Abstract:
Nozzle closures which are mounted for pivoting movement from a closed to an open position are used with a spray dispensing device. In the open position, the nozzle closure moves away from the spray nozzle on an actuator and a spray opening in a surrounding wall, allowing fluid to dispensed through the nozzle from a pump or aerosol valve, as the actuator is depressed. In the closed position, the nozzle closure pivots into a position where a first projection enters at least partially into the spray nozzle. The projection acts to seal the spray nozzle against air, thereby preventing drying of any fluid in the nozzle and reducing the chance that the spray nozzle will become clogged. The nozzle closure also includes a second projection which fits into a recess in the actuator and serves to provide resistance against depression of the actuator, thereby providing a locking function for the actuator to prevent accidental discharge from the spray nozzle. The sealing finger completely covers a spray opening in a wall surrounding the actuator.

Description:
[0001]    This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/258,945, filed Mar. 1, 1999, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/774,338, filed Dec. 30, 1996, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,875,932, issued Mar. 2, 1999, which is a division of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/419,499, filed Apr. 10, 1995, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,620,113, issued Apr. 15, 1997. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a spray dispensing device with a closure for the spray nozzle. In particular, the present invention relates to a closure which includes structure to provide a seal for a dispensing nozzle to prevent air or contaminants from causing clogging, and which also includes separate structure to lock the dispensing actuator when it is not in use.  
           [0003]    In my previous applications listed above, embodiments of nozzle closures which are mounted for pivoting movement from a closed to an open position are used with a spray dispensing device. In the open position, the nozzle closure moves away from the spray nozzle on an actuator and a spray opening in a surrounding wall, allowing fluid to dispensed through the nozzle, as the actuator is depressed. In the closed position, the nozzle closure pivots into a position where a projection enters at least partially into the spray nozzle. The projection acts to seal the spray nozzle against air, thereby preventing drying of any fluid in the nozzle and reducing the chance that the spray nozzle will become clogged. The nozzle closure in these embodiments also serves to provide resistance against depression of the actuator, to prevent accidental discharge from the spray nozzle.  
           [0004]    Although, these embodiments have proven effective, I have found that, in some cases, the projection does not provide sufficient resistance against accidental discharge, particularly in the case where the source of material for the spray nozzle is an aerosol valve. Thus, there is a need for a better nozzle closure which more positively prevents accidental discharge.  
         SUMMARY OF INVENTION  
         [0005]    In accordance with embodiments of the present invention, a spray dispensing device includes an actuator with a spray nozzle and an opening adjacent the spray nozzle. The actuator dispenses spray through the spray nozzle when the actuator is depressed to operate a pump or an aerosol valve. A wall including the spray opening at least partially surrounds the actuator and the spray nozzle is aligned with the spray opening during dispensing whereby spray exiting the spray nozzle passes through the spray opening. Also included is a nozzle closure, with a first projection and a second projection. The first projection fits into the opening adjacent the spray nozzle thereby sealing the spray nozzle. The nozzle closure has a hinge allowing pivotal movement of the nozzle closure from a closed position, at which the projection fits into the opening in the wall adjacent the spray nozzle and the nozzle closure closes the spray opening, to an open position, where the spray opening is open to permit the spray to pass through the spray opening when the actuator is depressed. The second projection is placed on the closure between the hinge and the first projection and fits in a recess in the actuator, engaging the recess when the nozzle closure is in a closed position and preventing actuation of the actuator when the nozzle closure is closed. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0006]    [0006]FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an assembled package including a first embodiment of a nozzle closure of the present invention;  
         [0007]    [0007]FIG. 2 is a top view of the actuator and mounting cap of the embodiment of FIG. 1;  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 3 is a partial cross-section of the view of FIG. 2;  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the actuator and mounting cap of the embodiment of FIG. 1;  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the upper end of a container, showing two positions of a second embodiment of a nozzle closure of the present invention;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view through line  6 - 6  of FIG. 7, of the spray nozzle closure of the embodiment of FIG. 5;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 7 is a front view of the spray nozzle closure of the embodiment of FIG. 5;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 8 is a top cross-sectional view through line  8 - 8  of the spray nozzle closure of the embodiment of FIG. 5;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 9 is a front view of the of the upper end of a container, showing the spray nozzle closure of the embodiment of FIG. 5;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of a nozzle closure of the present invention, in an open position;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 11, in a closed position;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 10, from below showing an internal thread.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 13 is a side cross-sectional view of a fourth embodiment of a nozzle closure of the present invention, in an open position.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 14 is a side cross-sectional view of the embodiment of FIG. 13 in a closed position. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0020]    FIGS.  1 - 4  show a container  402  with a mounting cap  417  which includes a first embodiment of the nozzle closure of the present invention. Details of the container  402  and mounting cap are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,875,932 and 5,620,113, the disclosures of which patents are incorporated herein by reference. The mounting cap  417  shown in FIGS.  1 - 4  is particularly effective in ensuring a leakproof and easy-to-assemble mounting of pump  12  onto container portion  402  without the need for complicated molding of container portion  402 . Mounting cap  417  includes an interior piston portion  480 , which slides in and seals against an interior sealing surface of container portion  402 .  
         [0021]    Container portion  402  also includes, at its upper end, an angled snap rim extending around the entire circumference of container portion  402 . The snap rim includes a lower snap surface, and mounting cap  417  includes an exterior snap flange  486  which is used to secure and seal mounting cap  417  to container portion  402 . The container portion  402  may include a bottom closure  217  with an inner piston portion  200  and an exterior snap flange  286 .  
         [0022]    FIGS.  2 - 4  show the details of the first embodiment of spray nozzle closure for sealing the nozzle  9  on actuator  6 . An upstanding wall  403  on mounting cap  417  has mounted thereon, by way of a vertical hinge  440 , a sealing finger  404 . Hinge  440  can be of any known type, including a molded pin on upstanding wall  403  fitting within a hole in the cylindrical portion  441  of sealing finger  404 . Thought the mounting described above, since it is part of the mounting cap  417 , wall  403  is mounted to container portion  402 . This arrangement allows the sealing finger  404  to be detachably connected to the wall  403 , which remains fixed to container portion  402 . Cylindrical portion  441  of sealing finger  404  fits within a semi-circular recess  442  in actuator  6 . The fit between cylindrical portion  441  and recess  442  ensures that actuator  6  may not be rotated such that spray nozzle  9  is not aligned with spray opening  425  in upstanding wall  403 . Sealing finger  404  also includes a tapered projection  446 . Actuator  6  has a matching recess  448 .  
         [0023]    Sealing finger  404 , when it is desired to dispense fluid, in the form of spray, from container portion  402 , is pivoted away from the spray nozzle  9 , to the position shown in FIGS. 2 and 4. Thereafter, the actuator is depressed, and spray exits the spray nozzle  9  through spray opening  425 . After dispensing, the sealing finger  404  is pivoted towards spray nozzle  9 , so that a projection in the form of an annular sealing rim  445  engages in an opening adjacent the spray nozzle  9 . This engagement seals the nozzle  9  from the encroachment of air or other debris into spray nozzle  9 , thereby preventing clogging of the nozzle  9  between dispensing strokes. In the closed position, shown in FIG. 3, the sealing finger  404  completely covers spray opening  425 . In this closed position the engagement of projection  446  with recess  448  acts to prevent the actuator  6  from being depressed, thereby locking the actuator  6  against accidental discharge. In this embodiment the hinge rotates about an axis parallel to the direction of actuation.  
         [0024]    FIGS.  5 - 9  show the features of a second embodiment of a nozzle closure with a spray orifice sealing device of the present invention. Upstanding wall portion  3  of a mounting cap or integral container has mounted thereon, on opposite sides of the spray opening  25 , a bearing in the form of lugs  905 . Lugs  905  have a front opening  906  through which the sealing finger  904  lower end may be inserted. Sealing finger  904  includes a hinge  907  mounted on a front surface  908  of sealing finger  904 . This arrangement allows the sealing finger  904  to be detachably connected to the wall  3 . Hinge  907  includes a flattened surface  909 , and other than flattened surface  909 , is cylindrical in shape. Lugs  905  define an opening which is cylindrical in shape, except for a flattened section  910 . Hinge  907  therefore rotates in the opening in lugs  905 , but snap-locks into the position shown as  904  when the flattened surface  909  interacts with flattened section  910 . In this embodiment the hinge rotates about an axis perpendicular to the direction of actuation. Sealing finger  904  includes a closure projection  911  which is shaped so as to sealingly fit within the opening surrounding the spray orifice on the actuator. Accordingly, in the position shown as  904  in FIG. 5, the closure portion  911  projects into, and seals, the opening around the spray orifice, preventing air from entering the spray orifice and drying out the liquid in the dispenser. This sealing prevents any potential clogging of the spray orifice. In the position shown as  904 ′ in FIG. 5, the sealing finger  904  is snapped into a position away from the spray orifice, where the sealing finger  904  will not interfere with the spray from the spray orifice. At the same time the engagement of a projection  915  with a recess  917  acts to prevent the actuator  6  from being depressed, thereby locking the actuator  6  against accidental discharge.  
         [0025]    Sealing finger  904  is designed so that front surface  908  lies flush with the outer surface of upstanding wall  3 . In addition, sealing finger  904  is easily inserted into lugs  905 , thereby allowing easy interchangeability of sealing finger  904  onto upstanding wall  3 , so that sealing fingers  904  having different colors, different closure portion  911  sizes and shapes, etc., may be placed on upstanding wall  3 . Furthermore, sealing finger  904  completely fills the spray opening  25  when closure portion  911  is engaged with the spray orifice opening on the actuator so that dirt, sand, or lint does not clog spray opening  25 . As with the embodiment of FIGS.  1 - 4 , the embodiment of FIGS.  5 - 9 , as noted above, also locks the actuator  6  against accidental discharge, upon insertion of projection  915  into recess  917 .  
         [0026]    [0026]FIGS. 10 and 11 are perspective views of a third embodiment which is a variation of the embodiment of FIGS.  5 - 9 . Upstanding wall portion  103  of a mounting cap  117  includes a spray opening  125 . This mounting cap  117  may be mounted on a container as shown in FIG. 1. Alternatively, mounting cap  117  may be a screw-on cap as shown in FIG. 12. As illustrated the inside portion of the cap  117  may contain threads  151  for screwing onto a container having a threaded neck.  
         [0027]    Sealing finger  104  includes a horizontal hinge  107  disposed at the base of a slots  199  formed in wall portion  103  at opposing sides of opening  125 . A bump  197 , past which hinge  47  must be pressed prevent the hinge from coming out of the slot once it is pushed into place. Hinge  107  therefore allows sealing finger  104  to rotate relative to wall portion  103  from an open position (FIG. 10) to a closed position (FIG. 11). Sealing finger  104  includes a projection in the form of an annular sealing rim  145  which is shaped so as to sealingly fit within the opening  147  surrounding the spray orifice  109  on the actuator  6 . Sealing finger  104  also includes a tapered projection  146  which is shaped so as to tightly fit within an opening  148  on the actuator  6  to positively prevent accidental discharge when the sealing finger  104  is in the closed position.  
         [0028]    Accordingly, in the position shown in FIG. 11, the annular sealing rim  145  projects into, and seals, the opening around the spray orifice  109 , preventing air from entering the spray orifice  109  and drying out the liquid in the dispenser. This sealing prevents any potential clogging of the spray orifice  109 . At the same time, in the position shown in FIGS.  10 , the sealing finger  104  is moved to a position away from the spray orifice  109 , where the sealing finger  104  will not interfere with the spray from the spray orifice and does not block the spray opening  125 .  
         [0029]    Sealing finger  104  is designed so that front surface  108  lies flush with the outer surface of upstanding wall  103 . As a result of the insertion of the hinge of the sealing finger into slots, sealing finger  104  is easily inserted into, and removed from, the mounting cap or cap  117 , thereby allowing easy interchangeability of sealing finger  104 , so that sealing fingers  104  having different colors, different annular sealing rim  145  sizes and shapes, etc., may be placed on the mounting cap  117 . This arrangement allows the sealing finger  104  to be detachably connected to the wall  103 . Furthermore, sealing finger  104  completely fills the spray opening  125  when annular sealing rim  145  is engaged with the spray orifice  109  opening on the actuator  6  so that dirt, sand, or lint does not clog spray opening  125 .  
         [0030]    As noted above, the embodiment of FIGS.  10 - 12  also includes a feature for positively locking the actuator  6  against accidental discharge. Sealing finger  104  includes a locking projection  146  which fits in a recess  148  of actuator  6  when the sealing finger  104  is in the closed position (FIG. 11). The locking projection  146  in this position therefore prevents the actuator  6  from being depressed downwardly, thereby preventing accidental discharge from the spray orifice  109 . In the open positions shown in FIGS.  10 , the locking projection  146  moves away from the actuator  6 , thereby allowing depression of the actuator  6  and spray dispensing through the spray orifice  109 .  
         [0031]    The embodiment of FIG. 1 is directed to a pump. However, the actuators with spray nozzles described herein may also be used with aerosol valves. A specific example of an embodiment of the present invention used with an aerosol valve is shown in FIGS. 13 and 14. FIGS. 13 and 14 show an aerosol container  502  with a mounting cap  517  which includes an embodiment of the nozzle closure of the present invention of the general nature shown in FIGS. 10 and 11. The mounting cap  517  shown in FIGS. 13 and 14 includes a cylindrical skirt  519  which engages a beaded rim  523  of a mounting cup  521 , at the top of the aerosol container  502 , with a press fit attaching mounting cap  517 , and with it wall  503 , to container  502 . Container  502  includes, at its upper end, a beaded rim  523  extending around its entire circumference. In conventional fashion, this is part of mounting cup  521 . Mounting cup  521  contains an aerosol valve  525  and has as its purpose mounting the aerosol valve  525  to the top of container  502 .  
         [0032]    The construction and operation of sealing finger  504  with its sealing rim  545  and its tapered projection  546  is as described in connection with FIGS. 10 and 11. Sealing finger  504  is shown in the open position in FIG. 13 and in the closed position in FIG. 14.  
         [0033]    The slots  599  in wall  503  by means of which the hinge of the sealing finger  504  is retained are visible, as is the recess  548  into which projection  546  is inserted when the sealing finger  504  is closed. The manner in which sealing rim  545  fits into the recess  547  surrounding the nozzle is shown in FIG. 14. In this embodiment, with an aerosol valve, accidental actuation is more of a danger and the positive locking effect of projection  546  fitting into matching recess  548  is even more important.  
         [0034]    Of course, it will be recognized by those skilled in the art that a variety of variations may be made in the construction of the above invention without departing from the claims. As such, the scope of the above invention is be limited only by the claims appended hereto.