Abstract:
A container ( 1 ) containing a dispensable fluid, the container having a valve mechanism, the valve mechanism having an outwardly extending pillar ( 5 ), the pillar ( 5 ) having external sides which have a screw thread, the valve mechanism also having a cantilevered hollow stem which extends through or from an aperture ( 11 ) in the pillar, the valve mechanism able to assume open and closed dispositions, the open disposition characterised in that the stem channels the fluid to a location outside of the container.

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
       [0001]    A preferred form of this invention relates to a container for use in delivering aerosol carried substances or other fluids to an atmosphere. A particularly preferred form of the invention relates to an aerosol can adapted for attachment to an automatic spray dispenser. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    It is known to store aerosol spray materials in a can which can be attached to a spray head to enable delivery of spray material to an atmosphere. A valve is used to control movement of the spray material between the can and the dispenser. It is an object of a preferred embodiment of the present invention go at least some way to providing the public with a useful alternative to known arrangements. 
         [0003]    The term “comprising” or derivatives thereof, if and when used in this document should be interpreted non-exclusively, eg to mean “consisting of or including”. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a container containing a dispensable fluid, the container having a valve mechanism, the valve mechanism having an outwardly extending pillar, the pillar having external sides which have a screw thread, the valve mechanism also having a cantilevered hollow stem which extends through or from an aperture in the pillar, the valve mechanism able to assume open and closed dispositions, the open disposition characterised in that the stem channels the fluid to a location outside of the container. 
         [0005]    Preferably the stem comprises a tube. 
         [0006]    Preferably the stem cantilevers upwardly from the pillar when the container is in its normal in-use orientation. 
         [0007]    Preferably the container has an end cap which closes the container and the pillar is an integral part of the end cap. 
         [0008]    Preferably the end cap has side walls extending around the pillar. 
         [0009]    Preferably the end cap has side walls extending around the pillar to approximately the same height as the pillar. 
         [0010]    Preferably the container has a substantially cantilevered dip tube arranged to direct the fluid towards the valve mechanism. 
         [0011]    Preferably the fluid comprises an aerosol spray material. 
         [0012]    Preferably the container is formed such that it is suitable for releasable attachment to a spray dispenser head such that spray material can move from within the container and into the spray dispenser head for controlled release by the spray dispenser head to an atmosphere outside the container and outside the spray dispenser head. 
         [0013]    Optionally the container is in combination with the spray dispenser head. 
         [0014]    According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a container containing a pressurised spray material, the container having a valve mechanism, the valve mechanism having an outwardly extending pillar, the pillar having external sides which have a screw thread, the valve mechanism also having a cantilevered hollow stem, the stem extending through or from an aperture in the pillar and having an outlet aperture sealed by a resilient washer wherein such seal is maintained as a consequence of spring pressure acting on the stem, the valve mechanism able to assume an open disposition when external pressure is placed on the stem to counter the pressure from the spring such that the aperture of the stem is forced to move in a direction away from the washer to open that aperture to the spray material such that the stem channels the spray material to a location outside of the container. 
         [0015]    Preferably the stem comprises a tube. 
         [0016]    According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a container that contains a liquid and/or gas contents, the container has a valve mechanism attached to one end, the valve mechanism having a metal mounting cup that incorporates a pillar with a screw thread, and an upwardly cantilevered protruding tube. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0017]    Some preferred forms of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: 
           [0018]      FIG. 1  is an isometric view of a spray dispenser; 
           [0019]      FIG. 2  is an isometric view of a can forming part of the dispenser; 
           [0020]      FIG. 3  is an isometric view showing the can partially assembled; 
           [0021]      FIG. 4  is a isometric view showing an upper part of a mounting cup forming part of the can; 
           [0022]      FIG. 5  is an isometric view illustrating the underside of the mounting cup; 
           [0023]      FIG. 6  is a cross section view through the can showing a valve mechanism associated with the mounting cup; 
           [0024]      FIG. 7  is a further cross section view through the can showing the valve mechanism when in an open disposition; 
           [0025]      FIG. 8  is a cross sectional view of a spray head forming part of the dispenser; 
           [0026]      FIG. 9  is a bottom isometric view of the spray head; and 
           [0027]      FIG. 10  is an alternative bottom isometric view of the spray head. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0028]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a dispenser comprises a replaceable metallic can  1  containing an aerosol spray material detachably fitted to a spray head  2 . The spray head  2  is of a type that enables release of bursts of spray material obtained from the can  1  in accordance with user controlled settings. The spray head  2  thus enables a user to set the time between bursts as well as the amount of spray material released at each burst. In this sense the dispenser operates automatically and has suitable electronics in the dispenser head, together with a battery for power, as is known in the art. 
         [0029]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , the can  1  has a metallic mounting cup  3  which is crimped to the can&#39;s main cylindrical body part  4 , ie to close the can. The mounting cup  3  has a threaded pillar  5  which is used for engaging the spray head  2  in a releasable screw fit relationship.  FIG. 3  shows the can  1  prior to the cup  3  being crimped to the main body part  4 .  FIGS. 4 and 5  show detail of the cup alone, from above and below respectively. It can be seen that outer side walls of the cup are at approximately the same height as the pillar  5 . In some embodiments of the invention the side walls may be significantly higher than the pillar. 
         [0030]    Referring to  FIG. 6  the cup  3  is attached to or is integral with a valve  6  which has a moveable central part  7 , a rubber washer  8 , a spring  9 , and an upper tube  10 . The valve  6  is crimped into the cup  3  so that the tube  10  passes through and cantilevers upwards from a central aperture  11  of the cup  3 . The washer  8 , the spring  9 , and a lower part  12  of the valve  6 , remain on the opposite or lower side of the cup&#39;s central aperture  11 . When the valve  6  is in a closed disposition the washer  8  is located around and closes off an aperture  13  situated in a lower part of the tube  10 . Upward force from the spring  9 , acting on the central part  7  of the valve, causes the aperture  11  to remain in that state. Alternatively the aperture  11  is maintained above the washer  8  by spring  9  tension when the valve  6  is in the closed disposition such that the spray fluid is unable to reach the aperture  11 . 
         [0031]    Referring to  FIG. 7 , when the spray head  2  is fitted to the can  1  the spray head presses down on the upper tube  10  to counteract the upward force exerted by the spring  9 . This forces the entire central part  7  of the valve downwards so that the aperture  13  drops below the washer  8 . When the aperture  13  is in that position the valve is open and aerosol spray fluid within the can is able to flow up a dip tube  14 , into a space  15  below the central part  7  of the valve, upwards around that central part to a space  16  around the aperture  13 , through the aperture  13  and into the tube  10 , and then into the dispenser head  2  for controlled release to the atmosphere outside the dispenser. 
         [0032]    Some key features of the spray head  2  are shown schematically in cross section in  FIG. 8 .  FIGS. 9 and 10  show the spray head  2  in perspective from below. As can be seen in  FIG. 8 , the spray head  2  has a main recess  17  with screw threaded side walls  18  for receiving the thread of the can&#39;s pillar  5  in the screw fit relationship. The main recess  17  opens into a narrower recess  19  for receiving the upper tube  10  of the valve  6 . More particularly, the tube  10  cantilevers from the rest of the can  1  into the narrow recess  19 , passing through a sealing gasket  20 . A narrow channel  21  proceeds upwards from the recess  19  to direct aerosol spray material towards an outside atmosphere after release from the can  1 . Because the tube  10  forms part of the disposable can  1  it is not so critical if the tube  10  becomes damaged, for example bent, when fitting the can  1  to the spray head  2 . This would not be so in the case of an arrangement which depends on a narrow tube proceeding down from a typically more expensive dispenser spray head. 
         [0033]    The spray head  2  is formed so that it only releases spray bursts of the aerosol spray material at predetermined time intervals so that the can  1  is not exhausted prematurely or needlessly. The valve  6 , when the can  1  is fitted to the spray head  2 , is permanently open due to pressure on the tube  10  from the spray head  2 . However, as indicated above, movement of the spray material from the dispenser is restricted and controlled by the spray head  2 . The valve  6  closes automatically when the container  1  is detached from the spray head. This is achieved by way of tension from the spring  9 . 
         [0034]    While a preferred form of the invention has been described in the context of aerosol spray material comprising a propellant gas and a liquid, the same inventive concept can be applied in the case of other types of fluid, for example gas only dispensing. The term fluid can thus refer to a liquid, a gas, or a combination of these. 
         [0035]    Optionally the thread used for the pillar  5  is a 7/16 UNEF thread. In some embodiments of the invention an ACME thread may be employed. The tube  10  may be formed to extend to relative heights other than that shown in the drawings, depending on the desired end use. 
         [0036]    While some preferred forms of the invention have been described by way of example it should be appreciated that modifications and improvements can occur without departing from the scope of the following claims.