Abstract: The nozzle for a pressurized container is mounted to the container for shipment and sale by a hook member. The hook member has a hook portion that mounts to the valve cup rim or container rim. An attachment leg connects the hook portion to the nozzle. The hook portion has a slip-fit relationship to the rim on which it is placed. The wall of the hook portion that rests along the outside of the rim is thinner than is the wall that rests along the inside of the rim. This arrangement accommodates the over-cap without displacement or flaring of the nozzle.

Abstract: A valve for a pressurized dispensing container has one or two dispensing openings through the wall of the valve stem. A dispensing nozzle with an actuating handle has a predetermined alignment with the opening or openings in the valve stem so that actuation of the nozzle will assure that one and only one full opening is presented to the product during dispensing. This keeps the leg or wall area between openings out of the path of the product being dispensed and avoids the build up of fiber that tends to clog the opening. A small retaining wall between the valve seat.at the bottom of the valve stem and the lower edge of the opening or openings provides a wall that prevents the flexible rubber-like seal from being distorted under pressure and setting in a position where it blocks the opening when product is to be dispensed. Each of the dispensing openings in the two opening embodiment extends at least 90° around the valve stem and the single opening embodiment may extend as much as 180°.

Abstract: A pressurized dispensing container includes a stop between piston and container cap to provide a gap through which propellant can be dispensed through an open valve or after the end of the dispensing of the material that is in the zone between piston and cap. This stop can be designed to keep the piston orthogonal. Excess pressurized propellant will be dispensed through the valve in its open state by forcing its way through the clearance between piston and can sidewall, through the gap between piston and cap and out of the open valve. Alternatively, the stop can also cause the piston to skew thereby providing an enhanced passageway around the piston for propellant that then exits through gap and open valve.

Abstract: A dispensing mechanism for a pressurized container employs a platform which sits on and engages the valve cap. A lever pivoted on the platform extends from its pivot point up and around the nozzle to terminate in the handle that is adjacent to the sidewall of the pressurized container. The upper portion of the lever engages the shoulder on the nozzle so that when the handle is manually squeezed against the sidewall of the container, the lever pushes down on the nozzle thus pushing the nozzle and valve in a downward axially direction thereby dispensing the pressurized contents of the container. It is when the nozzle is screwed into a dispensing state that the handle or the lever is pivoted away from the sidewall of the can so that it can be squeezed against the can to effect the dispensing of the contents.

Abstract: A tilt action valve assembly is disclosed which has a cup for mounting to a container, the cup holding a grommet seal which surrounds a valve stem. The grommet seal has a lower portion which surrounds a lower portion of the stem and which provides a seal for engagement with a valve stem seat. An upper portion of the grommet seal is bowed and thin walled to absorb stem displacement above the cup, thus limiting seal displacement below the cup. A lip locks the upper portion to the stem to assure co-movement therewith. Utilizing the valve assembly provides for a maximized opening between the stem seat and seal to optimize the flow of fluid through the stem.

Abstract: A piston with a flexible sealing wipe which comprises an outer annular ring which extends from a lower portion of the piston. The outer ring has an annular projecting tip which engages the sidewall of the container during upward movement of the piston within the container. The annular ring has a thickness less than the thickness of the piston sidewall to increase the flexibility of the wipe, and it is disposed adjacent to an inner annular ring and spaced therefrom by a gap. When inserted into a can, the projecting lip is displaced inwardly into the gap, with the reduced thickness of the wall assuring that the amount of resistance to piston travel is minimized. In addition, the piston provides a substantially liquid tight interference fit with the can to prevent interaction between the contents of the upper portion of the container with those in the lower portion of the container.

Abstract: A bowed piston for a pressure operated container has a cylindrical sidewall including an outwardly projecting bowed portion which forms an arch engagable with a sidewall of the container. The bowed arch provides a flexible sealing surface against the sidewall which allows the piston to adapt to out-of-round, out-of-tolerance or dented containers without increasing surface friction and thus prevents the piston from binding within the container. The bowed portion flattens along a part of its length to adapt to these imperfections. Additionally, the bow allows the piston to tilt somewhat within the container without binding and maintains a very thin product film for lubrication as the piston moves upwardly in the container. Consequently, the inventive piston enhances successful utilization of such containers with various products, including those of low viscosity by minimizing binding and/or propellant blow-by in use.

Abstract: A method for preparing and improving a container for dispensing a product under pressure, using a piston to separate gas and product. This piston is free to move along a can side wall. Free pistons, as they are usually called, have not been functional for many products, notably those which readily absorb gases. To prevent gas migration by passage of gas around the piston, a material or prefill is introduced through the top opening into the area of can above a piston. The prefill is then forced down under pressure along the margin of piston and can wall prior to the filling of the can. The amount of prefill depends on piston diameter and may vary from three grams for a 35MM piston up to ten grams for a 53MM size piston.

Abstract: A piston is longitudinally slidable within a pressurized container to dispense materials from the container. The piston has a generally annular sidewall and a traverse barrier wall at one end of the sidewall and integral therewith to define a cup-shaped closure open at one end. An annular step is provided on the sidewall which divides the sidewall into two segments, an upper segment and a lower segment. The annular step is below and spaced from the barrier wall. The upper segment has a diameter smaller than the diameter of the lower segment and the clearance between the upper segment and the interior of the container is substantially greater than the clearance between the lower segment and the interior of the container.

Abstract: There is disclosed an adapter for use with a lubrication fitting of the type which includes a flow restrictor normally biased to a closed position to restrict the flow of fluid, the adapter comprising a generally tubular body having a top end and a bottom end, the top end of the tubular body being shaped and dimensioned to removably receive the output port of the lubrication fitting and a pin centrally positioned in the tubular body proximate the top end thereof, the pin being adapted to enter an opening of the lubrication fitting to move the flow restrictor from its normally closed position to an open position in which fluid can flow. The disclosed adapter is featured in that the diameter of the pin is smaller than the diameter of the opening of the lubrication fitting, and in that the pin is fixed to a separating disc which is mounted to the tubular body and is provided with a plurality of openings for allowing the fluid to flow into the lubrication fitting.

Abstract: A sound-producing device, for use with a pressurized fluid container, includes a body having an orifice surrounded by an annular seat, a cap facing the seat, and a diaphragm held taut over the seat, the margin of the diaphragm being tightly gripped between the body and cap. The body and cap are locked together within a housing, the housing also serving to mount the sound-producing device on a pressurized fluid container. The body and cap present annular beads of different diameters for deforming and tightly holding the margin of the diaphragm. A flexible strip permanently connects the body and cap. The parts are assembled by aligning, in side-by-side relation, a plurality of members, each comprising a body, a cap, and a connecting strap, and applying a length of adhesive-bearing flexible tape to the plurality of members, the tape adhering to one of the body and cap, preferably the cap, of each member.