Patent ID: 7861894

Claim:
In a dispenser for operating a valve on a container for dispensing a fluent substance product wherein the valve includes an outwardly projecting, movable, product-dispensing stem that is normally biased from an actuated, open dispensing position to a closed position, and wherein said dispenser comprises: a base for being mounted on the container around said valve; and an actuator rotatably mounted on said base, and that is adapted to be operatively associated with said stem for establishing fluid communication between said stem and the exterior of said actuator for dispensing said product to a target area, said actuator being rotatably moveable on said base between: (A) a first rotated position, which prevents downward movement of said actuator relative to said base for effecting movement of said stem from said closed position to said dispensing position; and (B) a second rotated position, which permits generally downward movement of said actuator relative to said base for moving said stem from said closed position to said open position, one of said actuator and said base defining an abutment surface, and the other one of said actuator and said base defining a locking element, so that in said first rotated position of said actuator, said locking element engages said abutment surface, and so that in said second rotated position said locking element does not engage said abutment surface, to permit generally downward movement of said actuator relative to said base to move said valve stem to said open dispensing position, said dispenser characterized in that said actuator includes a proximal portion mounted on said base, and a distal portion defining a discharge opening, and said base comprises: i) an annular mounting ring on which said actuator is rotatably mounted, ii) a nozzle having a stem pocket in fluid communication with said stem, and a product-discharge orifice open to the atmosphere for dispensing product in a generally vertical direction through said opening in said actuator, and a single, straight flow passage extending between said stem pocket and said product-discharge orifice, and iii) a flexible connector element for flexibly connecting said nozzle to said mounting ring, so that said generally downward movement of said actuator relative to said base deflects said nozzle relative to said mounting ring for moving said stem from said closed position to said dispensing position, so that product flows through said nozzle, said flexible connector element defining a pair of side edges, said flexible connector element being generally S-shaped.