Aerosol can

Abstract

The invention provides an aerosol container having an outer container body (10) with a plastic liner or bag (40) arranged therein, into which both product and propellant are filled, characterized in that the plastic liner or bag (40) has a multi-layer construction. The liner or bag (40) comprises a layer that is resistant to the product and a layer that prevents diffusion of the propellant out of the liner or bag (40). Further layers may also be incorporated to provide additional properties as required, for example an oxygen barrier, scavenging etc. Furthermore, one or more tie-layers, such as adhesive for example, may be provided to hold the separate layers together.

Claims

1. An aerosol container and product package comprising: a container body; a liner or bag arranged in the container body, each of a product and a propellant are disposed within the liner or bag, the liner or bag having multiple layers including a layer that is resistant to the product and a layer that prevents diffusion of the propellant out of the liner or bag.

2. An aerosol container according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the layers includes nylon.

3. An aerosol container according to claim 1, wherein the liner or bag comprises a unitary construction.

4. An aerosol container according to claim 1, wherein the multiple layers of the liner or bag includes a layer that is resistant to the product and a layer that prevents diffusion of the propellant out of the liner or bag.

5. An aerosol container according to claim 4, wherein the liner or bag also includes one of more tie-layers to hold the multiple layers together.

6. An aerosol container according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the layers includes polyethylene.

7. An aerosol container according to claim 6, wherein the polyethylene is low-density polyethylene.

8. A multi-layer liner for an aerosol container adapted to receive both a product and a propellant within, wherein the liner comprises a layer that is resistant to the product and a layer that prevents diffusion of the propellant out of the liner.

9. A multi-layer liner according to claim 8, wherein the liner is manufactured from two layers of material heat-sealed together around their periphery, leaving an open portion for filling.

10. A multi-layer liner according to claim 8, wherein the liner comprises a unitary construction.

11. A multi-layer liner for an aerosol container, comprising the following layers: a 20% nylon layer a 5% tie layer, and a 75% low-density polyethylene layer.

12. An aerosol container comprising: a container body; a liner or bag arranged in the container body, the liner or bag adapted for receiving both a product and a propellant within, the separate liner or bag having multiple layers including a layer that is resistant to the product and a layer that prevents diffusion of the propellant out of the liner or bag.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

(1) The present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings. In which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a side cross-sectional view of a container body including a bag according to the invention, suitable for supply to a filler.

(3) FIG. 2 shows a side cross-sectional view of an aerosol container according to the invention, as supplied to a user. This drawing also includes a detail view illustrating the structure of the multi-layer bag.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

(4) Referring to FIG. 1, an unfilled aerosol can body/bag combination according to the invention comprises a body 10 and a bottom 20 joined together by a double seam 12, a top 30 joined to the body 10 by another double seam 13 (as produced in a conventional 3-piece can manufacturing process) and a bag or liner 40, which is inserted into the can 10, 20, 30 using conventional techniques. This provides the intermediate product, which is sold to a filler, for filling with a product.

(5) The filler will then fill the liner or bag 40 with product and propellant and insert a valve assembly to seal the finished aerosol container, before selling the filled aerosol to a consumer. The filler may fill the liner or bag 40 with the product before fitting the valve and then fill the propellant through the valve to pressurise the container or the filler may choose to fit the valve onto the container and then fill both the product and the propellant through the valve.

(6) FIG. 2 shows the finished, filled aerosol can as would be sold to the consumer. As described in relation to FIG. 1 the aerosol can has a container body 10, a top 30 and a bottom 20 joined together by conventional double seaming techniques to provide double seams 12 and 13. A valve assembly 50 including a valve 51 having a dip tube 55 is mounted to a valve cup 53. The valve assembly 50 is joined to the aperture in the top 30 using conventional techniques, sealing the bag 40 inside the container 10, 20, 30. As described above, a product/propellant mixture 60 is filled into the bag 40 (either separately or together and before or after installation of the valve assembly 50) and the finished aerosol can is sold to a consumer.

(7) Upon filling the bag 40 with the product and/or propellant 60, the weight of the product may cause the bag 40 to make contact with the bottom 20. Also, upon pressurising the bag 40 with the propellant, the bag 40 may expand and make contact with the body 10. The bag 40 is designed to be sufficiently flexible to accommodate this expansion.

(8) Referring to the detailed section shown in FIG. 2, the bag 40 has a multi-layer construction including an inner layer 42, chosen to be resistant to the product, an outer layer 48, chosen to prevent diffusion of the propellant out of the bag, and a tie-layer 45 (such as adhesive), which holds layers 43 and 48 together. Preferably the inner layer 42 (75%) is low-density polyethylene (LDPE), the outer layer 48 (20%) is nylon and the tie-layer 45 is adhesive.