US4093124A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Atomizer with air inlet valve
Assignee: L'Oréal SA
•
Filing: 1977-01-17
•
Granted: 1978-06-06
•
Expires: 1997-01-17
Abstract
Abstract Atomizer for liquids is mounted on a compressible container for the liquid so as to define an atomizing chamber in the neck of the container, which has an outlet nozzle and is connected through a depending tube to the lower part of the container and through a short duct to its upper part. The container is also connected to the open air through inlets controlled by non-return valves preventing the escape of fluid therethrough. When the container is compressed liquid flows into the atomization chamber through the tube, and air flows into it through the duct, so that a spray is dispensed through the nozzle. When the container is permitted to expand air is sucked in through the air inlets, which are larger in section than the nozzle. In one embodiment filters are provided to filter air drawn in through the air inlets.
Inventors
- 👤 Bruno Morane
- 👤 Yves Hardouin
- 👤 Jean-Louis Gueret
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 15:05
CPC Classifications
B; B05; B05B; B05B11/00; B05B11/01; B05B11/04; B05B11/042; B05B11/043; A; A61; A61M; A61M11/00; A61M11/02; B05B11/0005; B05B11/0037; B05B11/0039; B05B11/0044; B05B11/00444; A45; A45D; A45D2200/00; A45D2200/05; A45D2200/054; A45D2200/057
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
250 words
In an atomizer for spraying a liquid product, said atomizer comprising a container having flexible walls and a neck, a spray head mounted on said neck, an atomization chamber inside said spray head, a depending tube inside said container opening into said atomization chamber, at least one valveless ejection orifice leading from said chamber to the exterior of said container, and at least one duct connecting the spray chamber to the interior of the container so that the liquid product can be sprayed in atomized form both in an upright and an inverted position of the container, said spray head comprising an annular bottom the edges of which are connected to a peripheral mounting skirt fitted inside said neck and a hollow central shaft encircled by the mounting skirt, said hollow shaft being closed at its upper end by a wall pierced by said at least one ejection orifice, at least one air intake orifice in the annular bottom of the spray head cooperating with a valve member, the improvement according to which the depending tube terminates in a tip seated inside the hollow central shaft and cooperating with said spray head to define said atomization chamber, and the valve member is a flexible washer which covers said at least one air intake orifice when urged thereagainst by pressure within said container, said washer being centered around said tip and gripped between a collar formed on said tip and the corresponding area on the inner surface of said annular bottom.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
250 words
In an atomizer for spraying a liquid product, said atomizer comprising a container having flexible walls and a neck, a spray head mounted on said neck, an atomization chamber inside said spray head, a depending tube inside said container opening into said atomization chamber, at least one valveless ejection orifice leading from said chamber to the exterior of said container, and at least one duct connecting the spray chamber to the interior of the container so that the liquid product can be sprayed in atomized form both in an upright and an inverted position of the container, said spray head comprising an annular bottom the edges of which are connected to a peripheral mounting skirt fitted inside said neck and a hollow central shaft encircled by the mounting skirt, said hollow shaft being closed at its upper end by a wall pierced by said at least one ejection orifice, at least one air intake orifice in the annular bottom of the spray head cooperating with a valve member, the improvement according to which the depending tube terminates in a tip seated inside the hollow central shaft and cooperating with said spray head to define said atomization chamber, and the valve member is a flexible washer which covers said at least one air intake orifice when urged thereagainst by pressure within said container, said washer being centered around said tip and gripped between a collar formed on said tip and the corresponding area on the inner surface of said annular bottom.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
Atomizer as claimed in claim 1 in which said at least one air intake orifice has a cross-section greater than that of said at least one ejection orifice.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
51 words
Atomizer as claimed in claim 1 in which the end of the peripheral mounting skirt remote from the one to which the annular bottom of the spray head is connected is provided with an annular flange projecting radially outward from said skirt and which rests on the edge of the neck.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
42 words
Atomizer as claimed in claim 1 in which a plurality of air inlet orifices are formed in the annular bottom of the spray head, the axes of said orifices being preferably positioned concentrically with respect to the axis of the spray head.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
Atomizer as claimed in claim 1 in which the depending tube opens into the atomizing chamber substantially along the axis of the ejection orifice.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
47 words
Atomizer as claimed in claim 1 in which the tip attached to the depending tube comprises grooves in its lateral wall which cooperate with the lateral inner wall of the hollow shaft to define the ducts which connect the spray chamber to the interior of the container.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
39 words
Atomizer as claimed in claim 1 in which the tip is a member discrete from the depending tube, having a generally cylindrical shape and pierced by an axial bore, said depending tube having one end inserted into said bore.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
Atomizer as claimed in claim 6 in which the tip has two diametrically opposed ducts extending along the generatrices of its lateral cylindrical wall.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
46 words
Atomizer as claimed in claim 1 in which a collar is formed on the peripheral lateral wall of the tip and near the end thereof connected to the depending tube, said collar projecting radially outward from said tip and having notches formed therein intersecting said duct.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
40 words
Atomizer as claimed in claim 1 adapted to distribute nasal mists in which the upper part of the central shaft of the spray head is closed by a conical or frusto-conical spout defining said ejection orifice at its smaller end.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
39 words
Atomizer as claimed in claim 1 comprising at least one porous filter positioned between said valve member and the outside of said atomizer in the path of air entering said container through said at least one air inlet orifice.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
233 words
In an atomizer for spraying a liquid product, said atomizer comprising a container having flexible walls and a neck, a spray head mounted on said neck, an atomization chamber inside said spray head, a depending tube inside said container opening into said atomization chamber, at least one ejection orifice leading from said chamber to the exterior of said container, at least one duct connecting the spray chamber to the interior of the container, said spray head comprising an annular bottom the edges of which are connected to a peripheral mounting skirt fitted inside said neck and a hollow central shaft encircled by the mounting skirt, said hollow shaft being closed at its upper end by a wall pierced by said at least one ejection orifice, and at least one air intake orifice in the annular bottom of the spray head cooperating with a valve member, the improvement which comprises at least one porous filter positioned between said valve member and the outside of said atomizer in the path of air entering said container through said at least one air inlet orifice, in which the porous filter is made of a material which is not wetted by the product stored in the container and, in which the material of which the filter is made is treated with a bactericidal product which is insoluble in the product to be atomized and does not react therewith.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
233 words
In an atomizer for spraying a liquid product, said atomizer comprising a container having flexible walls and a neck, a spray head mounted on said neck, an atomization chamber inside said spray head, a depending tube inside said container opening into said atomization chamber, at least one ejection orifice leading from said chamber to the exterior of said container, at least one duct connecting the spray chamber to the interior of the container, said spray head comprising an annular bottom the edges of which are connected to a peripheral mounting skirt fitted inside said neck and a hollow central shaft encircled by the mounting skirt, said hollow shaft being closed at its upper end by a wall pierced by said at least one ejection orifice, and at least one air intake orifice in the annular bottom of the spray head cooperating with a valve member, the improvement which comprises at least one porous filter positioned between said valve member and the outside of said atomizer in the path of air entering said container through said at least one air inlet orifice, in which the porous filter is made of a material which is not wetted by the product stored in the container and, in which the material of which the filter is made is treated with a bactericidal product which is insoluble in the product to be atomized and does not react therewith.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
29 words
Atomizer as claimed in claim 12 in which the porous filter consists of hydrophobic fibers selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl chloride, polyamide, polyester, polypropylene, and polyacrylic fibers.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
52 words
Atomizer as claimed in claim 12 in which the porous filter is in the form of a ring positioned in alignment with the air intake orifices outwardly of the container with respect to the valve member, said ring being inserted between the peripheral skirt and the central shaft of the spray head.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
66 words
Atomizer as claimed in claim 14 in which the porous filter bears at its two pheripheral edges on two annular shoulders extending into the space between the peripheral mounting skirt and the central shaft of the spray head, one of the said shoulders being formed on the inner wall of said peripheral skirt while the other is formed on the outer wall of the central shaft.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
51 words
Atomizer as claimed in claim 15 in which the filter is held on the two annular shoulders against which it bears by means of a perforated retaining ring positioned between said filter and an annular ridge formed in relief on the inner wall of the peripheral skirt of the spray head.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
56 words
Atomizer as claimed in claim 12 in which the peripheral skirt of the spray head is provided with an annular flange on its upper edge remote from that at which it is connected to the bottom of said head, said flange projecting radially with respect to said skirt and bearing on the edge of the neck.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
37 words
Atomizer as claimed in claim 17 in which the porous filter is positioned substantially perpendicularly to the axis of the spray head between the bottom in which the air inlet orifices are pierced and said annular flange.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
44 words
Atomizer as claimed in claim 12 adapted to distribute nasal sprays, in which the wall which forms the upper part of the central shaft of the spray head constitutes a conical or frusto-conical spout having at least one ejection orifice at its narrow end.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3176883A
Cited
US3333741A
Cited
US3358883A
Cited
US3519208A
Cited
US3679137A
Cited
US3760987A
Cited
US3794247A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1981-06-05 | 1981-12-05 | 1982-06-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1985-06-05 | 1985-12-05 | 1986-06-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1989-06-05 | 1989-12-05 | 1990-06-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |