Tilt-spray aerosol actuator button and dies

Disclosed is an aerosol actuator button for delivering a product such as an atomized air freshener liquid from a pressurized aerosol container wherein the spray pattern produced is tilted away from the central long axis of the actuator button and container. Tilting of the spray pattern is accomplished by placing the actuator button orifice at the bottom of an asymmetrical conical depression which is open to the surrounding atmosphere. More preferably, the orifice itself is asymmetrical with the shorter portion of the orifice being situated relative to the conical depression such that tilting of the spray is accentuated. This configuration causes the atomized spray to be tilted away from the central long axis in spite of the fact that the orifice is concentric with the central long axis of the actuator button. Also disclosed are dies for making such actuator buttons.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to an actuator button for use on an aerosol spray 
container to deliver an atomized spray of liquid such as an air freshener 
and to the dies by which such an actuator button is made. 
Aerosol actuator buttons are well known in the art and are used to atomize 
a pressurized liquid into a spray which can be delivered into a room or to 
coat an object with the atomized spray. It is desirable to tilt the spray 
away from the user, but some of the molding techniques required to 
accomplish such directional control of the spray can be complex. For 
example, the GLADE.RTM. air freshener sold by S. C. Johnson & Son, Inc. of 
Racine, Wis. has an overcap wherein the user depresses a top button and 
the air freshener spray emerges from an orifice which is set at an angle 
with respect to the central long axis of the can so that the spray is 
directed upward, but away from the user. The manufacture of such an 
overcap orifice requires a pin which enters from the side during the 
molding process and then must be withdrawn before the mold can open. This 
requires tight tolerances on the mold die. 
Other examples of how side directed orifices are manufactured for actuator 
buttons are described in the Abplanalp et al. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,008,654; 
3,083,917; and 3,083,918. A slightly asymmetrical orifice is created by 
means of a projection 18 in the '654 patent which is pulled out when the 
mold pin 17 is retracted after molding the button. 
A simpler actuator button used to tilt the spray from an aerosol container 
is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,068,782 to Van der Heijden wherein the 
orifice is co-axial with the valve stem of the aerosol container on which 
it is placed, but an additional and separate actuator means for tilting 
the actuator button itself and actuating the release of the spray is 
required. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,583,688 to Crapser teaches a hose end dispenser where the 
liquid to be sprayed is released from an orifice 43 which is then carried 
along by a stream of water onto a mixing platform 40 which is angled so 
that the spray is tilted in the direction desired. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,679,713 to Crapser et al. shows a valve actuator which 
sprays straight up, i.e. along the central long axis of the aerosol 
container, using a hinged button on the side of the overcap. 
French Pat. No. 669,134 to Paquelin describes an aerosol atomizer where the 
orifice is located at the bottom of a conical depression in the side of 
the sprayer device and is angled directly to the side and slightly up from 
a line drawn perpendicular to the liquid intake 9. 
U.S. Pat. No. 2,887,273 to Anderson et al. shows a spray dispensing 
assembly having two separate orifices located at the bottom of conical 
openings 64 and 66 wherein the conical openings are described as "fluid 
control passages". Conical passage 64 appears to be wider than conical 
passage 66. 
U.S. Pat. No. 3,635,406 to Scheindel shows a one-piece spray head and core 
pin construction for use on aerosol containers wherein the orifice is 
located at the bottom of an outer diverging depression. The outer 
diverging portion of the orifice is said to control, to some extent, the 
angle of the cone-shaped pattern in which the spray is emitted. 
U.S. Pat. No. 3,583,642 to Crowell shows a spray head for an aerosol 
dispenser in FIGS. 30 through 34 wherein the spray orifice is located at 
the bottom of an indentation and is off-center with respect to the central 
long axis of the aerosol can and the valve stem on which it is mounted. 
U.S. Pat. No. 3,887,115 to Petterson describes a container-delivery unit 
for underarm spray products wherein the orifice is mounted to the side of 
an aerosol spray button device emitting a fan-shaped spray. 
U.S. Pat. No. 3,269,614 to Abplanalp shows a dispensing cap for an aerosol 
container wherein the orifice is set at an angle with respect to the 
central long axis of the container and the orifice is situated slightly 
off-center relative to the depression in the cap into which the orifice 
opens. 
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,756,472 to Vos and 4,125,226 to Nieuwkamp both show 
atomization nozzles wherein the orifice portion which is open to the 
atmosphere is surrounded by a curved or conical surface. 
There still appears to be a need for an aerosol actuator button which is 
capable of diverting its spray away from the user without having to 
utilize complex and highly toleranced dies. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is one object of the present invention to provide an aerosol actuator 
button which directs a spray away from the user, but wherein the orifice 
is located co-axial with the central long axis of the valve stem of the 
aerosol container on which the button is mounted. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a means by which the 
angle at which the aerosol spray emanates from the actuator button can be 
directed by simply changing the configuration of the area surrounding the 
orifice where it is exposed to the outside atmosphere and thus avoid 
having to move the central long axis of the orifice away from the central 
long axis of the button and valve stem itself. 
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an aerosol 
actuator button having a tilted spray which does not require inserting a 
die pin which is not co-axial with the central long axis of the button 
itself. 
It is a futher object of the present invention to provide a set of dies for 
molding tilt spray aerosol actuator buttons which are more compact and 
simpler to manufacture and use than are dies which require the use of a 
pin inserted from the side to create an orifice in the button. 
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a set of dies 
for making a tilt spray aerosol actuator button wherein the dies can be 
withdrawn along the line which is co-axial with the central long axis of 
the button being molded and thereby permit more buttons to be molded per 
area of mold plate than is the case when a side pin is used to create an 
orifice set at an angle with respect to the central long axis of the 
button. 
These and other objects of the present invention are provided by an aerosol 
actuator button comprising a body having an actuating means for depressing 
the valve present in the aerosol container and thereby releasing a liquid 
to be atomized into a cavity in the bottom of the button. The cavity is 
adapted to sealingly receive the free end of an aerosol valve stem having 
a hollow bore through which the pressurized liquid passes into an orifice 
in the top of the button. The orifice is co-axial with the central long 
axis of the cavity and bore, i.e. with the button. The portion of the 
orifice facing away from the cavity and open to the outside atmosphere is 
located at the bottom of an asymmetrical conical depression in the top of 
the button. The asymmetrical configuration of the conical depression 
causes the liquid escaping from the orifice to be tilted away from the 
central long axis of the actuator button and the central long axis of the 
resulting aerosol spray pattern is likewise tilted away from that central 
long axis. 
In a more preferred embodiment, the orifice itself has an asymmetric 
configuration wherein one portion of the orifice is generally shorter in 
length than the other portion. The conical depression is situated relative 
to the shorter portion of the orifice so as to enhance the tilting of the 
resulting spray pattern in the direction of the shorter portion of the 
orifice and thus away from the user. 
Asymmetric positioning of the orifice at the narrowest part of the conical 
depression is important since the spray pattern tends to follow the sides 
of the conical depression. The spray pattern tends to angle or tilt toward 
the portions of the cone which deviate the greatest from the central long 
axis on which the orifice is centered.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
Referring to the drawings, FIGS. 1 and 2 show one embodiment of the tilt 
spray aerosol actuator button of the present invention. Plastic overcap 10 
is shown fixed on a conventional pressurized aerosol container 11 
(partially shown). Overcap 10 is composed of plastic outer shell 12 and 
tilt-spray aerosol actuator button 13 which is joined to outer shell 12 by 
means of a plastic hinging strip 14. Button 13 contains an actuating means 
in the form of a depressed finger pad 15 having a number of raised ridges 
16. Button 13 also contains concavity 17 further containing conical 
depression 18 which is open to the atmosphere and orifice 19 located at 
the bottom, i.e., the narrowest portion, of asymmetrical conical 
depression 18. 
FIG. 3 illustrates what occurs when a user presses on finger pad 15 in the 
direction of container 11. Orifice 19 on button 13 contains tubular 
extension 30 having cavity 31 running through the middle of extension 30 
which is in flow communication with orifice 19. At its lower end, cavity 
31 has a wider portion 34 which sealingly engages the outside 35 of 
conventional tubular valve stem 32. Valve stem 32 has a central hollow 
bore which is in flow communication with cavity 31 and the pressurized 
liquid 37 from container 11. Orifice 19, cavity 31, and bore 33 are all 
co-axial with the central long axis 36 of button 13. 
In the preferred embodiment shown, conical depression 18 is asymmetric 
since wall 18" is more severely angled relative to axis 36 than is wall 
18'. The result can be seen in FIG. 2 wherein the portion of depression 18 
containing wall 18" is wider than that containing wall 18'. In the 
preferred embodiment shown, the portion of orifice 19 indicated at numeral 
19' is longer than the portion indicated at numeral 19". Thus the orifice 
opening is asymmetric and angles down from the top of portion 19' to 
portion 19". Portion 19" is coupled with the longer or more severely 
angled 18" portion of the cone to tilt spray 38 which results when 
pressurized liquid 37 is forced through orifice 19 in a direction away 
from axis 36 and finger pad 15, i.e., the user. In a less preferred 
embodiment, portions 19' and 19" can be the same length. 
Thus, pressurized liquid passes through hollow bore 33 when finger pad 15 
is depressed and travels under pressure through cavity 31 and through 
orifice 19 where it contacts the atmosphere in conical depression 18 and 
is tilted away from axis 36 as a result of the configuration of conical 
depression 18 and the asymmetric configuration of orifice 19. 
FIGS. 4 through 6 show a more simplified embodiment of the aerosol actuator 
button of the present invention. FIG. 4 shows aerosol actuator button 40 
composed of an elongated portion 41 and an actuating means in the form of 
collar 42. Elongated portion 41 contains a convex upper surface 41' 
exposed to the atmosphere which contains asymmetrical conical depression 
43 at the bottom of which is orifice 44 which is concentric with central 
long axis 45. 
FIGS. 5 and 6 show cavity 46 present within button 40 wherein cavity 46 is 
concentric with axis 45 and has a wider portion 47 therein for sealing 
engagement with the outside portion 62 of a conventional tubular aerosol 
container valve stem 60. 
Orifice 44 is also concentric or co-axial with axis 45. Orifice 44 is 
asymmetric as can be seen by viewing FIG. 5 wherein portion 44' is shown 
as being greater in height than portion 44". As shown by line 44"', 
orifice 44 is asymmetrical with portion 44' being the longest and 44" 
being the shortest portion of the orifice. Without wishing to be bound by 
theory, it appears that pressurized liquid leaving surface portion 44" and 
entering the atmosphere within depression 43 begins to atomize before 
liquid released alongside portion 44'. This is believed to accentuate the 
tilting of the spray pattern 64 in the direction of portion 44' and away 
from axis 45. As noted earlier, portions 44' and 44" could be the same in 
height so that orifice 44 is symmetrical. 
Lines 50 and 51 in FIG. 5 show the angle as angle "A" and angle "B" formed 
by walls 43' and 43" with respect with axis 45. To accomplish the tilting 
of spray pattern 64 whose central long axis is indicated as line 65 in 
FIG. 6, angle A should be less than angle B. Preferably, angle A is 
between 10 and 20 degrees with respect to axis 45 and angle B is 
preferably between 70 and 80 degrees with respect to axis 45. Without 
wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that a partial vacuum is 
created between the surfaces of conical depression 43 and the emerging 
spray pattern 64. The amount of vacuum created in the area at wall 43" is 
different from that created in the area at wall 43' and thus the spray 
pattern 64 tilts away from axis 45 to the extent shown in FIG. 6 as angle 
"D", the angle between axis 45 and the central long axis of spray 65 of 
spray pattern 64. Alternatively, more air is mixed with the liquid 
escaping from orifice 44 at wall 43" than is mixed initially at wall 43'. 
As a result, the central long axis 65 of spray pattern 64 is tilted away 
from axis 45 at angle D as shown in FIG. 6. A decided tilt in the aerosol 
spray pattern was observed when tilt spray actuator buttons of the present 
invention were used. 
By selecting an appropriate combination of angles A and B, spray pattern 64 
can be tilted to a preselected angle D. The angle D obtained is dependent 
upon the nature of the pressurized liquid to be delivered. The 
non-volatile solids content, percentage of solvent and aerosol propellant, 
and nature of the solvent, and other factors may affect the actual angle D 
observed for a specific composition. Generally, a configuration is 
selected having specific angles A and B and the composition is sprayed 
through the orifice to determine angle D. Adjustments in angles A and B 
can then be made to obtain the desired angle D. It is also to be 
understood that orifice 44 is asymmetrical and portion 44' is generally 
the highest portion of the orifice and portion 44" is the shortest portion 
with the remainder of the orifice being asymmetric as shown by line 44"'. 
As with respect to the button of FIGS. 1 through 3, portions 44' and 44" 
can be of equal height so that orifice 44 is symmetrical. Collar 42 is 
depressed to actuate the flow of pressurized liquid through orifice 44 
from an aerosol container. The button 40 shown in FIGS. 4 through 6 could 
be used as a valve actuator, with appropriate modification, for the device 
described In U.S. Pat. No. 4,679,713 to Crapser et al., noted above. 
Turning to FIGS. 7 through 10, the dies and manner of making a tilt-spray 
actuator button of the present invention, specifically the one described 
in FIGS. 4 through 6, will now be discussed. 
FIG. 7 depicts an assembled mold composed of male dies 80 and 90 which are 
inserted within female die 100 in the manner shown. The mold plate 
structure holding the dies together in the alignment shown is conventional 
and has been omitted for purposes of clarity. Referring to male tool 80, 
surfaces 81', 83', 83", 84' and 84" form surface 41', 43', 43", 44' and 
44", respectively, of button 40. Face 85 which has the same area, 
configuration and diameter as orifice 44 is concentric with central long 
axis 85 of die 80. Similarly, face 95 of die 90 is likewise concentric 
with axis 85 when the dies are assembled in female die 100. Outside 88 of 
die 80 fits closely within the inside surface 101 of tool 100. Surfaces 85 
and 95 of dies 80 and 90, respectively, touch as is shown in FIG. 7 when 
the dies are placed together. 
Surface 91 of die 90 forms the upper portion of cavity 46 while surface 97 
forms surface 47 of cavity of 46. Surface 99 closely fits against surface 
108 of die 100 and surface 98 forms bottom surface 48 of button 40. 
Referring to FIGS. 7 and 10, female die 100 is shown having a molten 
plastic inlet 105 for use in charging the mold with plastic material. Any 
of the commonly used plastic materials for aerosol buttons and overcaps 
such as high density polyethylene as well as polypropylene can be 
employed. The dies can be made of conventional metals used in molding dies 
such as H13 and S7 type steels, oil-hardened tool steels, air-hardened 
tool steels, aluminum and the like. The material from which the buttons 
and dies are made forms no part of the present invention. Bottom surface 
106 is shown in FIG. 10 and the bottom of die 90 is held flush with 
surface 106 while the bottom surface of die 80 is held flush with the top 
surface 107 of die 100 when the mold is used to produce actuator buttons. 
One advantage of the present invention is that die 80 can be withdrawn from 
die 90 to release the molded actuator button along axis 85 and no side 
pins need be removed since the orifice 44 is concentric with axis 85 (axis 
45 of the button 40). As a result, the dies are more compact and take up 
less surface area within a molding plate. More of this type of die can be 
placed in a given area of molding plate. For example, instead of being 
limited to sixteen cavities per mold plate, a device of the present 
invention could employ twenty-four in the same mold plate. This is a 
substantial savings in cost and since no pin is being used to create a 
side spraying orifice. Thus, mold down-time due to repair or clogging of 
parts is minimized. Since the need for a pin to slide within another mold 
part to create a side spraying orifice has been eliminated, the 
tolerancing between those two parts is eliminated by the dies of the 
present invention. Male die 80 thus forms the orifice for the tilt spray 
actuator button of the present invention in one operation. 
It will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that dies 80 and 
100 could be combined together, for example, where surfaces 88 and 101 
meet to form its single female tool into which die 90 is inserted. 
Actuator buttons of the present invention can therefore be used in any 
application where a tilt spray pattern is desired, such as in air 
freshener delivery containers, carpet and other fabric care applications, 
and insecticide or germicide dispensing in the form of aerosol sprays. 
Other modifications and variations of the buttons and dies of the present 
invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the 
examination of the above specification and drawings. Thus, other 
variations of the tilt spray actuator button and dies for making the same 
may be made which fall within the scope of the appended claims, even 
though such variations were not specifically discussed above.