ACTUATOR FOR A LIQUID-APPLICATOR

Abstract: Actuator-Liquid Applicator to be attached to containers closed with metering pumps or aerosol valves, for spreading a liquid in a uniform manner over a surface by means of a piece of sponge material, in such a way that the saturation of the latter can be controlled by the user. It comprises an actuator which fits at the same time the stem (10) of a pump or valve (13) and the neck (15) of the container and pump assembly to which it is attached. This actuator moves in its entirety to actuate the pump or valve of the container, directing the discharge of liquid vertic­ ally towards a sponge (7), which is covered by a closure cap (6).

Description: The invention relates to an actuator-liquid applicator for attachment to containers with a metering pump or aerosol valve, permitting the uniform and adjustable application of a liquid to a surface by means of the sponge material attached to it, according to the preamble of claim 1. Applicators with a sponge are used with liquids such a shoe polish and maintenance products and shoe dyes, whose use requires a uniform application of a liquid to a surface. In the shoe polish market a sponge applicator is widely used, where the surface to which the sponge is attached has a skirt which fits inside the mouth of the liquid container, acting as a stopper. As a result the sponge applicator is fixed and does not move relative to the container. The liquid in the container reaches the sponge via an orifice in the surface to which the sponge is fixed. When not in use, this orifice is closed from inside the container by means of a small conical plug pushed by the spring contained in its base, forming a single unit. When closed the tip of the conical stopper protrudes through the orifice, and is concealed in the interior of the sponge. When the latter is pressed, the plug is pushed towards the interior of the container, overcoming the resistance of the spring and permitting outflow of the liquid. In an actuator-liquid applicator of this type the adjustment of the degree of saturation of the sponge by means of a conical stopper is very inexact since the flow of liquid towards the sponge is related in a non-linear way to the degree of movement of the stopper, and this is difficult for the user to control; especially due to the lack of visibility of the tip of the stopper, concealed in the interior of the sponge. This is likely to produce insufficient or excessive saturation of the sponge, of which the latter, apart from non-uniform application of the liquid, gives rise to leakage. In addition, the closure of the container by means of the stopper spring is insufficiently reliable over a period of time, since, being made of plastic material, it eventually becomes permanently deformed under compression, finally losing the strength required to produce a hermetic closure. The result is excessive saturation of the sponge, and leakage. An additional disadvantage is the impossibility of applying the needed pressure to the sponge during use, to remove any dirt attached to the surface to be cleaned without opening the orifice, which can give rise to leakage. This also applies to involuntary incremental pressure on the sponge. Another conventional actuator-liquid applicator is disclosed for example in CH-A-466 176 The therein disclosed applicator comprises a piece of sponge material fixed to an actuator attached to a pump valve. The actuator further comprises two superimposed cylindrical portions the upper of which has a smaller diameter than the lower one and has a top flat circular surface with a central orifice prolonged downwards through a hollow stem fitting on the stem of the valve. The lower cylindrical portion has an annular protrusion to prevent separation of the actuator from the container. Said lower cylindrical portion of the actuator surrounds an upper annular neck protruding from the outer diameter of the container. This actuator is pressed downwards at one of the sides of the actuator at a surface corresponding to a stepping present between the two cylindrical portions or at two opposite sides of the actuator. As the actuator has to have a large diameter so as to be capable of surrounding the outer diameter of the container, and as it may be actuated by tilting when pressed at one of the sides of the surface between the cylindrical portions, the actuator may well be accidentally actuated. Furthermore, the large diameter of the actuator, when pressed downwards or only on one side, can lead to an easy levering out of the actuator off its attached position. Such an actuator may only be attached to containers having an annular neck protruding from the outer diameter of the container, and, in the case of containers having large diameters, the manufacture of the actuator requires substantial amounts of material. The invention as claimed is intended to remedy these drawbacks and disadvantages by providing an actuator according to claim 1. Due to the fact that the lower cylindrical portion of the actuator surrounds the container neck immediately surrounding the valve portion, provided at all standard containers and not a neck protruding from the outer container diameter, it allows to reduce the actuator's diameter thereby saving material in the manufacture of such an actuator, and avoiding accidental actuation and levering outs caused by the tilting effect, which can occur with conventional actuators. A further advantage of the invention is that not only the liquid container but also the metering pump or valve can be completely standard elements, already on the market, with consequent high reliability. The use of containers with these pumps or valves for perfumery and pharmaceutical products is very common. One way of carrying out the invention is described in detail below with reference to drawings which represent only one specific embodiment, in which: Figure 1 is an elevation of an actuator-liquid applicator in accordance with the invention. In this view the closure cap is not shown. Figure 2 is an overhead view of the actuator-liquid applicator shown in figure 1. Figure 3 is a side view of a container with metering pump, where the actuator-liquid applicator and its closure cap are shown sectioned on AB. The figures show an actuator-liquid applicator comprising an external cylinder 4, which has another cylinder of smaller diameter on top 2. The actuator-liquid applicator is open at the bottom to permit it to be fitted to a container 8 with metering pump or aerosol valve 13. On the top of the cylinder 2 of smaller diameter a cylinder of sponge material 7 is fixed to a circular and flat surface 1, which has a hollow stem 9 underneath. This stem fits over a pump stem 10, thus permitting a liquid to reach the sponge 7 on top, by pressing, and consequent longitudinal displacement of, the actuator-liquid applicator towards the liquid container 18. The actuator-liquid applicator is closed by a cap 6 which fits vertically over the cylinder of lesser diameter 2. Its movement is limited by the horizontal surfaces 1 and 3. In Figure 3 this cap 6 is shown in vertical section where it can be seen that the lower part has a larger diameter than the upper part, and the same as the lower cylinder 4 of the actuator-liquid applicator. The interior is slightly conical to facilitate fitting to the actuator. In accordance with the invention the lower surface of the actuator 4 has two semicircular cut-outs 11, diametrically opposite each other. These cut-outs facilitate the placing of thumb and index finger during the displacement of the actuator-liquid applicator towards the container 18, overcoming the compression resistance of the internal spring of the pump or valve 13. Below the cut-outs there are two slight protrusions in the form of an arrow 5 pointing downwards, whose function is simply an indication of the actuation method. The actuator-liquid applicator has two holes 19 diametrically opposite to each other and piercing surface 3. Their function is to permit the intercommunication of air between the internal chamber and the exterior, thus facilitating the movement of the actuator over a neck 15 of the container 18 with pump or valve 13. In accordance with the invention the actuator-liquid applicator has, near the interior of its base, an annular protrusion 17 to avoid separation from the neck 15 of the container 18 with pump or valve 13, and to eliminate any unnecessary play. In addition the hollow stem 9 is made slightly conical at the lower inside end to facilitate the entry of the pump stem 10 during assembly. The pump stem 10 penetrates the hollow stem 9 until it reaches a step of smaller diameter 8. The central orifice is also enlarged where it meets surface 1 to facilitate the saturation of the sponge 7 by the liquid, and to avoid its blockage when the sponge 7 is attached to it. When the actuator is pressed, it acts upon the pump or valve stem 10 which travels down until the internal step 12 seats on the top surface 14 of the pump or valve 13. The exterior of the container 18 provides no obstacle to the bottom of the actuator during the downward stroke.

Claims: Actuator-liquid applicator for attachment to containers (18) with a metering pump or aerosol valve (13), for the spreading of a liquid over a surface in a uniform and controllable manner the container being provided with an annular neck (15), comprising a piece of sponge material (7) fixed to the actuator itself being attached to the pump or valve (13) and formed by two superimposed cylindrical portions (2, 4) the upper (2) of which is of a smaller diameter than the lower one (4) and has on its top a flat circular surface (1) with a central orifice prolonged downwards through a hollow stem (9) fitting onto a stem (10) of the metering pump or aerosol valve (13) of the container (18) the actuator is attached to, wherein said lower cylindrical portion (4) horizontally surrounds the annular neck (15) and is provided with an inner annular protrusion (17) to avoid separation from the neck (15) of the container (18), characterised in that the lower cylindrical portion (4) is adapted to surround the annular neck (15) which is positioned to immediately surround said pump or valve (13) of said container (18). Actuator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the external cylinder (4) has two semicircular cut-outs (11) diametrically opposed to each other, below which there are two slight protrusions in the form of an arrow (5) pointing downwards.

Inventors: VEGA GARCIA, MERCEDES
Applicants: ARTEBEL, S.A.
Application year: 1988
Main classification: B65D83
IPC codes: A47L23, B65D47, B05B11, B65D83