Explosion proof aerosol can

Claim 2

A valve for use in a can containing an aerosol under pressure, said valve being mounted in a pedestal in the valve cup of said can, said valve comprising a body having a bore extending axially therethrough, a spring-biased valve stem slidably mounted in said bore and ported to provide a fluid path, on downward movement for a predetermined distance, for the discharge of aerosol from the can; an annulus of resilient material within the pedestal above the upper face of the valve body, a resilient outwardly flaring closure element at the lower end of the valve stem adapted, when the stem is in its closed position, to engage the lower face of said valve body which is exposed to the interior of the can, said valve body being movable upwardly against the resilience of said spring and annulus, in response to abnormally high pressure, to expose said porting and allow aerosol to escape.

Claim 3

A valve as set forth in claim 1, in which the valve stem has a discharge passage therein in the lower portion of which a solid central core is provided, and axially extending ribs provide flow channels between said core and the inner wall of a portion of said bore.

Claim 4

A valve as set forth in claim 1, wherein the annulus of resilient material is organic in nature and cellular in form.

Claim 5

A valve as set forth in claim 3 wherein the annulus of resilient material is an expanded elastomer.

Claim 6

A valve as set forth in claim 3 wherein the annulus of resilient material is of cork.

Claim 7

A valve as defined in claim 1, wherein the lower face of the valve body and the mating upper face of the outwardly flaring closure element are inclined outwardly and upwardly from the foot of the valve stem.

Claim 8

The valve as defined in claim 1, wherein the valve stem is a rigid tube, ported near its lower end and having an outwardly flaring resilient closure element united to its lower end.

Claim 9

Valve mechanism for use in an aerosol can having a conventional valve cup and pedestal, said mechanism comprising a valve shell lining said pedestal, the inner surface of which shell defines a cylindrical bore, a valve body mounted within said bore, and having an axial passage therethrough which defines the surface of an intermediate bore; said valve boDy also having an inner channel therethrough defining an inner bore; a valve stem mounted axially of said valve body and having a portion of a diameter to fit slidably within said intermediate bore, said valve stem also having a lower extremity of a diameter to fit said inner bore, and spring means reacting between the larger diameter of said valve stem and the surface of said valve body where it is narrowed to provide the inner bore.

Claim 10

Valve mechanism for use in an aerosol can having a conventional valve cup and pedestal, said mechanism comprising a valve shell lining said pedestal, the inner surface of which shell defines a cylindrical bore, a valve body mounted within said bore, and having an axial passage therethrough which defines the surface of an intermediate bore; said valve boDy also having an inner channel therethrough defining an inner bore; a valve stem mounted axially of said valve body and having a portion of a diameter to fit slidably within said intermediate bore, said valve stem also having a lower extremity of a diameter to fit said inner bore, and spring means reacting between the larger diameter of said valve stem and the surface of said valve body where it is narrowed to provide the inner bore.

Claim 11

Apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein relative movement can occur between the valve body and the valve shell.

Claim 12

A valve assembly for an aerosol container, comprising a valve stem and a valve body surrounding the stem, the stem projecting exteriorly of the container and having a discharge passage therein, the stem and body having valve parts at one end thereof providing for opening and closing of communication between the interior of the container and said discharge passage upon inward axial movement of the stem and also upon outward axial movement of the body, the communication being opened when the stem moves inwardly with respect to the body and closed when the stem moves outwardly with respect to the body, stop means limiting outward movement of the stem, the body being movable outwardly in the container with respect to the stop limited position of the stem and having its inner end exposed to the pressure in the container, yielding means urging the stem outwardly and the body inwardly of the container, and stop means limiting the inward movement of the body.

Claim 13

A valve assembly for an aerosol container, comprising a valve stem and a valve body surrounding the stem, the stem projecting exteriorly of the container and having a discharge passage therein, the stem and body having valve parts at one end thereof providing for opening and closing of communication between the interior of the container and said discharge passage upon inward axial movement of the stem and also upon outward axial movement of the body, the communication being opened when the stem moves inwardly with respect to the body and closed when the stem moves outwardly with respect to the body, stop means limiting outward movement of the stem, the body being movable outwardly in the container with respect to the stop limited position of the stem and having its inner end exposed to the pressure in the container, yielding means urging the stem outwardly and the body inwardly of the container, and stop means limiting the inward movement of the body.

Claim 14

A valve assembly as set forth in claim 10, wherein a portion of the stem which extends beyond the upper surface of said body is surrounded by a mass of cellular material and a peripheral shell surrounds the said body and the said mass of material.

Claim 15

The valve assembly as set forth in claim 10, wherein the discharge passage is configured to communicate with the interior of the container by way of a plurality of peripheral passages in the lower portion of the stem.

Claim 16

For use in the valve assembly of an aerosol can, a valve stem having a discharge passage therethrough, said stem having a large diameter for a substantial portion of its length, a head end of lesser diameter extending axially from one face of said large diameter portion, an intermediate portion of reduced diameter extending axially from the opposite face of said large diameter portion, and a foot portion which terminates in a resilient flange that extends radially outward, the head end having a shoulder which is beveled inwardly towards the large diameter portion and an intermediate portion terminating in a shoulder which is beveled inwardly towards the foot portion; a coiled spring surrounding the intermediate portion, the foot end being adapted to pass the opening in a resilient washer and the head end being adapted to pass the opening in a resilient washer, whereby application of the washer elements positions and retains the stem and spring in assembled relationship.

Claim 17

For use in the valve assembly of an aerosol can, a valve stem having a discharge passage therethrough, said stem having a large diameter for a substantial portion of its length, a head end of lesser diameter extending axially from one face of said large diameter portion, an intermediate portion of reduced diameter extending axially from the opposite face of said large diameter portion, and a foot portion which terminates in a resilient flange that extends radially outward, the head end having a shoulder which is beveled inwardly towards the large diameter portion and an intermediate portion terminating in a shoulder which is beveled inwardly towards the foot portion; a coiled spring surrounding the intermediate portion, the foot end being adapted to pass the opening in a resilient washer and the head end being adapted to pass the opening in a resilient washer, whereby application of the washer elements positions and retains the stem and spring in assembled relationship.

Claim 18

A valve assembly as set forth in claim 13, wherein a valve body surrounds the valve stem and the spring, and is held in assembled relationship by the resilient washer first named and by the resilient flange at the termination of the foot.

Claim 19

A valve assembly as set forth in claim 14, wherein the valve body is slidably positioned within an outer shell which is configured to prevent movement of the body in the direction of the foot.