Actuator means for use with aerosol dispensers

Claim 2

Actuator means for actuating the valve stem of an aerosol container for dispensing the material within the container, said means including a cap adapted to be secured to the container and extend over the valve stem, said cap having a top opening, said cap having an opening in the side thereof, a dispensing nozzle having the top thereof extending outwardly through the top cap opening, a toggle-type actuator cooperating with said dispensing nozzle and valve stem, said toggle-type actuator having means extending through the side opening of the cap and when manually pressed inwardly operating said toggle-type member to move said dispensing nozzle to depress the valve stem to open tHe discharge outlet of the aerosol container, said cap and nozzle each having locking means integrally formed therewith which when in engagement lock the nozzle against reciprocal movement and prevent depressing the valve stem, said nozzle when rotated relative to said cap disengaging said locking means to permit reciprocal movement of said nozzle for depressing the valve stem.

Claim 3

A structure as set forth in claim 1 in which the cap has a pair of diametrically positioned side openings and in which the toggle-type actuator has a pair of means each of which extends through said cap opening and when said pair of means are manually pressed inwardly they will operate the toggle-type actuator.

Claim 4

A structure as set forth in claim 1 in which the dispensing nozzle is separate from said toggle-type actuator but operatively connected to said toggle-type actuator.

Claim 5

Actuator means for actuating the valve stem of an aerosol container for dispensing the material within the container, said means including a cap adapted to be secured to the container and extend over the valve stem, said cap having an opening in the side thereof, a dispensing nozzle, a separate toggle-type actuator operatively connected to said dispensing nozzle and cooperating with said dispensing nozzle and valve stem, said toggle-type actuator having means extending through the side opening of the cap and when manually pressed inwardly operating said toggle-type member to move said dispensing nozzle to depress the valve stem to open the discharge outlet of the aerosol container, said cap having a central opening at the top thereof with communicating slots, said nozzle having a plurality of ribs which pass through the communicating slots when the nozzle is moved inwardly to operate the valve stem but which ribs engage with the top of the cap when the nozzle is locked relative to the cap.

Claim 6

Actuator means for actuating the valve stem of an aerosol container for dispensing the material within the container, said means including a cap adapted to be secured to the container and extend over the valve stem, said cap having an opening in the side thereof, a dispensing nozzle, a separate toggle-type actuator operatively connected to said dispensing nozzle and cooperating with said dispensing nozzle and valve stem, said toggle-type actuator having means extending through the side opening of the cap and when manually pressed inwardly operating said toggle-type member to move said dispensing nozzle to depress the valve stem to open the discharge outlet of the aerosol container, said cap having a central opening at the top thereof with communicating slots, said nozzle having a plurality of ribs which pass through the communicating slots when the nozzle is moved inwardly to operate the valve stem but which ribs engage with the top of the cap when the nozzle is locked relative to the cap.

Claim 7

Actuator means for actuating the valve stem of an aerosol container for dispensing the material within the container, said means including a cap adapted to be secured to the container and extend over the valve stem, inclined ribs on the inside of the top of the cap, said cap having a pair of diametrically positioned side openings, a dispensing nozzle and a toggle-type actuator cooperating with said dispensing nozzle and valve stem, said toggle-type actuator having a pair of means, each of which has an extension which extends through the side opening of the cap and when said pair of extensions are manually pressed inwardly operating said toggle-type member to move said dispensing nozzle to depress the valve stem to open the discharge outlet of the aerosol container, said toggle-type actuator having a central section, an intermediate adjacent section on each side of the central section and hinged thereto, a generally L-shaped section adjacent each of the intermediate sections and hinged thereto with said L-shaped sections having a portion thereof forming the extension which forms the means which extend through the cap openings for manual engagement, said L-shaped section having an upwardly extending portion positioned inside the cap with the free edge of same bearing against the inclined ribs and with the intermediate section positioned inside the cap but below the extension so that when the extensions are pressed inwardly the central section will be lowered to operate to open the valve stem.

Claim 8

Actuator means for actuating the valve stem of an aerosol container for dispensing the material within the container, said means including a cap adapted to be secured to the container and extend over the valve stem, inclined ribs on the inside of the top of the cap, said cap having a pair of diametrically positioned side openings, a dispensing nozzle and a toggle-type actuator cooperating with said dispensing nozzle and valve stem, said toggle-type actuator having a pair of means, each of which has an extension which extends through the side opening of the cap and when said pair of extensions are manually pressed inwardly operating said toggle-type member to move said dispensing nozzle to depress the valve stem to open the discharge outlet of the aerosol container, said toggle-type actuator having a central section, an intermediate adjacent section on each side of the central section and hinged thereto, a generally L-shaped section adjacent each of the intermediate sections and hinged thereto with said L-shaped sections having a portion thereof forming the extension which forms the means which extend through the cap openings for manual engagement, said L-shaped section having an upwardly extending portion positioned inside the cap with the free edge of same bearing against the inclined ribs and with the intermediate section positioned inside the cap but below the extension so that when the extensions are pressed inwardly the central section will be lowered to operate to open the valve stem.

Claim 9

Actuator means for actuating the valve stem of an aerosol container for dispensing the material within the container, said means including a cap adapted to be secured to the container and extend over the valve stem, said cap having an opening in the side thereof, a dispensing nozzle, a separate toggle-type actuator operatively connected to said dispensing nozzle and cooperating with said dispensing nozzle and valve stem, said toggle-type actuator having means extending through the side opening of the cap and when manually pressed inwardly operating said toggle-type member to move said dispensing nozzle to depress the valve sTem to open the discharge outlet of the aerosol container, said dispensing nozzle being reciprocally movable with respect to said cap, said nozzle having ribs cooperating with the top of the cap for locking the nozzle against reciprocal movement with respect to the cap.

Claim 10

Actuator means for actuating the valve stem of an aerosol container for dispensing the material within the container, said means including a cap adapted to be secured to the container and extend over the valve stem, said cap having an opening in the side thereof, a dispensing nozzle, a separate toggle-type actuator operatively connected to said dispensing nozzle and cooperating with said dispensing nozzle and valve stem, said toggle-type actuator having means extending through the side opening of the cap and when manually pressed inwardly operating said toggle-type member to move said dispensing nozzle to depress the valve sTem to open the discharge outlet of the aerosol container, said dispensing nozzle being reciprocally movable with respect to said cap, said nozzle having ribs cooperating with the top of the cap for locking the nozzle against reciprocal movement with respect to the cap.

Claim 11

A structure as set forth in claim 6 in which the top of the cap is provided with detents which are engaged by the ribs on the nozzle for locking the nozzle against reciprocal movement.

Claim 12

Actuator means for actuating the valve stem of an aerosol container for dispensing the material within the container, said means including a cap adapted to be secured to the container and extend over the valve stem, said cap having a pair of diametrically positioned side openings, a dispensing nozzle and a toggle-type actuator cooperating with said dispensing nozzle and valve stem, said toggle-type actuator having a pair of means, each of which has an extension which extends through the side openings of the cap and when said pair of extensions are manually pressed inwardly operating said toggle-type member to move said dispensing nozzle to depress the valve stem to open the discharge outlet of the aerosol container, said toggle-type actuator having a central section, an intermediate adjacent section on each side of the central section and hinged thereto, and a generally L-shaped section adjacent each of the intermediate sections and hinged thereto with said L-shaped sections having a portion thereof forming the extension which forms the means which extend through the cap openings for manual engagement, said L-shaped section having an upwardly extending portion positioned inside the cap with the free edge of same bearing against the underside of the top of the cap and with the intermediate section positioned inside the cap but below the extension so that when the extensions are pressed inwardly the central section will be lowered to operate to open the valve stem, said dispensing nozzle having a stem and a bottom flange and in which the dispensing nozzle is separate from the toggle-type actuator, and in which the central section has an opening through which extends the stem of the dispensing nozzle with the flange engaging the underside of the central section.

Claim 13

Actuator means for actuating the valve stem of an aerosol container for dispensing the material within the container, said means including a cap adapted to be secured to the container and extend over the valve stem, said cap having a pair of diametrically positioned side openings, a dispensing nozzle and a toggle-type actuator cooperating with said dispensing nozzle and valve stem, said toggle-type actuator having a pair of means, each of which has an extension which extends through the side openings of the cap and when said pair of extensions are manually pressed inwardly operating said toggle-type member to move said dispensing nozzle to depress the valve stem to open the discharge outlet of the aerosol container, said toggle-type actuator having a central section, an intermediate adjacent section on each side of the central section and hinged thereto, and a generally L-shaped section adjacent each of the intermediate sections and hinged thereto with said L-shaped sections having a portion thereof forming the extension which forms the means which extend through the cap openings for manual engagement, said L-shaped section having an upwardly extending portion positioned inside the cap with the free edge of same bearing against the underside of the top of the cap and with the intermediate section positioned inside the cap but below the extension so that when the extensions are pressed inwardly the central section will be lowered to operate to open the valve stem, said dispensing nozzle having a stem and a bottom flange and in which the dispensing nozzle is separate from the toggle-type actuator, and in which the central section has an opening through which extends the stem of the dispensing nozzle with the flange engaging the underside of the central section.

Claim 14

A structure as set forth in claim 8 in which the nozzle has ribs which engage the top of the cap and lock therewith to prevent the reciprocal movement of the nozzle.

Claim 15

Actuator means for actuating the valve stem of an aerosol container for dispensing the material within the container, said means including a cap adapted to be secured to the container and extend over the valve stem, said cap having a pair of diametrically positioned side openings, a dispensing nozzle, a separate toggle-type actuator operatively connected to said dispensing nozzle and cooperating with said dispensing nozzle and valve stem, said toggle-type actuator having means extending through the side openings of the cap and when manually pressed inwardly operating said toggle-type member to move said dispensing nozzle to depress the valve stem to open the discharge outlet of the aerosol container, said cap having a central opening at the top thereof with communicating slots, said nozzle having a plurality of ribs which pass through the communicating slots when the nozzle is moved inwardly to operate the valve stem but which ribs engage with the top of the cap when the nozzle is locked relative to the cap.

Claim 16

Actuator means for actuating the valve stem of an aerosol container for dispensing the material within the container, said means including a cap adapted to be secured to the container and extend over the valve stem, said cap having a pair of diametrically positioned side openings, a dispensing nozzle, a separate toggle-type actuator operatively connected to said dispensing nozzle and cooperating with said dispensing nozzle and valve stem, said toggle-type actuator having means extending through the side openings of the cap and when manually pressed inwardly operating said toggle-type member to move said dispensing nozzle to depress the valve stem to open the discharge outlet of the aerosol container, said cap having a central opening at the top thereof with communicating slots, said nozzle having a plurality of ribs which pass through the communicating slots when the nozzle is moved inwardly to operate the valve stem but which ribs engage with the top of the cap when the nozzle is locked relative to the cap.