Actuating assembly for aerosol spray can

Claim 1

An actuator for an aerosol spray can having a generally cylindrical body and a valve-equipped top, the valve being adapted to open when moved laterally relative to the longitudinal axis of the can, the actuator comprising a spray nozzle portion mounted on the valve, an intermediate portion extending outwardly from the nozzle portion generally transversely to the longitudinal axis of the can, and a finger portion extending concavely arcuately outwardly and downwardly from the intermediate portion whereby the valve can be opened by pressing the finger portion to move the valve laterally, a cap rotatably mounted on the top of the can, the cap having a generally cylindrical side wall and a top wall, the finger portion of the actuator being positioned inwardly of the side wall, the top wall being provided with an openinG therethrough above the nozzle portion of the actuator through which the contents of the can are sprayed when the valve is opened, the side wall of the cap being provided with an opening therethrough, the cap being rotatable on the can between an actuating position in which the opening in the side wall of the cap exposes the finger portion of the actuator and permits the actuator to be pressed to open the valve and nonactuating positions in which an imperforate portion of the side wall of the cap is adjacent the finger portion of the actuator to prevent the actuator from being pressed, the top of the can being generally dome-shaped and the lower periphery of the finger portion of the actuator extending arcuately in a plane extending transversely to the axis of the can with substantially the same curvature as the dome-shaped top, the spacing between the lower periphery of the finger portion and the dome-shaped top when the valve is closed being such that the lower periphery of the finger portion engages the dome-shaped top before the actuator is pressed sufficiently to spray the contents of the can against the top wall of the cap.