient member is formed as part of the trigger and is not a separate component.
8. The activator of claim 2, wherein one of the first and the second sides comprises a post that connects to the trigger to allow the trigger to rotate relative to the post.
9. The activator of claim 2, wherein the distal end and proximal end of the nozzle elbow are offset from each other at an angle that is equal to the angle defined between the longitudinal axis of the sleeve and spray head outlet opening.
10. The activator of claim 1, wherein the nozzle elbow further comprises a bearing surface on an outside surface that is configured to engage a bearing surface on the trigger when the trigger is moved relative to the housing.
11. The activator of claim 10, wherein the bearing surface comprises a transverse protruding ledge.
12. The activator of claim 2, wherein the proximal end of the elbow nozzle moves axially parallel to the longitudinal axis and the spray head moves axially along a centerline of the outlet opening when the trigger is pivoted relative to the housing.
13. The activator of claim 1, wherein the spray head is adjustable to change a spray pattern or spray direction.
14. The activator of claim 1, wherein the spray head is releasably positioned in the distal end of the nozzle elbow.
15. The activator of claim 1, wherein the first side has a first set of fastening points that match with a second set of fastening points in the second side when the first side and the second side are aligned to one another.
16. The activator of claim 1 further comprising a spring, where one end of the spring is engaged with the trigger and a second end is engaged with the an inside portion of the housing.
17. An aerosol spray can activator comprising: a two-part housing comprising a first side and a second side; a trigger pivotally attached to one of the first and second sides; a can adjuster slidably engaged with the housing; a nozzle elbow having a distal end and a proximal end, where the proximal end accepts an aerosol spray can valve stem; and a spray head positioned in the distal end, where the spray head comprises an outlet opening.
18. The activator of claim 17, wherein can adjuster comprises a can stop and a flexible arm comprising a row of ratchet teeth.
19. The activator of claim 17, wherein the can adjuster is positioned in an upper portion of the housing and has an adjustable lock that is configured to engage the aerosol can to prevent axial movement of the can relative to the sleeve.
20. The activator of claim 19, wherein the lock is slidably adjustable and is in ratchet engagement with the sleeve.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0016] The advantages and features of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following more detailed description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like elements are identified with like symbols, and in which:
[0017] FIG. 1 is a side view of one possible configuration of the spray can activator of the present disclosure having a spray can positioned within the sleeve of the activator;
[0018] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the spray can activator shown in FIG. 1 without a spray can positioned within the sleeve of the activator;
[0019] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of one possible type of spray can that can be used with the activator of the present disclosure;
[0020] FIG. 4 is a side view of one side of the two-sided housing of the spray can activator shown in FIG. 1;
[0021] FIG. 5 is a side view of one side of the two-sided housing of the spray can activator shown in FIG. 1 having a spray can positioned within the sleeve of the activator.
[0022] FIG. 6 is a close-up view of the can adjuster and a partial portion one side of the housing;
[0023] FIG. 7 is a close-up view of the can adjuster of the spray can activator shown in FIG. 1;
[0024] FIG. 8 is a close-up view of the can adjuster of the spray can activator shown in FIG. 1;
[0025] FIG. 9 is a close-up perspective view of the trigger of the spray can activator shown in FIG. 1;
[0026] FIG. 10 is a close-up perspective view of the nozzle elbow and spray head of the spray can activator shown in FIG. 1;
[0027] FIG. 11 is a close-up perspective view of the nozzle elbow and spray head of the spray can activator shown in FIG. 1; and
[0028] FIG. 12 illustrates a second embodiment of the spray can activator of the present disclosure where a separate biasing member is engaged with the trigger.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0029] The present disclosure is directed to an activator for use with an aerosol spray can. One possible design of the activator is shown in FIG. 1 where a spray can 2 is located in the sleeve 5 of the activator 1 and held in an inverted position that is less than 90 degrees vertical and greater than 0 degrees horizontal. One example of a spray can 2 is illustrated in FIG. 3 having a dome shaped top 22, a bottom rim 24 and a valve stem 23. Activator 1 is designed for spray cans that do not use a conventional extended or long dip tube, i.e., a dip tube that is the approximate length of the inside of the can. The activator of present disclosure is for spray cans that have no dip tube at all, or have a very short dip tube, such that the liquid level contained with the can does not fall below the opening in the dip tube when the can is positioned in the activator in the inverted position as shown in FIG. 1. Having no dip tube, or a very short dip tube, allows substantially all of the liquid initially loaded into the can during manufacture to be dispensed by a user using the activator of the present disclosure.
[0030] FIG. 2 shows the activator 1 without a spray can positioned in the sleeve 5. The activator has a two-piece housing 3 that is formed by connecting a first side 10 to a second side 11 through connectors 7. The housing 3 contains and holds a trigger 4, a can adjuster 6 and a spray head 8, that is preferably adjustable and/or removable. The can adjuster 6 as illustrated in FIGS. 7 & 8 is captured and slidably retained in housing 3 when sides 10, 11 are connected to each other. The adjuster 6 can have a stop 20, and an adjustable lock 21 that is made up of ratchet 27 and flexible arms 28, 29 that are formed from a center portion 52 defined by slots 51. Gripping surfaces 50 are fixedly attached to flexible arms 28, 29 and provide a surface that a user can push or squeeze causing the flexible arms to bend or flex inwards towards each other. This inward bending allows ratchet 27 that is located on side 25 of the adjuster to disengage from a corresponding ratchet 34 on the housing (see FIG. 6) such that can adjuster 6 can be moved in a sliding motion relative to housing 3. This movement of the can adjuster allows spray cans of varying lengths to be placed in sleeve 5 and then have the stop 20 adjusted so that the stop 20 engages and abuts the bottom rim 24 of the can to prevent the can from moving axially along longitudinal axis 31 (see FIG. 5).
[0031] FIG. 4 illustrates one side 11 of the two-piece housing 3 and shows that the can holder portion 33 of side 11 has the same longitudinal axis 31 as described above. Longitudinal axis 31 forms an angle Omega (Ω) with a center line axis 35 (see FIG. 5) of spray head assembly 8 having a spray head 60 with outlet opening 63 (see FIGS. 10 and 11). The spray head assembly 8 can be part of the activator or can be directly attached to the spray can 20. The holder portion 33 also has upper portion 36 and a lower portion 32 that is shaped to match dome configuration 22 of the aerosol spray can 20. Each side 10, 11 of the housing 3 has a trigger portion 37 that captures and retains trigger 4 when the two sides are connected together (see FIGS. 4 and 5).
[0032] Trigger 4 is preferably a single component that is pivotally positioned within the trigger portion 37 of each side 10, 11 of the housing 3 (see FIG. 5). FIG. 9 illustrates a trigger configuration where the trigger has a through hole 41 located in the lower section of the trigger that is configured to rotatably engage post 38 that protrudes transversely from the trigger portion 37. When the two sides 10, 11 are joined together, the post 31 is received in depression 30 located on the other side of the housing. Trigger 4 can also contain a resilient member 40 that is preferably integral to trigger 4, i.e., not a separate component from trigger 4. Resilient member 40 is configured to exert a biasing force relative to the housing such that handle 44 of the trigger 4 is pushed forward relative to the trigger portion 37 of the housing 3 to a non-activated position. When a user squeezes handle 44 pulling/moving it inward toward the housing 3, the trigger moves to an activated position where the biasing force of the resilient member has been overcome by the user. Releasing of the trigger by the user causes the resilient member to force the trigger back to the non-activated position. In other words, in the activated position the resilient member 40 is force loaded such that releasing the handle 44 causes the trigger to reverse its movement back to the non-activated position. The upper or top section 43 of trigger 4 has a bearing surface 42 that is angled to engage a corresponding bearing surface 62 on elbow nozzle 61 (see FIGS. 5, 10 and 11) when the trigger 4 is moved/pivoted to the activated position.
[0033] The elbow nozzle 61 has a distal end 64 and a proximal end 65 that are in fluid communication through a conduit connecting both ends. As mentioned, the spray can 20 may be provided with spray head assembly 8. In such a configuration the proximal end 65 is directly connected to the valve portion stem 23 of the spray can 20. The proximal end of the nozzle elbow is offset from the distal end at an angle that is equal to the angle defined between the longitudinal axis 31 of the sleeve 5 and spray head outlet opening 63 (see FIG. 10). The bearing surface 62 is preferably located on one or more transverse protruding ledges that extend outward the outside surface of the nozzle elbow 61. The elbow nozzle 61 and bearing surface 42 of trigger 4 are configured such that movement of the trigger to the activated position causes nozzle elbow to move axially relative to the housing and the bearing surface 62 to abut and exert a force against the valve stem 23 along the longitudinal axis 31. Stated differently, movement of trigger 4 causes the spray head 60 and the distal end 64 of the elbow nozzle to axially along the centerline 35 of the outlet opening 63 and the proximal end 65 to move axially parallel to the longitudinal axis 31. Spray head 60 can be releasably inserted into the distal end of elbow nozzle 61.
[0034] FIG. 12 illustrates another possible embodiment of the spray can activator of the present disclosure. Trigger 72 is preferably a single component that is pivotally positioned within the trigger portion 37 of each side 10, 11 of the housing 3, however, a separate biasing member 70, is positioned between the trigger end portion 74 and the biasing holder 72 located on an inside surface of one of the sides 10,11. The lower end of trigger 72 can have a through hole 71 that is configured to rotatably engage post 73 that protrudes transversely from the trigger portion 37. This connection between post 73 and hole 71 acts as a pivot or rocker point when the trigger 72 is squeezed to activate the spray can 20.
[0035] The lower portion 32 of the holder portion contains one or more snap fittings 78 that are configured to slidably accept and secure the domed top of the spray can 20 to prevent axial movement of the spray can relative to the activator. This further alternative embodiment also has a frustoconical shaped housing portion 75, 76 that surrounds and extends beyond the outlet opening 63 of the spray head assembly 8.
[0036] The invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment. Obviously, modifications and alterations will occur to others upon reading and understanding the preceding specification. It is intended that the invention be construed as including all such alterations and modifications insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.
