Dispensing – With discharge assistant – Fluid pressure
Patent
1995-11-14
1997-12-16
Kaufman, Joseph
Dispensing
With discharge assistant
Fluid pressure
2224022, 22240224, 22240225, B67D 8300
Patent
active
056975325
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to metered-dose dispensing valves and in particular to valves for dispensing medicament from pressurized aerosol containers.
BACKGROUND
Known metering valves for pressurized dispensing containers usually have a metering chamber within the valve, the metering chamber having seals at its upper and lower end and being filled with a fresh dose of product to be dispensed, immediately after the previous dose has been dispensed. A valve stem slides through the seals and is movable between an inoperative position where the metering chamber is filled with product to be dispensed and an operative position in which the metered-dose of product is dispensed through the valve stem. The valve stem is spring urged into its inoperative position.
Some metering valves are equipped with a pressure filling valve which allows the aerosol container to be filled through the dispensing valve. The pressure filling valve generally comprises a one way flap valve on the side of the metering chamber and the aerosol container is filled by moving the valve stem to its operative position and passing the aerosol propellant composition under pressure through the valve stem into the metering chamber and thence through the pressure filling valve into the aerosol container.
Many metering valves also possess means to assist in dispensing the entire contents from the container. Such means may comprise a bottle emptier which envelopes the metering chamber defining a capillary pathway for passage of aerosol composition between the bottle emptier and metering chamber. The inlet to the passageway is positioned such that it will be contacted by the last remaining portion of the aerosol composition. Alternatively, the valve may be provided with an insert which occupies any dead volume such that the last remaining portion of the aerosol composition will be positioned in the vicinity of the entrance to the metering chamber.
EP 0125865 discloses a valve assembly which allows pressure filling of an aerosol container and dispensing of metered volumes of material therefrom comprising: container, tank, the metering tank having a pressure filling valve comprising an aperture in the metering tank communicating with the aerosol container which aperture is adjacent the casing member and covered by a sealing member which prevents passage of material from the aerosol container to the metering tank but allows passage of material from the metering tank to the aerosol container when there is sufficient pressure difference between the metering tank and aerosol container, in the casing member and metering tank capable of longitudinal movement between a closed and dispensing position, such that in the dispensing position there is an open channel through the elongate valve member connecting the metering tank with the outside environment and the metering tank is sealed to prevent passage of material from the aerosol container to the metering tank, and in the closed position the elongate valve member allows passage of material from the aerosol container to the metering tank and prevents passage of material from the metering tank to the outside environment, metering tank, the shroud extending substantially to the casing member and covering said sealing member of the metering tank to allow only limited movement thereof, the shroud and metering tank defining at least one passage through which material from the aerosol container may pass into the metering tank when the elongate valve member is in the closed position.
One problem associated with known metering valves is that they comprise many components which require precision manufacture and complex, accurate assembly. There is a desire to reduce the number of components without deleteriously affecting the performance of the valve.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,176,890 discloses a pressurised container, comprising: member; passageway being adapted to communicate with the interior of the container; inner lip portions provided in said passageway, defining in part a transfer chamber, and the i
REFERENCES:
patent: 3176889 (1965-04-01), Potapenko et al.
patent: 3209960 (1965-10-01), Green
patent: 3394851 (1968-07-01), Gorman
patent: 4015752 (1977-04-01), Meuresch et al.
patent: 4078705 (1978-03-01), Butcher
U.K. Search Report dated Jul. 23, 1993.
PCT International Search Report dated Sep. 20, 1994.
PCT International Preliminary Examination Report dated Sep. 25, 1995.
Bolton Philip
Wilde Trevor J.
Griswold Gary L.
Hohenshell Jeffrey J.
Kaufman Joseph
Kirn Walter N.
Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
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