Dispensing unit for an aerosol container

In a method for the relative orientation of the spray-discharge valve actuator and actuator nozzle of a container with respect to a protective cover which is designed to operate the valve actuator, the cover is brought closer to the actuator in coaxial relation thereto, the cover and actuator are brought into the desired relative orientation with friction between a radial lug carried by the actuator and a helical ramp carried by the cover and inclined at an angle of slope of at least 45.degree. with respect to the axis. The cover is then brought in a movement of axial displacement to a position of operation of the actuator on the container.

This invention relates to the packaging industry and especially to 
containers which serve to dispense products in spray form and which may be 
either of the "aerosol" type or of the "pump" type. 
Dispensers of these types are usually fitted with an actuator which is 
intended to be operated by the user in order to cause the contents to be 
released through the valve or pump of the dispenser and through a 
spray-discharge nozzle carried by the actuator. 
In order to prevent any accidental operation of the actuator, especially at 
the time of transportation of the container, the actuator is usually 
protected by a cover which is secured to the rim of the aerosol valve or 
of the container itself. Said protective cover is provided on the one hand 
with a spray-discharge recess or opening which is intended to be located 
opposite to the actuator nozzle and on the other hand with an opening 
which allows access to the actuator or with a lever for operating this 
latter. 
When the protective cover is fixed in position over a "fitted actuator", 
that is, after the actuator has been secured to the valve or pump with 
which the container is equipped, it proves necessary to orient the cover 
with respect to the actuator in order to ensure that the spray-discharge 
opening of the cover is brought into position opposite to the 
spray-discharge nozzle of the actuator. 
With this objective, two techniques are open to selection: 
MANUAL ASSEMBLY, WHICH IS SUITABLE FOR ALL TYPES OF ACTUATORS AND 
PROTECTIVE COVERS BUT WHICH ENTAILS HIGH CAPITAL COST BY REASON OF LOW 
PRODUCTION RATES; 
AUTOMATIC ASSEMBLY, WHICH DOES PERMIT HIGH PRODUCTION RATES BUT MAKES IT 
NECESSARY TO DESIGN THE ACTUATOR SO AS TO HAVE A TOP WALL WHICH IS VERY 
STEEPLY INCLINED SINCE THIS LATTER CONSTITUTES A REFERENCE BEARING SURFACE 
FOR THE ORIENTATION OF THE PROTECTIVE COVER. It is readily apparent that 
this essential requirement limits the range of attractive shapes which can 
be given to the actuator and to the corresponding protective cover. 
One drawback of the so-called "fitted actuator" mode of assembly lies in 
the need to uncouple the machines which are usually employed for mounting 
spray-discharge valve actuators and protective covers since it is 
necessary after placing the cover over the actuator to release said cover 
and to allow the necessary time for pivotal displacement of this latter in 
order to locate it in the desired position with respect to the actuator, 
with the result that an appreciable amount of time is wasted. 
Furthermore, when it is required to carry out the filling of aerosol 
containers having male valves in the "fitted actuator" mode, losses of the 
order of 0.60 to 3.50 kg of propellant gas per thousand filling operations 
are observed. This not only represents a substantial and costly loss of 
gas but is also liable to modify the ecological equilibrium, at least at 
the filling location. On the contrary, if filling is performed without the 
actuator in accordance with customary practice in the case of female 
valves, gas losses are only of the order of 0.07 kg of propellent per 
thousand filling operations. This filling method can in fact be adopted, 
however, only if protective covers and actuators for female valves are 
available and can be mounted automatically. 
The chief aim of the present invention is to overcome the above-mentioned 
disadvantages of known pressure packs and of the methods adopted for 
mounting these latter. 
The invention is primarily concerned with a method for the relative 
orientation of the spray-discharge valve actuator and actuator nozzle of a 
container with respect to a protective cover which is designed to operate 
said valve actuator. The method is distinguished by the fact that the 
protective cover is brought closer to the spray-discharge actuator in 
coaxial relation thereto, that the cover and actuator are brought into the 
desired relative orientation with friction between a radial lug carried by 
the actuator and a helical ramp carried by the cover and inclined at an 
angle of slope of at least 45.degree. with respect to the axis aforesaid, 
and that the cover is then brought in a movement of axial displacement to 
a position of operation of the spray-discharge valve actuator on the 
dispenser container. 
The practical application of said method is particularly advantageous since 
it permits of automatic machine-operated assembly of the protective 
covers. 
The invention is also concerned with a dispensing unit for an aerosol 
container comprising an actuator adapted to be connected to the container 
valve and provided with a lateral spray-discharge nozzle, and a protective 
cover provided with means for attaching to and retaining on the container 
and with a lateral spray-discharge opening. The dispensing unit is 
distinguished by the fact that the actuator is provided with a lug adapted 
to cooperate with a helical ramp carried by the protective cover, the 
respective profiles of the lug and of the ramp being such as to cause 
orientation of the protective cover and of the actuator with respect to 
each other and to bring the spray-discharge opening of the cover opposite 
to the actuator nozzle when said lug and ramp are in cooperating relation 
and when said cover moves towards the actuator in the axial direction. 
The invention also extends to a method such as the preceding in which, 
after bringing the helical ramp of the protective cover into contact with 
the actuator lug, a positive and simultaneous control operation is 
performed so as to cause the angular displacement of the actuator to the 
desired position of the nozzle with respect to the cover and the fastening 
of said cover on said container by means of a single axial movement of the 
cover towards the container. 
Thus the helical ramp of the cover causes the angular displacement of the 
actuator to the position which said actuator is finally intended to occupy 
in conjunction with the fastening of the cover on the container. 
This operation can be carried out while the actuator is in position on the 
valve or can be combined with the positioning of the actuator on the 
valve. The invention is further directed to a dispensing unit for an 
aerosol container which comprises in the same manner as the preceding an 
actuator which is adapted to be connected to the container valve and 
provided with a lateral spray-discharge nozzle, and a protective cover 
provided with means for attaching to and retaining on the container and 
with a lateral spray-discharge opening oriented in the axis of said 
nozzle, said cover being provided with a wall which is coaxial internally 
with the sleeve; said wall is of semicircular cross-section and has a free 
edge cut in the form of a symmetrically helical double ramp having an 
angle of slope at least equal to 45.degree.. The actuator is provided with 
a semi-annular recess which is coaxial with its principal axis and freely 
receives said semi-circular wall of the cover when said cover and the 
actuator are oriented, the actuator being provided at the top with a 
wedge-shaped lug which is located in the line of extension of the 
semi-annular recess and the arris of which is radially perpendicular to 
the principal axis of the actuator.

The dispensing unit in accordance with the invention as shown in FIGS. 1 to 
3 essentially comprises an actuator 1 which is attached to the valve 
represented in the figure by the valve ferrule 2, an aerosol container 3, 
a protective cover 4 which is attached to the container 3 and retained on 
this latter. 
The protective cover 4 comprises a stationary portion or body 5 and a 
movable portion 6 which is articulated on the body and can be actuated by 
hand. Said movable portion comprises a cylindrical sleeve 7 which is 
coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the protective cover. The stationary 
portion of the body 5 is pierced with a spray-discharge opening 9 located 
opposite to the nozzle 8 of the actuator 1. The top portion of the sleeve 
7 is provided with top bearing members 10 which constitute the means for 
displacing the actuator 1 within the sleeve 7. 
The sleeve 7 has a ramp 11-12, a symmetrically helical portion 11 of said 
ramp being constituted by the bottom edge of the sleeve. Said portion 11 
of the ramp 11-12 is oblique with respect to the axial plane of symmetry 
of the protective cover and inclined at an angle .alpha. of approximately 
60.degree. with respect to the longitudinal axis of the cover. 
The aforesaid portion 11 of the ramp 11-12 is extended in the upward 
direction without any break in continuity by means of a portion 12 which 
forms an elongated slot and the edges of which extend parallel to the 
longitudinal axis of the protective cover. 
In order to cooperate with said ramp 11-12, the valve actuator 1 is 
provided with a lug 13 which projects from the remainder of the actuator 
and is provided with a point having bevelled faces 14 which make an angle 
.beta. of approximately 90.degree. between them and are followed by two 
parallel sides 15. 
In order to mount the protective cover 4 on the container which has 
previously been fitted with the valve actuator 1, it is only necessary to 
ensure that the cover 4 is aligned coaxially with the actuator 1 and to 
let said cover fall freely towards said actuator. 
When the ramp 11-12 comes into contact with the lug 13 on either of the two 
bevelled faces 14 of this latter, and irrespective of the angular 
orientation of the cover 4 with respect to the actuator 1, said ramp 
causes a helical movement of rotation of the cover 4 with respect to the 
actuator as a result of frictional contact until the planes of symmetry of 
these latter come into coincident relation. The cover 4 then continues to 
move downwards axially with respect to the actuator and the sides 15 of 
the lug guide the straight portion 12 of the ramp 11-12. 
When the top portion of the actuator 1 comes up against the top bearing 
members 10, the actuator is accordingly located in the desired position in 
which the discharge nozzle 8 is located opposite to the opening 9 of the 
protective cover. 
In order to avoid a position of equilibrium which would prevent orientation 
of the cover 4 whenever the point of the lug 13 comes into contact with 
the central portion of the section 12 of the ramp 11-12, said central 
portion is provided with an extension in the form of a point 16 which 
causes said ramp to cooperate with either of the two bevelled faces 14 of 
the lug 13. 
In its final position (shown in FIG. 1), the cover 4 is maintained on the 
container 3 by resilient engagement of an internal bead 17 of the cover 4 
within a peripheral lateral groove 18 of the container 3. 
In the second embodiment of the invention which is illustrated in FIGS. 4 
to 9, the same reference numerals have again been employed to designate 
the elements which are identical with or equivalent to those shown in 
FIGS. 1 to 3. 
In this embodiment, the aerosol pack (shown in FIGS. 4 and 6) comprises a 
container 3 fitted with a female valve 19 in which is inserted the hollow 
valve stem 20 of a valve actuator 1 which is fitted with a spray-discharge 
nozzle 8 in the conventional manner. Said nozzle 8 is oriented in 
oppositely-facing relation to a slit-shaped opening 21 of a sleeve 7 
forming the manually operable movable portion 6 of a protective cover 4, 
the internal bead 17 of which is resiliently engaged within the groove 18 
of the container 3. 
The protective cover 4 is provided with a cut-out recess 22 located 
opposite to the opening 21 of the sleeve 7. 
The movable portion 6 has a hollow depression 23 which facilitates 
application of the user's finger. Said movable portion is joined to the 
protective cover 4 by means of breakable ties 24 which constitute a 
conventional guarantee prior to initial use and by means of articulation 
arms 25. 
The sleeve 7 is provided internally with a semi-circular wall 26 which is 
coaxial with the sleeve and the free edge 27 of which is cut in the shape 
of a double symmetrical helical ramp having a slope of at least 
45.degree.. 
The semi-cylindrical wall 28 of the actuator 1 which is located opposite to 
the discharge nozzle 8 (as shown in FIG. 5) is separated from the body of 
said nozzle 8 by means of a semi-annular recess 29 extended by a 
semi-annular wedge-shaped lug 30 in which the arris 31 at the top of the 
actuator 1 is perpendicular to the actuator axis which is common to the 
valve 19. 
When the actuator 1 is correctly oriented with respect to the cover 4 (as 
shown in FIG. 4), the semi-cylindrical wall 28 of the actuator slides 
freely between the sleeve 7 and the semi-circular wall 26 which in turn 
slides freely between the semi-cylindrical wall 28 and the internal wall 
32 of the actuator body. 
When the actuator 1 is not correctly oriented with respect to the cover 4 
(FIG. 7), the helical edge 27 of the internal wall 28 of the sleeve 7 is 
brought to bear against the wedge-shaped lug 30 and a thrust applied on 
the cover in the direction of the arrow F causes the actuator 1 to carry 
out a movement of rotation until the wall 28 of the sleeve 7 penetrates 
entirely within the hollowed-out portion 29 of the valve actuator. The 
actuator 1 is then oriented within the protective cover 4 as shown in FIG. 
8. Throughout the movement of rotation, the actuator 1 is maintained 
axially within the cover 4 by the sleeve 7. Said actuator is thus not 
liable to cause any damage either to the cover 4 or to the valve 19 at the 
time of positioning of the unit consisting of actuator 1 and cover 4 on 
the container 3. 
In order to ensure that a unit of this type can be mounted both on a 
container of the male valve type and on a container of the female valve 
type, it is preferable at the outset to place the spray-discharge valve 
actuator 1 within the protective cover 4 (which can be carried out in 
continuous operation on a conveyor belt, for example), then to mount the 
non-oriented spray-dispenser and cover assembly on the container which has 
previously been filled with propellant with minimum loss since no 
hindrance is caused by excessive bulk of the actuator within the filling 
head. When the discharge valve actuator 1 is placed within the cover 4, 
said actuator is maintained therein by friction during subsequent handling 
operations. 
Should it be desired, however, to mount a unit of this type on a container 
3 which has previously been fitted with the actuator 1 (as shown in FIG. 
6), the cover 4 is simply brought into position on the container 3 which 
has been filled without any need to take special precautions. The cover 4 
is then pushed downwards in the direction of the arrow F and snap-fastened 
onto the container 3, thus automatically and simultaneously orienting the 
actuator 1, the stem 20 of which is pivotally displaced within the valve 
19. 
The third embodiment of the invention which is partially illustrated in 
FIGS. 10 to 13 differs from those described in the foregoing with 
reference to FIGS. 1 to 3 and 4 to 9 only in the particular structures of 
the cover 4 and of the actuator 1. In order to designate elements which 
are either identical with or equivalent to those shown in FIGS. 1 to 9, 
the same references have been employed as in said FIGS. 1 to 9. 
In this embodiment, the movable portion 6 of the cover 4 is adapted to 
carry in addition to the sleeve 7 a wall 26 which is internally coaxial 
with the sleeve 7. The ramp 27-33 is carried by the wall 26, the bottom 
edge of which constitutes the helical portion in the form of two 
symmetrical helical ramps 27. The straight section 33 of the ramp 27-33 
which is designed in the form of an elongated slot is disposed laterally 
in the wall 26 and forms an extension of the helical portion 27 without 
any break in continuity. 
The sleeve 7 extends beyond the bottom edge of the wall 26 and ensures 
axial guiding of the cover 4 at the time of orientation of this latter 
with respect to the actuator 1. 
The actuator 1 is provided with a lug 34 having the shape of an arrow, said 
lug being located above the discharge nozzle 8 and upwardly oriented. 
Mounting of the protective cover shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 is carried out in 
the same manner as in the preceding embodiments, subject to the condition 
that, at the time of orientation of the cover 4 with respect to the 
actuator 1, said cover is guided axially by the sleeve 7 into which it has 
already penetrated. 
Since the extremity 35 of the helical portion 27 has a pointed shape as is 
the case with the extremity 36 of the lug 34, the cover 4 can only move 
with respect to the actuator down to the desired position irrespective of 
its initial position. 
As can readily be understood, the invention is not limited in any sense to 
the embodiments described in the foregoing with reference to the 
accompanying drawings but, depending on the applications which are 
contemplated, permits of many alternative forms within the capacity of 
anyone versed in the art without thereby departing either from the scope 
or the spirit of the invention. 
In particular, the dispensing unit in accordance with the invention finds 
an application not only in the field of aerosol containers but also in the 
case of all containers which are designed to be equipped with an actuator 
and a protective cover including, for example, containers of the type 
provided with a spray-discharge pump.