Abstract:
An attachment device for pressurized fluid dispensing containers enabling augmented directional dispensing through a somewhat flexible tube such as a plastic straw wherein the tube is supported at a position outwardly removed from its positioning vis-à-vis the actuation nozzle and preferably radially outward of the vertical plane formed by the container body wall.

Description:
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a device adapted for attachment to the top of a pressurized container of the type having an upwardly extending spray nozzle actuator top wall including a circular lip surrounding the spray head and more particularly to a device which positions a flexible dispensing tube with respect to the spray nozzle such that pressurized fluids contained within the container can be applied accurately and easily to relatively inaccessible locations. 
     Many fluids come in pressurized containers and are designed to be applied by means of a spray nozzle affixed to a valve in the top of the container. Typically, fluid is released by depressing the spray nozzle head, which causes the valve in the top of the container to open allowing fluid to be released through a fluid passage located on the side wall of the spray nozzle. In addition, it is common in some applications to provide a small diameter tube that can be inserted into frictional engagement with the exit opening of the nozzle head. When so mounted, the small diameter tube provides an extension to the nozzle head and allows the fluid stream to exit at the distal opening of the tube rather than at the exit opening of the nozzle head against which the proximal end of the tube is engaged. This allows application of the pressurized fluid into areas where the nozzle head would not provide thorough or accurate application of the fluid. The extension tube is typically provided along with the pressurized fluid container and is commonly affixed to the container by means of an adhesive strip. 
     It is also known to, in effect, attach such a spray tube to a container by holding such in tethered relationship while in use by a flexible line as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,058,783 and 5,788,129 and to temporarily support such tubes in a storage position as shown by U.S. Pat. No. 4,664,300 . In addition, it is known to attempt to support such tubes in their use position by support devices which to some extent are supported or attached to the top of the pressurized container such as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,858,792 and 5,297,704. It is also known to provide a malleable guide member for supporting an extra long flexible tube in its use position such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,529,226 in order to better enable the tube or, in effect, dispensing line to reach inaccessible locations. 
     A number of recurring problems in this technology area are not however, addressed by the constructions shown in the aforementioned patents including the tendency of the tube at its engagement point with the spray head nozzle to become dislodged when held too tightly in relationship thereto. Thus, the provision of a secure tube holding means, which is simple, low, cost and easy to utilize is an object of the present invention. 
     These and other objects of the present invention are accomplished by a device having support means that is adapted to be firmly positioned on the container lip via a retainer ring and which includes a clamp mechanism which in turn holds the dispensing tube in a position distally removed from the spray head nozzle but in which both adjustability of the tube laterally with respect to the clamping mechanism is available when desired and wherein the retaining ring is removable for use on other containers when necessary. 
     Other objects, features and advantages of the invention shall become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In the drawings which illustrate the best modes presently contemplated for carrying out the present invention: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional pressurized fluid container having one form of the device of the present invention mounted thereon in its operational mode; 
     FIG. 1A is a partial side elevational view of FIG. 1 showing the manner in which the proximal tube portion may downwardly flex; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the FIG. 1 form of the device of the present invention separated from the container as shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but in exploded form wherein the dispensing tube is removed therefrom; 
     FIG. 4 is a view showing a preliminary step by which the clamping means may be attached to the retaining ring; 
     FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 but showing a further constructional step for mounting the clamping means within the retaining ring; 
     FIG. 6 is a side sectional view on an enlarged scale through the lines  6 — 6  of FIG. 5; 
     FIG. 7 is a partial perspective view similar to FIG. 1 showing the device of the present invention being mounted to the pressurized container; 
     FIG. 8 is a view showing how the clamping means shown in FIGS. 1 through 7 may be released to enable the tube to move laterally with respect thereof; 
     FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a different form of the clamping means of the present invention wherein the retaining ring and clamping means are integrally formed with each other; and 
     FIG. 10 in an enlarged partial view of FIG. 9 showing the means by which different tube sizes may be accommodated with respect to the clamping means. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to FIG. 1, a pressurized fluid container  10  of the type, which is standardly available and with which the device of the present invention is particularly adapted for use is shown. Such container includes a body  12  and a top wall  14  to which a valve assembly is attached during assembly of the container. The resultant structure includes an upwardly extending shoulder  18  including an inwardly extending ledge  20  and an upwardly terminating lip  22 . The valve assembly includes an upwardly extending actuator button or spray nozzle  24 . Vertically downward depression of the actuator button  24  releases fluid from the nozzle  26  located on a lateral side thereof. The nozzle  26  is normally recessed within the side wall  25  of the actuator button  24  and thus enables the proximal end of a flexible dispensing tube to be placed within the recess and in operational contact with the nozzle opening when such spray direction is desired as in the case of the present invention. One form of the device  30  of the present invention is shown in FIG. 2, which device includes three major portions, namely, a retaining ring  32  by which the device is attached to the container, a support means  34  extending from the ring and a dispensing tube  36  which is positioned in the desired operational engagement with the nozzle of the container actuator button  24  by the support means. 
     The retaining ring  32  is preferably formed from a metallic composition such as aluminum or from a plastic resinous material having similar physical properties and includes a body  40  including an upper wall  42 , an inner wall  43  and an opening  44  such that the overall ring configuration is that of a split ring and presents opposed face walls  46  which can be leveraged apart by an implement such as a screw driver so as to enable the ring  32  to be mounted upon the container and removed from. Such mounting is preferably such that the inner wall  43  of the ring surrounds the outer wall of the container lip  22  and may rest upon the shoulder ledge thereof. The ring  32  is of a slightly lesser interlal diameter than the outer diameter of the lip  22  but can be, in effect, sprung apart to enable the ring to be mounted as desired as by outward force applied to the faces  46 . This provides for a firm positioninig of the device vis-à-vis the container. 
     The support  34  includes a mechanism for attachment to the retaining ring and a clamping portion  50  by which the support can grasp and firmly position the tube  36  in the desired relationship with the nozzle. The means for attaching the support to the ring includes a pair of preferably metal spring wire primarily arms  52  outwardly laterally extending from the upper wall  42  and terminating in the clamping means  50  which comprises a pair of upwardly directed secondary arms  54  which, in part, define a cross member  56  which in turn defines a circular receiver portion or bore  58  which receives an intermediate portion of the tube  36 . The tube  36  may be a hollow flexible plastic tube having a proximal end  62 , a distal end  64  and intermediate body  66 , in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 through 8 of the drawings, it should be noted that the bore  58  is defined by a single winding or ring of the wire but could be composed of multiple windings thereof should more lateral support be required. One of the advantages of the single or lower multiple winding bore is that the shoulders formed by the terminal portions of the secondary arms may the inwardly squeezed and thus, in effect, opened to increase the diameter of the bore  58  in order to enable the intermediate portion of the tube to be moved relative thereto and position the tube in the desired location. Such squeezing action is shown in particular in FIG.  8  and forms a particularly convenient manner in order to adjust the tube positioning as desired. 
     It should be noted and in particular by reference to FIG. 1A that the clamping bore and thus the position at which the intermediate portion of the tube is firmly grasped is substantially radially outwardly removed from the proximal tube end at a position outward of the upstanding lip  22  and preferably well outward of the vertical limits of the container body itself, Such positionino in effect lengthens the proximal portion of the tube, that is, that portion between its proximal end seated in the nozzle recess at the point at which it is grasped by the clamping means, which assures adequate tube flexibility such that nozzle actuation is accommodated. With very short proximal tube lengths, the overall stiffness of the tube is, in effect, increased and the vertical actuation movement of the nozzle can dislodge the tube proximal end from the recess. Furthermore by providing such greater length, the tube proximal portion can be slightly upwardly bent in its central area to better facilitate separation and repositioning of the proximal tube end in the nozzle recess when desired. 
     Turning now to FIGS. 4 through 6, a manner in which the primary arms  52  of the support  34  may be attached to the retaining ring  32  is illustrated. Therein the upper wall  42  of the ring  32  is provided with a pair of slots  70  and thereafter terminal portions of the primary arms  52  positioned therein and then die members or punches  72  shown in dotted lines forced downwardly so as to reform a portion of the metal and/or plastic composition forming the ring  32  so as to force such material to a clamping relationship with the surrounding wall and thus retain the primary arms therewithin in a secure manner. 
     It should be again noted that the primary arms  52  laterally radially outwardly extend a relatively great distance so as to ensure that the clamping contact of the bore  58  with respect to the tube  36  is at a position which defines a relatively large length of tube material between the position at which it is clamped by the bore  58  and its proximal terminal end  62  positioned within the recess  28  or otherwise positioned against the nozzle in operational engagement. 
     It is also desirable that the support  34  as shown in FIGS. 1 through 8 provide a stiff yet not totally rigid support to the tube  36 , that is, some slight flexibility to the legs  52  can be desirable in that their downward flexure from their connection points at the upper wall can enable the proximal end of the tube  62  to be tilted slightly upwardly by the downward tilt of the arms  52  so as to better be able to position and remove the tube from the nozzle recess  28  when desired. 
     Turning now to FIGS. 9 and 10 of the drawing, a modified form of the ring and support is shown wherein the support  34   a  is formed integrally with the ring  32   a . In such case, the support  34   a  could be integrally cast from aluminum or other metal material or formed by injection molding procedures when formed of plastic resinous materials. In such cases, the primary arms  52   a  upwardly forwardly extend and terminate in a head  76  which includes a bore  78  therethrough similar to the bore  58  formed by the wire construction of the preceding embodiment. The head is slotted at opening  80  to provide a slight outward flexibility of the bore diameter so that the bore diameter may be increased to accept the insertion of the tube  36  therethrough in the desired position. Again, the tube is grasped by the bore  78  radially outwardly of the lip  22  and preferably outwardly of the container wall body  12  for the reasons indicated with reference to FIGS. 1 through 8. 
     While there is shown and described herein certain specific structure embodying this invention, it will be manifest to those skilled in the art that various modifications and rearrangements of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the underlying inventive concept and that the same is not limited to the particular forms herein shown and described except insofar as indicated by the scope of the appended claims.