TROTTA ROBERT A (US)
| US2945739A | 1960-07-19 | |||
| US2907358A | 1959-10-06 | |||
| US3415426A | 1968-12-10 | |||
| US1775119A | 1930-09-09 | |||
| US2103111A | 1937-12-21 | |||
| US3323695A | 1967-06-06 | |||
| US3692215A | 1972-09-19 | |||
| US3785528A | 1974-01-15 | |||
| CH186697A | 1936-09-30 |
| 1. | An actuator for a pressurized container having a 0. |
| 2. | valve through which the contents of the container. |
| 3. | may be dispensed on demand of the user said actuator Qm comprising: 5 an inlet for fluid communication with the valve; 0c a plenum in fluid communication with said inlet; 07 an outlet from said plenum, said outlet 08 defining an elongated slot, the periphery of said 09 slot including arcuate segments having effective 10 radii of curvature much smaller than the slot width, 01 2. The actuator of Claim 1 where in the arcuate 02 segments on the slot periphery are spaced apart and 03 connected by straight line segments. The actuator of Claim 1 or 2 wherein said arcuate segments extend into said slot. 01 4. The actuator of Claim 1 or 2 wherein said arcuate 02 segments extend out of said slot. 1 5. The actuator of Claim 1 or 2 wherein said arcuate 2 segments on a shorter sides of said elongated slot 03 extend out of said slot and on the long sides of 0 said elongated slot extend into said slot. :* 6. The actuator of Claim 1 wherein said arcuate ;z segments are disposed only on the shorter sides of 11 said elongated slot and on one of the long sides of ;_; said elongated slot. |
| 4. | 2 7. The actuator of Claim 1 wherein said arcuate 02 segments are disposed only on one of the long sides 03 of said elongated slot. ;• 8. The actuator of Claim 1 wherein said elongated slot 02 is generally rectangular with a height, a width, and 03 a center line parallel to the long sides of the C<i rectangle and bisecting the short sides of the 05 rectangle; and, 05 wherein said arcuate segments are segments of a 07 circle having their centers on said slot center line 25 and having radii of curvature less than said slot 09 height. |
| 5. | 0 9. The actuator of Claim 8 wherein said arcuate 02 segments extend out of said slot. * ■ 10. The actuator of Claim 8 including a circular segment 02 on each end of said slot having a diameter greater 2 than the slot height and at least one arc of the same radius of curvature centered on at least one 5 long side of said slot. " 11. The actuator of Claim 1 wherein said plenum is 22 generally "v"shaped with the point of the "v" 03 adjacent said inlet, said plenum having an . |
| 6. | increasing transverse dimension in the direction. |
| 7. | from said inlet to said outlet. |
| 8. | 31 12. The actuator of Claim 11 wherein the crosssection 02 of said "v"shaρed plenum is generally rectangular. 01 13. The actuator of Claim 1 wherein said outlet includes 02 a generally rectangular extension having a height 03 and a width and extending a predetermined length in 0 the direction away from said inlet, said extension 05 having a fixed width along its entire length. 01 14. The actuator of Claim 1 wherein said actuator 02 includes a generally cylindrical base having a n3 centrallydisposed inlet conduit in fluid m communication with said container valve; 05 an actuator top having an inlet continuation in . |
| 9. | fluid communication with said actuator base inlet;. |
| 10. | cooperating means on the confronting surfaces of Oδ said actuator base and said actuator top for 09 connecting said actuator base and said actuator top 1 together; * said plenum disposed in said actuator top and "2 aligned at a convenient angle for dispensing the 13 contents of the container. 1 15. A viscous shaving gel dispensed from a pressurized 2 container in the form of a ribbon, said ribbon comprising: a generally elongated rectangular shape having 5 a periphery including arcuate segments. 1 16. The ribbon on Claim 15 wherein said actuator of 2 Claim 1 where in the arcuate segments on the slot 3 periphery are spaced apart and connected by straight 4 line segments. |
The present invention relates to an actuator for a pressurized container and, more particularly, to an 05 actuator for dispensing a shaving cream preferably in the form of a ribbed ribbon.
Shaving creams are conveniently dispensed from pressurized containers through conventional valves and 10 actuators which emit a string of cream. When the actuator is depressed, the valve is pushed toward the interior of., the container and opens to emit the contents. The sane ' kind of nr psuri^e contsiner and valve were used with ths actuator in the present invention.
The dispensed material is usually applied to the user's fingers in a large daub so that it may be more easily spread upon the face. It could be more convenient to have the shaving cream dispensed as a relatively wide ribbon so that it can more easily applied to the face.
The actuator of the present invention includes an inlet, a plenum in fluid communication with the inlet, and an outlet from the plenum defining a generally elongated slot havinq a height, a width, and a periphery. The periphery of the slot includes arcuate segments having effective radii of curvature much smaller than the slot width so that the material dispensed through the actuator takes the form of a ribbed ribbon of material which is convenient to dispense onto the user's hand and for the user to apply. The word "slot" is meant to describe an opening whose average width is much greater than its average height. A slot is usually rectangular, but need not be. It can be elliptical or even irregular. In the preferred embodiment, the actuator of the present invention is used to dispense gel-type shaving cream. A relatively wide ribbon of shaving gel is thought to be more convenient to apply to the user's finge.rs and for the user to apply to the skin in the area to be shaved. The ribbing, in the preferred embodiment, provides a larger thickness to the ribbon. Arcuate surfaces on the ribbed portions of the ribbon provide large surface area for the gel-type shaving cream to
interact with the air. In some shaving gel formulations, it is desirable to allow the gel to interact with the air to permit the gel to more quickly convert from a gel to a foam.
The arcuate segments around the periphery of the outlet provide ribs to the ribbon of shave gel. These arcuate segments are preferably segments of a circle, but may be any other curved shape, for example, a parabola or an ellipse. The term "effective radius of curvature" is used to indicate t e amount of curvature of the arcuate segments. Radius of curvature is the precise term for a circular arc segment. For an ellipse or a parabola or some other curve, radius of curvature is not precisely correct but is used throughout this patent application to give an indication of the degree of curvature. For example, a small effective radius of curvature would indicate a large degree of curvature. A large effective radius of curvature would indicate a smaller amount of curvature. This term "effective radius of curvature" is not meant to be a precise mathematical term, but a qualitative indicator of the degree of curvature.
The arcuate segments may extend completely about the periphery, they may be separated by straight line segments or the arcuate segments can occupy only a portion of the periphery of the outlet slot. The arcuate segments may extend away from the interior of the slot or it may extend into it.
In the preferred embodiment, the outlet slot is rectangular with two long sides and t o shorf sides and a
center line parallel to the long sides and bisecting the short sides. The arcuate segments are segments of a circle whose center is located on the center line slot. A circle is disposed on each end of the slot and a number of 5 circular segments are disposed along both long sides of the rectangular slot but are separated by straight segments. This preferred embodiment allows the actuator to dispense a ribbed ribbon of material where the ribs are formed by a segment of a circle and are separated by flat segments.
Since the ribbed ribbon of material is usually dispensed from the actuator directly onto the hand or some other skin surface of the user, it may be sufficient to place the arcuate segments only along one long side of the rectangular slot.
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment taken in conjunction with the following drawings.
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Figure 1 shows an exploded perspective view of a pressurized container and the actuator of the present invention;
Figures 2A - 6 show side, front, rear, top, and bottom orthogonal projections of the actuator top of the present invention;
Figure 2B shows a partial cross-sectional view taken along line 2B-2B in Figure 12;
Figures 7 - 9 show top, plan, and bottom orthogonal projections of the actuator base of the present invention; Figures 10 and 11 show top and plan projections of a shroud used with the can;
Figures 12 - 17 show various alternative coiifigurations of the outlet portion of the actuator top υf the present invention; and Figure 18 shows a perspective view of a viscous shaving material as it is dispensed from the actuator of the present invention.
Referring now to Figure 1, there shown a pressurized container (1) having a valve stem, (2) both of which are conventional and not part of the present invention. A shroud (3) with a central opening (4) fits over the top of container (1) .
An actuator (10) includes a base (12) and a top (14). As will be explained later in the application, the confronting surfaces of base (12) and top (14) snap together to make a unitary actuator which projects through shroud opening (4) into engagement with valve (2). The actuator functions to open valve (2) when the user presses down on top surface (16) of top actuator (14). Ribs (17) assist the user in keeping one finger on the actuator.
Referring now to Figure 7, 8, and 9, there is shown actuator base (12). Figure 9 shows a bottom view of base (12) with inlet orifice (18). Inlet orifice (18) is surrounded by a circular wall (20) having a inside diameter greater than the outside diameter of inlet orifice (18) to define a space into which the top of valve (2) may fit snugly to provide fluid communication between valve (2) and inlet (18). Ribs (22) provide support for exterior surrounding wall (24) of base (12).
Figure 7 shows a top view of actuator base (12) with inlet orifice (18) and a surrounding upstanding circular wall (26) for receiving the inlet (32) of actuator top (14) as will be described later. The top of actuator base (12) also includes an upstanding circular flange (28) with an outwardly projecting lip (30) onto which snap fits a similar flange (36) on the bottom of actuator top (14) to hold top (14) and base (12) together.
Figures 2 - 6 show various views of actuator top (14). Referring now to Figure 6, there is shown a bottom view of actuator top (14) including inlet orifice (32) surrounded by upstanding circular wall (34) having an outside diameter selected to fit with a close fit within the inside diameter of circular wall (26) surrounding orifice (18) on the top of actuator base (12) so that inlet (32) and inlet (18) provide tight fluid communication from valve (2) through actuator base (12) into actuator top (14). Still referring to Figure 6, there is shown flange (36) having lip (38) on its inside
diameter. Lip (30) on base flange (28) and lip (38) on top flange (36) are chosen to provide a tight snap-fitting connection between base (12) and top (14) to hold the two parts together and to prevent fluid leakage. In fluid communication with inlet (32) is plenum (40). In the preferred embodiment, plenum (40) has a generally "v"-shaped configuration with the point of the "v" adjacent inlet (32). Plenum (40) also has a rectangular cross section with a height and a width. The width of plenum (40) increases as one proceeds away from inlet (32) toward outlet (42). As shown in Figure 2, plenum (40) is aligned at a convenient angle to permit easier dispensing of the contents of can.
A "v"-shaped plenum is used to allow the dispensed material to gradually fill out from the narrow inlet (18) to the wider outlet oriface (42) without developing voids and pockets in the material as it is dispensed.
As shown in Figure 2B, plenum (40) blends into outlet orifice (42) with a gentle blend (43) to similarly eliminate voids and pockets in the material dispensed from container (1) .
In the present invention, height will be used to describe a dimension in the vertical direction when actuator (10) is placed on top of can (1) and width will be used to similarly describe the horizontal direction in the same orientation.
Outlet extension (44) extends a predetermined distance from the widest part (the exit) of the "v"-shaped
plenum (40). Extension (44) has a uniform width along with entire extent. Outlet extension 44 ends in outlet oriface (42) .
I will now describe the configuration of the interior surfaces of outlet orifice (42) in connection principally with Figure 12. In the preferred embodiment, these features are carried through the full extent of outlet extension ( 44 ) from the wide end of plenum (40) to exit orifice (42). In the preferred embodiment, it is desirable to have a predetermined length for outlet extension (44) to help shape the shaving gel which is preferably dispensed through this actuator (10). However, this length is not critical to the design and, in fact, outlet extension (44) could be eliminated entirely and outlet orifice (42) could be placed at the wide end of plenum (40) .
Outlet orifice (42) is shaped like an elongated slot with a generally rectangular cross section having a center line (46) parallel to the long sides of the slot and bisecting the short sides of the slot. The periphery (48) of outlet oriface (42) includes arcuate segments (54). By periphery of the slot I mean the interior surface of the slot which contacts the shaving gel emanating from the can and passing through actuator (10). It is this peripheral surface (48) that shapes the shaving gel into a ribbed ribbon.
_ q .
In the preferred embodiment as shown in Figure 12, the two shorter sides of the generally rectangular elongated slot are encompassed by a circular left arc (50) and right arc (52) having a radius of curvature "R" . Also included are three other circular arcs (54) having the same radius of curvature "R" . The centers of all circular arcs (50), (52), and (54) are placed along center line (46) and are spaced equally apart. In the preferred embodiment, the exterior surface of extension (44) is defined by completely arcuate segments (60) which intersect at various points exemplified by point (62). For the inside peripheral surface (48) the arcs do not intersect one another but are separated by flat segments (64).
Referring now to Figure 18, it can be seen that the ribbed ribbon of material dispensed through orifice (42) as shown in Figure 12, is defined by a series of parallelly aligned ribs (66) of a generally circular cross section connected by generally rectangular web sections (68).
Referring now to Figures 13 through 17, there are shown a variety of alternative embodiments of the configuration of the interior surface (48) of outlet extension (44). Figure 13 differs from Figure 12 in that the left and right circular arcs (50) and (52) of Figure 12 are replaced by straight segments (70) and (72).
Figure 14 differs from Figure 12 in that the arcuate segments (54) of Figure 12 extend away from the interior of the slot whereas the arcuate segments (74) of Figure 14 extend into outlet oriface (42).
Figure 15 shows inwardly projecting arcuate segments with straight sides.
In Figures 16 and 17 are shown outlet orifices (42) where one long side of the generally rectangular slot is flat and has no arcuate segments.
It will be appreciated that the present invention provides a convenient and effective method for dispensing viscous materials, for example, gel-type shaving creams from a pressurized container. The present invention has been described in conjunction with certain preferred embodiments.
Those skilled in the ait will appreciate that many modifications and changes may be made to the preferred embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention. It is, therefore, not intended to limit the present invention except to set forth in the appended claims.