US3365105A - Dispensing container and charging valve therefor - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 23, 1968 J. A. KRIZKA 3,365,105

DISPENSING CONTAINER AND CHARGING VALVE THEREFOR Filed Jan. 7, 1966 ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,365,105 DISPENSING CONTAINER AND CHARGING VALVE THEREFOR Jerry A. Krizka, Markham, 11]., assignor to Continental Can Company, Inc, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Jan. 7, 1966, Ser. No. 519,386 2 Claims. (Cl. 222-394) ABSTRACT 0F THE DISCLOSURE A dispensing container having a body and a lower closure defining a propellant chamber, and valve means for introducing propellant into the chamber. The valve means includes a boss projecting upwardly from the lower closure, and passage means therein are normally closed by a flexible member externally surrounding the boss whereby deflection of the flexible member permits the introduction of a propellant into the chamber while subsequent rebounding prevents the escape of the propellant.

This invention relates to a novel dispensing container, and is particularly directed to a novel charging valve for introducing a propellant into a propellant chamber of the container and preventing the escape of the propellant at the termination of a charging operation and the subsequent life of the dispensing container.

An object of this invention is to provide a novel dispensing container of the type including a container body closed by upper and lower closures, means defining a product chamber and a propellant chamber in the body, means for controllably dispensing a dispensable product from the product chamber under the influence of a pres surized propellant in the propellant chamber, and valve means for charging the propellant chamber, the valve means including a boss projecting from the lower closure toward the upper closure, the boss including a main passage between the exterior and interior of the lower closure, and a passage portion opening generally radially through the boss, and a flexible member at least partially externally surrounding the boss and overlying the passage portion whereby propellant introduced into the main passage causes deflection of the flexible member and the subsequent rebounding of the flexible member closes the passage portion and prevents the escape of propellant from the propellant chamber.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel dispensing container of the type just described in which the boss includes means restraining the flexible member against axial movement toward the upper closure under the influence of propellant being admitted into the propellant chamber during a charging operation whereby inadvertent or accidential disassembly of the flexible member and the boss is precluded.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel dispensing container of the type heretofore described wherein the boss is an integral portion of the lower closure, the lower closure is constructed from metallic material, and the passage portion is a deformed opening formed in a portion of the lower closure prior to a draw ing operation which transforms the portion into the boss.

With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description, the appended claims and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawing:

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a novel dispensing container of this invention with parts thereof broken away for clarity, and illustrates a charging valve "ice housed internally of the container and formed in part by a lower closure thereof.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken generally along line 22 of FIGURE 1, and illustrates an annular flexible member surrounding an upstanding boss having a plurality of radial openings.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken generally along line 3-3 of FIGURE 2, and more clearly illustrates the charging valve in the closed position thereof.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken through the lower end portion of a dispensing container similar to the dispensing container of FIGURE 1, and illustrates another charging valve secured to a lower closure of the container.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken generally along line 55 of FIGURE 4, and illustrates a flexible member surrounding a boss of the valve and normally closing radial passages of the boss in the closed position of the charging valve.

A novel dispensing container and charging valve therefor constructed in accordance with this invention is fully illustrated in FIGURE 1 of the drawing and is generally referred to by the reference numeral 10. The dispensing container 10 includes a generally cylindrical metallic body 11 closed at an upper end portion by an upper domeshaped closure 12. The closure 12 is secured to the body 11 by means of a conventional double seam 13. A manually operable conventional dispensing valve mechanism, generally referred to by the reference numeral 14, is carried by the upper closure 12 and is in fluid communication with a product chamber (unnumbered) defined by a collapsible bag 15.

A lower end of the dispensing container 10 is closed by means of a concave, metallic lower closure 16 secured by means of a conventional double seam 17 to the container body 11. A propellant charging valve, generally referred to by the reference numeral 20, is housed within a propellant chamber 21, and is defined in part by the lower closure 16.

The charging valve 20 comprises a boss, generally referred to by the reference numeral 22, and a generally annular, flexible member 23 (FIGURES 2 and 3). The boss 22 is formed by a drawing and crimping operation, as will be more apparent hereafter, and includes an axially disposed wall 24 projecting from the lower closure 16 upwardly toward the closure 12. The boss 22 terminates in an end wall 25 which is integrally joined to the annular wall 24 by means of a crimped circumferential bead 26. The bead 26 thereby defines a continuous radially outwardly directed flange or enlargement which overlies an upper terminal surface 27 of the flexible member 23 and restraius the latter against removal from the boss 25 upon the introduction of a propellant into the propellant chamber 21 as will be more fully described hereafter.

Propellant is introduced into the propellant chamber 21 by means of a main passage, generally referred to by the reference numeral 28, which is defined by the annular wall 24 of the boss 22 and a plurality of passage portions or openings 30 having axes substantially normal to the axis of the boss 22 and the container body 11. The openings 30 are in identical spaced relationship about the periphery of the boss 22, as is best illustrated in FIGURE 2 of the drawing.

The flexible member 23 is an annular sleeve of elastic material, such as plastic or rubber, and includes an inner cylindrical sealing surface 33 which seats against a cylindrical sealing surface 34 (FIGURE 2) of the boss 22 between the circumferential bead 26 and a radius portion 35 joining the annular wall 24 to the lower closure 16. In the unstretched condition of the flexible member 23, the diameter of the sealing surface 33 is less than the diameter of the surface 34 of the boss 22. The flexible member 23 is stretched andslipped over the circumferential head 26 until seated in the position illustrated in FIGURE 3 of the drawing at which time the flexible member 23 rebounds to urge the surfaces 33, 34 into intimate sealing contact.

The dispensing container is charged with a suitable propellant from a source (not shown) of pressurized propellant, such as compressed air. The propellant is introduced through the main passage 28 of the boss 22 and the pressure of the propellant acting against the flexible member 23 through the openings causes the flexible member 23 to deflect radially outwardly resulting in the unseating of the surfaces 33,. 34 and the resultant introduction of the propellant into the propellant chamber 21. After a predetermined volume of the propellant has been introduced into the chamber 21, the supply of propellant to the passage 28 is terminated and the flexible member 23 rebounds to the position illustrated in FIGURE 3 with the surfaces 33, 34 in sealing contact. The propellant within the propellant chamber 21 acting against the exterior of the flexible member 23 maintains the surfaces 33, 34 in sealing engagement and prevents the propellant from escaping after the charging operation.

Another novel charging valve constructed in accordance with this invention is illustrated in FIGURES 4 and 5 of the drawing, and is generally referred to by the reference numeral 40. The charging valve is housed generally within a propellant chamber 41 of a dispensing container (unnumbered) corresponding to the dispensing container 10 of FIGURE 1. The dispensing container (unnumbered) includes a container body 42 and a lower closure 43 secured to each other by means (not shown), such as a double seam. An aperture (unnumbered) is formed in the lower closure 43 and is defined by an annular radially inwardly and downwardly directed flange 44 (FIGURE 4).

The charging valve 40 includes a boss 45 and a sleevelike flexible sealing member 46. The boss 45 is preferably constructed from relatively rigid plastic material while the sleeve or flexible member 46 is formed from flexible elastic material, such as rubber.

The boss 45 of the charging valve 40 includes a central portion 47 and axially opposite enlarged end portions 50, 51. The enlarged portions 50, 51 define continuous radially outwardly directed flanges which cooperate to confine a portion 52 of the flexible member 46 therebetween, as is best illustrated in FIGURE 4 of the drawing.

The lower enlarged portion 51 of the boss 45 includes means 53 for securing the charging valve 40 to the lower closure 43. The securing means 53 is a radially outwardly opening circumferential groove which houses the annular flange 44 of the lower closure 43. The flange 44 is seated in the groove 53 by forcing a tapered frusto-conical end portion 54 through the opening (unnumbered) defined by the flange 44.

The boss 45 includes a main passage 56 terminating short of an end wall 57. A plurality of identical passage portions or ports 58 open into the main passage 56 at the central portion 47 of the boss 45. The passage portions 58 open through a circumferential sealing surface 60 of the boss 45 which is normally in sealing contact with a circumferential sealing surface 61 of the flexible member 46.

The flexible member 46 is similar in construction and operation to the flexible member 23 of the charging valve 20. However, as opposed to the uniform wall thickness of the flexible member 23, the flexible member 46 has a varied wall thickness which progressively decreases upwardly between the enlargements 51, 50. This construction of the flexible member 46 assures unseating of the sealing surfaces 60, 61 above the ports 58 during a charging operation.

Turning once again to the charging valve 26), the boss 22 thereof is formed by stamping a circular blank from a portion of metallic sheet material. The diameter of the blank (not shown) is larger than the maximum diameter of the lower closure 16 in order to compensate for the material required to form the seam 17, the boss 22 and the concave contour of the closure. While the circular blank is still flat, and planar, a plurality of holes are each punched an identical distance from the central axis of the blank and the holes are equally arcuately spaced from each other. The particular shape of the holes or openings, as well as the number thereof, may be varied as desired.

After the openings have been formed in the blank the blank is positioned between male and female die members (not shown) and a two-stage drawing operation is performed on the blank to form an axially directed un crimped boss having an axial length greater than the boss when crimped, and to form the concave portion of the closure radially outwardly of the boss. The partially formed closure is removed from the drawing apparatus and transferred to a crimping apparatus (not shown) which crimps or folds over the material at the closed end portion of the boss to form a circumferential bead corresponding to the folded bead 26. A flexible member may be placed upon the uncrimped boss prior to the crimping operation to avoid the necessity of stretching the flexible member an appreciable amount as is necessary after the circumferential bead 26 has been formed.

The closure and associated charging valve is then secured to a container body for subsequent operation in the manner heretofore described.

While both of the charging valves 2t), 40 are prefer ably provided with the respective flanges 26, 50 to retain the respective flexible members 23, 46 in the positions illustrated in the drawing and restrain the flexible members against axial movement, it is considered to be within the scope of this invention to eliminate the enlargements 26, 50. In this latter case, the elasticity of the flexible members would, in most cases, be sufiicient to maintain the same secured to the bosses during a charging operation. Also, other restraining means in lieu of the enlargements 26, 50 may be provided, such as suitably adhesively securing the lower end portions (unnumbered) of the flexible members 23, 46 to the respective bosses 22, 45 or lower closures 16, 43.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that novel and advantageous provisions have been made for carrying out the desired end. However, attention is again directed to the fact that additional variations may be made in this invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A dispensing container comprising a container body, a lower closure forming a portion of said body, means defining a propellant chamber in said body, valve means for introducing propellant into said propellant chamber, said valve means including a boss projecting upwardly from said lower closure, passage means in said boss through which propellant is adapted to be introduced from the exterior of said lower closure to the propellant chamber, means normally closing said passage means for preventing the escape of propellant from said propellant chamber to atmosphere through said passage means, said passage means including a main passage between the exterior and interior of said lower closure and a passage portion opening generally radially through said boss, said closing means being a flexible member at least partially externally surrounding said boss and overlying said passage portion whereby propellant introduced into said passage means causes defiection of said flexible member and the subsequent rebounding of said flexible member closes said passage means and prevents the escape of propellant from said propellant chamber, said flexible member being defined by an annular Wall, said annular wall being defined by inner and outer circumferential surfaces, and said surfaces being in converging relationship toward an axial end portion of said annular Wall whereby said end portion is relatively thin as compared to other portions of said annular wall and is thereby readily flexed to admit propellant into said propellant chamber.

2. The dispensing container as defined in claim 1 wherein said boss includes a central body portion and enlarged axially opposite end portions, at least a portion of said flexible member is confined between said enlarged portions, and said means received in said aperture is a circumferential groove in one of said enlarged portions for securing said boss in said aperture.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Bessesen 222-389 X Parkin 137-525.3 Harrison 22295 Prick 222386.5 X Kaye et al 222-389 X Softer et al. 222--402.16 Nesin 222402.16 Hein 222402.16

WALTER SOBIN, Primary Examiner.

RAPHAEL M. LUPO, Examiner.

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