Dispensing – Retarded or delayed action flow controllers or closures
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-17
2001-06-05
Derakshani, Philippe (Department: 3754)
Dispensing
Retarded or delayed action flow controllers or closures
C222S402130
Reexamination Certificate
active
06241131
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a delayed spray actuator, and in particular to a delayed spray actuator which starts ejecting a content (for instance, insecticide, disinfectant, etc.) of a container within a closed room after a predetermined time period has lapsed from an ejection operation, and which thereafter maintains the ejection of the content continuously.
In general, a container of such a type that ejects insecticide, disinfectant, or the like within a closed room is designed to provide a predetermined time difference from the ejection operation by a user to the start of the actual ejection motion so that the user can escape from the closed room.
In the case where the delayed ejection function of the content is added, it is desirable to assure the convenience to the user for the ejection operation, simplify the structure of the actuator per se, elongate the delayed time period, and make the ejection range wider. The present invention was made on these demands.
2. Description of Related Art
FIGS. 9 and 10
are explanatory views showing a conventional delayed spray actuator disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. hei 9-150874.
FIG. 9
shows a stationary state of the delayed spray actuator, and
FIG. 10
shows an operation state of the delayed spray actuator.
In these Figures, reference numeral
31
designates a case main body;
32
, a container set on the case main body
31
;
33
, a coil spring for urging the container
32
upwardly;
34
, a stem provided with a valve portion (not shown);
35
, a nozzle fitted into the stem
34
;
35
a
, a plurality of ribs projectingly provided on the nozzle lower portion;
36
, a lid member for the case main body
31
;
36
a
, a water pouring recess portion formed in the upper surface side of the lid member
36
;
36
b
, a through-hole formed in the water pouring recess portion
36
a
;
36
c
, a nozzle insertion hole formed in the upper surface central portion of the lid member
36
;
37
, a support frame fittingly attached to the upper end side of the container
32
; and
38
, a cylindrical porous member of a water-absorbing, softening characteristic, which is installed between the water pouring recess portion
36
a
and the support frame
37
.
When the stem
34
is depressed relative to the container
32
, the valve portion thereof is switched from a closed state to an open state so that the content in the container
32
is ejected from the leading end portion of the nozzle
35
to the exterior space.
In the stationary state shown in
FIG. 9
, the container
32
is depressed by the porous member
38
of a hard state the upper surface of which is, in turn, suppressed by the lid member
36
. The porous member
38
is normally, i.e. in a state that it does not absorb water therein, hard enough to hold its geometry.
At this time, the container
32
and the stem
34
in a united state are moved downwardly against the biasing force of the coil spring as illustrated, and the valve portion of the stem
32
is maintained in the closed state.
To establish the operation state shown in
FIG. 10
, a user pours water into the water pouring recess portion
36
a
of the stationary state shown in FIG.
9
.
The water poured into the water pouring recess portion
36
a
is moved downwardly from the through-hole
36
b
to permeate into and soften the porous member
38
.
As the softening of the porous member
38
is progressed, the biasing force of the coil spring
33
becomes larger than the geometry holding force of the porous member per se. Consequently, the container
32
is moved upwardly by the biasing force while the porous member
38
is compressed to the lid member
36
.
During the movement of the container
32
,
(1) from the start of the movement up to a state in which the ribs
35
a
of the nozzle
35
are brought into contact with the back surface portion of the lid member
36
, the container
32
and the stem
34
are raised together without changing the relative position therebetween. Therefore, the valve portion of the stem
34
is maintained in the closed state.
(2) When the ribs
35
a
of the nozzle
35
are brought into contact with the back surface portion of the lid member
36
, the stem
34
is stopped, and thereafter the container
32
and the support frame
37
are raised relative to the stem
34
thus stopped. Therefore, the valve portion of the stem
34
is put into the open state so that the content in the container
32
is ejected from the leading end portion of the nozzle
35
, and the actuator is transferred to the operation state (continuously ejecting state) shown in FIG.
10
.
In the delayed spray actuator shown in
FIGS. 9 and 10
, a time period is delayed,
from the ejection operation completion in which the user completely pours the water into the water pouring recess portion
36
a
of
FIG. 9
,
to the start of the ejection motion immediately after the ribs
35
a
of the nozzle
35
are brought into contact with the back surface portion of the lid member
36
as a consequence of the raising of the container
32
, the stem
34
and the nozzle
35
by the softening action of the porous member
38
absorbing the water therein.
In the case of the delayed spray actuator described above, the user must prepare the water to be poured into the water pouring recess portion. Therefore, there is a problem in that it is inconvenient at the time of the delayed ejection operation.
The porous member, the coil spring (for raising up the container per se accommodating the content therein), and so on are required as components that are inherently unnecessary to constitute the content ejection mechanism. Therefore, there is another problem in that the number of components is increased to constitute the delayed spray actuator, resulting in the cost increase and complicated manufacture and assembly.
Accordingly, in accordance with the present invention, the components used as the content ejection mechanism are improved to make it possible to maintain the container per se in the stationary state, and carry out the delayed ejection operation without requiring the user to prepare anything other than the ejection mechanism. That is, an object of the present invention is to provide the improved utility at the time of the operation, to reduce the number of the components of the delayed spray actuator and to suppress the complicated manufacturing/assembling process.
Another object of the present invention is to make a content ejection area wider by forming an ejection surface of an output side hole portion as a slope surface having a predetermined angle.
Yet another object of the present invention is to secure a delayed time period sufficient to the user by adding components for enlarging the delayed time period from the completion of the ejection operation to the start of the actual ejection motion.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention solve the problems in the following manner:
(1) A delayed spray actuator which starts ejecting a content of a container after a predetermined time period has lapsed from an ejection operation, and which thereafter maintains the ejection of the content continuously, said delayed spray actuator comprising: a valve member having an output side hole portion for ejection, the valve member being moved downwardly by the ejection operation, and upwardly by pressure of the content; a cover member having an accommodating space portion for the content, the cover member being moved downwardly by the ejection operation to be held at predetermined position, and serving as a guide portion when the valve member is moved upwardly; a stem that is moved downwardly together with the cover member to be communicated with an interior of the container and to maintain a communicated state; and an ejection valve mechanism for the output side hole portion, wherein the valve mechanism is adapted to be switched from an existing closed state to an open state when the valve member is moved upwardly by a predetermined length relative to the cover member located at the
Katsuda Yoshio
Ueda Hiroyuki
Bui Thach H
Dainihon Jochugiku Co., Ltd.
Derakshani Philippe
Oliff & Berridg,e PLC
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