Abstract:
A spray discharge cap for a sprayer having a valve, comprising: a spray release top attachment including a retainer ring and an actuation element which is hinged to said retainer ring, an outlet tube having an outlet opening and an inlet opening that is connected to said valve, a piston element movably disposed in said outlet tube which is in a position closing said outlet opening if said actuation element is not depressed, and which is movable inside said outlet tube via a dog mechanism, wherein said dog mechanism interacts with said actuation element in such a way that if said actuation element is depressed said piston element is in a position releasing said outlet opening.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     Not applicable.  
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH  
       [0002]     Not applicable.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     It is particularly when spray discharge caps are used to eject a foam, gel or the like that the problem of post-foaming occurs which involves the continued formation of foam at the outlet opening after the valve is closed. In the course of time, such foam which has formed can paste up the outlet opening and even tends to close it completely. In addition, the residues which mostly are dried out in the area of the outlet opening will not look very attractive. Therefore, as a rule, the spray discharge caps are covered by a separate closure cap. Although this does not prevent the formation of residues at the outlet opening the bad optical impression will certainly no longer occur.  
         [0004]     It is the object of the invention to provide a spray discharge cap which, using simple means, efficiently prevents the ejected medium from post-foaming at the outlet opening and prohibits residues from being formed thereon.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     The inventive spray discharge cap has a spray release top attachment which includes a retainer ring and an actuation element which is hinged thereto. The spray release top attachment, along with the retainer ring, is placed onto the sprayer and gets latched on the valve disk, for example. The inventive spray discharge cap further has an outlet tube with an outlet opening, and an inlet opening which is connected to the valve. The pressurized medium is re-routed from the spray container to the outlet opening through the outlet tube. The inventive spray discharge cap further has a piston element which is movably disposed in the outlet tube. The piston element has a position closing said outlet opening and is further provided with a dog mechanism by means of which the piston element is adapted to be moved within the outlet tube. The dog mechanism interacts with the actuation element to move the piston out of its position closing the outlet opening if the valve is actuated. The piston will close the outlet opening in the non-actuated position. Hence, in the inventive spray discharge cap, the piston element is solely moved out of the outlet opening if the actuation element is depressed and a medium is ejected. At this stage, the piston element prevents a post-foaming effect because it closes the outlet from inside.  
         [0006]     In a preferred aspect, the actuation element has a prolongation which, in a depressed position, bears against the outlet tube and forces it to a position opening the valve. The force necessary to open the spray container valve is applied by the actuation element to the exit tube via the prolongation which preferably is of a disk-like shape.  
         [0007]     The dog mechanism of the piston suitably has at least one pin member which projects from a recess or breakthrough in the outlet tube. It is preferred to move the pin member by a prolongation of the actuation element facing the outlet tube with the pin member being moved out of its position closing the outlet opening by means of the prolongation.  
         [0008]     Preferably, the outlet opening has an inlet portion connected to the inlet opening which opens transversely into an outlet channel in the outlet tube with the outlet channel having a first portion connected to the outlet opening and a second portion the diameter of which is larger than that of the first portion. Preferably, the inlet portion is of a diameter smaller than that of the outlet channel.  
         [0009]     The inlet portion opens into the outlet channel approximately between the first and second portions. In a preferred aspect, the outlet channel in the spray discharge cap is disposed such as to ascend towards the outlet opening in order that a medium which did not completely exit by an actuation of the valve can flow back.  
         [0010]     The piston element suitably has a circumferential groove in which a sealing ring is disposed which seals the second portion of the outlet channel.  
         [0011]     In an embodiment, the second portion of the outlet channel is suitably closed by a cap member with a spring member being preferably supported against the cap member and the rear wall of the piston element and forces the piston element to the position closing the outlet opening.  
         [0012]     In another feasible aspect, the outlet tube is formed integrally with the retainer ring. In this aspect, the retainer ring preferably has a step which holds the outlet tube at one end and which also has the integrally formed actuation element hinged thereto. In a preferred aspect, it is possible to open the spray discharge cap via a hinge between the actuation element and top attachment.  
         [0013]     Preferably, the actuation element has at least one wall portion with a slot-shaped recess which receives the dog mechanism of the piston and, via the wall portion, guides the piston in the outlet tube. Unlike in the spring-biased aspect, the actuation element guides the piston element to both its closing position and opened position in this aspect.  
         [0014]     The dog mechanism of the piston has at least one projecting pin member which projects from the outlet tube near the free end thereof.  
         [0015]     If desired, depending on the medium to be ejected, the outlet tube may have placed therein an insert which constitutes the outlet opening of the medium to be ejected. 
     
    
       [0016]     Two preferred embodiments will be described in more detail below with reference to the figures. In the figures:  
         [0017]      FIG. 1  shows a first embodiment of the inventive spray discharge cap with the actuation element depressed, from a side, in a cross-section,  
         [0018]      FIG. 2  shows the spray discharge cap of  FIG. 1  from a side in a cross-sectional view,  
         [0019]      FIG. 3  shows the spray discharge cap of  FIG. 1  with the actuation element not depressed, in a cross-sectional view,  
         [0020]      FIG. 4   a  shows the spray discharge cap of  FIG. 11  in a non-depressed position in a cross-sectional view,  
         [0021]      FIG. 5  shows the spray discharge cap of  FIG. 1  in a non-depressed position,  
         [0022]      FIG. 6  shows the outlet tube as a section in a perspective view,  
         [0023]      FIG. 7  shows the piston element in a perspective view,  
         [0024]      FIG. 8  shows a half of the closure cap in a perspective view,  
         [0025]      FIG. 9  shows a half of a sealing ring in a perspective view,  
         [0026]      FIG. 10  shows the spring member in a perspective view,  
         [0027]      FIG. 11  shows a second aspect of the inventive spray discharge cap, when in a depressed position, in a cross-section,  
         [0028]      FIG. 12  shows the second aspect of the spray discharge cap, when in a non-depressed position, in a cross-section,  
         [0029]      FIG. 13  shows the spray discharge cap of  FIG. 11  in the position of its manufacture in a perspective view, and  
         [0030]      FIG. 14  shows the spray discharge cap of  FIG. 13  from a side in a perspective view. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0031]     While this invention may be embodied in many different forms, there are described in detail herein a specific preferred embodiment of the invention. This description is an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the particular embodiment illustrated  
         [0032]      FIG. 1  shows a first aspect of the inventive spray discharge cap in a depressed position. A retainer ring  10  is composed of two ring portions  12  and  14  where the spray discharge cap is placed onto a sprayer by the ring portion  12  and gets latched on the valve disk, for example. The second ring portion  14  has a smaller diameter and an obliquely extending end edge. The height of the second ring portion  14  is largest in the area of the outlet opening and decreases continuously towards the diametrically opposed region.  
         [0033]     An actuation element  16  is hinged to the second ring portion  14  in the area of the largest height and is forced down by depressing it in the direction of the arrow A. The actuation element  16  substantially is in the form of a cylindrical cap, with a circumferential wall  18  and an end wall  20 . An opening  22  is provided in the circumferential wall  18 . An indentation trough  24  is formed on the end wall  24 .  
         [0034]     The actuation element  16  has inserted therein an outlet tube  26  which will be described in detail with reference to  FIG. 6 . The outlet tube  26  has an inlet portion  28  with a conically expanding mounting area  30  for the valve. The inlet portion  28  opens into a transversely extending outlet channel  32 . The outlet channel  32  has a first portion  34  which has its mouth in a conically tapering outlet opening  36 , and a second portion  38  which has its end formed open. The inlet channel  28  opens into the outlet channel  32  between the first portion  34  and the second portion  38 . The transition area between the first and the second portion is of a conical shape.  
         [0035]     As can be clearly seen in  FIGS. 1, 5 , and  6  the inlet portion  28  opens into the outlet channel  32  such that the first portion  34 , with the inlet portion  28 , encloses an obtuse angle  34  and an acute angle with the second portion  38  in the Z-Y plane so that the outlet opening constitutes the highest point in an installed condition.  
         [0036]     Disposed in the outlet tube  32  is a piston element  40 . The piston element  40  is composed of a piston skirt  42  having a truncated tip  44  and a circumferential groove  46 . At the end opposed to the tip  44 , the piston element  40  has two lateral projections  48  which are in the shape of a cylinder half in the embodiment shown. The piston element  40  has a blind hole  50  in an axial direction between the projections  48 .  
         [0037]     A sealing ring  52  is placed onto the piston element in the recess  46 . The sealing ring  52  is shown sectioned in  FIG. 1 . The blind hole  50  has inserted therein a coiled spring  54  which, when in a relaxed condition, extends beyond the piston end. When in an assembled condition, the piston element  40  is arranged in the outlet tube  32  with the piston tip  44  facing the outlet opening  36 . The piston element is guided across the sealing ring  52  in the second portion  38  of the outlet tube and seals this portion from the medium. The pins  48  protrude laterally from a breakthrough  56  in the outlet tube. The second portion  38  of the outlet tube is closed by a cap  58 . The cap has a circumferential border which can be provided with latching means for a connection to the outlet tube, for example. On its outer wall, at the end opposed to the outlet opening  36 , the outlet tube has a circumference adapted to the inside diameter of the border  60 . The cap  58  centrally has a hollow  62  to receive the spring  54  (cf.  FIG. 5 ).  
         [0038]     As can be clearly seen in  FIG. 2  the actuation element  16  has two flat wall portions  64  projecting into the interior of the actuation element which extend into the interior of the actuation element in a sword shape. The wall portions  64  are of an approximately triangular shape with the wall facing away from the outlet opening  36  comprising three straight wall portions  72 ,  73 ,  74  which together enclose an angle. The wall portion  64  has a flat side disposed parallel to the outlet tube, the wall element side facing away from the outlet opening  36  bearing its wall portions  72  or  74  on the projection  48  of the piston element.  
         [0039]     The actuation element  16  further has a central wall projection  66  which bears on the outlet tube  32  above the inlet portion  28 .  
         [0040]     The actuation element further has an arm  68  which extends into the interior and the free end of which has a protruding lug  70 . The arm  68  projects from the actuation element  16  and holds the outlet tube  32  in the outlet opening  22 . At its end provided with the outlet opening  36 , the outlet tube  32  has a circumferential step  72  which bears on in the outlet opening  22  of the actuation element  16  and prevents the outlet tube  32  from being pushed out of the actuation element  16 . The outlet tube  32  is laterally held by the wall portions  64  which stabilize the outlet tube  32  in a sideward direction.  
         [0041]      FIGS. 3 and 4   a  show the inventive spray discharge cap in a non-actuated condition. The actuation element  16  substantially finishes to be flush with the second ring portion  14 . The wall portion  64  holds its portion  72  against the pin  48  of the piston element whereas the wall portion  74  bears against the projection in the depressed position.  
         [0042]     With the actuation member in the non-depressed position, the projection  66  does not bear, or bears with no force, against the outlet tube  32 .  
         [0043]     The actuation of the inventive spray discharge cap is done as follows:  
         [0044]     A pressure onto the actuation element in the direction A or a pressure including a force component in the direction A onto the actuation element causes the actuation element to be pressed down. The outlet tube  32  is pressed down via the projection  66  and, in part, by the trough  24  of the actuation element  66 . The outlet tube as depressed presses the sprayer discharge valve down and opens it. At the same time, the two wall portions  64  push the piston element back against the force of the spring  54  via the pin  48 , thus causing the piston tip  44  to move out of the conical outlet opening  36 . Thus, this releases the second portion  34  of the outlet channel  32 , which enables the medium to exit through the inlet portion  28  and the first portion  34  of the outlet tube  32 .  
         [0045]     If no pressure is exerted onto the actuation element  16  it will return to its closed position. The valve of the sprayer is closed and no more medium will exit. The wall portion  64  moves along the pin  48  and comes to bear on the area of the wall portion  74 ; the spring  54  advances the piston element to the closing position. The outlet opening  36  is closed by the tip  44 .  
         [0046]     FIGS.  11  to  14  show a second aspect of the inventive spray discharge valve where  FIG. 13  illustrates the position of the spray discharge valve in its position of manufacture. In this aspect, the retainer ring  76 , the actuation element  78 , and the outlet tube  80  are formed integrally. The retainer ring  76  is composed of two ring portions  82  and  84  with the ring portion  84  having an obliquely extending edge. The spray discharge cap is placed onto a sprayer by the first portion  82  of the retainer ring and is latched on the valve disk, for example. The second ring portion  84  has protruded therefrom a nearly rectangular step  86  to which the actuation element  80  is hinged. Centrally provided in the step  86  is the outlet opening  88  for the medium. The outlet opening  88  is joined by the outlet tube  78  which extends through the centre of the spray release cap. The outlet tube  78  has an inlet portion  90  which again is provided with a conically expanding mounting area for the valve of the spray release cap. The outlet tube  78  has lateral slots  92  at its end facing away from the outlet opening  88 . The end of the outlet tube  78  that is opposed to the outlet opening  88  is open.  
         [0047]     The actuation element  80  has three wall projections extending into the interior, two of which wall projections  94  are disposed laterally of the outlet tube  78  and the third wall projection  96  is centrally located above the outlet tube.  
         [0048]     The wall projections  94  have a slot-shaped recess  95  which, in its length, is slightly inclined from the central longitudinal axis. The disk-shaped projections  94  are laterally positioned next to the outlet tube  78  and bear one side flat against it. The wall projection  96  bears against the outlet tube  78  in the depressed position, cf.  FIG. 11 , and transfers the force exerted onto the actuation element  80  to the outlet tube  78 , which force will open the valve via the inlet portion  90 .  
         [0049]     The outlet tube  78  has inserted therein a piston element which can be formed, for example, like the piston element of the first embodiment. The piston element of the second embodiment also has lateral pins  98  which project from the slots  92 , but are formed as round pins, in contrast to the previous embodiment. The pins  98  approximately have the diameter of the slot  95 . With the piston element in the assembled condition, one pin  98  each is received into one of the slots  95 .  
         [0050]     The actuation of the inventive spray discharge cap is done as follows:  
         [0051]     A pressure onto the actuation element  80  causes the actuation element to be pivoted relative to the outlet tube  78 . The pin  98  is introduced into the slot  95 , thus retracting the piston element with a tip from the outlet opening  88 . A pressure is applied to the outlet element  98  via the central wall projection  96  and pins  98 , which causes the valve to open via the inlet portion  90 . The medium enters the outlet tube  78  with one portion of the outlet tube  78  being sealed by the piston element and the medium exiting through the outlet opening  88 .  
         [0052]     Following an actuation, the actuation element  80  resiliently returns to its initial position with the wall portions  94  push the piston element to its advanced position by means of their slot  95 . The valve of the sprayer closes and the piston element is forced into the outlet opening  88 .  
         [0053]     Unlike in the embodiment depicted first, the piston element is not biased to its closed position here, but is guided by the actuation element via the dog mechanism also in this position.  
         [0054]     The above disclosure is intended to be illustrative and not exhaustive. This description will suggest many variations and alternatives to one of ordinary skill in this art. All these alternatives and variations are intended to be included within the scope of the claims where the term “comprising” means “including, but not limited to”. Those familiar with the art may recognize other equivalents to the specific embodiments described herein which equivalents are also intended to be encompassed by the claims.  
         [0055]     Further, the particular features presented in the dependent claims can be combined with each other in other manners within the scope of the invention such that the invention should be recognized as also specifically directed to other embodiments having any other possible combination of the features of the dependent claims. For instance, for purposes of claim publication, any dependent claim which follows should be taken as alternatively written in a multiple dependent form from all prior claims which possess all antecedents referenced in such dependent claim if such multiple dependent format is an accepted format within the jurisdiction (e.g. each claim depending directly from claim  1  should be alternatively taken as depending from all previous claims). In jurisdictions where multiple dependent claim formats are restricted, the following dependent claims should each be also taken as alternatively written in each singly dependent claim format which creates a dependency from a prior antecedent-possessing claim other than the specific claim listed in such dependent claim below.  
         [0056]     This completes the description of the preferred and alternate embodiments of the invention. Those skilled in the art may recognize other equivalents to the specific embodiment described herein which equivalents are intended to be encompassed by the claims attached hereto.