Patent Publication Number: US-8985405-B2

Title: Bottle and valve fitment for containers

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/946,910, entitled “BOTTLE AND CAP FITMENT AND METHODS OF USING THE SAME,” filed Jun. 28, 2007, and U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/968,365, entitled “BOTTLE AND CAP FITMENT AND METHODS OF USING THE SAME,” filed Aug. 28, 2007, and incorporates each herein by reference in their entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     Embodiments of the invention relate to devices and mechanisms for attaching a closure, pump, trigger, valve, or other device to a bottle and in particular, mechanisms and methods for attaching closures, pumps, triggers, or other devices to pressurized bottles. 
     2. State of the Art 
     Pressurized bottles and containers are used in many different industries. One of the most widely known uses of pressurized bottles in commercial markets includes aerosol bottles and containers. Aerosol bottles and containers generally hold pressurized gases, gases and liquids, or liquids. 
     Conventional aerosol bottles are constructed of one or more metals and are typically found in a cylindrical shape which may assist in supporting the pressure inside the aerosol bottle. Closure fitments, such as pumps, valves, triggers, or other devices may be attached to an aerosol bottle to close the bottle and to provide access to the contents of the bottle. The closure fitments are typically sealed to the rim or neck of the aerosol bottle such that they cannot be easily removed. 
     Increasing costs of metal and difficulties in recycling pressurized metal containers have made it desirable to develop other types of containers, such as plastic containers, and closures systems for such containers. Therefore, it would be advantageous to develop a closure system that may be used with plastic bottles or containers and especially with plastic bottles or containers that may be pressurized or used for aerosol delivery systems. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to certain embodiments of the invention, a valve system for a container may include a valve cup holding a valve system wherein the valve cup is configured to fit over the opening of a container and support the valve system in the container opening. A retaining ring may be fitted over the valve cup and press fitted to the valve cup to collapse one or more fingers extending radialy from the valve cup about the container. The positioning of the retaining ring about the valve cup may secure the valve cup to the container or secure the one or more fingers about an opening in the container or a flange around the opening of the container. The valve cup and retaining ring may be made of plastic, metal, or other material and the container may be plastic, metal, or other material. 
     According to other embodiments of the invention, an aerosol disbursement system may include a container having an opening therein and a flange about the opening. A valve cup may be fitted to the container opening to support a valve in the container opening. The valve cup may include one or more fingers which may extend radialy from the valve cup. A retaining ring made of plastic, metal, or other material may be fitted over the valve cup and pressed over the one or more fingers to secure the valve cup to the container. 
     According to still other embodiments of the invention, a method for securing a valve to a container may include providing a container having an opening and a container flange about the opening of the container. A snap fitment system comprising a valve cup having one or more fingers extending in a radial direction therefrom and a retaining ring may support a valve and may be situated over the opening of the container such that the valve is in the opening of the container. The retaining ring may be pressed over the valve cup and the one or more fingers to secure the one or more fingers around the container flange such that the valve is secured to the container. 
     According to embodiments of the invention, the snap fitment systems, valve cups, valves, and retaining rings may be made of plastic, metal or other materials. In some embodiments, the valve cup and retaining ring may be molded from plastic or resin materials. In other embodiments of the invention, the containers may be plastic, metal, or other material. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming particular embodiments of the present invention, various embodiments of the invention can be more readily understood and appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art from the following descriptions of various embodiments of the invention when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a snap fitment system according to embodiments of the invention attached about a container; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a snap fitment system according to various embodiments of the invention; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates an alternate cross-sectional view of a snap fitment system according to embodiments of the invention; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a snap fitment system and container in position for attaching the snap fitment system to the container; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a valve cup and valve system according to embodiments of the invention; 
         FIG. 6  illustrates an alternate embodiment of a snap fitment system according to embodiments of the invention; and 
         FIGS. 7 through 10  illustrate various views of the snap fitment system illustrated in  FIG. 6 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     According to embodiments of the invention, a snap-fitment system may be used to attach a closure, pump, trigger, or other device to a pressurized bottle. While various embodiments of the invention are described with respect to a closure being attached to a bottle or container, it is understood that a closure may include, but is not limited to, pumps, triggers, distribution means, valves, or other devices. 
     According to embodiments of the invention, a valve cup  300  may include one or more fingers  310  which may be used to attach the valve cup  300  to a container  100 . As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , one or more fingers  310  of a valve cup  300  may be compressed by a retaining ring  200  about a container flange  110 . The retaining ring  200  may hold the fingers  310  about the container flange  110  such that pressure in the container  100  may be maintained or so that the valve cup  300  is secured to the container  100 . 
     According to certain embodiments of the invention a snap-fitment system may include a valve cup  300 , a valve system  400 , and a retaining ring  200  as illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . The valve cup  300  may include one or more fingers  310 . A retaining ring  200  may encompass at least a portion of the fingers  310  of the valve cup  300 . As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the retaining ring  200  may also include one or more lips  201  which may be snapped about one or more fingers  310  such that the retaining ring  200  and the valve cup  300  may be distributed as a single unit. The retaining ring  200  may include a cylindrical portion and a flared portion wherein the flared portion fits about the fingers  310  of the valve cup  300  as in the position illustrated in  FIG. 2 . 
     The valve system  400  illustrated in  FIG. 2  may include a valve stem  410  positioned in a valve housing  420 . A valve gasket  430  may be positioned between a portion of the valve housing  420  and an underside of the valve cup  300  as conventionally known. The valve cup  300  may also include one or more lips, platforms, or other projections which may be used to hold the valve system  400  in a position relative to the valve cup  300  as illustrated in  FIG. 2 . 
     The snap fitment system illustrated in  FIG. 2  may be attached to a container  100  to form a seal between the snap fitment system and the container  100 . For example, the snap fitment system illustrated in  FIG. 2  may be placed over a container  100  such that the valve cup  300  rests over an opening in the container  100  as illustrated in  FIG. 4 . A valve cup gasket  350  may be positioned between an underside of the valve cup  300  and the flange  110  of the container. The retaining ring  200  may be forced in a direction towards the container  100 , causing the fingers  310  of the valve cup  300  to collapse about the flange  110  of the container  100 . As the force on the retaining ring  200  is applied, the fingers  310  of the valve cup  300  wrap around the flange  110  of the container  100  securing the snap fitment system to the container  100  as illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
     According to certain embodiments of the invention, a valve cup  300  may include two or more fingers  310  as illustrated in  FIG. 5 . For example, the valve cup  300  may include two fingers  310 , three fingers  310 , four fingers  310  or more. The fingers  310  may be symmetrically arranged about the valve cup  300  or may be asymmetrical. Spacing between the fingers  310  may be consistent or inconsistent. Any number of fingers  310  may include projections, bumps, or other features at the end of the fingers  310  such that such projections, bumps, or other features may wrap around or underneath a container flange  310 . The projections, bumps, or other features may be configured to help clasp or otherwise hold the snap fitment system to a container  100 . 
     According to some embodiments of the invention, the retaining ring  200  may include one or more crush ribs  210  as illustrated in  FIG. 2 . The crush ribs  210  may deform when the retaining ring  200  is forced about the fingers  310  of the valve cup  300 . Deformation of the crush ribs  210  may hold the retaining ring  200  in place once it has secured the fingers  310  about a flange  110  of a container  100 . In other embodiments, the retaining ring  200  may include snap fitments in the place of, or in addition to, crush ribs  210 . As a retaining ring  200  is pushed down over a valve cup  300  and the fingers  310 , the snap fitments may pop into the spaces between the fingers  310  and may snap into place with a portion of the valve cup  300  thereby preventing the retaining ring  200  from backing off of the position about the fingers  310  of the valve cup  300 . 
     The valve cup  300  and retaining ring  200  of various embodiments of the invention may be made of any suitable material, including, but not limited to, plastic materials, metals, composites, or other materials. Similarly, the containers  100  to which the snap fitment systems according to embodiments of the invention may include plastic containers, glass containers, metal containers, or other containers. 
       FIGS. 6 through 10  illustrate alternate embodiments of a snap fitment system according to embodiments of the invention. As illustrated in  FIG. 6 , the snap fitment system may include a valve cup  300  having one or more fingers  310  which may be positioned around or on a container  100 . The container  100  may include one or more container flanges  110  mated with one or more fingers  310  when a retaining ring  200  is positioned over or about the valve cup  300 . The valve system  400  may include any conventional valve system. A gasket may also be located between the container  100  and the valve cup  300 . 
       FIG. 7  illustrates a valve system  400  incorporated or fitted into a valve cup  300  according to embodiments of the invention. The valve housing  420  may be held in place with respect to the valve cup  300  by one or more valve housing connectors  315  in the valve cup  300 . The valve housing connectors  315  may include, but are not limited to, detents, indentations, snap fitments, bayonets, threaded systems, or other devices for retaining a valve housing  420  in a valve cup  300 . 
     A retaining ring  200  may be incorporated with the valve system  400  and valve cup  300  as illustrated in  FIGS. 8 and 9 . The retaining ring  200  may be fitted over a portion of the valve cup  300  and fingers  201  on the retaining ring  200  may secure the retaining ring  200  to the valve cup  300  through interference with one or more fingers  310 . The valve cup  300 , retaining ring  200 , and valve system  400  are part of the snap fitment system that may be shipped, transported, sold, or otherwise manipulated as desired. 
     The snap fitment system illustrated in  FIGS. 8 and 9  may be placed over a container opening as illustrated in  FIG. 10 . The fingers  310  of the valve cup  300  may be forced past one or more container flanges  110  of a container  100 . When the snap fitment system is fitted onto a container  100 , the retaining ring  200  may be forced downward with respect to the valve cup  300  such that the retaining ring  200  forces fingers  310  to firmly attach or mate with one or more container flanges  110  as illustrated in  FIG. 6 . In this manner, a valve may be attached to a container  100  as desired. 
     According to various embodiments of the invention, a snap fitment system may be attached to an aerosol container to provide an aerosol disbursement system. The aerosol disbursement system may be used to distribute any aerosol, including, air care formulas, hair care formulas, fragrances, or other formulas. 
     While particular embodiments of the invention have been described with respect to aerosol bottles and containers, it is understood that various embodiments of the invention may be adapted and used with other bottles and containers. For example, embodiments of the invention may be used to attach closures, pumps, triggers, or other devices to other pressurized containers. In addition, embodiments of the invention may be use to attach closures, pumps, triggers, or other devices to non-pressurized containers and bottles as well. 
     Having thus described certain particular embodiments of the invention, it is understood that the invention defined by the appended claims is not to be limited by particular details set forth in the above description, as many apparent variations thereof are contemplated. Rather, the invention is limited only be the appended claims, which include within their scope all equivalent devices or methods which operate according to the principles of the invention as described.