US3326469A - Spraying dispenser with separate holders for material and carrier fluid - Google Patents

Description

June 20, 1967 R. H. ABPLANALP ETAL 3,326,469

SPRAYING DISPENSER WITH SEPARATE HOLDERS FOR MATERIAL AND CARRIER FLUID Filed Jan. 20, 1966 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 BY m-1, fimzzeiw ,4 TTORNE VS.

June 20, 1967 R. H ABPLANALP ETAL 3,326,469

SPRAYING DISPENSER WITH SEPARATE HOLDERS FOR MATERIAL AND CARRIER FLUID Filed Jan. 20, 1966 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS Ja/m Emir 6 2d;

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HTTOPNEYS June 20, 1967 SPRAYING DISPENSER wmx SEPARATE HOLDERS H. ABPLANALP ETAL FOR MATERIAL AND CARRIER FLUID 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 20, 1966 I VENTORS Faber) 64m) 142 /an 029%; P/CMZQ ee/7 paw, -fifiaMMaW June 20, 1967 R. H. ABPLANALP ETAL 3,326,469

SPRAYING DISPENSER WITH SEPARATE HOLDERS FOR MATERIAL AND CARRIER FLUID Filed Jan. 20, 1966 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 R 3 3A R INVENTORS PabefT //emy AZp/ana/p Jb/ l; P/c/mrq C/II D M-3W RM M QTTOPNE s June 20, 1967 R. H. ABPLANALP ETAL 3,326,469

SPRAYING DISPENSER WITH SEPARATE HOLDERS FOR MATERIAL AND CARRIER FLUID Filed Jan. 20, 1966 7 SheetsSheet 5 5O 4/ a2 a 40 z 7 j 3&4

R Poerf O 4T TOPNEYS June 20, 1967 Filed Jan 20, 1966 R. H. ABPLANALP ETAL SPRAYING DISPENSER WITH SEPARATE HOLDERS FOR MATERIAL AND CARRIER FLUID 7 Sheets Sheet 6 P6 Z HEZEIYTORZS a e em 4 JIM/7 (dia /d 5 05? HTTORNEKS June 20, 1967 R. H. ABPLANALP ETAL 3,326,469

SPRAYING DISPENSER WITH SEPARATE HOLDERS FOR MATERIAL AND CARRIER FLUID Filed Jan. 20, 1966 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 PL i5 I VE TO Poberi /%fl/y fla /02 445 JZg/gn PAC/Yard Foe/Ii H T TOPNEYS United States Patent 3,326,469 SPRAYING DISPENSER WITH SEPARATE HOLDERS FOR MATERIAL AND CAR- RIER FLUID Robert Henry Abplanalp, Bronxville, and John Richard Focht, Yonkers, N.Y., assignors to Precision Valve Corporation, Yonkers, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Jan. 20, 1966, Ser. No. 521,885 19 Claims. (Cl. 239-308) This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 511,537, filed Dec. 3, 1965, now abandoned, which, in turn, is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 512,035 filed Nov. 2, 1965, now abandoned.

This invention has to do with an improved aerosol dispensing container of the isolation type in which, in its best form, a pressurized, gaseous or gasifiable liquid propellant is held in a vessel that is mounted within but otherwise is separate from the container for the fluent product to be dispensed, and in which the propellant and the prodnot are isolated from one another until mixed at or near the discharge port in the course of discharge.

In such dispensers, a valve located in the head structure normally prevents outflow of the pressurized propellant but, on being opened, permits flow of propellant in gaseous (vapor) form to the discharge port. By the action of an ejector (sometimes called a venturi) near the discharge port, to which separate flow lines from the product container and the propellant container are respectively connected, the outflow of the propellant when the valve is opened reduces the pressure in the product flow line and a simultaneous outflow of the product is brought about. By suitably directing the stream of propellant into contact with the stream of fluent product, (conventionally by directing the propellant transversely across the mouth of the product flow line) atomization of the product commonly is effected and a spray discharge is produced.

An example of a prior device of this type is described in the United States patent of Fedit, No. 2,888,208 for use as a perfume atomizer. In this device, as in all such devices known to us, the flow line for the fluent product, often including a dip tube extending into the product coitainer, by-passes the separate container for the propellant, and also by-passes the part of the head structure which constitutes the valve means for control of the propellant flow.

Despite the known advantage of this isolation type of aerosol dispenser, inherent in its capability of keeping the propellant separate from the product to be dispensed until both reach the ejector and are commingled transiently in the discharge, such dispensers have not been very practicable and have not come into general use. It therefore has not been possible to have the advantages of aerosol dispensing for a number of products which have the requisite fluidity for such dispensing but which, because they are not compatible with conventional aerosol propellants, can not well be used in the more common type of aerosol dispenser in which the propellant and the product to be dispensed are not isolated but are held in a single vessel, with some degree of admixture within that vessel,

The object of the present invention therefore is to provide an improved aerosol dispenser of the isolation type which lends itself to mass production at a feasible cost and which overcomes disadvantages of previously known dispensers of this type that have limited their practical use.

The improvements include a novel arrangement of the flow line for the product to be dispensed, a novel head structure which provides in a simple way at least a part of that flow line, an improved ejector-atomizer unit by which flow of the propellant induces flow of the product and produces a discharge spray, and an improved way of closing the product container. Advantages result in the minimization of the fluctuation of pressure and product flow which otherwise is present in objectionable degree owing to temperature drop in the stored residual propellant upon discharge; better isolation of product and propellant by avoidance of seepage of propellant into the product container; a more eflicient usage of the propellant, and a better discharge spray, all in a construction capable of mass production at a feasible cost.

The appended drawings illustrate variant forms of our improved device which are described in the following, with refernce to those drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a vertical section of the aerosol dispenser of this invention mounted within a surrounding product container;

FIG. 2 is a partial external view of the dispenser of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the dispenser having a dip tube extending into an unattached product container;

FIG. 4 is an expanded partial view of the mounting of the product and propellant containers;

FIG. 5 is a vertical partial section of a modified arrangement of the dispenser and product container;

FIG. 6 is a vertical section of an actuator and a valve for the product flow line;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the valve for the product flow line;

FIG. 8 is a vertical section of a modified dispenser and product container;

FIG. 9 is a further modification of the dispenser; and

FIG. 10 is a further modification of the dispenser and product container,

In the illustrative form of FIGURE 1, the product container 10 holds a fluent product 9, usually a liquid that is to be dispensed. Mounted at the otherwise open top of the container, and largely within it, is a smaller container 20 which holds under pressure a propellant that is either a gas or, preferably (as shown), a vaporizable liquid 21 of high volatility such as is commonly used in aerosol dispensers, e.g., a fluorinated-chlorinated hydrocarbon such as those sold under the names Freon and Genetron. In the form shown, the propellant container is of metal and the product container is of plastic material, such as polyethylene.

To mount the propellant container 20, the upper part of the product container 10 is inturned to form a curved shoulder 11 and a downwardly extending flange 12 which is joined to the outer wall of the propellant container 20, as by a snap-in fit, over an area below its upstanding top portion. A mounting cup 19 of conventional configuration is seamed at its upturned outer rim to the upper rim of the open-top propellant container 20 by rolling over the lapped parts 22 and 23 of the cup 19 and container 20.

The head structure, generally indicated as 50, includes the mounting cup 19, a valve means for control of the propellant discharge, a valve actuator, an ejector-atomizer, and a dip tube 8, all of which are described below.

In the assembly shown in FIGURE 1, and shown also in external view in FIGURE 2, the closure of the product container 10 is eifected by the propellant container 20; and closure of the propellant container is eflFected by the head structure 50 with its mounting cup 19.

Because the propellant container 20 is joined to the head structure by the mounting cup 19, the head structure 50 and propellant container 20 are capable of use as an independent portable unit, as shown in FIGURE 3, for dispensing a fluent product from a container 12 to which this portable unit is not attached.

The head structure 50 as here illustrated is basically of the type described in Abplanalp United States Patent No. 2,631,814 in so far as concerns the valve unit proper, its actuator, the discharge port and the mounting cup, but in accordance with the present invention it is modified in a novel wayv to incorporate an ejector-atomizer, a part of the product flow line, and arrangements for isolating the product. from'the propellant until they separately reach the discharge ejector. Details of this head structure 50 will now be described.

The mounting cup 19, seamed to the upper rim of the propellant container 20, has a conventional central upstanding collar 24 that in a known way mounts a valve unit. The collar 24 surrounds the cylindrical plastic housing 30 of the valve unit and also, by its inturned upper flange 31, holds the outer part of the annular plastic valve gasket 32 in place against the upper rim of the valve housing 30. The valve housing 30 has a central opening 33 in its bottom wall to provide open communication with the propellant container 20 beneath; and this bottom wall serves also in a known way as the fixed abutment for a biasing spring 34 that holds the vertcially movable valve body 35, at its upper shoulder, against the underside of the inboard part of the valve gasket 32. Fixed within a central bore in the valve body 35, and extending above through the hollow valve stem 37, is a special hollow tube 36 which terminates in the valve actuator 60 (described below), at a level substantially above the upper end of the outer part of the valve stem 37.

As in the Abplanalp patent identified above, the hollow valve stem 37 is of smaller external diameter than the valve body 35, and has a neck portion 38, of still smaller diameter, just above the top shoulder of the valve body 35, this reduced-diameter neck portion being of greater height (at the circle defined by the diameter of the valve stem) than the initial thickness of the valve gasket 32. Preferably but not necessarily the upper part of this neck is tapered in known fashion. The hollow valve stem 37- has a side port 39, extending through its wall, that normally is closed by the inner face of a central opening in the gasket, that opening being of smaller diameter than the neck part of the valve stem in order to efiect a tight sealing of the side port. There is also a seal where the upper shoulder of the valve body 35 is pressed against the underside of the gasket The action of the valve is the known one. Until the valve stem and body are depressed by manual efiort against the upward biasing force of the spring 34, the valve gasket 32 prevents flow of the propellant into the interior of the hollow valve stem, and also prevents escape of propellant to the atmosphere past the gasket 32. When the valve stem is depressed, the inner part of the annular gasket 32 is bent or warped downwardly until the side port 39 in the valve stem 37 is uncovered and a flow passage is opened between the gasket 32 and the upper shoulder of the valve body 35. Propellant then flows through the side port 39 into the interior of the hollow valve stem 37, and flows upwardly in the annular space 40' surrounding the specially provided inner tube 36, the role of which is now described.

This tube 36, extending through the valve stem and valve body and movable therewith, forms a part of the flow line for discharge of the product to be dispensed. An extension of the tube 36 passes through the central opening 33 in the bottom wall of the valve housing 30 and, as a dip tube 8, reaches to the lower part of the product container 10. There is a sealed joint 25 (of conventional construction in its details) where it passes through the bottom wall of the interior propellant container 20. By action of the discharge ejector (to be described below), flow of gaseous propellant through the ejector causes a reduction of pressure in the product flow line established by dip tube 8 and its upper extension 36 with the result that the contained product 9 is caused to flow up to and through the ejector and out the discharge port in the head structure.

Turning now to the construction of the valve actuator 60 and its interior parts, which form a part of the head structure, it will be seen that in the illustrative form shown the actuator has the overall configuration and size of a conventional aerosol button used with known dispensers in which the product and the propellant are held in a single container and are discharged together through the hollow valve stem when the valve stem is depressed by manual pressure on the button. This button has its top surface contoured at 61 to fit the finger tip. Other configurations of actuator may be used, such, for example, as those having a hinged tab actuator as in Abplanalp Reissue Patent No. 24,555.

The 'modification of the actuator that is made to embody the present invention includes the incorporation of an ejector-atomizer unit near the discharge port, and a novel arrangement of flow lines connecting it to the two containers beneath the head structure 50.

The actuator button 60 has a depending outer skirt 62 and a'depending central hub 63. The hub 63 has a bottom recess 58, circular in cross-section, which with a tight fit receives and holds the upper end of the valve stem 37. A lateral rib-like extension 64 of this central hub has passages, now to be described, which provide for a lateral discharge when the button is depressed to open the valve.

The discharge port in the side wall of the actuator button may take any of various forms. As shown there is a laterally extending cylindrical recess 65 in the lateral rib 64, with a forward countersink, which receives a flanged plastic fitting 66 having a cup-shaped recess 67 extending into the fitting to some two-thirds of its depth. This fitting 66 is stopped short of the full depth of the recess 65 to provide a chamber 68 between the inner end wall of the fitting 66 and the end wall 69 of the recess 65. A tapered passage 70, narrowing in diameter toward the discharge side (right side, as shown) connects the cup-shaped recess 67 with this inner chamber 69. This passage 70 provides the discharge port for the propellant, the chamber 69 from which it discharges being in communication with the propellant flow line (at the annular passage 40 within the valve stem 37) by way of a port 71 connecting to an annular chamber 41 just above the end of the outer part of the valve stem 37, but below the end of the inner tube 36. The chamber 41 is of smaller diameter than the recess 38 which receives the valve'stem 37, this being to provide a shoulder for engagement between the hub 63 of the button and the valve stem 37.

The ejector-atomizer unit is constituted by the tapered passage 70 and a hollow nipple 51 of smaller cross-section which projects through this passage 70 and slightly beyond its end, and which has its outer side tapered either to conform to the taper of the passage 70 or to cause some forward convergence between the two tapered faces that define the annular flow passage or nozzle for the propellant. The nipple 51 projects from the central hub 65, and its hollow interior bore 55 communicates with the product flow line by way of an upper chamber or recess 56 inthe hub 63. This recess 56 is open at its lower end to the flared recess 57 and of larger cross-section at its inner end than recess56. Recess 57 receives, stops and holds the top end of the product tube 36.

The ejector thus is one in which the flow of propellant gas is through an annular nozzle surrounding a co-axial flow passage for the product to be dispensed. When there is a flow of both propellant gas and liquid (or fluent) product, the gas emerging from the tapered passage 70 impinges on the central stream of product and atomizes it, causing a spray discharge through the flared recess 67 to the'outside.

The two separated flow lines, for propellant and product respectively, are established by' passages through the molded part of the head structure 50 extending from its lower end (the end that closes the open end of the propellant container 20) up to the discharge ejector where the two streams first come together. The lower end of each of the two product lines lies within the area of the top opening of the propellant container, where in previously known constructions the product flow line came down on the outside and by-passed the propellant container.

The propellant flow line is established by the open communication (at 33) between the propellant container 29 and the interior of the valve housing 30; and further, when the valve gasket 32 is depressed, by the valve housing 30 and port 39 leading to the annular passage 40 in the valve stem 37 and the annular chamber 41 above, the flow line is completed, by way of port 71 leading to chamber 68, which delivers to the annular nozzzle passage 70.

The product flow line is established by a central passage through the head structure, generally parallel to and in this case co-axial with the propellant flow line. Specifically, the product flow line includes the dip tube 8 which, in this form, is the lower end of tube 36 that extends centrally through the valve body and hollow valve stem 37 to the upper chamber 56 in the hub of the valve actuator. From that chamber, the product flow line is established by the lateral passage 55 through the nipple 51 to the flared recess 67 surrounding the discharge end of the ejector.

Passage of the discharging product through the residual propellant has the advantage that a heat exchange takes place when offsets in material degree the cooling of the propellant that inevitably accompanies the reduction of pressure upon opening the propellant control valve. This is especially important in the use of the preferred propellants that are liquid under the normally maintained pressure but vaporize upon opening the valve. The resulting cooling of the unvaporized residue of propellant, if not offset by transfer of heat from the product, means that the propellant emits less vapor, at a lower pressure, when the valve is worked a second time before the slower heat transfer from the atmosphere can restore the propellant to normal temperature. The ejector therefore does not work at the optimum pressure and flow volume for which it is designed, and the discharge and the ejection efliciency are impaired.

The present invention therefore effects an improvement in this respect, while maintaining the isolation of the product from the propellant, by having the product flow line pass through the propellant container, or at least through the part of it which holds the residual body of propellant. To do this in a feasible way required the invention of the novel head structure which can be produced at feasible cost in mass production, and which has advantages apart from permitting this improved disposition of the product flow line below the head structure. The novel head structure, with its generally parallel and co-axial passages establishing separate flow lines from the lower end to the ejector at the top, has the advantage of permitting the use of known valve means for the propellant line and of permitting the product line passages to be incorporated in the molded parts by feasible manufacturing procedures.

For example, with the type of valve shown, the introduction of a separate central passage through the valve body and valve stem is an entirely feasible feature from this standpoint of production and permits retention of and the advantages of the already perfected aerosol valve means here shown. Other valve means lend themselves to this same incorporation of the product flow line and of course may be used in place of the one shown. Similarly, the disclosed chambers and flow passages connecting the vertical passages to the laterally directed discharge ejector are readily provided in the molding of the actuator. The disclosed head construction, in contrast to those previously known for an isolation type of dispenser, does not materially increase the overall size of the head structure as compared with a conventional aerosol dispenser which does not isolate the product from the propellant.

The disclosed form of ejector, using substantial-1y coaxial flow of propellant and product instead of the commonly used transverse flow, is believed to improve the efliciency of ejection and economizing the usage of propellant, while giving equally good if not better atomization for a spray discharge.

The disclosed construction also minmizes, and in a practical sense eliminates, seepage of propellant into the product container or product flow line. This accomplishes an optimal isolation of the two materials. Thus if propellant gas seeps through the valve gasket, it escapes to the air above the gasket and outside the valve stem, or else (a lesser possibility) through the port 39in the valve stem and out through the discharge port. The central product line, including the dip tube 8, is highly impervious to gas, and its top joint with the hub of the actuator (at recess 57) can be a press fit which eliminates gas seepage of any material extent. There can be a small amount of gas seepage through the seam which joins the rim of the propellant container 20 to the rim of the mounting cup 29 (at 22, 23), but this vents to the atmosphere.

The mounting of the head structure 50 on the propellant container 20 makes it possible to provide a portable dispenser, shown in FIGURE 3, which does not include a product container in the assembly but which can be used to dispense a fluid product from any independent container into which the tube 8 can be dipped.

FIGURES 5 through 10 illustrate various modified forms and certain added features. In these figures, parts that are the same as those in FIGURE 1 are designated by the same reference numbers. Added or modified parts are given new numbers.

In FIGURE 5, the head construction is that of FIG- URE 1 with the exception that the central product line is not a unitary tube extending fully through and above the central bore in the valve body and valve stem. Instead, the dip tube 8 is a separate piece joined to the valve body, as by being sealed in a countersink at the lower end of an inner bore 36a formed in molding the valve body 30 and stem 37; and the bore itself (36a) provides the flow passage through the valve body and valve stem. In this form, the valve stem 37 is molded as a piece with a central hollow part 42 extending above the top of the outer shell 37a of the stem. The propellant flow line through the valve is still an annular passage 40 surrounding the product flow line, as in FIGURE 1. The actuator (not shown) can be as in FIGURE 1, or of any other suitable configuration providing corresponding flow passages to the ejector and discharge port.

In FIGURE 5, there is also shown an alternative joint between the two containers 10 and 20. In this form, the product container has 'a sloping shoulder 13 and an upstanding collar above the shoulder which is joined to the vertical side wall of the propellant container 20, at a lower point, by a rolled bead joint 14.

In FIGURES 6 and 7, is shown an alternative form of actuator, similarly exemplified by the button type, in which there is incorporated a valve for the product flow line. In this actuator, the ejector and valve stem-parts are as before, including the integrally molded central tube part 36a of the-valve stem. The added features are that the recess 57 which receives the upper end of that central product line tube 36a is extended to form a full bore 72 reaching to the top face of the actuator. A plunger 73 havinga mushroom top 74 extends down into this bore 72 and has a central recess 75 in its lower end, with a side port 76 through the side wall of the recess. Normally, this side port is above the mouth of the bore in the discharge nipple 51, so that the plunger covers that mouth and prevents outflow of product. When the plunger is depressed, the side port registers with the mouth of the bore inthe discharge nipple 51 and a product elevated through the central passage 36a can be discharged.

To permit depression of the plunger valve 73, either independently or in the course of depressing the entire actuator to open the valve in the propellant line, the mushroom top 74 is normally held above the flat face 79 of a depression in the top face of the actuator 61 by two yieldable fingers 77. These fingers are formed by slotting the plastic mushroom top 74 at opposite sides, as at 78, and bending the fingers down while heated and cooled to set them in an inclined position as shown. The inclination is such as to give the length of stroke required to uncover the product discharge line through the nipple 51. The resilience of the fingers 77 restores the plunger to closed position when manual pressure on the plunger top is released.

The modification of FIGURE 8 is one which provides for discharge of propellant, rather than product, through the bore of nozzle 51, and for discharge of product by way of the annular passage 70* surrounding that nozzle. This is a preferred form of ejector. To give the converse delivery of the two materials which this form of ejector requires, the valve stem construction is modified as shown to provide for delivery of propellant to the central tube 36a above the valve, and delivery of product to the annular passage 40 surrounding that central tube. To that end, the central tube 36a is closed (at 80) at the level where it joins the valve body 35; and a hollow bore 81 is provided so that the side port 39 does not open to the annular passage 40 but carries through to the interior of the central tube 36a. Otherwise, at lower levels, flow line for product is the same as before, being in communication with the dip tube 8 which is connected to the lower end of the central bore in the valve body 35. The connection of the actuator to the valve stem 37 and to the central tube 36a is unchanged.

In FIGURE 8 is also shown a modified construction at the seam (22-23) between the mounting cup and the propellant container. A bead 27 is rolled in the side wall of the upturned rim of the cup 19, and the sidewall of the container 20 is more sharply inturned (at 28) to give a greater area of contact at the seam.

FIGURE 9 shows-a form of dispenser like that of FIGURE 1 but modified at the lower part of the head structure 50 to deal with a product which has two components, one of which is and the other of which is not compatible with the propellant, and which are desirably kept separate until discharge. The incompatible component 9a is held in product container 10. The compatible product 9b is held in the container 20 which also holds the propellant, and is discharged With the propellant.

.The modification for this case includes the provision of side ports 83 in the side wall of the valve housing 30 to permit gaseous propellant, from the space above the liquid in container 10, to pass into the valve housing 30 and thence up to the ejector when the valve is open. A dip tube 84 extends below the liquid level in the container 20 from the lower end of the valve housing 30, which has a beaded extension 85 of reduced diameter to mount this dip tube. In this extension 85 is a flared mouth 33a below the port 33 through which liquid from container .20 can pass into the valve housing 30 and on up through the annulus 40 when the valve is open.

The dispenser shown in FIGURE 10 is not preferred, and lacks the advantages of the forms already described with respect to the simplified head structure. It retains however the heat exchange between discharging product and residual propellant that is obtained by having the product dip tube 8 pass through the propellant container 20. In this form the product flow line by-passes the valve housing, valve body and valve stem and passes outside the area within the-open top of the propellant container. Thus, in FIGURE 10, the product dip tube 8 extends down through an opening, with a sealed joint, in a shoulder 86 at the top of the propellant container 20, from a recess 87 formed in a lateral enlargement of the hub 63 of the valve actuator 61. It extends also through another opening, similarly sealed, in the bottom wall of 8 the propellant container, and thence into the product container (not shown).

A passage 88 in the lateral enlargement'ot hub 63 leads up from this dip-tube receiving recess 87 and across through the hub 63 to the nipple 51.

The propellant flow line includes as before the inlet port 33 to the valve housing 30, the interior of that housing, and the side port 39 in the hollow valve stem. There is no central tube in the valve body and valve stem, and the propellant flow to the top is by way of a central bore 40a in the valve stem 37. The valve stem 37 enters and is held in a recess 38 in the hub 63 of the actuator 61; and above this recess, and open to it, is a smaller recess 41a having a side port (as before) leading to the chamber 69 that delivers propellant to the annular nozzle 70. The ejector action is the same.

In any of these forms, the heat exchange between discharging product and residual propellant can be increased by including a greater length of product line within the residual propellant, as by coiling the tube 8 therein r by otherwise giving it more than a straight line length of passage therethrough.

We claim:

1. In an aerosol dispenser of the isolation type having a product container, a separate propellant container, a discharge ejector, means establishing flow lines connecting the ejector respectively with said containers, and a valve for controlling flow of propellant from the container to said ejector, the improvement which comprises a structural arrangement by which the flow line from said product container to said ejector passes through said propellant container to permit heat exchange between discharging product and residual propellant without admixture of the two materials.

2. In an aerosol dispenser of the isolation type having a product container, a separate propellant container mounted with its containing parts within the product container and open at its upper end, and a head structure closing the open end of said propellant container, the head structure comprising a discharge ejector in its upper part together with separate generally parallel passages establishing flow lines to said discharge ejector from the lower part of said head structure, said lines terminating within the area of the upper end of said propellant container closed by said head structure and one of said lines being in open communication with said propellant container, valve means in the head structure for controlling propellant flow through said one flow line, and means establishing separate fiow communication from the product container to the lower end of the other of said flow lines in the head structure.

a 3. An aerosol dispenser as defined in claim 2 in which the head structure includes a manually operated actuator for said propellant line valve means.

4. An aerosol dispenser as defined in claim 2 in which the means for establishing flow communication between the product container and the said other flow line in the head structure is a dip tube extending through the propellant container to permit heat exchange between discharging product and residual propellant without admixture of the two materials.

5. An aerosol dispenser as defined in claim 2 in which the product container has an upper opening surroundmg and joined exteriorly to the upper part of the propellant container whereby the propellant container is the closure for said product container.

6 An aerosol dispenser as defined in claim 2 in which the head structure comprises a molded plastic valve body and a surrounding metal mounting cup for said valve body, said mounting cup having an outer rim, and in which the open-top propellant container is of metal and is seamed at its upper rim to the outer rim of said mounting cup.

7. An aerosol dispenser as defined in claim 2 in which the p rate flow lines in the head structure are generally coaxial,

8. An aerosol dispenser as defined in claim 2 in which the product flow line in the head structure is centrally located and the valved propellant flow line surrounds at least the lower part of the product flow line, and in which a dip tube extends into the product container from the lower end of said product flow line in the head structure.

9. An aerosol dispenser as defined in claim 2 in which (a) the head structure comprises a generally cylindrical molded part forming a valve body and valve stem; (b) there is a central passage through said body and stem forming the product flow line, with a dip tube below connecting to the lower end of said central passage; and (c) the separate and valved propellant flow line in the head structure surrounds at least the lower part of said central product flow line.

10. An aerosol dispenser as defined in claim 2 in which (a) the head structure comprises a generally cylindrical molded part, forming a movable part of the valve means, together with a manually operable actuator for moving said movable part; (b) said actuator is a molded part comprising an interior hub, surrounding and engaging the upper part of said movable part, together with the discharge ejector; and (c) the said movable part comprises at least the upper parts of the propellant and product flow lines; and (d) the product flow line extends through said movable valve part from bottom to top.

11. An aerosol dispenser, for use in discharging the contents of a product container, comprising a propellant container having an open top, a head structure joined to said propellant container to close its open top, said head structure comprising (a) a discharge ejector, (b) separate passages establishing flow lines to the discharge ejector from the lower end of said head structure within the area of the open top of said propellant container, one of said lines being in open communication at its lower end with said propellant container to permit propellant flow there through, and (c) manually operable valve means for Said propellant flow line; together with a dip tube connected to the lower end of the other flow line in said head structure and extending through the wall of said propellant container.

12. Apparatus as in claim 11 in which said dip tube extends through the part of said propellant container where residual propellant is held and provides heat exchange without admixture between residual propellant and product passing through said dip tube,

13. Apparatus as in claim 11, wherein the head structure includes a hollow valve stem through which pass the separate passages establishing flow lines to the discharge ejector.

14. Apparatus as in claim 13, wherein the separate passages establishing flow lines to the discharge ejector are substantially parallel.

15. Apparatus as in claim 14, wherein the separate passages establishing flow lines to the discharge ejector are concentric.

16. Apparatus as in claim 11, wherein the dip tube extends through a central opening in the bottom of the propellant container.

17. Apparatus of claim 11, wherein the dip tube within the propellant chamber is comprised at least in part of a resilient material.

18. The improved dispenser of claim 1, and further including a product shut-off valve.

19. The improved dispenser of claim 18, wherein the product shut-off valve is operable by a member situated in the propellant valve actuator, said member and actuator being relatively movable to open the product valve prior to the propellant valve upon depression of the actuator.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 613,222 10/1898 Blackman 239304 1,781,523 11/1930 Peck 222193 X 2,531,650 11/1950 Stagner 239-308 2,689,150 9/1954 Croce 239--308 2,733,102 1/1956 Croce 222193 X 2,823,953 2/1958 McGeorge 239-303 X 2,973,885 3/1961 Ferguson 222399 3,004,718 10/1961 Gorman 239304 X 3,040,991 -6/ 1962 Fedit 239-304 3,162,332 12/1964 Hayim 222193 3,162,370 12/1964 Moonan et a1. 239308 X 3,202,362 8/1965 Wright 222193 X 3,217,936 11/1965 Abplanalp 239--308 X 3,233,780 2/ 1966 Cheeley 222239 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,208,586 9/ 1959 France.

SAM EL F. COLEMAN, im ry x mi er-

Claims (1)

1. IN AN AEROSOL DISPENSER OF THE ISOLATION TYPE HAVING A PRODUCT CONTAINER, A SEPARATE PROPELLANT CONTAINER, A DISCHARGE EJECTOR, MEANS ESTABLISHING FLOW LINES CONNECTING THE EJECTOR RESPECTIVELY WITH SAID CONTAINERS, AND A VALVE FOR CONTROLLING FLOW OF PROPELLANT FROM THE CONTAINER TO SAID EJECTOR, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES A STRUCTURAL ARRANGEMENT BY WHICH THE FLOW LINE FROM SAID PRODUCT CONTAINER TO SAID EJECTOR PASSES THROUGH SAID PROPELLANT CONTAINER TO PERMIT HEAT EXCHANGE BETWEEN DISCHARGING PRODUCT AND RESIDUAL PROPELLANT WITHOUT ADMIXTURE OF THE TWO MATERIALS.

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