Dispensing control structure for pressurized dispensing package

Claim 2

In a pressurized dispensing package, a container having a material discharge valve assembly including a discharge aperture and a manually operable valve actuating surface, and a cover rotatable with respect to said container having wall structure adapted to cover simultaneously said discharge aperture and actuating surface in a first position, and structure defining open area adapted to expose simultaneously said discharge aperture and actuating surface in a second position, said container and cover including two sets of mutually engaging surfaces for limiting relative rotational movement of said container and cover to movement between said first and second positions for alternately exposing and covering, by said open area-defining and wall structures, respectively, said discharge aperture and said actuating surface, by reverse relative rotations of said container and cover, said engaging surfaces having portions located cocircumferentially of one another and abutting one another during engagement, one of said sets of engaging surfaces being located for resisting further relative rotational movement of said cover and container out of said first position, and the other of said sets of engaging surfaces being located for resisting further relative rotational movement of said cover and container out of said second position, each said set of engaging surfaces being defined by a detent member and an engaging lug member, at least one of said detent and lug members being flexible and said lug being disposed to be retained in said detent when said cover is rotated to the applicable one of said positions.

Claim 3

The package of claim 1 wherein each said lug Is formed in the outer surface of a resilient axially extending tab located peripherally of said container, and each said detent is formed in an interior surface of said cover.

Claim 4

In a pressurized dispensing package, a container having a material discharge valve assembly including a discharge aperture, a manually operable valve actuating surface, and structure providing a cylindrical wall having, projecting from its lower edge, two spaced arcuate flanges having end walls, and a cover rotatable with respect to said container having wall structure adapted to cover simultaneously said discharge aperture and actuating surface in a first position, structure defining open area adapted to expose simultaneously said discharge aperture and actuating surface in a second position, and structure providing an interior surface including two spaced circumferentially extending ribs, each having an end wall, said ribs being sized to snap under the lower edge of said cylindrical container wall structure to secure said cover to said container, and said rib end walls and said flange end walls being co-circumferentially located to engage for limiting relative rotation of said cover and container to movement between said first and second positions for alternately exposing and covering, by said open area-defining and wall structures, respectively, said discharge aperture and said actuating surface, by reverse relative rotations of said container and cover.

Claim 5

In a pressurized dispensing package, a container having a material discharge valve assembly including a discharge aperture, a manually operable valve actuating surface, and structure providing a cylindrical wall having, projecting from its lower edge, two spaced arcuate flanges having end walls, and a cover rotatable with respect to said container having wall structure adapted to cover simultaneously said discharge aperture and actuating surface in a first position, structure defining open area adapted to expose simultaneously said discharge aperture and actuating surface in a second position, and structure providing an interior surface including two spaced circumferentially extending ribs, each having an end wall, said ribs being sized to snap under the lower edge of said cylindrical container wall structure to secure said cover to said container, and said rib end walls and said flange end walls being co-circumferentially located to engage for limiting relative rotation of said cover and container to movement between said first and second positions for alternately exposing and covering, by said open area-defining and wall structures, respectively, said discharge aperture and said actuating surface, by reverse relative rotations of said container and cover.

Claim 6

In a pressurized dispensing package, a container having a material discharge assembly including a discharge aperture, a manually operable valve actuating surface, and structure defining a cylindrical wall having two spaced arcuate projecting flanges, and a cover rotatable with respect to said container having wall structure adapted to cover simultaneously said discharge aperture and said actuating surface in a first position, structure defining open area and adapted to expose simultaneously said discharge aperture and said actuating surface in a second position, and structure defining an interior surface including two circumferentially spaced and extending ribs, each having end walls, and two circumferentially spaced detents, each said flange having first and second end walls, said first flange end walls located co-circumferentially with an end wall of one of said ribs for engagement therewith, the pairs of engaging end walls thus defined being located to limit rotational movement of said cover and container such that one pair of end walls are in engagement when said cover is relatively rotated to said first position and the other pair of end walls are in engagement when said cover is reversely relatively rotated to said second position, two spaced tabular members having surfaces sized to be engaged in said detents, said tabular members flexibly secured to said cylindrical wall to be radially displaceable therefrom, said detents and said tabular members being mutually located such that only one of said detents receives the surface of one of said tabular members when said cover is rotated to either of said positions, and said detents and said tabular members are mutually sized to releasably lock said cover and container in each of said positions.

Claim 7

In a pressurized dispensing package, a container having a material discharge assembly including a discharge aperture, a manually operable valve actuating surface, and structure defining a cylindrical wall having two spaced arcuate projecting flanges, and a cover rotatable with respect to said container having wall structure adapted to cover simultaneously said discharge aperture and said actuating surface in a first position, structure defining open area and adapted to expose simultaneously said discharge aperture and said actuating surface in a second position, and structure defining an interior surface including two circumferentially spaced and extending ribs, each having end walls, and two circumferentially spaced detents, each said flange having first and second end walls, said first flange end walls located co-circumferentially with an end wall of one of said ribs for engagement therewith, the pairs of engaging end walls thus defined being located to limit rotational movement of said cover and container such that one pair of end walls are in engagement when said cover is relatively rotated to said first position and the other pair of end walls are in engagement when said cover is reversely relatively rotated to said second position, two spaced tabular members having surfaces sized to be engaged in said detents, said tabular members flexibly secured to said cylindrical wall to be radially displaceable therefrom, said detents and said tabular members being mutually located such that only one of said detents receives the surface of one of said tabular members when said cover is rotated to either of said positions, and said detents and said tabular members are mutually sized to releasably lock said cover and container in each of said positions.

Claim 8

In a pressurized dispensing package, a container having a material discharge valve assembly including a discharge aperture, a manually operable valve actuating surface, and a cylindrical wall having two spaced arcuate projecting flanges, each said flange having end walls, a cover rotatable with respect to said container having wall structure providing first and second circumferentially extending walls disposed for covering simultaneously said discharge aperture and said actuating surface, respectively, and first and second circumferentially extending apertures located between said wall portions, and disposed for exposing, simultaneously, said discharge aperture and said actuating surface, respectively, and structure providing circumferentially eXtending interior surfaces located beneath said apertures, each said interior surface constructed to provide a circumferentially extending rib having opposite end walls both located within the circumferential extent of the corresponding aperture, and said ribs sized to snap under the lower edge of said cylindrical container wall to secure said cover to said container, and said rib end walls and said flange end walls being co-circumferentially located and engaging to limit relative rotation of said cover and container.

Claim 9

In a pressurized dispensing package, a container having a material discharge valve assembly including a discharge aperture, a manually operable valve actuating surface, and a cylindrical wall having two spaced arcuate projecting flanges, each said flange having end walls, a cover rotatable with respect to said container having wall structure providing first and second circumferentially extending walls disposed for covering simultaneously said discharge aperture and said actuating surface, respectively, and first and second circumferentially extending apertures located between said wall portions, and disposed for exposing, simultaneously, said discharge aperture and said actuating surface, respectively, and structure providing circumferentially eXtending interior surfaces located beneath said apertures, each said interior surface constructed to provide a circumferentially extending rib having opposite end walls both located within the circumferential extent of the corresponding aperture, and said ribs sized to snap under the lower edge of said cylindrical container wall to secure said cover to said container, and said rib end walls and said flange end walls being co-circumferentially located and engaging to limit relative rotation of said cover and container.

Claim 10

The package of claim 5 and further including structure providing walls located to mask the said apertures in said cover when said cover is in said first position, thereby to form a continuous circumferentially extending wall entirely surrounding said actuating surface.

Claim 11

A pressurized dispensing package comprising a container, 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 being operated by manually moving the valve stem in at least one of an axial and transverse direction towards the container, an actuating member comprising a base portion secured to the container and defining an opening, and an actuator portion disposed for movement in said opening, said actuator portion including structure defining a discharge passage, coupling structure for securing said actuator portion to said tubular valve stem and having a seat for receiving the top of said valve stem so that said discharge passage extends between said valve stem exit port and atmosphere, an actuator operating surface laterally spaced from said coupling structure for manually operating said actuator, and actuator portion support structure laterally spaced from said coupling structure on the opposite side from said actuator operating surface and connecting said actuator portion to said base portion, said support structure including a rigid support portion and connecting structure, said support portion and said connecting structure being disposed below the plane of said valve stem seat and said connecting structure being disposed between said support portion and said coupling structure for suspending said actuator portion over said opening in said base portion, said connecting structure including a region of reduced thickness extending across the entire width of said connecting structure, said region of reduced thickness providing said actuator portion with a pivotal mode of movement relative to said rigid support portion, and a lateral mode of movement increasing the straightline distance between said rigid support portion and said coupling structure, thereby to permit said tubular valve stem to be operated in either a tilt operating mode or an axial operating mode, and a cover rotatable with respect to said base portion, having structure providing first and second circumferentially extending walls adapted to cover simultaneously said discharge aperture and said operating surface, respectively, in a first position, and first and second circumferentially extending apertures located between said wall portions, and adapted to expose, simultaneously, said discharge passage and said operating surface, respectively, in a second position, said base portion and cover including mutually engaging surfaces, located co-circumferentially of one another, for limiting relative rotational movement of said cover and said base portion to movement between said first and second positions for alternately exposing and covering, by said apertures and wall portions respectively, said discharge passage and said operating surface, by reverse relative rotation of said base portion and said cover.

Claim 12

A pressurized dispensing package comprising a container, 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 being operated by manually moving the valve stem in at least one of an axial and transverse direction towards the container, an actuating member comprising a base portion secured to the container and defining an opening, and an actuator portion disposed for movement in said opening, said actuator portion including structure defining a discharge passage, coupling structure for securing said actuator portion to said tubular valve stem and having a seat for receiving the top of said valve stem so that said discharge passage extends between said valve stem exit port and atmosphere, an actuator operating surface laterally spaced from said coupling structure for manually operating said actuator, and actuator portion support structure laterally spaced from said coupling structure on the opposite side from said actuator operating surface and connecting said actuator portion to said base portion, said support structure including a rigid support portion and connecting structure, said support portion and said connecting structure being disposed below the plane of said valve stem seat and said connecting structure being disposed between said support portion and said coupling structure for suspending said actuator portion over said opening in said base portion, said connecting structure including a region of reduced thickness extending across the entire width of said connecting structure, said region of reduced thickness providing said actuator portion with a pivotal mode of movement relative to said rigid support portion, and a lateral mode of movement increasing the straightline distance between said rigid support portion and said coupling structure, thereby to permit said tubular valve stem to be operated in either a tilt operating mode or an axial operating mode, and a cover rotatable with respect to said base portion, having structure providing first and second circumferentially extending walls adapted to cover simultaneously said discharge aperture and said operating surface, respectively, in a first position, and first and second circumferentially extending apertures located between said wall portions, and adapted to expose, simultaneously, said discharge passage and said operating surface, respectively, in a second position, said base portion and cover including mutually engaging surfaces, located co-circumferentially of one another, for limiting relative rotational movement of said cover and said base portion to movement between said first and second positions for alternately exposing and covering, by said apertures and wall portions respectively, said discharge passage and said operating surface, by reverse relative rotation of said base portion and said cover.

Claim 13

The package of claim 7 wherein said actuating member includes structure providing walls located to mask the said apertures in said cover when said cover is in said first position, thereby to form a continuous circumferentially extending wall entirely surrounding said actuating portion.

Claim 14

The package of claim 8 wherein two sets of engaging surfaces are provided, one set located for resisting further relative rotational movement of said cover and said base portion out of said first position, and the other set located for resisting further relative rotational movement of said cover and said base portion out of said second position, each said set being defined by a detent member and an engaging lug member, at least one of said detent and lug members being flexible and said lug being disposed to be retained in said detent when said cover is rotated to the applicable one of said positions.

Claim 15

The package of claim 9 wherein each said lug is formed in the outer surface of a resilient axially extending tab located peripherally of said base portion, and each said detent is formed in an interior surface of said cover.

Claim 16

The package of claim 10 wherein said cover has structure providing an interior surface including two spaced circumferentially extending ribs, each having an end wall, and said base portion has structure providing a cylindrical wall having, projecting from its lower edge, two spaced arcuate flanges having end walls, said ribs sized to snap under the lower edge of said cylindrical base portion wall to secure said cover to said base, and said rib end walls and said flange end walls being co-circumferentially located to engage for limiting relative rotation of said cover and base portion.