Abstract:
An adjustable dispensing nozzle for an aerosol container in which pivotally interconnected elbows have a positionable extension tube extending from one elbow and a stem on the other elbow inserted into and pivotal in a socket on a valve actuating lever of a cap mounted on the container. Means for dispensing a spray may be incorporated within the stem of the dispensing nozzle.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/246,783 filed Nov. 8, 2000. 
     
    
     
       FIELD OF INVENTION  
         [0002]    This invention relates generally to aerosols (including aerogels) and more particularly to a flexible directional applicator tube extendable from a dispensing nozzle that of the container cap of an aerosol or foam container including a product under pressure in a container and a cap on the container.  
         BACKGROUND OF INVENTION  
         [0003]    There are numerous aerosol products (fine spray mixture) and aerogels (foams) in use today and only to mention a few they include insecticides, lubricants, paints and other coating materials, hair fixatives, shaving cream, whipped cream etc. In most all instances the contents of the pressurized container issue from an orifice in a head piece mounted on a tubular valve stem or from a tube that is insertable into a recess in the head piece that extends toward the orifice. This works well for most products with generalized targets but specific targets are often difficult if not impossible to reach. For example in applying lubricants or cleaners to specific targets the presently available dispensing means are not suitable.  
         SUMMARY OF INVENTION  
         [0004]    The present invention is an adjustable dispensing nozzle for an aerosol container in which pivotally interconnected elbows have an extension tube extending from one elbow and a stem on the other elbow inserted into and pivotal in a socket on a valve actuating lever of a cap mounted on the container.  
           [0005]    More particularly, the present invention defines an adjustable dispensing nozzle for a liquid, foam, or aerosol in a pressurized container comprising a cap having a top wall, an annular lower wall portion mountable on an aerosol container and a valve actuating lever for depressing a tubular valve stem on the aerosol container. The valve actuating lever having a passageway communicating at one end thereof with the passageway of said tubular valve stem and at the other end with a first socket in an outer face surface of said cap. The cap includes a first elbow having a stem inserted into and rotatable in said first socket, a second elbow rotatably connected to said first elbow and an extension tube connected to said second elbow.  
           [0006]    A principal object of the present invention is to provide a pivotally movable aerosol dispensing nozzle.  
           [0007]    A further principal object of the present invention is to provide a cap for an aerosol container and wherein the cap has a dispensing nozzle pivotally mounted thereon.  
           [0008]    Another object of the present invention is to provide a cap having a nozzle pivotally mounted thereon with a means for producing a mist in a conical, flat spray pattern, or stream.  
           [0009]    Another object of the present invention is to provide a dispensing nozzle having a removable, reuseable, and extendible applicator straw including one or more bendable joint for directing and applying a stream of liquid around an object, wherein the joint allows a portion of the straw to remain bent at a selected angle until repositioned by the user.  
           [0010]    These and other objects of the present invention will be more fully understood from the following description of the invention. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]    A better understanding of the present invention will be had upon reference to the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views and wherein:  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an aerosol dispensing container cap provided in accordance with the present invention with a pivotally mounted dispensing nozzle;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the assembled aerosol dispensing cap;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line  3 - 3  of FIG. 2;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line  4 - 4  of FIG. 2; and  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line  5 - 5  of FIG. 2.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 6 is a horizontal sectional view of a diverter valve showing a valve stem having a passageway that extends through the stem (transverse to the length thereof) and a groove or channel in the outer surface of and extending lengthwise of the stem.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 7 is a side or vertical sectional view of FIG. 8;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the aerosol dispensing cap including the diverter valve shown in FIG. 7;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 9 shows the dispenser of FIG. 1 including a flexible directional applicator tube with a corrugated section for bending;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 10 shows the dispenser of FIG. 1 including an applicator tube formed completely from corrugated sections;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 11 shows the corrugated portion of the tube in the collapsed compressed position;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 12 shows the corrugated portion of the tube in the extended expanded position;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 13 shows the corrugated portion of the tube in the flexible bent position; and  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 14 shows a can having a tube extending therefrom with a corrugated portion in the bent position.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0026]    Referring to the drawings there is illustrated an aerosol container  10 , a dispensing cap  20  mounted on the container and a dispensing nozzle  30  pivotally mounted on the cap  20 . The cap  20  has an a cylindrical wall  21  with a rib  22  on the internal surface of the lower end thereof that snap fits into a groove  11  in a lip  12  on the upper end of the container. The cap further has a top wall comprising outer segments  23 A,  23 B and a valve actuating lever portion  23 C disposed there between. The lever portion  23 C includes a segmental portion  21 A of the side wall and is canter levered therefrom extending in a direction toward a diametrically opposite portion of the side wall.  
         [0027]    The lever portion  23 C of the top wall has a stem  24  projecting downwardly from the underside thereof. A recess  25  in the bottom end of the stem  24  slip fits onto a conventional hollow valve stem  13  that projects upwardly from the center of the top of the aerosol container. The stem  24  has a passageway  26  that is smaller in diameter than the recess  25  thus providing a shoulder  27  to butt against the top end of the valve stem.  
         [0028]    The passage  26  changes direction ( 90  degrees) and continues into a spigot portion  28  that projects into a circular recess  29  in the side wall segment  21 A of the top  20 . The pivotally mounted dispensing nozzle  30  includes a first elbow  31  having a stem  32  that press fits into the recess  29  in the cap and is rotatable therein, a second elbow  33  having a stem  34  that press fits into a socket  35  in the first elbow  31  and is rotatable therein and an extension tube  36  having an end portion that press fits into a portion  37  of the second elbow  33 .  
         [0029]    The stem  34  of the elbow  33  has an annular groove  38  that is in alignment with the flow passage in the stem  32  of elbow  31  when fully inserted into the recess. This relative positioning is predetermined by a flange  39  on the elbow  33  that abuts the elbow  31  and/or engagement of the stem with the bottom end of the recess  35  as best illustrated in FIG. 5.  
         [0030]    The elbow  33  has a flow through passage  37 A that communicates with an aperture  37 B located in the groove  38 . There are two further grooves designated respectively  38 A and  38 B in the stem  34  for receiving O-ring seals if so desired. The stem  32  of elbow  31  has an O-ring seal  32 A. Suitable grooving can be provided in the receptors to maintain assembly of the components particularly when intended for use in dispensing aerogels.  
         [0031]    The elbow  31  can be rotated 360 degrees about the axis of stem  32  and the elbow  33  can be rotated at least 180 degrees about the axis of the stem  34 . This pivotal movement about the two mutually perpendicular axes permits variously positioning the discharge end  36 A of the tube  36  to deliver the contents to specific hard to otherwise get at targets.  
         [0032]    Illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7 is an elbow  60  for use as an alternative to the previously described elbow  31 . The elbow  60  has a diverter valve  61  rotatably mounted in the cylindrical body for directing the contents of the container to one or the other of an orifice  62  and a socket  63  in which the extension tube  36  can be inserted.  
         [0033]    The diverter valve comprises a valve stem  64  having a passageway  65  that extends through the stem (transverse to the length thereof) and a groove or channel  66  in the outer surface of and extending lengthwise of the stem.  
         [0034]    The stem is rotatable in the cylindrical body and can be turned from one position to the other of in one position aligning the passage through elbow stem  32  with the orifice  62  via passage  65  in the stem and in the other position providing communication between the passage in the elbow stem  32  and the socket  63  via the groove  66  in the side face of the valve stem. The valve stem has a finger grip knob  67  to facilitate moving the diverter valve from one position to the other. The valve stem is retained in the cylindrical body by an O-ring seal  69  fitting into suitable grooves in the body and the valve stem.  
         [0035]    As shown in FIGS.  9 - 14 , a flexible applicator tube  70  may further provide a degree of control to the application of the aerosol in the container. The tube  70  is as shown in FIGS. 9 and 11- 14  includes a straight cylindrical portion  72  attached to a corrugated portion  74  is grooved circumferentially, one groove at a time, progressively part way toward one end of the tube, starting inwardly from a selected point, the grooves having sides of unequal length for snapping over center for flexing or straightening the tube. A straw of similar construction is taught in part in Harp et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,409,224, and a machine for making same is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 3,641,884, both or which are incorporated by reference herein.  
         [0036]    More particularly, each of the corrugations of section  74  is defined by a circumferential groove having sides of unequal length. The corrugations define reentrant overlapping folds when the corrugated portion  74  of the tube  70  is contracted lengthwise. Flexing the tube  70  to a desired extent results in at least some of the folds opening as the fold goes past dead center, thereby holding positioning the distal end of the tube  70  beyond the corrugations at any given set position.  
         [0037]    When used with the dispenser cap and low viscosity fluids the applicator tube and corrugated sections may be of a selected small internal diameter. When used with a foam, gel, or expandable foam, the diameter of the applicator tube and corrugations may be sized accordingly, usually utilizing larger dimensions.  
         [0038]    The foregoing detailed description is given primarily for clearness of understanding and no unnecessary limitations are to be understood therefrom, for modification will become obvious to those skilled in the art upon reading this disclosure and may be made upon departing from the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims. Accordingly, this invention is not intended to be limited by the specific exemplifications presented hereinabove. Rather, what is intended to be covered is within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.