Metering valve for aerosol dispenser

Claim 2

A metering valve assembly for pressurized aerosol dispensers having, within a valve housing, a pair of valves, one controlling access from the valve housing to the bore of an exteriorly extending valve stem and the other controlling access of the pressurized contents of the dispenser from the interior of the latter to the valvE housing; means resiliently urging the first valve to closed position and the second valve to open position; and means responsive to lateral pressure upon the exteriorly extending portion of said valve stem to tilt the latter relative to its axis, first to move the second of said valves to closed position and thereafter to move the first of said valves to open position, said resiliently urging means returning the valves to their original condition in the reverse order when said lateral pressure ceases.

Claim 3

A metering valve assembly as defined in claim 1, having an annular valve seat surrounding an aperture in the valve housing of a pressurized aerosol dispenser; a valve member adapted to form a seal with said valve seat and said aperture in the valve housing, compressing an annular shoulder on said stem engaging the outer surface of the valve seat to form a seal therewith, and a lateral port in said stem connecting with the bore thereof spaced from said annular shoulder and from the inner surface of said valve seat so that said valve member, when engaging said valve seat, closes the passage from the interior of the dispenser through said lateral port and stem bore, and when the valve member is tilted, a passage is opened between the valve member and valve seat to said lateral port and stem bore; a second valve member within said housing and valve means cooperating therewith to close off a passage from said container to said valve housing; a valve spring normally urging said second valve member out of valveclosing relation with said valve means and said first valve member into sealing relation with its valve seat, said second valve member moving, against the force of said valve spring upon tilting of said first valve member together with its stem, to valve closing contact with said valve means before said passage opens from the valve housing to said lateral port and stem bore, and disengaging said valve means to open a passage to said valve housing from the interior of said dispenser after re-engagement of the first valve member with its valve seat, responsive to said valve spring, when tilting of the stem and its associated valve member ceases.

Claim 4

The metering valve assembly defined in claim 2, wherein said second valve member has a cylindrical stem with a port at its inner end cooperating with an annular ridge at the base of the valve housing to close said port when said valve member is depressed to move the port beyond the upper surface of said ridge, an upper end of larger diameter engaging the wall of the valve housing to guide movement of said valve member in axial direction, and an annular shoulder at the base of said upper end, said valve spring bearing upon said annular ridge and annular shoulder to urge said second valve member against the first valve member to hold the latter in sealing relation with its valve seat and to open said port between the interior of said dispenser and the valve housing, and to close said port in advance of the opening of the passage from the valve housing to said lateral port of said stem,

Claim 5

A valve assembly for a pressurized container, comprising, in combination: a. an annular valve seat of resiliently yielding material, b. a first valve means comprising a disc having an upper surface engageable and adapted to form a seal with said valve seat, c. a tubular valve stem on said valve disc, extending through an aperture in said valve seat, the bore of said stem terminating at the valve disc and communicating at said terminal with at least one lateral port, each of said ports being normally in sealing contact with the peripherally surrounding surface of said aperture in the valve seat. d. a valve housing secured at its upper end in sealing contact with said valve seat and connected at its lower end with a dip tube, said housing having biasing means engageable with the under side of said valve disc at a peripheral portion of the disc and constituting a support therefor to position said valve disc yieldably againsT said valve seat, e. tilting of said valve disc downward against said biasing means opening a passage for the contents of said pressurized container, successively, first from the interior of said valve housing between said valve disc and the valve seat, and second, between the peripheral surface of said aperture in the valve seat and the valve stem, to at least one of said lateral ports at the base of said valve stem, and thus to the central bore of the latter, and f. a second valve means in the housing including a second valve seat at a lower portion of the housing and a valve member adapted to form a seal therwith, for controlling flow into the housing through the dip tube, said second valve being closed upon tilting of said valve disc prior to opening of said passage from the interior of said valve housing to the bore of said valve stem, and being re-opened after re-closure of said passage when the valve disc is returned to non-tilted position.

Claim 6

A valve assembly for a pressurized container, comprising, in combination: a. an annular valve seat of resiliently yielding material, b. a first valve means comprising a disc having an upper surface engageable and adapted to form a seal with said valve seat, c. a tubular valve stem on said valve disc, extending through an aperture in said valve seat, the bore of said stem terminating at the valve disc and communicating at said terminal with at least one lateral port, each of said ports being normally in sealing contact with the peripherally surrounding surface of said aperture in the valve seat. d. a valve housing secured at its upper end in sealing contact with said valve seat and connected at its lower end with a dip tube, said housing having biasing means engageable with the under side of said valve disc at a peripheral portion of the disc and constituting a support therefor to position said valve disc yieldably againsT said valve seat, e. tilting of said valve disc downward against said biasing means opening a passage for the contents of said pressurized container, successively, first from the interior of said valve housing between said valve disc and the valve seat, and second, between the peripheral surface of said aperture in the valve seat and the valve stem, to at least one of said lateral ports at the base of said valve stem, and thus to the central bore of the latter, and f. a second valve means in the housing including a second valve seat at a lower portion of the housing and a valve member adapted to form a seal therwith, for controlling flow into the housing through the dip tube, said second valve being closed upon tilting of said valve disc prior to opening of said passage from the interior of said valve housing to the bore of said valve stem, and being re-opened after re-closure of said passage when the valve disc is returned to non-tilted position.

Claim 7

A metering valve assembly for pressurized aerosol dispensers having, within a valve housing, a pair of valves, one controlling access from the valve housing to the bore of an exteriorly extending valve stem, and the other controlling access of the pressurized contents of the dispenser from the interior of the latter to the valve housing, said first-named valve having an annular valve seat surrounding an aperture in the valve housing of the dispenser and a valve member having an annular shoulder adapted to form a seal with said valve seat and said aperture in the valve housing, and further comprising a lateral port in said stem communicating with the bore thereof, spaced from said annular shoulder and from the inner surface of said valve seat, so that said valve member when engaging said valve seat closes the passage from the interior of the valve housing through said lateral port and stem bore and when the valve member is tilted, a passage is opened between the valve housing and said lateral port and stem bore; said second valve member comprising a ball and valve means cooperating therewith to close off a passage from said container to said valve housing; a valve spring normally urging said ball out of sealing contact with said valve means and against the first-named valve member to hold the latter in sealing contact with its valve seat, said ball moving, against the force of said valve spring upon tilting of said first-named valve member together with the valve stem to valve-closing contact with said valve means before said passage opens from the valve housing to said lateral port and stem bore, and disengaging said valve means to open a passage to said valve housing from the interior of said pressurized dispenser after re-engagement of the first-named valve member with its valve seat when tilting of the valve stem and its associated valve member ceases.

Claim 8

A metering valve assembly for pressurized aerosol dispensers having, within a valve housing, a pair of valves, one controlling access from the valve housing to the bore of an exteriorly extending valve stem, and the other controlling access of the pressurized contents of the dispenser from the interior of the latter to the valve housing, said first-named valve having an annular valve seat surrounding an aperture in the valve housing of the dispenser and a valve member having an annular shoulder adapted to form a seal with said valve seat and said aperture in the valve housing, and further comprising a lateral port in said stem communicating with the bore thereof, spaced from said annular shoulder and from the inner surface of said valve seat, so that said valve member when engaging said valve seat closes the passage from the interior of the valve housing through said lateral port and stem bore and when the valve member is tilted, a passage is opened between the valve housing and said lateral port and stem bore; said second valve member comprising a ball and valve means cooperating therewith to close off a passage from said container to said valve housing; a valve spring normally urging said ball out of sealing contact with said valve means and against the first-named valve member to hold the latter in sealing contact with its valve seat, said ball moving, against the force of said valve spring upon tilting of said first-named valve member together with the valve stem to valve-closing contact with said valve means before said passage opens from the valve housing to said lateral port and stem bore, and disengaging said valve means to open a passage to said valve housing from the interior of said pressurized dispenser after re-engagement of the first-named valve member with its valve seat when tilting of the valve stem and its associated valve member ceases.

Claim 9

The invention as defined in claim 5 wherein said valve spring is an annulus having a central aperture supporting said ball, and resilient peripheral projections supported on an annular shoulder within the interior of the valve housing.

Claim 10

The invention as defined in claim 6 wherein the peripheral projections on said annulus extend therefrom toward said annular shoulder at an acute angle outwardly relative to the axis of said annulus.

Claim 11

The invention as defined in claim 5 wherein said valve spring is a resilient helix resting upon an annular shoulder below the valve seat, within the passage from the interior of said dispenser to said valve housing.

Claim 12

A valve assembly for a pressurized container, comprising, in combination: a. an annular valve seat of resiliently yielding material, b. a first valve means comprising a disc having an upper surface engageable and adapted to form a seal with said valve seat, c. a tubular valve stem on said valve disc, extending through an aperture in said valve seat, the bore of said stem terminating at the valve disc and communicating at said terminal with at least one lateral port, each of said pOrts being normally in sealing contact with the peripherally surrounding surface of said aperture in the valve seat, d. a valve housing secured at its upper end in sealing contact with said valve seat and connected at its lower end with a dip tube, said housing having biasing means engageable with the under side of said valve disc at a peripheral portion of the disc and constituting a support therefor to position said valve disc yieldably against said valve seat, e. tilting of said valve disc downward against said biasing means opening a passage for the contents of said pressurized container, successively, first from the interior of said valve housing between said valve disc and the valve seat, and second, between the peripheral surface of said aperture in the valve seat and the valve stem, to at least one of said lateral ports at the base of said valve stem, and thus to the central bore of the latter, and f. a second valve means in the housing including a second valve seat at a lower portion of the housing and a ball adapted to form a seal therewith for controlling the flow into the housing through the dip tube, said ball being urged by said biasing means out of sealing contact with said second valve seat and against said valve disc to hold the latter in contact with its valve seat, said second valve means being closed upon tilting of said valve disc prior to opening of said passage from the interior of said valve housing to the bore of said valve stem, and being re-opened after re-closure of said passage when the valve disc is returned to non-tilted position.

Claim 13

A valve assembly for a pressurized container, comprising, in combination: a. an annular valve seat of resiliently yielding material, b. a first valve means comprising a disc having an upper surface engageable and adapted to form a seal with said valve seat, c. a tubular valve stem on said valve disc, extending through an aperture in said valve seat, the bore of said stem terminating at the valve disc and communicating at said terminal with at least one lateral port, each of said pOrts being normally in sealing contact with the peripherally surrounding surface of said aperture in the valve seat, d. a valve housing secured at its upper end in sealing contact with said valve seat and connected at its lower end with a dip tube, said housing having biasing means engageable with the under side of said valve disc at a peripheral portion of the disc and constituting a support therefor to position said valve disc yieldably against said valve seat, e. tilting of said valve disc downward against said biasing means opening a passage for the contents of said pressurized container, successively, first from the interior of said valve housing between said valve disc and the valve seat, and second, between the peripheral surface of said aperture in the valve seat and the valve stem, to at least one of said lateral ports at the base of said valve stem, and thus to the central bore of the latter, and f. a second valve means in the housing including a second valve seat at a lower portion of the housing and a ball adapted to form a seal therewith for controlling the flow into the housing through the dip tube, said ball being urged by said biasing means out of sealing contact with said second valve seat and against said valve disc to hold the latter in contact with its valve seat, said second valve means being closed upon tilting of said valve disc prior to opening of said passage from the interior of said valve housing to the bore of said valve stem, and being re-opened after re-closure of said passage when the valve disc is returned to non-tilted position.

Claim 14

The invention as defined in claim 9 wherein said biasing means comprises an annulus having a central aperture supporting said ball, and resilient peripheral projections supported on an annular shoulder within the interior of the valve housing.

Claim 15

The invention as defined in claim 10 wherein the peripheral projections on said annulus extend at an acute angle outwardly relative to the axis of the valve disc.

Claim 16

The invention as defined in claim 9 wherein said biasing means comprises a resilient helix resting upon an annular shoulder located below said ball and within the passage leading from the interior of said dispenser into said valve housing.