Dispensing package

Claim 2

In a pressurized dispensing package comprising a container and a tubular valve stem for controlling material discharge from the container, said tubular valve stem having an exit port through which material is discharged, and operated, against a biasing means, by manually depressing the valve stem in at least one of an axial and a transverse direction into the container, an actuating assembly comprising an actuating member having a discharge portion for securing said actuating member to said tubular valve stem including a discharge passage between said valve stem exit port and atmosphere, a surface for manually operating said member, and a pivot portion about which the remainder of said member can pivot, and cooperating structure secured to the container including means defining a fulcrum surface located to constrain movement of said pivot portion when a force is applied to depress said manual operating surface thereby to define with said actuating member a pivot axis about which the discharge portion of said member is pivotable in a direction operating said tubular valve stem, said cooperating structure being further constructed and arranged to allow movement of said pivot portion away from said fulcrum surface in the absence of said force, said fulcrum surface-defining means and said pivot portion mutually comprising a cooperating bar and notch, the one of said bar and notch comprising said pivot portion being located between the one of said notch and bar, respectively, comprising said fulcrum-defining means and the interior of said container, and said bar and notch being mutually located to engage upon depression of said manual operating surface to define said pivot axis, said notch having an opening sufficiently large to allow movement of said bar out of said notch in the absence of said force.

Claim 3

A dispensing package according to claim 1, wherein said actuating member includes a first shelf portion extending radially outward from said discharge portion and defining thereon said manual operating surface, and a second shelf portion extending opposiTely radially outward from said discharge portion and having said pivot bar formed integrally therewith and located to engage fulcrum-defining notches on said cooperating structure.

Claim 4

A dispensing package according to claim 1, wherein said cooperating structure includes a wall portion extending parallel to the axis of said tubular valve stem and radially-spaced therefrom, said wall terminating in one of said bar and said notch defining said fulcrum.

Claim 5

In a pressurized dispensing package comprising a container and a tubular valve stem for controlling material discharge from the container, said tubular valve stem having an exit port through which material is discharged, and operated, against a biasing means, by manually depressing the valve stem in at least one of an axial and a transverse direction into the container, an actuating assembly comprising an actuating member having a discharge portion for securing said actuating member to said tubular valve stem including a discharge passage between said valve stem exit port and atmosphere, a surface for manually operating said member, and a pivot portion about which the remainder of said member can pivot, and cooperating structure secured to the container including means defining a fulcrum totally disconnected from said actuating member but located to engage said pivot portion to define therewith a pivot axis about which said member is pivotable upon depressing said manual operating surface to depress said discharge portion, and thereby also said tubular valve stem, into said container, said fulcrum-defining means and said pivot portion mutually comprising a cooperating bar and notch assembly, the one of said bar and notch comprising said pivot portion being located between the one of said notch and bar, respectively, comprising said fulcrum-defining means and the interior of said container, and said bar and notch mutually located to engage upon depression of said manual operating surface to define said pivot axis, said cooperating structure including an outer surface defining a cover for said actuating member, having peripherally spaced first and second apertures exposing, respectively, said discharge passage and said manual operating surface, and interior wall portions extending between said apertures, at least one interior wall portion extending parallel to the axis of said tubular valve stem and radially-spaced therefrom, and terminating in said fulcrum-defining means.

Claim 6

In a pressurized dispensing package comprising a container and a tubular valve stem for controlling material discharge from the container, said tubular valve stem having an exit port through which material is discharged, and operated, against a biasing means, by manually depressing the valve stem in at least one of an axial and a transverse direction into the container, an actuating assembly comprising an actuating member having a discharge portion for securing said actuating member to said tubular valve stem including a discharge passage between said valve stem exit port and atmosphere, a surface for manually operating said member, and a pivot portion about which the remainder of said member can pivot, and cooperating structure secured to the container including means defining a fulcrum totally disconnected from said actuating member but located to engage said pivot portion to define therewith a pivot axis about which said member is pivotable upon depressing said manual operating surface to depress said discharge portion, and thereby also said tubular valve stem, into said container, said fulcrum-defining means and said pivot portion mutually comprising a cooperating bar and notch assembly, the one of said bar and notch comprising said pivot portion being located between the one of said notch and bar, respectively, comprising said fulcrum-defining means and the interior of said container, and said bar and notch mutually located to engage upon depression of said manual operating surface to define said pivot axis, said cooperating structure including an outer surface defining a cover for said actuating member, having peripherally spaced first and second apertures exposing, respectively, said discharge passage and said manual operating surface, and interior wall portions extending between said apertures, at least one interior wall portion extending parallel to the axis of said tubular valve stem and radially-spaced therefrom, and terminating in said fulcrum-defining means.

Claim 7

A dispensing package according to claim 4 wherein said actuating member includes a shelf portion extending radially outward from said discharge portion and terminating in a pair of said pivot bars, and wherein said interior wall portions extend along opposite sides of said shelf portion and each include a fulcrum notch for engaging one of said pivot bars upon actuation of said manual operating surface.

Claim 8

An actuating assembly for attachment to a pressurized dispensing package including a container and a tubular valve stem for controlling material discharge from the container, said tubular valve stem having an exit port through which material is discharged, said actuating assembly constructed for manually depressing said tubular valve stem to discharge material therethrough, and comprising a base engageable with said container, a depressible actuating member having a discharge portion for connection to said tubular valve stem, including a discharge passage between said valve stem exit port and atmosphere, frangible means extending between said actuating member and said base and formed integrally therewith for supporting said actuating member on said base so that said discharge portion is aligned with said valve stem, and cooperating structure securable to said container to form an integral part of said dispensing package and including a destructing member located to sever said frangible means upon securing said cooperating structure to said container, to render said actuating assembly operable to depress Said valve stem.

Claim 9

An actuating assembly for attachment to a pressurized dispensing package including a container and a tubular valve stem for controlling material discharge from the container, said tubular valve stem having an exit port through which material is discharged, said actuating assembly constructed for manually depressing said tubular valve stem to discharge material therethrough, and comprising a base engageable with said container, a depressible actuating member having a discharge portion for connection to said tubular valve stem, including a discharge passage between said valve stem exit port and atmosphere, frangible means extending between said actuating member and said base and formed integrally therewith for supporting said actuating member on said base so that said discharge portion is aligned with said valve stem, and cooperating structure securable to said container to form an integral part of said dispensing package and including a destructing member located to sever said frangible means upon securing said cooperating structure to said container, to render said actuating assembly operable to depress Said valve stem.

Claim 10

An actuating assembly according to claim 6 wherein said frangible means comprises a severable supporting strip formed integrally with said actuating member and said base and extending therebetween, and said destructing member comprises a knife edge located to sever said severable strip upon securing said cooperating structure to said container.

Claim 11

An actuating assembly for attachment to a pressurized dispensing package including a container and a tubular valve stem for controlling material discharge from the container, said tubular valve stem having an exit port through which material is discharged, said actuating assembly constructed for manually depressing said tubular valve stem to discharge material therethrough, and comprising a base engageable with said container, a depressible actuating member having a discharge portion for connection to said tubular valve stem, including a discharge passage between said valve stem exit port and atmosphere, frangible means extending between said actuating member and said base for supporting said actuating member on said base so that said discharge portion is aligned with said valve stem, and cooperating structure securable to said container including a destructing member operating on said frangible means to separate said actuating member and said base upon securing said cooperating structure to said container, said base and said cooperating structure being adapted for successive attachment to said container, and including cooperating retaining means for aligning said base and said cooperating structure with said destructing member positioned for operating on said frangible means, and for thereafter securing said base and said cooperating structure together upon said successive attachment thereof to said container.

Claim 12

An actuating assembly for attachment to a pressurized dispensing package including a container and a tubular valve stem for controlling material discharge from the container, said tubular valve stem having an exit port through which material is discharged, said actuating assembly constructed for manually depressing said tubular valve stem to discharge material therethrough, and comprising a base engageable with said container, a depressible actuating member having a discharge portion for connection to said tubular valve stem, including a discharge passage between said valve stem exit port and atmosphere, frangible means extending between said actuating member and said base for supporting said actuating member on said base so that said discharge portion is aligned with said valve stem, and cooperating structure securable to said container including a destructing member operating on said frangible means to separate said actuating member and said base upon securing said cooperating structure to said container, said base and said cooperating structure being adapted for successive attachment to said container, and including cooperating retaining means for aligning said base and said cooperating structure with said destructing member positioned for operating on said frangible means, and for thereafter securing said base and said cooperating structure together upon said successive attachment thereof to said container.

Claim 13

An actuating assembly for attachment to a pressurized dispensing package including a container and a tubular valve stem for controlling material discharge from the container, said tubular valve stem having an exit port through which material is discharged, said actuating assembly constructed for manually depressing said tubular valve stem to discharge material therethrough, and comprising a base engageable with said container, a depressible actuating member having a discharge portion for connection to said tubular valve stem, including a discharge passage between said valve stem exit port and atmosphere, frangible means comprising severable supporting strip extending between and formed integrally with said actuating member and said base for supporting said actuating member on said base so that said discharge portion is aligned with said valve stem, and cooperating structure securable to said container including a destructing member comprising a knife edge located to sever said severable strip upon securing said cooperating structure to said container, said actuating member also including, in addition to said discharge portion, a surface for manually operating said member, and a pivot portion about which said member can pivot upon depressing said manual operating surface, and said cooperating structure also including fulcrum-defining means located to engage said pivot portion to define therewith a pivot axis for said actuating member.

Claim 14

An actuating assembly for attachment to a pressurized dispensing package including a container and a tubular valve stem for controlling material discharge from the container, said tubular valve stem having an exit port through which material is discharged, said actuating assembly constructed for manually depressing said tubular valve stem to discharge material therethrough, and comprising a base engageable with said container, a depressible actuating member having a discharge portion for connection to said tubular valve stem, including a discharge passage between said valve stem exit port and atmosphere, frangible means comprising severable supporting strip extending between and formed integrally with said actuating member and said base for supporting said actuating member on said base so that said discharge portion is aligned with said valve stem, and cooperating structure securable to said container including a destructing member comprising a knife edge located to sever said severable strip upon securing said cooperating structure to said container, said actuating member also including, in addition to said discharge portion, a surface for manually operating said member, and a pivot portion about which said member can pivot upon depressing said manual operating surface, and said cooperating structure also including fulcrum-defining means located to engage said pivot portion to define therewith a pivot axis for said actuating member.

Claim 15

An actuating assembly according to claim 9 wherein said pivot portion includes a pair of pivot bars formed as extensions from said actuating member and extending along said pivot axis, and said fulcrum-defining means comprises a pair of spaced notches located to engage said pivot bars, respectively, upon depression of said manual operating surface.

Claim 16

An actuating assembly according to claim 10 wherein said cooperating structure includes a pair of spaced wall portions located on either side of said actuating member, each wall portion including a depending knife edge for severing one said severable strip, and, spaced therefrom along the lower edge of said wall portion, one of said notches.

Claim 17

An actuaTing assembly according to claim 11 wherein said cooperating structure includes an outer surface defining a cover for said actuating member, and having peripherally spaced first and second apertures exposing, respectively, the said discharge passage and the said manual operating surface of said actuating member, and said spaced wall portions extend interiorly of said outer surface between the adjacent ends of said first and second apertures to define an interior chamber, open at each end, enclosing said actuating member.