Unattended aerosol dispenser

Claim 2

A dispenser for effecting intermittent discharge of an aerosol including product and propellent from an aerosol container, said dispenser means comprising: a. means defining an accumulator region disposed at one end of the container and having an entrance end communicating with the interior of the container to receive an aerosol therefrom; b. a snap action means including a diaphram forming a wall of the accumulator region and having a valve seat element, an opposing wall of the accumulator region having a mating valve seat element, said valve seat elements being in fluid sealing relationship when the snap action valve means is closed; c. means forming a discharge passage from the accumulator region including an entrance end surrounded by one of the valve seats; d. and a flow control body fixed between the entrance end of the accumulator region and the interior of the container, said flow control body including an elongated tortuous or labyrinth path means to produce a gradual pressure drop as the product and propellent pass therethrough from the interior of the container into the accumulator region, to volatilize at least a portion of the aerosol to form a gaseous and a liquid phase, which phases pass into the accumulator region for distribution in the accumulator region during gradual rise in pressure therein until the valve seats open for flow through the discharge passage.

Claim 3

An intermittent dispenser, as defined in claim 1, which further comprises: a. a manually operated actuator for adjusting the spacing between the valve seat elements when open to determine the flow rate through the discharge passageway and to determine the lower pressure at which the valve elements close, thereby adjusting the volume and duration of each period of flow; b. said actuator being adjustable to shut off intermittent flow.

Claim 4

An intermittent dispenser as defined in claim 1, wherein: a. the flow control body is disposed at the bottom side of the accumulator chamber and the communication between the accumulator chamber and valve chamber includes a passage having a lower end in proximity to the flow control body, whereby on accumulation of aerosol at the bottom of the accumulator chamber, the liquid phase initially isolates the gaseous phase from communication with the valve chamber, to cause a liquid phase discharge followed by a gaseous phase discharge enhanced by the initially trapped gaseous phase in the accumulation chamber.

Claim 5

An intermittent dispenser as defined in claim 1, wherein: a. the snap action element is a valve diaphram forming one of the seat elements at its center, and the other seat element is movable therewith to maintain closed contact until snap action occurs.

Claim 6

An intermittent dispenser as defined in claim 1, wherein: a. the snap action means is a valve diaphram having a central relatively movable means including one of the seat elements, the relatively movable means maintaining engagement with the other seat element until snap action occurs.

Claim 7

An intermittent dispenser as defined in claim 1, wherein: a. the snap action element includes a flexible diaphram having one of the seat elements, a snap spring at the opposite side of the diaphram isolated from the aerosol.

Claim 8

An intermittent dispenser as defined in claim 1, wherein: a. the supply passage, flow control body, and accumulator chamber are arranged as a first unit permanently incorporated in the aerosol container; b. the valve chamber, snap action means and discharge passageway are arranged as a second unit; c. and separable connector means join the first and second units.

Claim 9

An intermittent dispenser as defined in claim 1, which further comprises: a. a manually operated means bypassing the flow control body for effecting manually controlled discharge of the aerosol without disturbing the rate of flow through the flow control body.

Claim 10

An intermittent dispenser, as defined in claim 1, which further comprises: a. means for varyng the rate of flow of aerosol through the flow control body.

Claim 11

An intermittent dispenser, as defined in claim 1, wherein: a. the flow control body is a porous body having a multiplicity of labyrinth passages therethrough.

Claim 12

An intermittent dispenser, as defined in claim 1, wherein a. the flow control body is a porous body having a multiplicity of labyrinth passages therethrough, the entrance ends of the passages are distributed over a substantial portion of the surface of the porous body and the exit ends of the passages are less in number and confined to a preselected reduced portion of the surface of the porous body, whereby the effective combined area of the labyrinth passages decreases toward the exit ends of the labyrinth passages.

Claim 13

An intermittent dispenser, as defined in claim 11, wherein: a. means is provided to vary the relative number of labyrinth passage entrance and exit ends thereby to vary the rate of discharge of aerosol therefrom.

Claim 14

An intermittent dispenser, as defined in claim 1, wherein: a. the flow control body includes a multiplicity of laminations having preformed labyrinths thereon.

Claim 15

An intermittent dispenser, as defined in claim 1, wherein the flow control body includes: a. a multiplicity of laminations having preformed labyrinth passages thereon arranged in series; b. and a manually adjustable control member for varying the effective length of the labyrinth passages, thereby to vary the rate of discharge from the flow control body.

Claim 16

An intermittent dispenser as defined in claim 14, wherein: a. said manual control member is further movable to shut off flow from the flow control body and also further movable to bypass the labyrinth passages and override intermittent operation of the valve means.

Claim 17

An intermittent dispenser, as defined in claim 1, for aerosols which undergo separation of product and propellent, the propellent collecting at the top of the container, wherein: a. the supply passageway includes a dip tube having an entrance end at the bottom portion of the container; b. a propellent passage bypasses the dip tube and communicates between the top of the container and the flow control body to supplement the supply of aerosol from the dip tube and increase the proportion of gaseous propellent in the accumulator chamber.

Claim 18

An intermittent dispenser, as defined in claim 1, for use with conventional aerosol containers having a conventional aerosol outlet and dip tube, wherein the dispenser further comprises: a. a separable coupling for attaching the supply passageway to the aerosol outlet and dip tube; b. and attachment elements for removable engagement with the aerosol container.

Claim 19

Means for effecting intermittent discharge of an aerosol including a product and a propellent from an aerosol container having a dip tube extending from the bottom between the ends to the top end of the container, said means comprising: a. means defining an aerosol accumulator region disposed at the upper end of the container, including a lower sub-region and an upper sub-region and a connecting sub-region; b. a snap action valve means including a diaphram forming the upper wall of the upper sub-region and having a valve seat disposed thereon, the bottom opposing wall of the upper sub-region having a mating valve seat; c. means forming a discharge passage including an entrance end surrounded by one of the valve seats; d. a flow control body at the lower sub-region connected to the upper end of the dip tube, said flow control body including a tortuous path to produce a gradual pressure drop in the aerosol passing from the dip tube into the accumulator region thereby volatilizing at least a portion of the aerosol forming a gaseous and a liquid phase, which phases pass into the accumulator region for distribution therein and gradual rise in pressure therein until the valve seats open for flow through the discharge passage.

Claim 20

Means for effecting intermittent discharge of an aerosol including a product and a propellent from an aerosol container having a dip tube extending from the bottom between the ends to the top end of the container, said means comprising: a. means defining an aerosol accumulator region disposed at the upper end of the container, including a lower sub-region and an upper sub-region and a connecting sub-region; b. a snap action valve means including a diaphram forming the upper wall of the upper sub-region and having a valve seat disposed thereon, the bottom opposing wall of the upper sub-region having a mating valve seat; c. means forming a discharge passage including an entrance end surrounded by one of the valve seats; d. a flow control body at the lower sub-region connected to the upper end of the dip tube, said flow control body including a tortuous path to produce a gradual pressure drop in the aerosol passing from the dip tube into the accumulator region thereby volatilizing at least a portion of the aerosol forming a gaseous and a liquid phase, which phases pass into the accumulator region for distribution therein and gradual rise in pressure therein until the valve seats open for flow through the discharge passage.

Claim 21

An intermittent dispenser for a pressurized aerosol container provided with a dispensing tube having a discharge end, said dispenser comprising: a. a flow control means having a lower side for receiving pressurized aerosol from the dispensing tube, and including elongated restricted passage means dimensioned to produce a gradual pressure drop in the aerosol passing upwardly through the flow control means, thereby to cause at least partial separation of the aerosol into its liquid and gaseous components for upward discharge therefrom; b. an accumulator means defining a first chamber having fixed walls, a contiguous second chamber having at least one movable wall, and a connecting passage, the first chamber having a lower region for collecting the liquid component discharged from the flow control means thereunder, and an upper region for collecting the gaseous component discharged from the flow control means, and the connecting passage having an entrance end in the lower region of the first chamber; c. valve means including the movable wall of the second chamber, and a pair of valve seats carried by the movable wall and the opposing wall of the second chamber, said movable wall having initial slow movement in proportion to increase in pressure in the accumulator means, and a final snap movement when the pressure in the accumulator means reaches a selected amount, said slow movement of the movable wall; d. and an aerosol discharge passage having an entrance opening within one of the valve seats for discharging the contents of the lower and upper regions of the first chamber in sequence thereby to discharge the liquid component followed by discharge of a gaseous component to sweep away any residual liquid component from the discharge passage.

Claim 22

An intermittent dispenser for a pressurized aerosol container provided with a dispensing tube having a discharge end, said dispenser comprising: a. a flow control means having a lower side for receiving pressurized aerosol from the dispensing tube, and including elongated restricted passage means dimensioned to produce a gradual pressure drop in the aerosol passing upwardly through the flow control means, thereby to cause at least partial separation of the aerosol into its liquid and gaseous components for upward discharge therefrom; b. an accumulator means defining a first chamber having fixed walls, a contiguous second chamber having at least one movable wall, and a connecting passage, the first chamber having a lower region for collecting the liquid component discharged from the flow control means thereunder, and an upper region for collecting the gaseous component discharged from the flow control means, and the connecting passage having an entrance end in the lower region of the first chamber; c. valve means including the movable wall of the second chamber, and a pair of valve seats carried by the movable wall and the opposing wall of the second chamber, said movable wall having initial slow movement in proportion to increase in pressure in the accumulator means, and a final snap movement when the pressure in the accumulator means reaches a selected amount, said slow movement of the movable wall; d. and an aerosol discharge passage having an entrance opening within one of the valve seats for discharging the contents of the lower and upper regions of the first chamber in sequence thereby to discharge the liquid component followed by discharge of a gaseous component to sweep away any residual liquid component from the discharge passage.

Claim 23

Means for effecting intermittent dispensing of an aerosol from an aerosol ccontainer, comprising: a. a flow control body for receiving an aerosol from the aerosol container, the flow control body including an elongated labyrinth path to produce a gradual pressure drop in the aerosol passing therethrough to volatilize at least a portion of the aerosol and cause discharge of liquid and gaseous components from the flow control body; b. means defining a discharge passageway; c. means defining an accumulator region between the discharge passageway and the flow control body, the accumulator region including a first sub-region for accumulating a gaseous component, a second sub-region for accumulating a liquid component, and a third sub-region for accumulating a gaseous component; d. and valve means forming confronting wall portions of the first sub-region responsive to a predetermined high pressure in the first accumulator sub-region to open the discharge passageway thereby to cause discharge from said sub-regions in sequence whereby the initial discharge is gaseous, followed by a liquid discharge followed by a final gaseous discharge, said valve means closing in response to a predetermined low pressure in said accumulator region.

Claim 24

Means for effecting intermittent dispensing of an aerosol from an aerosol ccontainer, comprising: a. a flow control body for receiving an aerosol from the aerosol container, the flow control body including an elongated labyrinth path to produce a gradual pressure drop in the aerosol passing therethrough to volatilize at least a portion of the aerosol and cause discharge of liquid and gaseous components from the flow control body; b. means defining a discharge passageway; c. means defining an accumulator region between the discharge passageway and the flow control body, the accumulator region including a first sub-region for accumulating a gaseous component, a second sub-region for accumulating a liquid component, and a third sub-region for accumulating a gaseous component; d. and valve means forming confronting wall portions of the first sub-region responsive to a predetermined high pressure in the first accumulator sub-region to open the discharge passageway thereby to cause discharge from said sub-regions in sequence whereby the initial discharge is gaseous, followed by a liquid discharge followed by a final gaseous discharge, said valve means closing in response to a predetermined low pressure in said accumulator region.

Claim 25

An intermittent dispenser, as defined in claim 20, which further comprises: a. manually operated means engageable with the valve means to shut off flow through the discharge passageway; b. said manually operable means also being adjustable to regulate the rate of flow through the discharge passageway and to regulate the low pressure at which the valve means closes.

Claim 26

An intermittent dispensing means as defined in claim 20, wherein: a. the second and third sub-regions are formed in a common chamber having a lower side exposed to the flow control means, and defining the second region, the upper portion of the chamber defining the third region; b. and a depending tubular element dips into liquid accumulating in the second region and communicates with the first region.

Claim 27

An intermittent dispensing means, as defined in claim 20, wherein: a. the valve means includes a snap action element and means is provided for maintaining the valve means closed until snap action of the element occurs.

Claim 28

An intermittent dispensing means, as defined in claim 20, wherein: a. the valve means includes a snap action diaphram and a bellows diaphram, the bellows diaphram maintaining the valve means closed until snap action occurs.

Claim 29

An intermittent dispensing means, as defined in claim 20, wherein: a. the valve means includes a flexible diaphram, a valve seat confronting the diaphram, and a snap spring at the opposite side of the diaphram isolated from the aerosol.

Claim 30

An intermittent dispensing means, as defined in claim 20, wherein: a. the supply passage, flow control means, second and third sub-regions are arranged as a disposable unit permanently attached to the aerosol container for disposal therewith; b. and separable elements connect the first subregion to the disposable unit to permit reuse of the valve means.

Claim 31

An intermittent dispenser, as defined in claim 20, which further comprises: a. a manually operated means bypassing the flow control means for effecting manually controlled discharge of the aerosol.

Claim 32

An intermittent dispenser as defined in claim 20, which further comprises: a. means for varying the rate of flow through the flow control body.

Claim 33

An intermittent dispenser, as defined in claim 20, wherein: a. the flow control body is provided with a multiplicity of labyrinth passages therethrough.

Claim 34

An intermittent dispenser, as defined in claim 20, wherein: a. the flow control body is provided with a multiplicity of labryinth passages therethrough, the entrance ends being distributed over a substantial portion of the surface of the porous body, and exit ends confined to a preselected reduced portion of the surface of the porous body, whereby the effective combined area of the labyrinth passages decreases toward the exit ends of the labyrinth passages.

Claim 35

An intermittent dispenser, as defined in claim 30, wherein: a. means is provided to vary the relative combined areas of the entrance and exit ends of the labyrinth passages to vary the rate of discharge of aerosol therefrom.

Claim 36

An intermittent dispenser, as defined in claim 20, wherein: a. the flow control body includes a multiplicity of laminations having preformed labyrinth passages thereon.

Claim 37

An intermittent dispenser, as defined in claim 20, wherein: a. the flow control body includes a multiplicity of laminations having preformed labyrinth passages thereon arranged in series; b. and a manually adjustable control member is provided to vary the effective length of the labyrinth passages thereby to vary the rate of discharge from the flow control body.

Claim 38

An intermittent dispenser, as defined in claim 32, wherein: a. said manual control member is further movable to shut off flow from the flow control body and also further movable to bypass the labyrinth passages thereby to override intermittent operation of the valve means.

Claim 39

An intermittent dispenser, as defined in claim 20, for aerosols which undergo separation of product and propellent, the propellent collecting at the top of the container, wherein: a. the supply passageway includes a dip tube having an entrance end at the bottom portion of the container; b. a propellent passage extends from the top of the container to the flow control body for delivery of supplementary gaseous fluid to the third region.

Claim 40

An intermittent dispenser, as defined in claim 20, wherein the aerosol container has a conventional aerosol outlet and the dispenser further comprises: a. means for removable attachment to the aerosol container and its aerosol outlet.

Claim 41

Means for effecting intermittent dispensing of an aerosol from an aerosol container, comprising: a. means defining a supply passageway for the contents of an aerosol container; b. a flow control body having a lower intake side for receiving the flow from the supply passageway and an upper discharge side, the flow control body having labyrinth passage means therethrough of such size and length as to cause separation of the aerosol into gaseous and liquid components in the course of flow therethrough as well as to discharge a small volume over a long time period; c. an accumulator chamber having a bottom end for receiving the aerosol components and an upwardly extending connector passage; d. a valve chamber above the accumulator chamber having a lower side communicating with the connector passage; e. a pressure responsive snap action diaphram valve forming the upper side of the valve chamber, the diaphram valve and lower wall of the valve chamber having mating valve seats; f. a discharge passage having an entrance end surrounded by one of the valve seats; g. said diaphram valve and the valve seats being movable in unison therewith in response to pressure increase in the accumulator chamber resulting from flow of the liquid and gaseous aerosol components into the accumulator chamber; h. said diaphram valve being arranged to cause its valve seat to snap open at a preselected pressure in the valve and accumulator chambers to cause flow through the discharge passageway accompanied by corresponding drop in pressure in the valve and accumulator chambers; i. said diaphram valve being arranged to cause its valve seat to snap closed at a preselected lower pressure to terminate flow through the discharge passageway thereby to permit repressuring of the valve and accumulator chambers, and reopening of the discharge passageway; j. said connector passage including a portion extending downwardly into the accumulator chamber to form an entrance end adjacent the bottom of the accumulator chamber whereby on accumulation of the liquid and gaseous components therein the liquid component covers the entrance end of the outlet and traps the gaseous component in the accumulator chamber above the liquid component thereby to cause, on opening of the discharge passageway, a discharge of the liquid component from the accumulator chamber followed by a final discharge of the previously trapped gaseous component thereby to flush the discharge passageway free of the liquid component.

Claim 42

Means for effecting intermittent dispensing of an aerosol from an aerosol container, comprising: a. means defining a supply passageway for the contents of an aerosol container; b. a flow control body having a lower intake side for receiving the flow from the supply passageway and an upper discharge side, the flow control body having labyrinth passage means therethrough of such size and length as to cause separation of the aerosol into gaseous and liquid components in the course of flow therethrough as well as to discharge a small volume over a long time period; c. an accumulator chamber having a bottom end for receiving the aerosol components and an upwardly extending connector passage; d. a valve chamber above the accumulator chamber having a lower side communicating with the connector passage; e. a pressure responsive snap action diaphram valve forming the upper side of the valve chamber, the diaphram valve and lower wall of the valve chamber having mating valve seats; f. a discharge passage having an entrance end surrounded by one of the valve seats; g. said diaphram valve and the valve seats being movable in unison therewith in response to pressure increase in the accumulator chamber resulting from flow of the liquid and gaseous aerosol components into the accumulator chamber; h. said diaphram valve being arranged to cause its valve seat to snap open at a preselected pressure in the valve and accumulator chambers to cause flow through the discharge passageway accompanied by corresponding drop in pressure in the valve and accumulator chambers; i. said diaphram valve being arranged to cause its valve seat to snap closed at a preselected lower pressure to terminate flow through the discharge passageway thereby to permit repressuring of the valve and accumulator chambers, and reopening of the discharge passageway; j. said connector passage including a portion extending downwardly into the accumulator chamber to form an entrance end adjacent the bottom of the accumulator chamber whereby on accumulation of the liquid and gaseous components therein the liquid component covers the entrance end of the outlet and traps the gaseous component in the accumulator chamber above the liquid component thereby to cause, on opening of the discharge passageway, a discharge of the liquid component from the accumulator chamber followed by a final discharge of the previously trapped gaseous component thereby to flush the discharge passageway free of the liquid component.

Claim 43

An intermittent aerosol dispensing means as defined in claim 37, wherein: a. the flow control body is a porous body and the labyrinth passage means constitutes a multiplicity of labyrinth passages through the porous body so arranged that passage means entrance ends materially exceeds the passage means exit ends, thereby to effect progressive restriction of flow.

Claim 44

An intermittent aerosol dispensing means as defined in claim 38, wherein: a. means is provided to vary the relative number of passage inlet and outlet ends thereby to vary the rate of flow into the accumulator chamber, and the period between discharge of aerosol.

Claim 45

An intermittent aerosol dispensing means, as defined in claim 37, wherein the flow control body includes; a. a multiplicity of laminations having preformed labyrinth passages arranged in series; b. and a manually operable control member for varying the effective length of the labyrinth passages, thereby to vary the rate of seepage into the accumulator chamber and the period between discharge of aerosol.

Claim 46

An intermittent aerosol dispensing means, as defined in claim 37, wherein: a. the discharge passageway extends axially through the diaphram valve.

Claim 47

An intermittent aerosol dispensing means, as defined in claim 37, wherein: a. the discharge passageway extends laterally between the valve and accumulator chambers.

Claim 48

Means for effecting intermittent dispensing of an aerosol from an aerosol container, comprising: a. a flow control body for receiving an aerosol from the aerosol container, the flow control body including an elongated tortuous path to produce a gradual pressure drop in the aerosol passing therethrough to volatilize at least a portion of the aerosol and cause discharge of liquid and gaseous components from the flow control body at a low flow rate; b. means defining a discharge passageway; c. means defining an accumulator region between the discharge passageway and the flow control body; d. a valve means forming confronting wall portions of the accumulator region for controlling flow therefrom into the discharge passageway, the valve means including an externally accessible portion; e. and an externally disposed maually operable means engageable with the valve means to close the discharge passageway and retractable therefrom to permit preselected movement of the valve means.

Claim 49

Means for effecting intermittent dispensing of an aerosol from an aerosol container, comprising: a. a flow control body for receiving an aerosol from the aerosol container, the flow control body including an elongated tortuous path to produce a gradual pressure drop in the aerosol passing therethrough to volatilize at least a portion of the aerosol and cause discharge of liquid and gaseous components from the flow control body at a low flow rate; b. means defining a discharge passageway; c. means defining an accumulator region between the discharge passageway and the flow control body; d. a valve means forming confronting wall portions of the accumulator region for controlling flow therefrom into the discharge passageway, the valve means including an externally accessible portion; e. and an externally disposed maually operable means engageable with the valve means to close the discharge passageway and retractable therefrom to permit preselected movement of the valve means.