[0001] This invention relates to a process for producing a valve-and-lid assembly comprising
a valve body and a lid and having a central assembly axis and adapted for closing
the open top end of a container, and preferably of a container which is fillable with
pressurized procuct.
[0002] More particularly this process relates to producing a novel valve body, and a novel
combination of steps of mounting the novel body in a lid, separately produced in finished
condition.
[0003] The lid used in the process according to the invention can be of known or of novel
structure. The lid, in finished condition, has a periphery which is adapted for being
sealingly connected with a top rim of a container sidewall surrounding the container
top opening, and extending generally transverse to the central assembly axis; the
lid has a dome and a central opening in the middle of the dome and is rigid under
conditions of filling product into, and discharging product from,the said container;
the lid preferably has a flat lid part and extends generally in a main lid plane transverse
to the central assembly axis, and about the dome;
at least a portion of the dome is a collar portion comprising an annular rim or shoulder
edge adapted for making sealing contact, about the central dome opening, with the
valve body in a first annular contact zone of the latter.
[0004] In U.S. patent 3,144,179 to A.M. Gildone, there has already been described a valve-and-lid
assembly in which a semi-finished lid is used in which the lid is shaped to achieve
its finished condition after an equally unfinished valve body has been lodged in the
same.
[0005] The unfinished valve body used to produce the Gildone-assembly comrises, as an annular
portion which is elastically resiliently deformable under conditions of filling into,
and discharging product from the container, a flexible diaphragm the periphery of
which has the shape of an annular skirt. The diaphragm is attached as a flange to
a tubulure which protrudes on the outer, upper face of the diaphragm and has a bottom
opening in the center of the latter. A valve stem projects below tbe inner, lower
face of the diaphragm and is connected to the latter by two circumferentially spaced
webs.- This valve body; is placed centrally from the outer or inner side against a
radially inwardly projecting crimp in the flat lid part about the central opening
which crimp'is surrounded downwardly or upwardly by an open sleeve portion of the
lid which is then cold-shaped to form a cup or dome with a depending sleeve part having
a narrower lower central inlet opening for product from which the lowermost end of
the valve stem protrudes, while the last-mentioned valve stem end is heat-deformed
to be shortened and widened to form a head, the upper, outwardly directed face of
which is to be brought into sealing contact with the annular rim about the narrow
bottom opening of the lid cup. The valve stem, the stem head and the cup are so dimensioned
that the diaphragm normally urges the enlarged button into sealing engagement with
the annular rim of the cup inlet opening.
[0006] In the finished valve body of the Gildone assembly, as mounted in the lid cup thereof,
the tubulure of the valve body has an axially extending passageway or cavity which
opens out of the diaphragm on the underside of the latter. When the diaphragm is pressed
downwardly, e.g. by a spray head containing a spray nozzle and having a downwardly
extending tubular shaft which is inserted in the tubulure of the valve body, the central
valve stem is moved downwardly through pressure transferred to it via the two stays,
and the annular contact face on the upper side of the stem head is moved downwardly
out of contact with the annular rim about the narrow cup inlet opening. Thus, product
from the interior of the container on which the Gildone-assembly is mounted can pass
into the long neck portion of the lid cup and fill the entire cup space below the
diaphragm, rise under pressure in the passageway of the tubulure on the outside of
the dia-. phragm and thus reach the spray nozzle from which it is expelled in a spray
cloud.
[0007] This known lid-and-valve assembly suffers from a number of drawbacks. Thus, the process
of assembling the lid and the valve body is very cumtersome; the cold- shaping of
the lengthy sleeve portion about the stem of the valve body or the crimping of the
cup bottom to enclose the diaphragm skirt, and the heat-molding of the button at the
end of the valve stem makes it difficult to obtain a safe seal between the two parts
at the inlet end of the lid cup sleeve; the flow of product along the inner wall of
the lid cup sleeve and the center surface of the valve stem and the need to fill the
entire lid cup before product can emerge will frequently cause residual product to
remain in the cup after the valve button has closed the product inlet in the lid.cup
sleeve; transmission of depressing force from the upper tubulure to the lower valve
stem via the two small webs can cause poor alignment with the central assembly axis;
and, as the long valve stem is completely unguided in the lid cup sleeve during the
closing phase the stem head may easily be seated out of alignment and permit penetration
of air into the container spoiling the product therein.
[0008] Other lid-and-valve assemblies are known, in which however, the valve body is substantially
rigid, so that special spring means have to be provided for permitting shift of the
valve body to open position and cause automatic return of the valve body from open
to closed position, as in the container valve of O.L. A.shton described in U.S. patent
2,696,934; or a rigid valve body is lodged in a resiliant portion of the lid, e.g.
a rubber inset in the central lid opening of a tilting valve as described by George
Diamond in French patent, application Publication No. 2 354 260; or the lid does not
act as a part of the valve at all, but merely as a valve mounting as is the case in
the slot valves described by John Schmidt in U.S. patents 2,662,668 and 2,662,669
and by Angelo Bottani in French patent application Publication No. 2.048.915; finally,
C.L. Alexander describes in U.S. patent 3,272,403 a slot valve in which the axially
extending slots in a rubber valve body extend from the interior of the container to
the outer side of the valve body in a region, resting in closed position, against
the inner wall of the flat lid part surrounding the dome part of the lis, whereby
upon opening of the lid product enters into and fills the space in the dome part above
the valve body, involving the risk of having residual product in said space which
can age therein and clog the passageway to the spray nozzle of the container.
[0009] It is, therefore, an object of the instant-invention to provide a process for producing
and assembling, more easily than in the case of the Gildone valve, a lid-and-valve
assembly as initially described, which process is readily carried out with conventional
tools and permits production of a novel valve-and-lid assembly free from the drawbacks
of the known valves described hereinbefore.
[0010] This object and others that will become apparent during the further description of
this invention hereinafter are attained in a process of the initially described kind
which comprises
(A) producing, in finished condition, a lid of the initially described type;
(B) producing separately, in finished condition , a valve body which comprises:
(a) at least one annular elastically resilient portion which is bendable toward, or
stretchable in, axial direction,
(b) a radially extending upper valve body portion having an outer surface adapted
for facing away from the said container and an inner surface facing toward the interior
of the container,
(c) a valve stem centrally and axially protruding at least from a first one of the
upper body portion surfaces and adapted for being lodged in the lid dome collar portion,
(d) a valve head at an end of the valve stem remote from the said upper valve body
portion and having a diameter transverse to the central assembly axis which is larger
that the diameter of the valve stem and destined to be located outside, and when the
assembly is in open position, forming a gap with, the said lid dome collar portion;
the valve head bearing a first annular contact zone so located thereon as to face
toward the collar portion and adapted for making sealing contact with a rim or shoulder
of the latter, when the assembly is in closed position,
(e) a cavity having an opening in the surface of the valve body facing away from the
valve head and extending axially at least in the valve stem and having a bottom end
located near the radial plane in which the first contact zone on the valve head extends,
(f) additional annular sealing means about the valve stem spaced from the valve head
and adapted for making sealing contact at all times with the lid dome collar portion
in a second zone nearer the upper body portion of the valve body than the first contact
zone,
(g) and duct means one end of which opens in the cavity and the other end of which
opens out of the valve stem in a region thereof extending between the first and shat
of the second contact zone;
(C) mounting the valve body on the mandrel of a piston movably associated with a pressure
cylinder,and aligning the mandrel, on the side of the lid part facing away from the
annular rim, with said central assembly axis through the central dome opening of the
lid;
(D) striking the mandrel with sufficient force to drive the same with the valve body
thereon abruptly through the collar portion of the lid dome and to pass the valve
head out of said annular rim or shoulder edge, snapping said contact zone of said
valve head free from misalignment of damage, to the latter, into sealing contact with
said annular rim or shoulder edge from the outside of said lid dome collar portion,
and
(E) limiting the stroke of the piston which abruptly advances the mandrel into the
lid dome collar portion to stop when the first annular contact zone on the valve head
has passed to the outside of the rim or shoulder edge, thereby preventing permanent
stretching of the valve stem.
[0011] In step B of the process according to the invention, the valve body can be produced
with at least one annular region of the valve stem,intermediate'the inner surface
of the upper body portion of the valve body and the first annular contact zone,being
axially stretchable.
[0012] In another mode of carrying out the process according to the invention in practice,
the lid is produced, in accordance with step (A), so that the dome has a foot zone
in which the dome merges with the flat lid part, and which zone is crimped to comprise
an annular bead projecting radially inwardly toward the . central assembly axis;
while, in step B, the upper body portion of the valve body is shaped as a flange of
such diameter as to snap- fit into the said crimped foot zone of the dome foot part;
and,
in step C, the mandrel is surrounded by an annular skirt adapted for abutting against
the peripheral region of the outer surface of the flange-shaped upper body portion
inside the circumference of the annular bead of the dome foot zone, and,
in step D, the adjacent peripheral region of the flange-shaped upper body portion
is caused to snap into position in the crimped foot zone between the annular bead
thereof and an adjacent portion of the dome sidewall.
[0013] Preferably in steps C and D, the mandrel which protrudes into the valve body cavity
from the outer valve body surface, has a flat-nosed tip which rests against the cavity
bottom during the introduction of the valve body into the collar portion of the lid
dome.
[0014] The diameter of the upper body portion is preferably such that the peripheral zone
of the inner surface thereof is approximately equal with, or slightly larger than,
an underlying radially entending rim portion of the lid dome.
[0015] The thrust of the mandrel corresponds to a force of at least 2 to 3 kilopond applied
to the frontal face of the" piston turned away from the mandrel. Uniform results are
particularly obtained with a force of 4 to 8 kilopond applied to the mandrel.
[0016] In valve-and-lid assemblies of the usual sizes for use on pressurized spray cans,
the work path corresponding to the length of the collar portion offering resistance
to the passage of the valve head therethrough can range from 0.5 to 5 millimeters.
[0017] The lid is conventionally produced, e.g. from a metal of the aluminum type, while
the valve body is preferably produced from an elastomeric synthetic resin the physical
properties of which are similar to those of Hytrel; however, in certain embodiments
according to the invention, the valve body can also be produced from various types
of rubber.
[0018] A "valve-and-lid assembly" as referred to in this application means a valve in which
a portion of the lid serves as the valve seat, with which a valve body is in sealing
contact, while the valve is closed, but with which it is at least partially out of
contact when the valve is open, as is the case, e.g. in the devices described in U.S.
patent 3,144,179 to A. M. Gildone, described supra, and, although only to a limited
extent, in U.S. patent 3,272,403 to C.L. Alexander,
[0019] The use of a portion of the lid as a housing for a valve part which is fixedly lodged
therein is well-knpwn in the art; this kind of arrangement is not intended to be covered
by the above-cited term in the instant application.
[0020] In C.L. Alexander's valve, the lid is also not really needed as a "sealing" valve
seat, as the slot valve body is self-sealing, the lid dome serving more as a housing.
[0021] Further objects and details of the invention will become apparent from the following
description of preferred embodiments of the same illustrated in the accompanying drawings
in which
Fig. 1 illustrates the stages of a preferred mode of carrying out the process according
to the invention in practice, with production of a first embodiment of the finished
valve-and-lid assembly shown in axial view;
Fig. 2 illustrates in sectional view another embodiment of a valve-and-lid assembly
produced in a similar manner;
Figures 2A and 2B, show in sectional views, variations of details of the assembly
shown in Fig. 2,
Fig. 3 shows a partial lateral view, cut-away on the right-hand side to show an axial
sectional view, of another embodiment pf the-valve body used for mounting in a lid
by way of the process according to the invention;
Fig. 4 is a similar view of yet another embodiment of the said valve body;
Figures 5 and 6 show in axial sectional view two phases of mounting a novel valve-body
of a different type in a lid of somewhat different construction, in accordance with
the process according to the invention,
Figures 7 and 8 show the resulting assembly equipped with an actuating member, in
the closed and in the open position, respectively, and
'Fig. 9 shows a final phase of assembling a further embodiment, described in
[0022] Irish patent application No. 1643/81 (114/120) with the aid of the process according
to the invention. Fig. 10 shows the completed assembly obtained by the process illustrated
in Fig. 9.
[0023] The process steps for manufacturing the valve-and-lid assembly shown in Fig. 1 comprise
the steps of producing a finished lid 10, in a first stage,.and, separately therefrom,producing
the finished valve body 20.
[0024] The valve body 20 is then placed on the mandrel 50 which protrudes downwardly from
a piston rod 51 which is rigidly connected to the rear face of a piston (not shown)
lodged for downward displacement in a pressure cylinder (not shown), and activated
in the latter, e.g. by compressed air applied to the frontal face of the piston, or
by other media or mechanical means.
[0025] The mandrel 50 with the valve body 20.in position thereon is then aligned with the
lid 10 along a common central axis CA.
[0026] The lid 10 which is destined to close the top opening 2 of a can or the like container
has a peripheral crimped zone 10a by means of which it can be connected to the rim
3 of the can 1.
[0027] The lid 10 further comprises a dome 12 which merges in a foot zone12a with a flat
lid part 13 which generally extends in a main lid plane LP which is radial to the
central axis CA. In the embodiment of the lid 10 shown in Fig. 1 the dome 12 protrudes
upwardly from the flat lid part 13, i.e., away from the can interior. In other lids
which are equally usable in the process according to the invention, the dome 12 can
protrude downwardly, i.e. toward the container interior, from the flat lid part 13.
[0028] The dome 12 has a top wall 14 and a circumferential sidewall 15, as well as a central
opening 16 in the top wall 14 about the central axis CA.
[0029] The central opening 16bis surrounded by an axially extending collar portion 17 of
the dome 12, which protrudes upwardly from the dome top wall 14. This collar portion
17 which plays an important function in carrying out the process of the invention,
could likewise protrude downwardly from the dome top wall 14.
[0030] An annular shoulder 18 is formed between the lower end of collar portion 17 where
it merges with the top wall 14 of the dome 12. In the embodiment of Fig. 1 the' collar
portion 17 is flared upwardly and outwardly and surrounds a passageway 19 of frustoconical
configuration, the diameter of which at its upper, outer end 19a is larger than that
of the central opening 16b.The annular rim 17a of the collar portion 17 about the
upper open end 19a of passageway 19 is preferably crimped or slightly beveled to facilitate
the entry of the valve body 20 into the passageway 19.
[0031] The valve body 20 is produced, preferably from an elastomeric material such as Hytrel
or another polymeric synthetic resin of similar properties,by injection molding techniques.
[0032] It comprises a preferably flange-shaped upper, outer portion 21 which bears on its
lower face, which is turned inwardly, i.e. toward the interior of a container which
is to be covered by the valve-and-lid assemby, a frusto- conical dowel or jack part
22 and at the frontal face 22a of the latter a reduced diameter valve stem 24 which
bears at its free end a valve head 25 of enlarged radial diameter which must be larger
than the width of the central opening 16 in the top wall 14 of the dome 12, so that
the valve head has a rearward annular face.26 turned toward the dowel part 22,whioh
faoe oan extend in a radial plane or, preferably, as in the embodiment shown in Fig.
1, is oonically tapered, this face 26 abutting sealingly in a contact zone 26a against
the annular shoulder 18 closing the central opening 16, when the parts of the assembly
are in closed position.
[0033] While, in the embodiments of this valve body shown in our earlier European Pat. Appln.
No. 81105298.4 this rearward annular face 26 of the valve head (or valve head button)
25 generally extends in a plane perpendicular to the central assembly axis CA, it
has now been found that the sealing effect thus achieved is most satisfactory when
the face 26 is tapered, and the angle enclosed between the tapered face 26 and the
central axis is less than 45
0, and'preferably about 25
0 to 40° (angled in Fig. 1).
[0034] Corresponding to the slope of.the frusto-conical part 22 of the valve body 20, the
flared collar portion 17 of the lid dome 12 has the same angle of inclination with
the central axis. The length of the dowel part 22 plus the stem 24 of the valve body
20 must be shorter than the distance, taken along the central axis CA, between the
plane in which the upper annular collar portion rim 17a extends and the plane in which
the edge of the annular shoulder 18 is located.
[0035] It has been found, that, in mass production, it would not be satisfactory to place
the valve body 20 loosely into the passageway 19 of the collar portion 17 and than
to apply pressure to the upper frontal face 21a of the body flange portion 21, This
would lead to deformation of the valve head 26 and also possibly to bending of the
valve stem 24; for, due to its reduced diameter the valve stem 24 is much more readily
deformable, than is the remainder of the valve body 20. This applies specifically
to Fig. 1.
[0036] In order to provide a passageway for product under pressure stored in a container
which is to be closed by means of the valve-and-lid assembly according to the invention,
the valve body 20 is provided with an axially extending cavity 30 which has an open
top end 30b and a closed bottom 32. A duct or orifice 35 extends from a zone of the
cavity 30 near its bottom 32 to the outer side of the valve stem 24; the duct end
35a through which the duct 35 opens to the outside is lboated preferably in the outer
valve stem wall in the vicinity of the rearward annular valve head face 26, or in
the latter, but above the contact zone 26a. When using a pressurized container equipped
with such a valve, the shaft of a spray head containing a spray nozzle, or of another
suitable actuating member can be inserted into the cavity 30, as has been illustrated
in Figures 10 and 13 of the above mentioned earlier Irish Patent Application No. 1643/81.
[0037] Operation when using the valve-and-lid assembly as illustrated in Figure 1 as closure
for a pressurized container requires insertion of the shaft of a spray head into the
cavity 30, with the O-ring projections 34 sealingly engaging the shaft. When the spray
head is actuated by depressing it, for instance, with the index finger of the hand
holding the container, the shaft which must be long enough to abut against the bottom
32 of the cavity 30 will move this bottom downwardly while stretching the relatively
thin wall of the valve stem 24. Thereby, the valve head 25 is also moved downwardly
a short way, whereby the tapered annular face 26 of the valve head 25 is urged away
from the annular shoulder 18 of the lid dome 12 and product can pass through the resulting
annular gap upward into the passageway 19 and through the duct 35 into a passage provided
in the above-mentioned spray head shaft via an opening in the sidewall of the shaft
registering with the duct 35.
[0038] In order to reduce the volume inside the. cavity 30 about such spray head shaft,into
which product can penetrate during a discharge thereof, sealing means 34, e.g., in
the shape of 0-rings which are integral with the valve body 20,can be provided in
the internal cavity wall.30a.
[0039] Likewise, in order to reduce in passageway 19 the space into which product from the
container can penetrate when the valve opens, which space is located between the inner
wall 17b of the collar portion 17 and the outer surface of the valve stem 24, and
in which residual product is liably to remain after a discharge has stopped, second
annular sealing means 23, preferably in the form of external 0-rings molded integral
with the dowel part 22 project from the latter and are in sealing engagement with
the inner wall 17b when the valve body 20 is fully introduced into the lid dome 12.
[0040] During the assembling phase, these sealing means 23 help to guide the valve body
as it is advanced into the passageway 19 of the lid dome collar portion 17.
[0041] As mentioned hereinbefore, it has been found that the introduction of the valve body
20 into the lid dome 12 must not be carried out slowly, regardless of the pressure
applied in its cylinder on the piston 51 bearing the mandrel 50 which carries the
valve body 20, if a significant proportion of waste due to misalignement of the valve
body 20 in the lid dome 12 and corresponding danger of leakage at the contact zone
26a is to be avoided. Rather, it is necessary to apply the pressure suddenly, and
not gradually, so that the valve body 20 and especially the stem 24 and the valve
head 25 have no time to become misaligned and so that the valve head 25 will be snapped
into position with its rearward face 26 resting against the annular shoulder 18.
[0042] The sudden advance at full speed of the mandrel 50 and the valve body 20 thereon
into the collar portion 17 of the lid dome 12 can be brought about in various ways
known per se, for instance by suddenly applying the full pressure from a source of
compressed air to the frontal face of the piston in the above-mentioned pressure cylinder,
or by equivalent thrust-producing means.
[0043] For example, if a cylinder and piston are used in which the piston stroke is 50 mm
and the diameter of the frontal face of the piston having a circular cross section
is 20 mm, and the length through which the valve head 25 must be moved against the
resistance of the lower region of the sidewall 17b, and of the annular shoulder 26,
is about 5 mm (based on an overall height of the dome 12, including the collar portion
17 thereon, of 10 mm), it has been found that the valve body 20 can be struck into
position with a gauge pressure of compressed air of at least about 2 to 2,5 bar, but
safe positioning avoiding waste is achieved with a compressed-air gauge pressure of
about 5 to 8 bar. This corresponds approximately to a force of 15 to 25 kiloponds,instantaneously
applied, regardless of the manner in which this force is generated.
[0044] During the introductory phase of the valve body 20 into the dome part 12, the flange
of the upper valve body portion 21 comes to rest with its underside 21a upon the crimped
upper rim 17a of the collar portion 17; however, the stem 24 must be stretched to
push the valve head 25 out of the central opening 16 and a short distance below the
annular shoulder 18 of the dome top wall 14. This means that the overall axial length
D
1 of the valve body 20, which it has when in fully relaxed condition in which it is
to be found, free from stress, on the mandrel 50 prior to introduction into the lid
dome part 12, must be increased to the axial length D
3 which it has in the position indicated by a dashed line in the lower half of Fig.
1 . In order to permit the mandrel 50 to enter into this position without compressing
the flange of upper valve portion 21 and without suffering a slowdown due to such
compression, the mandrel 50 is somewhat longer than the cavity 30 of the valve body
20 is deep, thus leaving a corresponding play D
3 - D
1 and preferably a slight excess thereover, between the upper end face of upper body
portion 21 and the underside 51a of the piston rod 51. This play d must, therefore,
be slightly larger than(D
3 - D
1).
[0045] The mandrel 50 is then withdrawn thanks to lifting off the piston in the above mentioned
pressure cylinder, and as the tip of the mandrel 50 lifts off the bottom 32 of the
valve body cavity 30, the stretched stem 24 can contract until the rearward annular
face 26 of the valve head 25 abuts in the contact zone 26a against the lid dome shoulder
18. In this position the overall length of the still stretched valve body is D
2,i.e., slightly less than D
3, but larger than D
l, so that the valve head 25 makes contact with sealing bias,with the shoulder 18.
[0046] In order to ensure that the mandrel 50 does not travel too deeply into the passageway
19 which might cause excessive stretching of the valve stem 24 with permanent deformation
and with rupture and/or deformation of the valve head 25, stop means schematically
indicated at 55 are provided to arrest the advance movement of the mandrel 50. These
stop means are preferably provided at the cylinder and arrest the piston or piston
rod driving the mandrel 50 rather than the latter.
[0047] A riser tube 9 can be fitted firmly'into the recess surrounded by the dome sidewall
15. The completed assembly consisting of the lid 10 and the valve body 20 inserted
thereinto as well as the equally inserted riser tube 9 can then be delivered to a
filling station where it is mounted in the opening-of a container which is then filled
with a product and a conventional propellant which can be a liquefied gas or an inert
un- liquefied gas under pressure.
[0048] In producing the embodiment of a valve-and-lid assembly according to the invention
illustrated in Fig. 2 there are a number of features to be noted which are different
from those present in the embodiment shown in Fig. 1. Thus, in the lid 110, the collar
portion 117 of the dome 112 extends downwardly along the central axis CA and has a
generally cylindrical configuration.
[0049] While the passageway 119 extends through the collar portion 117 essentially in the
same manner as in Fig. 1, it has a top open end 119a at the zone 117a in which the
sidewall 115 of the dome 112 merges with the collar portion 117, while the lower open
end of the collar portion 117 constitutes the central opening 116. This central opening
116 is formed by punching out a large central portion of the originally closed end
of the collar portion 117 which leaves an inwardly and downwardly curved annular rim
portion 118 the edge of which cooperates sealingly with the contact zone 126a of the
valve head 125 of the valve body 120. The latter only differs from the embodiment
thereof shown in Fig. 1 by having a dowel part 122 which is of cylindrical rather
than frusto-conical configuration. This dowel part 122 can also bear, integrally therewith,
sealing 0-rings 123 for sealing engagement with the inner wall 117b of dome collar
portion 117. Moreover, the upper frontal face 121b of the flanged upper or base valve
body portion 121 is slightly conically tapered from the central axis downwardly instead
of being flat. Thanks to this feature and to the fact that the work-path along which
the valve head 125 must travel against the resistance of the curved rim portion 118
until it snaps downwardly out of the opening 116 is very short in this embodiment,
there is no need, in this case, to leave an excess play d between the upper frontal
face 121b and the underside 51a of the piston rod 51.
[0050] In the process of manufacturing this embodiment, the valve body 120 can be loosely
inserted into the open end 119a and then takes up a position as shown fully drawn
in Fig. 2. Its length is then D
1.
[0051] The piston rod 51 bearing the mandrel 50 on its frontal face 51a then strikes the
valve body 120, with the mandrel 50 penetrating into the cavity 130 and, as the length
L of the mandrel is preferably as great as, or greater than the depth of the cavity
L
l when the valve body 120 is free from axial stress, the tip of the mandrel strikes
the bottom 132 of the cavity 130 shortly before the underside 51a of the piston rod
51 hits upon the upper frontal face 121b of the flanged valve body portion 121.
[0052] The valve stem 124 is then stretched similar to the same phase in assembling the
embodiment of Fig. 1, so that the entire length of the valve body is extended to D
2 and the valve head 125 is snapped out of the central opening 116 and assumes the
position indicated in dashed lines in Fig. 2, whereupon the piston rod 51 and mandrel
50 are immediately withdrawn and the valve body 120 automatically assumes the position
shown in phantom lines in Fig. 2 in which position the valve head 125 has the length
D
3 and is thus still longer than D
1 and, therefore, still slightly stretched. Due to this stretching, the rearward annular
face 126 of the valve head is urged with bias into sealing contact with the outer
rounded rim 118a of the collar rim portion 118.
[0053] The diameter of the 0-rings 123 which are integral with the dowel part 122 is slightly
larger than the inner width of cylindrical passageway 119 so that they engage the
inner wall 117b with slight sealing friction. This radial pressure of the 0-rings
against the inner wall 117b is however sufficiently large to provide a liquid- and
gas-tight seal. Moreover, the foot zone 122b of the dowel part 122 is flared outwardly
and upwardly to merge with the underside,121a of the flanged valve body portion 121.
Stretching forces transmitted from the valve stem 124 upwardly through the dowel part
122 into the flanged valve body portion 121 thus cause the 0-rings 123 to be pulled
radially into stronger sealing contact with the inner surface 117b of the collar portion
117 as the valve head 125 is pulled upward against the rim 118a of the collar rim
portion 118.
[0054] Before the advance of the piston rod 51 and together therewith that of the mandrel
50 stops, this advance can be lightly cushioned by the central apex portion of the
valve body 120. The remainder of the operation of assembling the valve body 120 and
the lid 110 is largely identical with that of assembling the embodiment of Fig. 1.
[0055] A riser tube 137 can be conveniently and firmly attached to the outer wall 117c of
the lid dome collar portion 117.
[0056] In the Figures 2A and 2B, there are shown variations of the annular rim portion 118
at the lower end of collar portion 117. In Fig. 2A the collar portion 117 bears at
its lower end a narrow inwardly projecting bottom flange 118b and about the inner
periphery of the latter a downwardly bent annular edge 118c which penetrates sealingly,
in the contact zone 126a, into the rearwardly tapered valve head surface 126. In Fig.
2B, the curved rim portion 118' is distinguished from the rim portion 118 shown in
Fig. 2 by having a crimped edge 118d instead of the straight rounded edge of the rim
portion 118 of Fig. 2.
[0057] In Fig. 2A, there is shown the shaft 40 of a spray head (not shown) containing a
spray nozzle (not shown) inserted in the cavity 130, instead of the mandrel 50. This
shaft 40 has an axial longitudinal duct 41 leading to the spray nozzle and, at its
lower end, a port or window 92 through which the duct 135 through the wall of stem
part 124 is in communication with the interior of the duct 41. The shaft.40 is engaged
sealingly by 0-rings 134 which are integral with the wall 133 of the cavity., 130.
A shoulder 40a of the shaft 40 can rest on an annular shoulder 133a in the cavity
130 axially spaced above the cavity bottom 132. Opening of the valve is then effected
by stretching the stem wall zone 124b and moving the head 125 out of contact with
the rim 118c. The lower end portion of the shaft 40 containing the window 92 is then
not required. In order to reduce the size of the dead volume between the inner wall
of the collar portion 117 and the outer surface of the valve stem 124, a guiding and
sealing disc of flange 123 is provided integral with the valve stem 124 and preferably
in sealing engagement with the inner wall 117c of collar portion 117 a short distance
above the external entry opening 135a of the duct 135.
[0058] ·In the embodiment of Figures 2, 2A and 2B the outer portion of the dome 112 as well
as the collar portion 117 thereof can each be of approximately the same height as
the outer peripheral wall of the lid 110, while in the embodiment shown in Fig. 1
the lower portion of the dome 12, surrounded by the dome sidewall 15, and the collar
portion 17 together must not be higher than the peripheral sidewall of lid 10, which
is always desirable, for reasons of keeping the dimensions of the processing machinery
as small as possible. There is thus more axial space available in the interior of
the collar portion 117 (Fig. 2) than in the collar portion 17 if both lids 110 and
10 are of equal height.
[0059] In the embodiment of the valve body 20 shown in Fig. 3, the stem portion 24 bears
on its outer wall a helical bead 27 which does not engage the inner wall of the dome
part 17. Rather, it extends the life of the stretchable portion of the valve body
20, i.e., the valve stem 24. Due to its helical form the bead 27 also imparts a slight
torsion to the valve stem 24 when the latter is stretched, be it by a downwardly moving
mandrel 50 or by a depressed spray head shaft 40. Instead of a helical bead 27, there
could also be provided a number of parallel annular radial beads protruding from the
outer surface of the valve stem 24. Both, the last mentioned annular beads, or the
helical bead 27, can be produced integral with the valve stem 24 by injection molding.
[0060] The embodiment of a valve body 320 shown in Fig. 4 consists of a flanged upper body
portion 321, an upper dowel portion 322 having at its foot zone where it merges with
the upper portion'321 a circumferential groove 321a, which upper dowel portion 322
is connected, in axially downward direction, via a reduced diameter dowel section
329 with a lower dowel portion 323, the underside 323a of which bears a very short
valve neck 324 which is preferably thicker than the reduced diameter dowel section
d29, and finally the valve head 325. In this valve neck 324, there is provided the
entry duct 335 for product flow, when the valve.is open.
[0061] The product passage from the lower dome part interior recess 311 upwardly into the
entry duct 335 and into the cavity 330 is obturated by the rearward conical face 326
of the valve head 325 being urged with bias against the annular shoulder 318 between
the lower dome part sidewall 315 and the collar portion 317. The lower dowel portion
323 bears on its peripheral sidewalls integrally molded sealing beads 327 which engage
the internal wall 317c of the collar portion 317 in a liquid- and gas-tight manner.
[0062] This embodiment of the valve body has the advantage of having no dead space for residual
product between the entry duct 335 and the internal wall 317c exept the very small
space 319 above the rearward conical face 326. Axial downward displacement of the
valve head 325 during opening of the valve is made possible by the reduced diameter
section 329 between the dowel portions 322 and 323, being stretched.
[0063] The bias of the valve head 325 against the shoulder 318 is secured by a slightly
inwardly curved annular rim portion 317a which engages the circumferential groove
321a between the upper valve body portion 321 and the upper dowel portion 322-of the
valve body 320.
[0064] Assembly of the valve body 320 in the lid collar portion 317 can be carried out in
a similar manner as in the embodiments illustrated in Figure 2.
[0065] Actuation of the embodiment of a valve-and-lid assembly as shown in Fig. 4 can be
carried out with use of an actuating member such as the spray head shaft 40 shown
in Fig. 2A. The downward deformation by stretching of the reduced diameter section
329 can be effected by the lower end face 40a of the shaft 40 engaging either the
bottom 332 or a shoulder 333a in the inner sidewall 333 of the cavity 330.
[0066] This embodiment is recommended especially for use with products which are liable
to attack the material of the valve body and alter its elasticity. In the embodiment
shown in Fig. 4, such product will not come into contact with the elastically stretchable
reduced diameter portion 329, owing to the sealing beads 327.
[0067] In Figures 5, 6, 7 and 8, there is shown a further embodiment of the valve-and-lid
assembly according to the invention in which the lid 210 is of a construction very
similar to that of Fig. 2B, while the valve body 220 is mode of softer elastically
resilient material having, for instance, a Shore hardness A of 70, while the earlier
described valve bodies are made of a synthetic polymeric material having a Shore hardness
A of 78 to 80.
[0068] The valve body 220 is of simpler configuration than the valve bodies of the preceding
embodiments. It consists of a preferably cylindrical main body 221, a valve head 225
and a short narrower-diameter valve neck 224 connecting the valve head 225 with the
valve main body 221. A central axial cavity 230 extends from an opening 229 in the
flat top end face 221a downward to a radial plane P
l above that (P
2) of the lower end face 221b of the valve main body 221, from which plane P
1 a narrower diameter extension 231 of the cavity ends in the neck 224 or the head
225. At the lower end of the cavity 230 where the reduced diameter extension 231 begins,
an annular internal shoulder 233 is formed between the two regions of the cavity 230,
in which shoulder a window 235 permits free communication between the interior of
the cavity 230 and the outside. This window is closed, in the valve-and-lid assembly,
by the radially inwardly projecting annular bottom flange 218, the inner rim of which
about the central opening 216 is preferably rounded off by a downwardly and outwardly
crimped rim portion 218a.
[0069] During manufacture, the valve body 220 and the lid 210 are assembled essentially
in the same manner in which assembling is effected in the case of the embodiment of
Fig. 1.
[0070] The valve body 220 is_ mounted on a mandrel 250 protruding from the frontal face
251a of a piston rod 251, which mandrel 250 has at its tip a reduced diameter nose
part 253 forming an annular shoulder 254 on the frontal face of the mandrel 250 (Fig.
6).
[0071] The overall length of the mandrel 250 inclusive of its nose part 253 must be considerably
greater than the total depth of the cavity 230 inclusive of its extension 231.
[0072] The collar portion 217 of the lid 210 bears at its upper end 219a where it merges
with the upper end of the dome sidewall 215, a radially outwardly extending annular
indentation 213. When the mandrel 250 strikes downward into the internal passageway
219 of dome collar portion 217, carrying the valve body 220 with it, it reaches the
position shown in Fig. 5 in which the downward stroke of the mandrel 250 is stopped,
for instance, by an annular stop flange 252 on the piston rod 251 abutting against
stop means 255. In this position, the lower end face 221b of the main body 221 has
struck the upper face 218b of the annular bottom flange 218, and the mandrel nose
253 has stretched the valve neck 224 sufficiently to open a gap between the rearward
tapered face 226 of the valve head 225 and the underside of the crimped rim portion
118a of the bottom flange 218. At the same time, the shoulder 254 formed on the frontal
face of the mandrel 250 by its projecting nose part 253 compresses the portion of
the main body 221 between the internal shoulder 233 and the frontal face 221b resting
on the upper face 218b of the lid bottom flange 218. ;
[0073] As the mandrel 250 and its nose part 252 are withdrawn from the cavity 230 of the
valve body 220, the valve neck 224 contracts and moves the rearward face 226 of the
valve head 225 into sealing contact with the rounded rim of the crimped flange 218
about the central opening 216. Thereby, the entry duct 235 in the main body 221 is
fully obturated, the neck 224 is less stretched than in the position shown in Fig.
5, - although it is still stretched compared with a com- pleteTy relaxed condition
of the valve body 220, in which condition the latter is found when mounted on the
mandrel 250 prior to introduction into the lid dome collar portion 217 At the same
time, the compressed lower portion of the main body 221 is also relieved of pressure
by withdrawel of the mandrel shoulder 254 and thus exerts an upward pull on the valve
neck 224 and valve body 225, increasing the sealing effect of the latter parts against
the crimped rim about the cetral opening 216, while at the same time increasing upward
pressure of the periphery of the top end face 221a of valve main body 221 against
the annular indentation 213 at the upper end of the lid dome collar portion 217.
[0074] In Figures 7 and 8, a similar embodiment as shown in Fig. 6 is illustrated, but with
the mandrel 250 fully withdrawn and replaced by the shaft 240 of a spray head (not
shown) containing a spray nozzle (not shown). The spray head shaft 240 contains a
duct 241 which opens through windows 242 at the shaft bottom end. The entry duct 235
extends sufficiently radially into the valve neck 224 and the lower portion of the
main body 221 to ensure free communication between the duct 235 and the interior duct
241 of the shaft 240.
[0075] In the closed position illustrated in Fig. 7 the rearward face 226 of the valve head
225 is in sealing contact with the crimped rim 218d of the bottom flange 218 of the
collar portion 127.
[0076] When the shaft 240 is depressed, it compresses the lower portion of the main valve
body 221 between the downward shaft end 240a and the upper face 218b of the bottom
flange 218, thereby urging the valve neck 224 and the valve head 225 thereon downwardly,
and thereby moving the rearward valve head face 226 out of contact with the crimped
rim 218d of the bottom flange 218, thus opening the path for pressurized product to
flow'from a container on which the valve-and-lid assembly is mounted into the entry
duct 235 to the axial duct 241 in the shaft 240 and outward into the spray nozzle
connected therewith.
[0077] The embodiment of a lid-and-valve assembly illustrated in Fig. 9 has already been
described in the earlier Irish Patent Application No. 1643/81 and is illustrated in
the assembled state in Figures 1 and 2 thereof.
[0078] Fig. 9 illustrates in its upper part the valve body 20 mounted on a mandrel
90 which is surrounded by an annular pressure element 91
'. Both are actuated by a piston rod (not shown) and can be integral with each other.
[0079] The annular pressure element 91 rests with its underside on a corresponding annular
surface area 22 of the upper face 20b of a valve disc 21 constituting an annular,
radially outwardly extending flange about the valve stem 24. In the lower part of
Fig. 9 there is shown the lid 10 comprising a peripheral crimped zone by means of
which the lid 10 is or can be fastened to a container.
[0080] The lid 10 comprises an annular flat lid part 13 from which there projects downwardly
the dome 12 which has an inwardly crimped foot zone 12a and a top wall 14 which merges
with the foot zone 12a by means of an outwardly crimped sidewall 15 forming therein
an annular recess 15a. About the central opening 16, the dome top wall 14 bears a
short collar portion 17, which protrudes from a downwardly vaulted annular zone 14a
of the top wall 14.
[0081] When the mandrel strikes downward, it carries the valve body 20 into the passageway
19 within the collar portion 17 and presses the valve head 25 out of the central opening
16 and a short way below the annular shoulder 18 at the lower end of the rim portion
17. This position of the valve body 20 is indicated in the lower half of Fig. 1 by
dashed lines. As the mandrel 90 and annular pressure element 91 pass upwardly from
this position shown in phantom lines, the disc portion 21 has snapped radially downwardly
and entered the annular recess 15a, while the more strongly bent region.. 24a thereof,
in which the disc portion 21 merges with the neck portion 24 becomes less bent an
pulls the valve head 25 upwardly with the rearward face 26 of the latter into sealing
contact with the shoulder 18 of the collar portion 17. This position of the valve
body 20 is indicated by dashed lines in the lower part of Fig. 9. Meanwhile, the mandrel
90 and the annular pressure element
91 will have been fully, withdrawn from the valve-and-lid assembly which is now in closed
condition, and a spray head shaft 40 can be inserted either in the manner shown in
Fig. 1 of European Pat. Appln. No. 81105298.4 or in the manner shown in the preceding
Figures 2A, 7 and 8. The former mode of mounting the spray head shaft 40 on the valve
body 20 is satisfactory in the embodiment shown in Fig. 9, because opening of the
valve is effected more by a downward bending of the central valve disc zone about
the cavity 30, for which there is room thanks to the downwardly vaulted dome top wall
portion 14a, than by a stretching less flexible valve neck 24.
[0082] As mentioned before, the valve head 25, which has a radially extending flat rearward
face 26 in the embodiment shown in Fig. 9, is preferably provided with a steeply tapered
rearward face 26. Such rearward tapering, when at an angle α of less than 45
0 also provides for a better self-centering of the valve head on the valve seat constituted
by the shoulder 18 of the collar portion 17. Of course, an annular pressure element
61 can also be used together with the mandrel 50 in position in the embodiment of
Fig. 1, in order to assist in pushing the frustoconical dowel part 22 into its final
position in the collar portion 17.
[0083] When the neck portion 24 is stiff enough to transmit a striking force applied to
the upper valve body face 20b in the zone about the opening therein of the cavity
30, then it is not necessary to provide a mandrel 40 which is of such length that
it extends to the cavity bottom. Rather it is sufficient to use a short mandrel of
a flat shock-transmitting piston rod face which is at the same level as-the active
face of the annular pressure element 61 or integral therewith.
[0084] Mounting of the riser tube on the external surface of the collar portion has been
illustrated in particular in Figures 2, 2A and 2B.
[0085] The inwardly curved lower rim portion 118 permits shortening of the workpath along
which the valve head 125 has to be struck past the rim 118a, reduction of the free
space above the first contact surface 126a between the internal wall of the. collar
portion 117 and the external surface of the valve stem 124, and facility of mounting
the riser tube with a shorter upper end 137a, but firm seating owing to the sharp
free terminal edge 118e of the crimped rim portion 118d cutting into the riser tube
137.
[0086] Terms such as "upper" and "lower" used in the instant specification and in the appended
claims refer to the positions of the respective parts in the accompanying drawings,
and "outward" and "inward" or similar terminology refers to the relationship of parts
with regard to a container on which the valve-and-lid assembly is mounted, unless
a different meaning is clearly derived from the context.
[0087] Compared with the structurally closest valve-and-lid assemblies of the prior art,
the present invention" offers a number of advantages. First of all, its assembling
process is particularly simple in that the valve body and the lid are each produced
separately in finished form by known manufacturing techniques. Assembling of the two
parts is then carried out in the very simple manner described hereinbefore.
[0088] The separate production of the lid of specific configuration and of the novel valve
body, both in finished form, permits manufacture of the assembly consisting of these
two parts in a single short step with the possibility of exactly determining.the various
forces and automatically generating them in the assembled state, with an accuracy
which it would be impossible to achieve if the finished form of the lid and/or the
valve body were produced only after assembling the two parts in semi-finished conditions.
[0089] An important feature of the finished assembly resides in the fact that only a relatively
small portion of the valve, body, which is made of syntetic plastic material, such
as Hytrel or rubber, comes into direct contact with the product during storage and
when the product-is released through the valve. Spaces that can retain residual product
between two spraying operations, that may change its chemical nature with time and
affect the composition and elasticity of the valve body material, are reduced to a
minimum volume or completely eliminated.
[0090] This is due especially to the fact that the major portion of the product flow path
extends through the interior of the valve body and not along its outside as is the
case in the aerosol valve of Gildone, des-" cribed supra, and it is especially advantageous
when, in this case, the shaft of a spray head or the like tubular actuating member
extends downward into the interior of the valve body, surrounding the flowpath of
product therethrough.
[0091] Another important distinctive feature of the valve-and-lid assembly according to
the invention resides in the provision of additional sealing means about the valve
stem which help to further limit the external surface area of the valve body which
can come into contact with the product to be dispensed, and to reduce further the
internal space in which product can accumulate and age between dispensing operations
of the valve. At the same time, these sealing means also help to guide the valve stem
in the lid collar portion and to ensure safe re-seating of the valve head on the obturating
collar portion rim or shoulder after each actuation.
[0092] Excessive space between the valve stem and the inner wall of the lid collar'portion
above the obturation zone can also lead to an undesirable after-spray effect after
the valve has again been closed at the end of dispensing product.
[0093] A further inventive feature of special advantage is the presence of a cavity which
extends axially through the valve body to the vicinity of the level where the valve
stem or neck merges with the larger diameter valve head constituting the lowermost
end portion of the valve body.
[0094] In preferred embodiments of the valve-and-lid assembly according to the invention,
the diameter, taken in a plane radial to the central assembly axis, of the flanged
upper valve body portion is equal to or only slightly larger than the diameter, in
a corresponding plane, of the valve head. In these cases, it is not necessary to confine
the periphery of the annular flange comprised by such upper valve body portion in
a special crimped peripheral portion in the lid dome of the assembly. Rather, the
valve body is attached firmly within the collar portion of the lid by forces biassing
the underside of the aforesaid flange and a rearward, i.e. upwardly directed annular
face of the valve head toward each other and thereby exerting a clamping hold on the
collar portion or a suitably shaped part thereof. In certain cases, the diameter of
the upper valve body portion can even be smaller than the valve head.
[0095] In these embodiments as well as in others having a larger flange as the peripheral
part of the upper valve body portion, and in those cases thereof when the actuating
member such as a spray head shaft is of a diameter too large to permit insertion of
the shaft into the valve body cavity, it is preferred to have the annular pressure
area in which the spray head shaft or the like tubular acutating member exerts downward
opening pressure on the upper frontal face of the upper valve body portion coincide,
or at least overlap with the annular area in which the lower end of the valve stem
merges with the larger diameter valve head. This last-mentioned annular area is, of
course, the area in which the downward pressure of the actuating member is transmitted
to the valve head and moves the latter out of contact with the sealing surface of
the lid collar portion opening the valve.
[0096] It is important that this annular pressure area on the upper valve body portion does
not have too large a diameter to be substantially outside the said annular merging
area of the valve stem and valve head, for, in short flange upper valve body portions,
resting directly on the upper rim of the lid collar portion, this would make opening
of the valve impossible, while, in the cases in which
;the upper valve body portion comprises a larger diameter flange downwardly bendable
into a corresponding recess in the lid therebelow, the transmittal of forces moving
the valve stem and valve head downwardly becomes the more uncertain and irregular,
the greater the distance of the annular pressure zone from the merger zone between
the valve stem and valve head, and the greater the flexibility of the material from
which the valve body is made.
[0097] Self-closing valve-and-lid assemblies which can be produced by the process described
hereinbefore are adapted for closing the open top end of the interior of a container
fillable with pressurized product, and having a central assembly axis; such assembly
comprises
(I) a lid the periphery of which is adapted for being sealingly connected with a top
rim of a container sidewall surrounding the said container top opening, and extending
generally transverse to said central assembly axis,
which lid has a central dome part and a central opening in the middle of the dome
part,
the lid having preferably a flat lid part about the said dome part and extending generally
in a main lid plane transverse to the central assembly axis;
the dome part has a hollow interior extending between the open base end and the central
dome opening and comprises a top portion, a circumferential sidewall which latter
extends generally out of the main lid plane and has a foot zone merging with the flat
lid part, and
a collar portion protruding from the dome top portion and extending substantially
axially relative to said central assembly axis and ending in an annular rim about
said central dome part opening;
the said dome part has an inner annular wall surface of the top portion, sidewall,
and collar portion delimiting the hollow dome part interior;
(II) a valve body having a peripheral disc portion, which valve body has an outer
surface adapted for facing away from the hollow dome part interior and an opposite
inner surface facing toward the hollow dome part inerior; this valve body comprises
(a) a valve head bearing an annular contact zone being disposed coaxially about said
central assemlby axis, and being, in closed state, in sealing contact with at least
one annular contact zone of the said inner wall surface of the dome part; and
(b) a cavity open in the valve disc portion and extending inwardly toward the valve
head,
(c) at least one duct extending through the valve body and having a first orifice
in the cavity thereof and a second orifice in the inner valve body surface and opening
out of the latter surface between the annular contact zone of the valve head and the
valve disc portion; and optionally
(III) finger-engageable actuating means for deforming the valve body in a manner such
that at least the part of the valve head bearing the annular contact zone is moved
out of engagement with the annular contact zone of the inner wall surface of the dome
part, thereby opening a free passage through at least one duct from a space adjacent
the valve head about said annular contact zone to the said cavity, one of said lid
and said valve body being rigid under conditions of filling product into, and discharging
product from said container while the other one of said lid and valve body is elastically
resilient under aforesaid conditions.
[0098] It is an object of another invention aspect to improve our earlier valve-and-lid
assembly by providing a still better sealing between the two afore-mentioned annular
contact zones and furthermore to facilitate the manufacture of the synthetic thermoplastic
resin parts of such valve-and-lid assembly by injection molding techniques.
[0099] These objects and others will become apparent from the description of this invention
aspect hereinafter, and are attained in accordance with the instant invention, in
a valve-and-lid assembly as described hereinbefore, in which one of the said annular
contact zones of the inner wall surface of the dome part and of said valve head is
located in a conically tapered surface on one of the two last-mentioned parts with
the central assembly axis as cone axis, and the other annular contact zone is a substantially
circular edge on the other one of the two last-mentioned parts, opposite the said
conically tapered surface.
[0100] In order to enhance the sealing effect of the inner annular contact zone at the dome
part shoulder, the underside of the latter as well as the joint thereof with the collar
portion can be spray-coated with a thin layer of flexible thermoplastic material (not
shown) in all of the embodiments. Also, if this should be desired, a small thin-walled
socket, of the resilient synthetic resin material having the shape of a tube of an
outer diameter equal-.to the inner width of the dome part collar portion, and having
a radial flang fitting on the underside of dome part shoulder can be press-seated
in the same location as the spray-coating, taking the place of the latter.
[0101] Instead. of .an atomizer head, the tubulure can also carry a filling head in order
to fill a suitable product and/or propellant into the container.
[0102] The terms "upward", "downward", "upper side" and the like, e.g., "lower side" or
"underside" refer to positions of the respective parts as shown in the accompanying
drawings, while "inner" and "outer" refer to the position of parts relative to the
container which can be closed by the valve-and-lid assembly according to the invention,
unless defined otherwise.
[0103] Other features and details of this invention will become apparent from the further
description thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings in which
Fig. 11 is an axial sectional view through a further embodiment of the valve-and-lid
assembly according to the invention with.the parts in closed position;
Fig. 12 shows a detail of the view of Fig. 1, with the parts in open positon;
Fig. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the valve body in the same embodiment taken in
a plane indicated by XIII - XIII in Fig. 11;
Fig. 14 shows a third embodiment in axial, partially sectional view;
Fig. 15 is a partial view, in axial section, of the lid part of the same embodiment
as shown in Fig. 4.
Fig. 16 is an axial sectional view of a valve body similar to that shown in the embodiment
of Fig. 4;
Fig. 17 is a -top view of the same valve body as shown in Fig. 6;
Fig. 18 is an axial partially sectional view of a fourth embodiment of the valve-and-lid
assembly according to the invention, with the parts in closed position;
Figures 19, 20 and 21 are axial sectional views of, respectively, a fifth, sixth and
seventh embodiment of the invention; and
Figures 22 and 23 are axial sectional views of, respectively, an eighth and ninth
embodiment of the invention.
Fig. 24 is an axial sectional view of a tenth embodiment of the valve-and-lid assembly
according to the invention, in closed position, and
Fig. 25 is a similar view of the tenth embodiment but with the parts in open position.
[0104] In several figures of the drawings, parts having like functions bear like numerals.
[0105] In the embodiment of a self-closing valve-and-lid assembly according to the invention
shown in Figures 11 to 13, the top opening 2a of a container 1 is closed by the lid
10 of the said assembly. The periphery of an annular flat lid part 13, which extends
generally transverse to a central assembly axis CA in a main lid plane LP, is sealingly
connected by crimping to the top rim 4 of the container sidewall. The lid 10 has a
central dome part 12 protruding upwardly from the flat lid part 13. The dome part
10 comprises a circumferential sidewall 15 which extends from its foot zone 15a, merging
with the flat lid part 13, upwardly, i.e. away from the container interior 2, and
is covered by a top portion 14 of the dome part. The top portion 14 bears, preferably
centrally disposed, a collar portion 17 which protrudes from the dome top portion
14, preferably in a direction away from the lid plane LP, and extends axially relative
to the central assembly axis CA. The collar portion 17 ends in an annular rim 18 about
the central dome part opening 11, and at least the outer part 18b, adjacent the rim
18, of the collar portion internal sidewall 17b is flared outwardly,
[0106] The dome part 12 has an inner annular wall surface 16a which extends inside the sidewall
15, top portion 14 and collar portion 17 and delimits the hollow interior 16 of the
dome part 12.
[0107] At the. junction between the collar portion 17 and the top portion 14, there is formed
a rounded shoulder 18a in the inner wall surface 16a. The latter surface 16a is preferably
of cylindrical configuration inside the dome part sidewall 15, and has a narrower
diameter inside the collar portion 17.
[0108] In the hollow interior 16 of the dome part 12, there is seated a valve body 20 of
a material which is sufficiently elastically resilient to allow at least some deformation
when pressure is applied to one end of the valve body, as shall be explained in more
detail hereinafter. Elastically resilient materials for making such valve bodies have
been described in the initially mentioned earlier patent application.
[0109] This valve body 20 has a generally plate-shaped or block-shaped base or disc portion
21 the periphery 21c, of which is preferably broader than the remainder of the valve
body 20. Those regions of the surface of the valve body 20 which face away from the
hollow dome part interior 16 are referred to as the outer surface 20a, and those regions
thereof which.face toward the hollow dome part interior, i.e., the inner annular wall.surface
16a of the dome part interior 16, are referred to as the inner surface 28b, of the
valve body 20.
[0110] The valve body 20 also comprises a valve head 28 which is connected with.the valve
body disc portion 21 and preferably integral therewith. In the embodiment of Fig.
1, the valve head 28 comprises a broader valve head end portion 25 and a narrower
valve stem 24 connecting the head end portion 25 preferably integrally with the disc
portion 21.
[0111] In its outer surface 20a, in the disc portion 21, the valve body 20 is provided with
a preferably cylindrical cavity 30 which opens out of the disc portion 21 in the top
face 21a of the latter.
[0112] At least one channel or duct 35 extends through the valve stem 24 and has an inner
orifice 35b opening into the cavity 30 and an outer orifice 35a opening into the hollow
interior 16 in a space 23a thereof located between the inner surface 28b of the valve
body 20 and the inner annular wall surface 17b of the collar portion 17 of the dome
part 12, on the one hand and intermediate annular labyrinth-type sealing means 23
about the stem part 24 adjacent the disc portion 21 and a passage 33 (Fig. lA) between
shoulder 18 and a conically tapered annular surface part 26 of the valve head end
portion 25, which passage 33 is obturated, when the parts of the valve are in closed
position, by the conically tapered head surface part 26 being urged with a contact
zone 25a thereof into sealing contact with a circular contact rim 18a at the aforesaid
rounded shoulder 18 of the dome part top portion 14 and sidewall 15.
[0113] When in obturating position, the valve body 20 is firmly set in the dome part 12
under bias due to the fact that the.axial distance d
1 between the rim 18a and the shoulder 18 is larger than the axial distance d
2 between the bottom of an annular groove 43a in a flange 43 about the periphery of
valve disc portion 21, and the annular contact zone 25a of the conically tapered valve
head surface part 26, while.-the valve body 20 is in unassembled condition, i.e..
while it is not seated in the dome part l2.of the lid 10.
[0114] In order to be able to actuate the valve of this valve-and-lid assembly, an actuating
tube 40 which has an internal discharge duct 49 and may bear at its free end a conventional
spray nozzle head (not shown) is inserted in the cavity 30 and comes to rest on an
annular shoulder 45 having a gap 45a for the passage of product. (Fig. 3).
[0115] When actuating tube 40 is depressed by the user's finger or fingers, the lower end
of tube 40 presses on the shoulder 45 downwardly in axial direction, thereby stretching
in particular the thin-walled neck portion 24 of the valve body by a millimeter or
even less and thus moves the valve head end portion 25 downward and its surface part
26 out of sealing contact with the circular contact edge 18a of the shoulder 18 between
top portion 14 and sidewall 15 of the lid dome part 12, thus freeing the passage 33
through the valve so that product can be discharged therethrough from the interior
2 of the container 1. (Fig. 2)
[0116] When finger pressure is relieved from actuating tube 40, the bias in the valve body
20 due to the difference between d
1 and d
2 as well as the elastic resetting forces in the valve body material cause the valve
stem 24 to contact and the passage 33 to become again obturated.
[0117] It must be borne in mind that, in practice, the dimensions of, for instance, the
valve body 20, can be very small ones. Thus the largest diameter of the periphery
of the valve head end portion can be as small as 5.4 mm, the width of the orifice
35 can be 1 mm, the entire length of the valve body 20 only 9.5 mm. This means very
exact dimensioning when producing the valve body 20 by injection molding techniques,
and even a small change facilitating the production of the valve body 20 and/or making
it more accurate can be highly cost effective.
[0118] In the preferred embodiment shown in Figures 14 and 15, the valve body 20, apart
from its disc portion 21, is largely identical with the valve bodies of the preceding
embodiments, except that its stem portion 24 is particularly short.
[0119] The dome part 42 of the lid 10, which protrudes in this embodiment from the flat
lid part 13 in the direction away from the interior 2 of a container 1, comprises,
at the junction between the top portion 44 of the dome part sidewall and the foot
zone 47a of the collar portion 47, an annular.indentation 74 of reduced diameter and
of a wall which shows a concavely curved cross section, i.e. the crest 36a of the
indentation 74 protrudes into the hollow dome part interior 46 in a plane perpendicular
to the central assembly axis CA. This indentation thus has, as part of the inner dome
part wall surface, a first flank or slope 74a facing outwardly, i.e. away from the
container interior, and, below the crest 36a, a second flank or slope 74b which faces
toward the container interior. In the embodiment of Figures 14 and 15, it is the latter
flank 74b which contains the'-xircular edge 18a which makes contact with the opposite
conically tapered head end portion surface part 26, in the annular contact zone 25a
of the latter.
[0120] Fig. 15 shows in axial sectional view a part of the dome part of the embodiment of
Fig. 14, from which the valve body 20 has been removed.
[0121] The annular recess about the stem part 24 of the valve head 20 in Fig. 14 is so dimensioned
that a bias is exercised on the two flanks 74a and 74b by the conically tapered slopes
24a, of the disc portions, and 26, of the head end portion 25, above and below the
neck portion 24, respectively.
[0122] In Figures 16 and 17 there is shown a preferred embodiment of the valve body 20 which
can be manufactured by injection molding without the use of needles.
[0123] In this valve body 20, the du.ct 35 is replaced by a recess 37 in the annular shoulder
38 near the bottom, end of cavity 30. The mold to be injected in the production of
this valve body can thus consist of two halves which are both axially withdrawn, one
upward and the other downward, while no use of transverse needles is required.
[0124] The embodiment shown in Fig. 18 is distinguished from that..of.Fig. 4 mainly by the
fact that the dome part 42 protrudes.from the flat lid part 13 in the opposite direction,
namely inwardly toward the container interior 2, and the.collar part 47 has about
the central opening 211 thereof a rim 48 which.bears a riser tube 9, of standard size
as used conventionally in spray cans.
[0125] In this embodiment, two exit openings 35' of large cross section are provided, whereby
the remaining stem part takes the shape of two columns 24' and 24".
[0126] The valve body 20 is firmly seated in the dome part 42 in a similar manner with bias
due to the difference between d
1 and d
2 as has been explained, supra, in connection with the embodiment of Fig. 11. This
bias of valve body 20 also contributes to an enhanced sealing effect between the annular
conical face 21b about the periphery of the disc portion 21 and the outwardly flared
foot zone 42a of the dome part 42, which merges with the flat lid part 13, on the
one hand; and with collar part 47, on the other hand, to achieve an enhanced sealing
effect between the inner flank 74b of the dome part indentation 34 and the conically
tapered surface part 26 of head end portion 25 of the valve body 20.
[0127] In the embodiments of Figures 19, 20 and 21, the dome part has in its sidewall a
zone of frustoconical configuration which, in closed position of the valve parts,
is in sealing contact with a rounded peripheral zone of the head end portion of the
valve body.
[0128] More in particular, in the embodiment of Fig. 19, the dome part 52 projects downwardly
from the flat lid part 13 toward the interior 2 of a container. The inner annular
dome part wall surface 56a has an annular zone 59 which is of frustoconical configuration.
The narrower end of this zone has a periphery 59a approximately at half the axial
length of the dome part sidewall 55, while the opposite broader base end of the frustoconical
zone has a larger diameter periphery 59b which, in this embodiment extends-in the
plane of the top portion 56 of the dome part 72. From the top portion 56, there protrudes
downwardly a collar portion 57, which bears firmly seated thereon,- a.conventional
riser tube 9 leading into the central opening 211 of the dome part 52.
[0129] The annular zone 55a of the inner dome part wall surface 56a extending from the aforesaid
narrower end periphery 59a of the annular zone 59 to the foot zone 72a of the dome
part 72, at the flat lid part 13; is likewise of frustoconical configuration, having
as its narrower end periphery the same periphery.59a as the first-described frustoconical
zone 59 while its broader base end has its periphery at the said foot zone 72a where
the inner annular dome part sidewall surface 56a ends at the outer surface 13a of
the flat lid part 13.
[0130] The narrowest diameter of the dome part sidewall 55 is at the level of the narrower
end periphery 59a which is common to the two frustoconical zones 55a and 59. The phantom
apexes of the two generating cones are both located on the central assembly axis CA.
[0131] The valve body 70 which is particularly easy to assemble in the dome part 72 has
a configuration which differs somewhat from those of the preceding embodiments. Its
disc portion 71 is of frustoconical shape and, prior to its introduction into the
dome part 72 of preferably slightly flatter inclination toward its base than the corresponding
zone 55a of the dome part sidewall 55, the diameter of disc portion 71 at the base
end of the frusto- conical zone thereof being slightly larger than the open end, surrounded
by the foot zone 72a, of the dome part 72. The valve head 58 is also generally of
frustoconical shape with its narrower end face merging with the frusto- conical disc
portion 71 at the narrow end of the latter, the diameter of this common narrower end
merging plane of the disc portion 71 and the head 73 being practically identical with
the diameter of the narrower end periphery 59a, of the narrowest width, of the inner
dome part wall surface 55a, 56a.
[0132] Prior to its introduction into the dome part 72, the frustoconical sidewall 53a of
valve head 73 is very slightly less inclined than the corresponding frusto- conical
zone 59 of the inner dome part sidewall surface in contact therewith.
[0133] Upon insertion of the valve body 70 into the hollow interior of the dome part 72,
this configuration causes particularly safe seating and simultaneously very safe sealing
between the two valve parts.
[0134] In the frustoconical surface
53a of the valve head 73, there is provided an annular groove 54a, leaving a reduced
diameter neck portion 54 and, below the groove 54a, toward the base end, of the frustoconical
valve head a larger diameter head end portion 58, the periphery 58a of which has a
rounded contour, so that a circular edge thereon makes sealing contact with the bevelled
surface of frustoconical zone 59.
[0135] The valve disc zone 71 and stem portion 54 contain the cavity 30 and a duct or ducts
35 in the same manner as is the case in the preceding embodiments of the valve body
20. Insertion of an actuating tube 40 in the cavity 30 permits to open the valve by
downward pressure, whereby the neck portion 54 is slightly stretched, for instance
by about one millimeter, and a gap is opened between the downwardly displaced rounded
periphery 58a of the head end portion 58 and the above mentioned inner dome part wall
surface 56a in the zone 59 thereof.
[0136] In the embodiments of Figures
20 and -21 the sealing effect and the opening and closing operation are the same as
in the embodiment of Fig.
19.
[0137] In these two figures, dome part 72 protrudes upwardly from the flat lid part 13,
i.e. away from the interior 2 of a container 1 equipped with this valve-and-lid assembly.
The inner surface 76a of the sidewall 75 of dome part 72 has a frustoconical zone
79 which extends up to the dome part top portion 76, where the narrower end periphery
79a of the zone 79 is located, while the broader base periphery 79b is located at
the foot zone 75a of the dome part sidewall 75.
[0138] The top portion 76 of the dome part 72 bears a collar portion 77 the rim 77a of which
surrounds the central opening of the dome part 72.
[0139] In the embodiment of Fig. 20, a valve body 60 is inserted in the hollow interior
76a of the dome part 72, the valve stem portion 64, and valve head end portion 68
are of identical configuration with those of the valve head 70 in the embodiment of
Fig. 20. Thus the head end portion 68 has a rounded peripheral contour at 68a which
sealingly engages the frustoconical zone 79
. of the inner dome part wall surface 76a when the valve parts are in closed position.
[0140] The disc portion 61 of:the valve body 60 comprises on its outer side, facing away
from the container interior 2, a sleeve portion 66 which bears an external, radially
projecting flange 66a and is snugly and sealingly fitted into the collar portion 77
of the dome part 72, with the underside of the flange 66a resting firmly on the flat
rim 77a of the collar portion 77. The valve body 60 is provided with a cavity 30 and
at least one duct 35 in an identical manner as in the preceding embodiments.
[0141] In Fig..
21 there is shown the same lid 10 and dome part 72 as in the embodiment of Fig. 21.
The valve body 70 comprises a similar valve head 73 with head end portion 78 and rounded
periphery 78a, stem portion 74 and disc portion 71. However, the latter'bears a tubular
member 67 as actuating means integral with the disc portion 71 and having an annular
projection or shoulder 67a the underside of which rests on the rim 77a of the collar
portion 77 when the valve parts are in unactuated position and the valve is closed.
[0142] The tubular member 67 has an elongated cavity 31 which reaches down into the valve
neck portion 74, and at least one duct 35 is provided in a similar manner as in the
preceding embodiments.
[0143] In order to actuate the valve in the embodiment of Fig. 21., lateral finger pressure
is exerted on one side of the tubular member 67, preferably in the direction indicated
by arrow P, whereby the tubular member 67 is tilted to the right in Fig. 21, i.e.
toward the side'bn which the duct 35 is located. Thereby, that side of the valve body
70 is compressed while the opposite side is stretched in an outward direction. This
causes a slight lifting of the left hand region of the rounded periphery 78a of head
end portion 78, and a slight lowering of the opposite, right hand side in Fig. 21,
whereby a small gap at 33 is produced between the rounded peripheral edge 78a of head
portion 78 and the frustoconical zone 79 of the dome part sidewall 75 through which
gap product under pressure can pass from the container interior 2 to the duct 35 and
out of cavity 31.
[0144] In order to increase this deformation of the valve body 70, axially extending stiffening
ribs 82 are preferably provided integrally with the interior sidewall 31a of the cavity
31 which extend from the top face 67b of the tubular member 67 down to the bottom
of the cavity, the inner orifices of ducts 35 opening between these ribs 82 into the
cavity 31.
[0145] In the embodiments of Figures.2
2 and 23 the valve head end portion 88 or.98 is sufficiently enlarged by a dependent-socket
89 in the case of-end portion 88, so that a riser tube 9 can be fastened in the underside
89a or 98a, respectively, of the valve head. In the embodiment of Fig. 23, the riser
tube 9 has a lateral opening or recess 9a, in its upper end, which is in free communication
with a channel 93 which extends transversely to the peripheral portion 98a or the
conical surface 95 of the valve body 99.
[0146] The sealing effect between contact faces of the valve body and dome part shoulder
as well as the actuating of the valve in order to release product under pressure therethrough
are identical with those of embodiments of similar configuration described hereinbefore.
[0147] A particularly advantageous feature of the embodiment shown in Figures 19, 20 and
21 resides in the conical configuration of the dome part sidewall of zone 59 in Fig.
19 and 75 in Figures 20 and 21, and of the correspondingly slightly flatter configuration
of the frustoconical mantle which envolves the head part 53, 63, 73 of the valve body
60, 70. This figure affords a much safer seating and, in particular, sealing than
if the dome part sidewall and the corresponding configuration of the valve head were
cylindrical, i.e., coaxially with the central assembly axis CA.
[0148] The.dome wall part 12 of the lid 10 or a part of the latter surrounding the dome
part can also be. made integral . with the sidewall of a container 1.
[0149] Moreover, in the embodiments of Figures 11, 14, 20 and 21 the collar portion 17 of
the dome part 12 can be made shorter and there can be inserted a stoper-like lid piece
101 of a different kind. Such an embodiment is illustrated in Figures 24 and 25 herein.
The inner wall surrounding the central opening 408b of the lid piece 401, which is
cylindrical in certain cases can also be of frustoconical configuration in the same
manner as shown by the dome part sidewall 75 in Figures 20 and 21 described herein
before. Preferably, the lid piece 401 is provided in its central region with a flexible
wall zone 404 of reduced thickness of a flexible, compressible wall region 404 between
a valve bodysupporting upper face 405 on which the disc portion 421 of the valve body
420 rests while being clamped in position by an inwardly directed flanch 107a of an
outer upper sidewall 407 of the lid piece 401. At its lower end, the compressible
wall region 404 merges with the foot portion 409 of the lid piece 401 which slightly
projects inwardly to form a contact shoulder.422 which is in sealing contact with
an outwardly and downwardly flared conical surface 125 of the valve body head 428.
Prior to the insertion of the valve body 420 in the hollow interior 416 of the lid
piece 401, the axial distance between the contact shoulder 422 and the upper lid piece
face 405 is slightly larger than the distance d
2 between the underside 421a of the valve disc portion 421 and the contact zone 425a
on the conically tapered surface 425 of the valve body head 428. Thereby, when the
valve body 420 has been inserted in the lid piece 401, a flexible wall 404 is pre-tensioned,
so that its face 405 and its shoulder 422 are in hermetically sealing contact with
the respective parts of the valve body 420 which they engage. The lid piece 401 is
firmly held in central opening of the dome part 412 of a lid or of a container wall,
as described herein before.
[0150] In a recess 406 in its underside 409a it can firmly hold a riser tube.9.
[0151] In contrast to the embodiment illustrated in the Figures 1 to 23, in which the lid
and the dome part being integral with each other are made of a material which is rigid
under the conditions of filling product into, and discharging product from a container,
i.e., a metal such as aluminium, while the valve body is made of an elastically resilient
material, e.g., a synthetic thermoplastic resin, in the case of the embodiment shown
in Figures 24.and 25, the valve body 420 is preferably made of a relatively rigid
synthetic resin, while the lid piece 401 is made of a relatively soft, elastically
resilient.thermoplatic material, such as HytrelR.
1. Process for producing a valve-and-lid assembly comprising a lid and a valve body,
which assembly has a central assembly axis, and is adapted for closing the open top
end of a container, which process comprises the steps of
(A) producing, in finished condition, a lid, being rigid under conditions of filling
product into, and discharging product from said container, the periphery of which
lid is adapted for being sealingly connected with a top rim of a container sidewall
surrounding the said open container top end, and which lid extends generally on a
main lid plane transverse to said central assembly axis; said lid having a dome and
a central opening in the middle of said dome;
at least a portion of said dome being a collar portion comprising an annular rim or
shoulder edge about said central opening andgadapted for sealing contact with said
valve body;
(B) producing separately said valve body, in finished condition, which valve body
comprises
(a) a radially extending upper valve body portion having an outwardly facing upper
surface and an inwardly facing lower surface,
(b) a valve stem centrally and axially protruding at least from a first one of said
upper body portion surfaces and adapted for being lodged in said lid dome collar portion,
at least one of said upper valve body portion and said valve stem having an annular
elastically resilient valve portion being deformable toward or in, axial direction,
(c) a valve head at an end of said valve stem remote from said upper valve body portion
and having a diameter, transverse to said central assembly axis, which is larger than
the diameter of said valve stem; said valve head bearing said first annular contact
zone so located thereon as to face toward said lid dome collar portion in the finished
assembly and adapted for making sealing contact with said annular rim or shoulder
edge, when the assembly is in closed position, and,when said assembly is in open position,
forming a gap therewith,
(d) a cavity having an opening in said upper surface of said upper valve body portion
and extending axially at least into said valve stem and having a bottom end located
near the radial plane in which said first contact zone on said valve head extends,
l (e) additional annular sealing means about said valve stem spaced from said valve
head and adapted for making sealing contact at all times with said lid dome collar
portion in a second zone axially spaced from said first contact zone,
(f) and duct means in said valve stem, having an exit opening for product flow into
said cavity and an entry opening in a region of said valve stem extending from said
first to short of said second contact zone;
(C) placing said valve body into a part of said collar portion outside said central
dome opening, or on the mandrel of a piston movably associated with a pressure cylinder,
(D) aligning said mandrel, on the outer side of said lid, with said central assembly
axis,
(E) striking said mandrel with sufficient force to drive the same together with said
valve body abruptly into said collar portion of said lid dome by a determined length
of travel sufficient to pass said valve head a short distance downwardly out of said
central dome opening, with deformation of said elastically resilient valve portion;
and
(F) withdrawing said mandrel upwardly out of engagement with said valve body, whereby
the latter contracts to move said first contact zone of said valve head into sealing
contact with said annular rim or shoulder edge on the outside of said dome collar
portion,
2. A process as described in claim 1, wherein, in step B, said valve body is produced
with at least one annular region of said valve head intermediate said inner surface
of° said upper body portion and said first annular contact zone being axially stretchable.
3. A process as described in claim 1, wherein, in step A, said lid is produced with
said dome having a foot zone in which said dome-merges with a flat lid part, which
zone is crimped to comprise an annular bead projecting radially inwardly toward said
central assembly axis;
wherein, in step B, said upper body portion is shaped as a flange of such diameter
as to snap fit into the said crimped foot zone of said dome foot part; and
wherein, in step C, said mandrel is surrounded by an annular skirt adapted for abutting
against the outer surface of said upper body portion inside the circumference of said
annular bead of said dome foot zone,
wherein, in step E , the peripheral region of said upper body portion is caused to
snap into position in said crimped foot zone between said annular bead thereof and
an adjacent portion of the dome sidewall.
4. A process as described in one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, in step C, said mandrel
protrudes into said valve body cavity from said outer valve body surface and has a
flat-nosed tip which rests against said cavity bottom.
5. A process as described in claim 3, wherein the diameter of said disc is such that
the peripheral zone of said inner valve disc surface is approximately equal with,
or slightly larger than, an underlying radially extending rim portion of the lid dome.
6. A process as described in claim 4, wherein the thrust of the mandrel corresponds
to a force of at least 6 to 9 kilopond applied to.the frontal face of said piston
turned away from said mandrel, when the latter has a surface area of about 3 cm .
7. A process as described in claim 6, wherein the thrust of the mandrel corresponds
to a force of at least 15 to 25 kiloponds.
8. A process as described in claim 6, wherein the work path corresponding to the length
of said collar portion offering resistance to the passage of said valve head therethrough
ranges from 0,5 to 5 millimeters.
9. A process as defined in one of claims 1 to 8 inclusive, in step A of which said
lid is produced from a metal of the aluminium type.
10. A process as defined in claim 9, in step B of which said valve body is produced
from an elastomeric synthetic resin the physical properties of which are similar to
those of Hytrel(R).
11. Self-closing valve-and-lid assembly adapted for closing the top end opening of
the interior (2) of a container (1) fillable with pressurized product, and having
a central assembly axis (CA), comprising
a lid (10) the periphery of which is adapted for being sealingly connected or integral
with a top rim (4) of a container sidewall surrounding the said container top opening,
and extending generally transverse to said central.assembly axis,
said lid having a central dome part (12) and a central opening (11) in the middle
of said dome part,
said dome part (12) having a hollow interior (16) extending between the open base
end (12a) of said dome part (12) and said central dome opening (11) and comprising
a top portion (14), a circumferential sidewall (15) which has a foot zone (15a) merging
with the remainders of said lid (10), and
a collar portion (17) protruding from said dome top portion (14) and extending substantially
axially relative to said central assembly axis (CA) and ending in an annular rim (18)
about said central dome part opening (11);
said dome part (12) having an inner annular wall surface (16a) of said top portion
(14), sidewall and collar portion delimiting said hollow dome part interior (16);
a valve body (20) having a peripheral disc portion (21), said valve body (20) having
an outer surface (20a) adapted for facing away from said hollow dome part interior
(16) and an opposite inner surface (20b) facing toward said hollow dome part interior
(16);
said valve body (20) comprising
(a) a valve head (23) bearing an annular contact zone (26) being disposed coaxially
about said central assembly axis (CA), and being, in closed state, in sealing contact
with at least one annular contact zone (22) of said inner wall surface (16a) of said
dome part (12); and
(b) a cavity (30) open in said valve disc portion (21) and extending inwardly toward
said valve head (23), and
(c) at least.one duct (35) extending through said valve body (20) and having a first
orifice (35a) in said cavity thereof and a second orifice (35b) in said inner valve
body surface (20b) and opening out of the latter surface between said annular contact
zone (26) of said valve head (23) and said valve disc portion (21); and one of said
lid and said valve body being rigid under conditions of filling product into, and
discharging product from.said container (1), while the other one of said lid and said
valve body is elastically resilient under the aforesaid conditions; and
finger-engageable actuating means (40) for deforming said valve body (20) in a manner
such that at least the part of said valve head (23) bearing said annular contact zone
(26) is moved out of engagement with said annular contact zone (22) of said inner
wall surface (16a) of said dome part (12), thereby opening a free passage through
at least one duct (35) from the space (19) adjacent said valve head (23) about said
annular contact zone (26) to said cavity (30); characterized by
one of said annular contact zones (19 and 26) of said inner dome part wall surface
(16a) and of said valve head (23) being located in a conically tapered surface (25,79,89)
on one of said two last-mentioned parts (12,23) withthe central assembly axis (CA)
as cone axis, and the other annular contact zone is a substantially circular edge
(19,26) on the other one of the two last-mentioned parts (12,23), opposite said conically
tapered surface (25,79).
12. Valve-and-lid assembly as described in claim 11, wherein said circular edge (19)
is on a shoulder (14a) located in the inner annular surface wall (16a) at the junction
between said collar portion (17) and said dome part top wall (14). (Figures 1 and
4).
13. Valve-and-lid assembly as described in Claim 12, wherein said valve head (23) comprises an end portion (27) of a diameter larger
than the diameter of said circular edge (19), and a reduced diameter stem portion (24) connecting said head end portion (27)
with said peripheral disc portion (21) of said valve head (23), a surface part (25)
of said valve head (23) extending between the periphery of said head end portion (27)
and being joined to said stem portion (24) constituting said conically tapered surface
(25) which contains the annular contact zone (26a). (Fig. 1)..
14. Valve-and-lid assembly as described in Claim'13 wherein a sidewall (17a) of said
collar portion (17), adjacent said annular rim (18) thereof, comprises an outwardly
flared anchoring part (18a), said collar sidewall (17a) being of an axial length greater
than the distance between said peripheral disc portion (21) of said valve body (20)
and said annular contact zone (26) on said conically tapered valve head surface (25),
when said valve body.(20) is in unassembled state, while said valve body is stretched
between said peripheral disc portion (21) thereof and said annular contact zone (26)
when said valve body is assembled in said lid dome part (12) with said peripheral
disc portion (21) being urged into sealing contact with the inner annular wall surface
(16a) of said dome part hollow interior (16) in the region of said outwardly flared
anchoring part (18a) of said collar portion (17).
15. Valve-and-lid assembly as described in Claim 11, wherein said dome part (42) comprises,
at the junction of the top portion (44) of the latter with said collar portion (47),
an annular indentation (34) of reduoed diameter.and of concavely curved axial section
of the wall thereof,
said indentation having an outwardly facing (34a) and an inwardly facing curved flank
(34b) as part of said inner dome part wall surface (46a),
said circular edge ( 19) being located on one of said curved flanks (34a,34b). (Fig.4).
16. Valve-and-lid assembly as described in Claim 15, wherein said valve-head (23) comprises
an end portion (27) of a diameter (d27) larger than the diameter (d19) of said circular edge ( 19), and a reduced diameter stem portion (24) connecting
said head end portion (27) with said;peripheral disc portion (21) of said valve head
(23), a surface part (25) of said valve head (23) extending between the periphery
(27a) of said head end portion (27) and the junction (36) of the latter with said
stem portion. (24) containing said annular contact zone (26); the latter surface (26)
being in sealing contact with a circular edge ( 19) on that curved slope (34b) of
said indentation (34) which is destined to face inwardly toward said container (1).
(Fig. 4).
17. Valve-and-lid assembly as described in Claim 16, wherein said dome part (42) protrudes
from said lid (10) on the side of the latter destined to be turned away from said
container (1). (Fig. 4).
18. Valve-and-lid assembly as described in Claim 16, wherein said dome part (42) protrudes
from said lid (10) on the side of the latter destined to be turned toward the interior
of the said container (1)
said annular collar portion rim (48) being adapted for sealingly engaging the upper
end of riser tube (9). (Fig. 8).
19.. Valve-and-lid assembly as described in Claim 11, wherein said inner annular dome
part wall surface (56a, 76a) has in the part thereof pertaining to said dome part
sidewall (55,65,'75) at least one zone (59,79) thereof of frustoconical configuration
having a narrow annular end periphery (59a,69a,79a) and a wider annular.base periphery
(59b,79b); and said valve head (53,63,73) of said valve body (50,60,70) has an enlarged
end portion (58,68, 78) with a rounded peripheral zone (58a,68a,78a) the diameter
of which is larger than the diameter of the said valve disc portion (51,61,71), said
valve body (50,60,70) comprising a reduced diameter neck portion (54,64,74) connecting
said valve head end portion (58,68,78) with said valve disc portion (51,61,71), a
cavity (30,31) in the face of said valve disc portion (51,61,71) turned away from
said valve head (53,63,73) and extending into said neck portion (54,64,74) and a duct
extending from said cavity (30,31) to the outer surface of said neck portion (54,64,74)
intermediate said valve disc portion (51,61,71) and said valve head end portion (58,68,78),
said valve disc portion (51,61,71) being in permanent sealing engagement with said
dome part sidewall (55,65, 75) in said zone (59,69,79) of frustoconical configuration
toward.the narrower annular end periphery (59a,69a,79a) of the latter, and, when said
valve.body (50,60,70) is in closed position in said assembly, said rounded peripheral
head zone (58a,68a,78a) is in sealing engagement with said frustoconical dome part
sidewall zone (59,69, 79). (Figures 9 , 10 and 11).
20. A valve-and-lid assembly as described in Claim 19, wherein said dome part (52)
protrudes from said lid (10) on the side thereof facing toward the interior (2) of
a container (1),
the narrow annular end periphery (59a) of said frusto- conical zone (79) is nearer
and the wider base periphery (59b) thereof is farther from said main lid plane (LP)
and
the intermediate portion (55a) of said dome part sidewall (55) intermediate said narrow
annular end periphery (59a) and said flat lid part (13) is also of frustoconical configuration
having a wider base periphery (56a) which is at said foot zone (52a) of said dome
part (52),
said collar portion (57) protruding from said dome part top portion (56) downwardly
toward said container interior (2) and being adapted for having a riser tube (9) attached
thereto. (Fig. 9 ).
21. A valve-and-lid assembly as described in Claim 19, wherein said dome part (72)
protrudes from said lid (10) on the side thereof turned away from the interior (2)
of a container (1), the narrow annular periphery (79a) of said frustoconical zone
(79) being at the upper end of said sidewall (75) where the latter merges with said
dome part top portion (76) and the wider base periphery (79b) being at said foot zone
(75a) of said dome part (72),
said collar portion (77) of said dome part (72) protruding from said top portion (76)
away from said main lid plane (LP);
said valve disc portion (61) having an external annular flange (66) engaging the annular
rim (77a) of said collar portion (77) and anchoring said valve body (60) in said collar
portion (77) and dome top portion (76).
22. A valve-and-lid assembly as described in Claim 21, wherein said actuating means
(80) comprise a laterally tiltable tube part (81) integral with said valve disc portion
(71) and extending coaxially with said central assembly axis (CA) from above said
annular flange (66) away from said valve disc portion (71), said tube part (61) having
a top end (81a) in which said cavity (31) opens,
said cavity (31) extending axially through said tube part (81) and through said valve
body (70) into said neck portion (74) thereof, said valve body (70) having a duct
(35) leading from said cavity (31) to outside said neck portion (74).
23. A valve-and-lid assembly as described in Claim 22, wherein said valve body (70)
comprises stiffening ribs (82) extending axially on the internal sidewall (31a) of
said cavity (31) as far as said neck portion (74).
24. A valve-and-lid assembly as described in Claim 11, wherein said lid (10) merges
with or is replaced by the sidewall of a container (1) being integral with said dome
part (12).
25. A self-closing valve-and-lid assembly adapted . for closing the top end opening
of the interior of a container fillable with pressurized product, said assembly comprising
a lid having a dome part and a collar portion as an extension of the latter, as well
as a valve body mounted in the hollow interior of the dome part and being ' of elastically
flexible material, said valve body having a head bearing an annular contact zone which
sealingly engages a similar contact zone on the inner surface of an annular indentation
or of an inner annular shoulder of the dome part, when the parts of the assembly are
in closed position,
characterized in that one of the annular contact zones of the inner wall surface of
the dome part and of the valve head is located in a conically tapered surface on one
of the two last-mentioned parts with the central assembly axis as cone axis, and the
other annular contact zone is a substantially circular edge on the other one of the
two last-mentioned parts, opposite the said conically tapered surface.