Aerosol can with propellant actuated slide piston

Claim 2

In an isolation-type aerosol dispenser, having a product reservoir; a propellant reservoir, a discharge nozzle; a pushbutton; valve means connected to said propellant reservoir and actuatable by said pushbutton for regulating the flow of propellant from said propellant reservoir; and means establishing a first flow line from said valve means to said discharge nozzle, the improvement comprising: means establishing an interruptible second flow line, connecting said discharge nozzle to said product reservoir, a portion of said second flow line means being movable relative to said dispenser between a first location, wherein said discharge nozzle is in communication with said product reservoir, and a second location, wherein said discharge nozzle is not in communication with said product reservoir; and first means, in communication with said first flow line means and connected to said movable portion of said second flow line means, for translating and transmitting flow of said propellant, from said propellant reservoir, into movement of said movable portion of said second flow line means from said second location to said first location.

Claim 3

An aerosol dispenser, as recited in claim 1, wherein said first translating and transmitting means comprises: a chamber; means establishing a flow line from said valve means to said chamber; a piston located in said chamber, adapted to move between a first piston position and a second piston position in said chamber as said valve means releases propellant from said propellant reservoir; and second means, connected to said piston and to said movable portion of said second flow line means, for translating and transmitting movement of said piston from said first piston position to said second piston position into movement of said movable portion of said second flow line means from said second location to said first location.

Claim 4

An aerosol dispenser, as recited in claim 2, wherein said piston includes said second translating and transmitting means and comprises a head member and a stem member; said head member being in communication with said flow line from said valve means to said chamber; a first portion of said stem member being cut away to define a first channel, said first channel constituting said movable portion of said second flow line means, movable from said second location to said first location of said second flow line means as said piston is moved from said first piston position to said second piston position.

Claim 5

An aerosol dispenser, as recited in claim 3, wherein said first channel includes an annular channel portion about the circumference of said stem member, said stem member being movable perpendicularly with respect to stationary pOrtions of said second flow line means adjacent said movable portion of said second flow line means.

Claim 6

An aerosol dispenser, as recited in claim 3, wherein said piston further includes a spring member, biassed against said head portion and adapted to oppose movement of said piston from said first piston position to said second piston position.

Claim 7

In an isolation-type aerosol dispenser, having a product reservoir; a propellant reservoir; a discharge nozzle; a pushbutton; valve means connected to said propellant reservoir and actuatable by said pushbutton for regulating the flow of propellant from said propellant reservoir; and means establishing a first flow line from said valve means to said discharge nozzle, the improvement comprising: means establishing an interruptible second flow line, connecting said discharge nozzle to said product reservoir, a portion of said second flow line means being movable relative to said dispenser between a first location, wherein said discharge nozzle is in communication with said product reservoir, and a second location, wherein said discharge nozzle is not in communication with said product reservoir; means establishing an interruptible third flow line, connecting said product reservoir to the exterior of said dispenser, a portion of said third flow line means being movable relative to said dispenser between a first location, wherein said product reservoir and said exterior of said dispenser are in communications, and a second location, wherein said product reservoir is not in communication with the exterior of said dispenser; and first means, in communication with said first flow line means and connected to said movable portions of said second and said third flow line means for translating and transmitting flow of said propellant, from said propellant reservoir, into movement of said movable portions of said second and said third flow line means from said second locations to said first locations.

Claim 8

In an isolation-type aerosol dispenser, having a product reservoir; a propellant reservoir; a discharge nozzle; a pushbutton; valve means connected to said propellant reservoir and actuatable by said pushbutton for regulating the flow of propellant from said propellant reservoir; and means establishing a first flow line from said valve means to said discharge nozzle, the improvement comprising: means establishing an interruptible second flow line, connecting said discharge nozzle to said product reservoir, a portion of said second flow line means being movable relative to said dispenser between a first location, wherein said discharge nozzle is in communication with said product reservoir, and a second location, wherein said discharge nozzle is not in communication with said product reservoir; means establishing an interruptible third flow line, connecting said product reservoir to the exterior of said dispenser, a portion of said third flow line means being movable relative to said dispenser between a first location, wherein said product reservoir and said exterior of said dispenser are in communications, and a second location, wherein said product reservoir is not in communication with the exterior of said dispenser; and first means, in communication with said first flow line means and connected to said movable portions of said second and said third flow line means for translating and transmitting flow of said propellant, from said propellant reservoir, into movement of said movable portions of said second and said third flow line means from said second locations to said first locations.

Claim 9

An aerosol dispenser as defined in claim 6 wherein said first translating and transmitting means comprises: a chamber; means establishing a flow line from said valve means to said chamber; a piston located in said chamber, adapted to move between a first piston position and a second piston position in said chamber when said valve means releases propellant from said propellant reservoir; and second means, connected to said piston and to said movable portions of said second and third flow line means, for translating and transmitting movement of said piston from said first piston position to said second piston position into movement of said second and third flow line means from said second locations to said first locations.

Claim 10

An aerosol dispenser, as recited in claim 7, wherein said piston includes said second translating and transmitting means and comprises a head member and a stem member; said head member being in communication with said flow line from said valve means to said chamber; a first portion of said stem member being cut away to define a first channel, said first channel constituting said movable portion of said second flow line means, movable from said second location to said first location of said second flow line means as said piston is moved from said first piston position to said second piston position.

Claim 11

An aerosol dispenser, as recited in claim 8, wherein said first channel includes an annular channel portion about the circumference of said stem member, said stem member being movable perpendicularly with respect to stationary portions of said second flow line means adjacent said movable portion of said second flow line means.

Claim 12

An aerosol dispenser, as recited in claim 8, wherein said piston further includes a spring member, biased against said head portion and adapted to oppose movement of said piston from said first piston position to said second piston position.

Claim 13

An aerosol dispenser, as recited in claim 8, wherein a second portion of said stem member iS cut away to define a second channel, said second channel constituting said movable portion of said third flow line means, movable from said second location to said first location of said third flow line means as said piston is moved from said first piston position to said second piston position.

Claim 14

An aerosol dispenser, as recited in claim 11, wherein said second channel includes a first portion extending axially through said stem member and a second portion extending radially through said stem member connecting said first portion of said second channel and the surface of the stem member.

Claim 15

In an isolation-type aerosol dispenser, having a product reservoir; a propellant reservoir, a discharge nozzle; a pushbutton; valve means connected to said propellant reservoir and actuatable by said pushbutton for regulating the flow of propellant from said propellant reservoir; and means establishing a first flow line from said valve means to said discharge nozzle, the improvement comprising: means establishing an interruptible second flow line, connecting said product reservoir to the exterior of said dispenser, a portion of said second flow line means being movable relative to said dispenser between a first location, wherein said product reservoir and said exterior of said dispenser are in communication, and a second location, wherein said product reservoir is not in communication with the exterior of said dispenser; and first means, in communication with said first flow line means and connected to said movable portion of said second means, for translating and transmitting flow of said propellant, from said propellant reservoir, into movement of said movable portion of said second flow line means from said second location to said first location.

Claim 16

In an isolation-type aerosol dispenser, having a product reservoir; a propellant reservoir, a discharge nozzle; a pushbutton; valve means connected to said propellant reservoir and actuatable by said pushbutton for regulating the flow of propellant from said propellant reservoir; and means establishing a first flow line from said valve means to said discharge nozzle, the improvement comprising: means establishing an interruptible second flow line, connecting said product reservoir to the exterior of said dispenser, a portion of said second flow line means being movable relative to said dispenser between a first location, wherein said product reservoir and said exterior of said dispenser are in communication, and a second location, wherein said product reservoir is not in communication with the exterior of said dispenser; and first means, in communication with said first flow line means and connected to said movable portion of said second means, for translating and transmitting flow of said propellant, from said propellant reservoir, into movement of said movable portion of said second flow line means from said second location to said first location.

Claim 17

An aerosol dispenser, as recited in claim 13 wherein said first translating and transmitting means comprises: a chamber; means establishing a flow line from said valve means to said chamber; a piston located in said chamber, adapted to move between a first piston position and a second piston position in said chamber as said valve means releases propellant from said propellant reservoir; and second means, connected to said piston and to said movable portion of said second flow line means, for translating and transmitting movement of said piston from said first piston position to said second piston position into movement of said movable portion of said second flow line means from said second location to said first location.

Claim 18

An aerosol dispenser, as recited in claim 14, wherein said piston includes said second translating and transmitting means and comprises a head member and a stem member; said head member being communication with said flow line from said valve means to said chamber; a first portion of said stem member being cut away to define a first channel, said first channel constituting said movable portion of said second flow line means, movable from said second location to said first location of said third flow line means as said piston is moved from said first piston position to said second piston position.

Claim 19

An aerosol dispenser, as recited in claim 15, wherein said first channel includes a first portion extending axially along said stem member and a second portion extending radially through said stem member, connecting said first portion of said first channel and the surface of said stem member.

Claim 20

An aerosol dispenser, as recited in claim 15, wherein said piston further includes a spring member, biassed against said head member and adapted to oppose movement of said piston from said first piston position to said second piston position.