Dispensing – With discharge assistant – Fluid pressure
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-10
2001-08-14
Bomberg, Kenneth (Department: 3754)
Dispensing
With discharge assistant
Fluid pressure
Reexamination Certificate
active
06273304
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a subdividing apparatus for an aerosol container for dispensing a fixed amount of an aerosol content, such as a cosmetic material, which has a limited amount of use in a predetermined period, such as a day, several days, or a week.
As a fixed quantity spraying valve, which always provides a constant amount of an aerosol content at a single spraying operation, for example, Japanese Patent Publication (KOKOKU) Showa No. 50-11607, Japanese Patent Publication (KOKOKU) Heisei No. 5-29510 have been known. The mechanisms of the fixed quantity spraying valves in such conventional art have advantages to provide a constant spraying amount of the aerosol content at a single spraying operation.
However, those mechanisms may not always be suitable for an aerosol content for medicine or hair tonic, to be used at several spraying operations, for example, three times, i.e. morning, noon and evening, in a day, though a daily use amount is already determined.
That is, with the conventional fixed quantity spraying valves, an entire amount of the aerosol content measured to have a fixed amount is used for one spraying. However, in case a fixed amount of the aerosol content is divided into multiple times and is used for a prescribed period, such as a day or a week, the user may forget the used number of times, and therefore, the fixed amount may not be consumed, or the use may use in excess, resulting in unfavorable effects in terms of drug therapy.
It is an object of the invention to provide a subdividing apparatus for spraying a content divided into multiple times in a prescribed period, such as a day or a week, in surely maintaining the use amount of medicine or cosmetic which limit the use amount in the prescribed period, to solve the above problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A subdividing apparatus for an aerosol container for containing an aerosol content according to this invention, for solving the above problems, includes an apparatus body with a stem capable of being pushed; a fixed amount chamber communicating with the stem, the fixed amount chamber being formed in the apparatus body; a piston slidably mounted in the apparatus body for pressing the aerosol content introduced in the fixed amount chamber; and a subdividing nozzle formed to communicate with the fixed amount chamber to be able to spray the aerosol content placed in the fixed amount chamber and to connect with the apparatus body via a subdividing valve.
In a preferred embodiment, the subdividing valve is a fixed amount valve for spraying the aerosol content at a fixed amount, and the piston may be urged to the aerosol content by a spring.
The subdividing apparatus according to the invention may include an outer cylinder whose lower end is secured to the aerosol container; an inner cylinder inserted rotatively and vertically movably in the outer cylinder, the inner cylinder being capable of pushing the stem by engagement of an outer peripheral projection of the inner cylinder with a groove cam opened in a circumferential direction of the outer cylinder, the inner cylinder including the fixed amount chamber and the piston therein; and a securing member covering a top end of the inner cylinder.
Since the invention is thus structured, when the apparatus body is pushed to press the stem of the aerosol container, a control valve of the aerosol container is opened. An aerosol content is introduced into the fixed amount chamber through the stem by opening of the control valve of the aerosol container.
As the aerosol content is introduced, the piston is pressed by spraying pressure of the aerosol content and is moved up, thereby introducing the aerosol content into the fixed amount chamber up to an upper limit in the piston. Because the introduction of the aerosol content is stopped at the upper limit of the piston, the fixed amount chamber is filled always with the aerosol content in the fixed amount by a single pushing operation of the apparatus body.
After completion of the introduction of the aerosol content into the fixed amount chamber, the stem of the aerosol container is released from pressing with respect to the apparatus body. In this released state, the communication of the fixed amount chamber is shut off with the interior of the aerosol container, and at the same time, the communication between the fixed amount chamber and the exterior of the apparatus body is shut off by the subdividing valve.
In case the stem of the subdividing valve communicating with the fixed amount chamber is pushed by a push bottom or the like, the aerosol content is sprayed outside from the subdividing nozzle. When the aerosol content is sprayed through the subdividing valve, the fixed amount chamber does not communicate with the interior of the aerosol container by means of the control valve, so that the only aerosol content filled in the fixed amount chamber is sprayed. Accordingly, an amount greater than the amount in the fixed amount chamber is not sprayed even if the spraying operation is made in multiple times in spraying the aerosol content through the subdividing valve.
The spraying pressure of the aerosol content in the fixed amount chamber is reduced because the aerosol content becomes less in volume according to the continuous spraying from the subdividing nozzle to the exterior. However, because the piston always presses the aerosol content in the fixed amount chamber, pressure reduction of the aerosol content is minimum, so that the subdivision nozzle may not raise any problem to spray the aerosol content.
Accordingly, in case the amount of the aerosol content in the fixed amount chamber is set to the used amount during a prescribed period, such as a day or a week, the entire amount can be used within the prescribed period by spraying from the fixed amount chamber the aerosol content for the amounts and time as the user thinks necessary, so that the aerosol content may not be used excessively.
As a result, the subdividing apparatus according to the invention is suitable for medicine or cosmetic having a limited use amount in a prescribed period. In case the fixed amount of the content is used in the prescribed period and the aerosol content in the fixed amount chamber is sprayed completely, next aerosol content is introduced into the fixed amount chamber in opening the control valve of the aerosol container by pushing the apparatus body when entering in the subsequent prescribed period. By spraying the content with the subdividing nozzle, the aerosol content can be used on the basis of the fixed amount in the prescribed period.
If a fixed amount valve is used for the subdividing valve connecting with the fixed amount chamber, multiple spraying operations can be done at fixed amounts through the subdividing nozzle from the fixed amount chamber, so that further better spraying operation can be obtained.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2945494 (1960-07-01), Bowen
patent: 3138301 (1964-06-01), Ward
patent: 3221946 (1965-12-01), Riley
patent: 4577784 (1986-03-01), Brunet
patent: 5520310 (1996-05-01), Bauer et al.
patent: 2 730 219 (1996-08-01), None
patent: 975 287 (1963-07-01), None
patent: 50-11607 (1975-05-01), None
patent: 5-29510 (1993-04-01), None
Bomberg Kenneth
Kanesaka & Takeuchi
Toyo Aerosol Industry Co. Ltd.
LandOfFree
Subdividing apparatus for aerosol container does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Subdividing apparatus for aerosol container, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Subdividing apparatus for aerosol container will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2535327