Patent Publication Number: US-6908017-B2

Title: Aerosol over cap with flip-up closure

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   Not applicable 
   STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH/DEVELOPMENT 
   Not applicable 
   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention relates to aerosol containers for dispensing pressurized materials. More particularly, it relates to actuator caps for such containers where the caps are provided with lids that prevent product “drool”from oozing out of the cap outlet between uses. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   A variety of products are dispensed from aerosol containers. While many of these products are delivered as fine mists or sprays, some are delivered as foams or gels, particularly shaving products and hair mousses. Such foams or gels typically expand when exposed to air. When such products are dispensed using a conventional aerosol container and actuator cap, a small amount of product may remain in the cap&#39;s outlet conduit after the dispensing, downstream of the can valve. This residual product then slowly expands between uses, often creating an unsightly “drool” from the end of the outlet. 
   Some actuator caps have been provided with pivotable lids (e.g. a lid connected by a living hinge to the main cap). The lids could be swung in front of, and sometimes into, the aerosol outlet, to plug or otherwise close off the outlet between uses. See e.g. U.S. Pat. Nos. D316,675, 2,982,448, and 3,510,029. This reduced the incidence of drool, and provided the consumer with an additional sense of security regarding the integrity of the product about to be delivered. 
   However, such flip-down lids either required an unsightly projection for the consumer to grip onto (in order to move the lid from the blocking position), or required a finger nail or tool to be used to pry the lid open. This frustrated the ability of the assembly to be a self-contained structure and/or created an unsightly design, and/or created a risk that the consumer&#39;s finger nail might break, and/or created a problem for the stackability of the designs (e.g. on a retailer&#39;s shelf). 
   Other approaches have been tried to close the outlet of aerosol caps. See e.g. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,642,179, 5,105,988 and 6,405,898. However, these structures were complex and unduly costly. 
   Another concern is that for some types of product delivered from such aerosol containers, some consumers strongly prefer not to have their hands positioned near the outlet of the container when prying a lid off. For example, if the container contains an insecticidal gel consumers might prefer to be able to open the lid without having the consumer&#39;s hand near the outlet for the dispensed material. Unfortunately, some prior lid constructions required contact with the lid quite near the outlet in order to pry the lid open. 
   A need therefore still exists for aerosol caps with anti-drool protection that are inexpensive to manufacture, yet easy for a consumer to use. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   In one aspect the invention provides an actuator cap that is suitable for use with a pressurized container, the container being of the type containing a product to be dispensed. The cap has a housing having a top wall and an outer skirt wall depending downward there from. There is an actuator panel movably linked to a wall of the housing. There is also a receiver linked to the housing which is suitable for receiving product from the container, the receiver being in communication with an outlet of the cap. 
   A lid is movably linked to the housing to move between a first position blocking the outlet and a second position not blocking the outlet. There is also a driver linked to a wall of the housing that can drive the lid away from the first position. 
   In one form the receiver is integrally formed with the actuator panel to pivot therewith. In another the driver is integrally formed with the actuator panel to pivot therewith. The actuator panel can project through the top wall of the cap. 
   In an especially preferred form the receiver has an axial conduit portion and a radial conduit portion, with the lid being pivotably linked to the housing along an essentially horizontal hinge axis. The lid has a vane extending transversely there from adjacent its inward end, and a plug extending transversely there from adjacent its outer end. The plug is surrounded by a tubular extension extending transversely there from adjacent an outer end of the lid. The vane may have a first abutment surface that is generally parallel to the lid, and a second abutment surface that is not generally parallel to the lid. 
   In another preferred form the outlet is surrounded by a moat, which in turn is surrounded by a tubular structure, and the driver is in the form of a button. The button is pivotably linked to a top wall of the cap along an essentially horizontal hinge axis, and is positioned relative to the lid such that when the lid is in the first position pivoting movement of the button can move the lid away from the first position. Snap means are provided between the lid and the cap to help retain the cap in the first position. Also, the actuator panel can be mounted for pivoting on an essentially horizontal axis such that when the actuator is pivoted downwardly the lid will be pivoted outwardly. 
   It will be appreciated from the present disclosure that over caps of the present invention facilitate the easy opening of flip-down lids via a push-down button (or other push panel), preferably located at the top of the cap. After some product is dispensed, the flip-down lid can be manually pushed back to its original position so as to replug the outlet of the aerosol cap. Such over caps are designed so that they can be molded as a one-piece structure and are thus extremely inexpensive to produce. 
   In a further alternative embodiment, a single actuator panel may have one end that triggers the spray, and another end integrally formed with a driver such that a single pivoting motion both pops the lid open and simultaneously starts the dispensing (e.g. due to the triggering end contacting a pivotable receiver structure while the driver contacts the lid). This embodiment might be appropriate for use with a product like a shaving gel. 
   Alternatively, in another embodiment the lid can be first popped open by one pushing motion at one button/driver, and dispensing is thereafter initiated by a second downward pushing against an actuator panel that pivots separately from the button driver. This might be most appropriate for use with a very expensive product (e.g. a medicinal gel) which is so expensive that the consumer does not mind the double motion required in order to be sure not to waste any. 
   In any case, as one does not need to pry the flip-down lid away from the outlet using finger nails or a tool in any of the embodiments of the invention, the risk of consumer dissatisfaction from broken nails or inability to easily open the product is avoided. Further, these results are achieved without compromising the security of the anti-drool closure, or requiring a consumer&#39;s hand to be placed near the outlet. The outside surface of the cap remains smooth. This therefore permits stackability of the product during storage. 
   The foregoing and other advantages of the present invention will appear from the following description. In the description reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part thereof, and in which there is shown by way of illustration, and not limitation, a preferred embodiment of the invention. This embodiment does not represent the full scope of the invention. Rather, reference should therefore be made to the claims herein for interpreting the scope of the invention. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a front, left, upper perspective view of a combined aerosol container and over cap, the latter being constructed in accordance with the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a view similar to  FIG. 1 , but with the flip lid of the present invention shown in the open position; 
       FIG. 3  is a vertical sectional view taken along line  3 — 3  of  FIG. 2 ; 
       FIG. 4  is a view similar to  FIG. 3 , but with the lid shown in the closed position; 
       FIG. 5  is another view similar to  FIG. 3 , but with the top push button shown in the process of being pivoted; 
       FIG. 6  is a view similar to  FIG. 4 , but of a second embodiment; 
       FIG. 7  is a view similar to  FIG. 5 , but of the second embodiment; 
       FIG. 8  is a view similar to  FIG. 6 , but of a third embodiment; and 
       FIG. 9  is a view similar to  FIG. 7 , but of the third embodiment. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , an aerosol can is provided with an over cap  11  to close its upper end. The can preferably contains a gel form shaving cream (e.g. Edge® or Skintimate® shaving gels from S.C. Johnson), or other expandable product. 
   Such cans are typically provided with an upper valve stem extending out the top of the can (not shown). As is well known in the art, downward or sideward deflection of the valve stem releases product upward from the can. 
   The over cap  11  of the present invention is provided with a flip-down lid  12  connected by a living hinge  13  to the main cap body. A push button  14  is positioned at the top of the cap and it is also connected by a living hinge  15  to the cap body. Vane  17  is provided on the lid  12 , against which the push button  14  can be driven. The lid also has a plug  18  surrounded by a tubular wall  19 . 
   As can best be seen from  FIGS. 3-5 , the cap of the first embodiment can also be provided with a receiver  20 , preferably into which will extend the usual valve stem (not shown). The term “receiver” is used in its functional sense to mean a portion of the device which receives the product being dispensed from the container, and is not intended to require that the valve stem from the container actually fit in the receiver (albeit this is preferred). 
   An actuator panel  21  can pivot to drive movement of the receiver  20 , and thus a valve stem of the container (not shown) to release product first axially upward and then sideways along channel  22  to outlet  23 . Surrounding outlet  23  is a further cylindrical structure  24 , with a moat  26  there between. As will best be appreciated from  FIG. 4 , plug  18  is sized to snugly fit in outlet  23 , and the outer peripheral end of wall  19  is sized to fit in the moat  26 . 
   Where the cap is made of plastic the plastic can be biased to cause the lid  12  to want to swing to the  FIG. 3  “second”position once the lid leaves the  FIG. 4  “first” position. Extensions  16  can be provided along the lateral sides of the lid  12  that would snap past projections  27  to help retain the lid in a closed position. Another set of projections (not shown) could interact with similar projections on the cap to hold the lid in an upward position. 
   When a consumer buys the  FIG. 1  product the cap will be in the  FIGS. 1 and 4  configuration. When the consumer wishes to use the product the consumer pushes down on button  14 , causing pivoting as shown in FIG.  5 . This causes the button  14  to pivot along living hinge  15 , thereby driving vane  17  downward and slightly outward. This then causes the plug  18  to be freed from the outlet  23 , and the wall  19  to be freed from moat  26 . 
   The lid may then automatically swing up to the  FIG. 3  position (where in this embodiment the plastic is preferably biased as described above), or a consumer can manually move it to the  FIG. 3  position. After this, the consumer can then push down on the actuator  21  in a conventional manner to dispense the shaving gel, shaving cream, or other product. 
   After the dispensing is completed, a consumer can then manually pivot the lid  12  down from the  FIG. 3  position towards the  FIG. 5  position, and then finally to the  FIG. 4  position. Friction fit between the parts  18 / 19  and  23 / 26  will likely then hold the lid in a blocking/anti-drool position. However, if desired, and as noted above, the contact of projections  16  and  27  create a snap means to help retain the lid in such a blocking position. Also, optionally, a breakaway member (not shown) can be provided in front of the lid to provide assurance to a consumer that the product has not previously been used. 
   It should be appreciated from the above discussion that the  FIGS. 1-5  lid will prevent drooling between uses. Further, the lid provides the consumer with an added sense of security that product in the container has not been tampered with prior to purchase. The plug can be readily and intuitively swung out of a blocking position by the consumer, and then easily swung back when the product has been dispensed. The cap is inexpensive to produce and adaptable to a wide variety of aerosol containers. 
   A preferred material for forming such caps is a shatter-resistant plastic such as a copolymer of polypropylene and polyethylene. It is preferred to form such caps by an injection molding process. However, other materials (plastic or otherwise) can be used to form over caps of the present invention, and the method of production is not critical. 
     FIGS. 6 and 7  show a second embodiment of the over cap of the present invention. It is similar to the first embodiment with the exception of the way the driver interacts with the lid. In this embodiment, the lid is provided with a flexible leaf spring section  40 A instead of a rigid protuberance (as at  17  in FIG.  4 ). The driver  14 A pivots as before (with respect to driver  14 ), but now contacts the spring section  40 A. The lid  12 A is thereby caused to pop out as was the case with lid  12 . 
   This assembly has the benefit of spring loading the lid when it is closed so that it will pop quickly up and out of the way once the button  14 A is pushed, even if button  14 A is not contacted with great or extended force. This helps avoid the lid swinging only slightly away from the outlet (compare FIG.  5 ), if the plastic at the joint where the lid is connected to the cap is not pre-biased properly. 
   In  FIGS. 8 and 9  there is shown a third embodiment in which the actuator  21 B both triggers the dispensing and functions as a driver for popping the lid out. An inward end  39 B of the actuator  21 B can pivot down on an axis  37 B to contact a pivotable receiver structure  38 B, that in turn causes a dispensing. At the same time the driver end  45 B of the actuator is caused to move against an abutment surface  44 B to pop the lid  12 B out. The driver  45 B then holds the lid out by contact with abutment surface  43 B. 
   Thus, a single downward push both pops the lid out and starts the dispensing. That is advantageous in some applications, albeit it is not optimal in others. 
   While preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed above, it should be appreciated that other changes can be made to the concept that are within the claimed subject matter. For example, how the receiver interacts with the valve stem is not critical (e.g. downward or sideward movement, or a combination of the two). 
   Further, the outlet need not be on the side of the cap. The outlet could be at the top, with the actuator push button on the side. Also, instructions regarding how to use the driver can be printed on the driver (e.g. “Push”), or a symbol placed on the top of the driver could be used to communicate a similar message. 
   These and still other modifications are intended to be within the scope of the claimed subject matter. 
   INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 
   The present invention provides over caps for aerosol containers which reduce the incidence of drool between uses, yet are easy to activate.