Patent ID: 6966467

Claim:
A metering valve for use in an aerosol container for dispensing an aerosol suspension having a longitudinal axis which, in a use orientation of the valve, extends in an upward-downward direction, said metering valve comprising: a hollow, longitudinally extending valve body having an inner volume, said valve body having at least one orifice to allow a quantity of the suspension from the container to pass into said inner volume; a ring extending laterally outwardly from said valve body from a position disposed below said orifice, said ring providing a trough about said vale body that extends longitudinally in the downward direction and is arranged below said orifice; a metering chamber disposed in said inner volume of said valve body; a sampling chamber disposed in said inner volume of said valve body, the entire volume of said sampling chamber being positioned above said metering chamber with said orifice in said valve body opening thereto such that the suspension passes into said sampling chamber; a valve stein mounted far axial sliding movement in said valve body between a first position and a second position, said valve stem having a transfer passage for transferring the suspension from said sampling chamber into said metering chamber and a dispensing passage disposed below said transfer passage for dispensing the suspension from said metering chamber, wherein in said first position said transfer passage places said sampling and metering chambers in fluid communication such that said metering chamber is able to be filled with a metered dose of the suspension from said sampling chamber and said dispensing passage is isolated from said metering chamber, and wherein in said second position said transfer passage is isolated from said metering chamber while said dispensing passage is placed in fluid communication with said metering chamber to dispense the metered dose of the suspension from said metering chamber.