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(11) | EP 0 346 289 A2 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | Aerosol dispenser |
| (57) The invention relates to an aerosol dispenser for delivering products by means of
a pressurised gaseous propellant, provided with an inner flexible container (3) for
containing the product to be delivered. The inner container (3) is helical in shape
so as to enable it to be inserted in the aerosol container (1) through the neck (2)
of said container (1) by an operation analogous to screwing. |
[0001] The present invention relates to aerosols dispenser for delivering products by means of a pressurised propellant gas.
[0002] More particularly the invention concerns are an aerosol dispenser of the above type which is provided with an inner flexible container for containing the product to be delivered and which can deform under the action of the propellant gas.
[0003] The object of the invention is to produce an aerosol dispenser of the above type which, in the case of unitary pressure containers, enables the rapid and mechanised insertion of the inner container and which enables complete emptying without waste. In order to achieve this object, the subject of the present invention is an aerosol dispenser of the type specified above, whose main characteristic lies in the fact that the inner container is helical in shape so as to enable its insertion in a unitary pressure container through the neck of the container by means of an operation analogous to screwing.
[0004] By virtue of the above characteristic and by virtue of its pliability, the inner container can be fitted in a mechanised manner with the aid of a rotary spindle.
[0005] According to a first embodiment of the invention, the inner container is in the form of a hollow helical coil whilst in a second embodiment the inner container is in the form of a helical bellows.
[0006] Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become clear from the description which follows with reference to the appended drawings, provided purely by way of non-limiting example, in which:
Figure 1 is a partially-sectioned front view, of an aerosol dispenser according to the invention at the stage immediately after the insertion of the inner container,
Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 of the dispenser after the filling of the inner container and the introduction of the propellant, and
Figure 3 is a partially-sectioned elevation of a variant of the inner container.
[0007] In the example of Figures 1 and 2, a unitary pressure container usable for the delivery of products by means of a pressurised propellant gas is indicated 1. The container 1 is provided with a neck 2 whose mouth has an aperture of the conventional diameter of one inch (2.54 mm).
[0008] An inner flexible container of plastics, metal, or metallised material is indicated 3 and is constituted by a tube 4 of substantially-rectangular elongate cross-section which is wound into a helix so as to take the form of a hollow helical coil.
[0009] The coil is closed at its lower end and is connected at its upper end to a connector 5 which is intended to be gripped in the mouth of the pressure container 1.
[0010] The coil 3 communicates with the atmosphere through a delivery valve of known type, not illustrated in the drawing.
[0011] The propellant is contained between the coiled container 3 and the inner wall of the pressure container 1.
[0012] By virtue of the helical coiled shape of the inner container 3, said container can be inserted in the pressure container 1 through the neck 2 by means of an operation analogous to screwing, carried out by means of a rotary spindle.
[0013] The propellant is introduced in known manner, for example through a hole in the bottom of the pressure container 1.
[0014] As illustrated in Figure 2, when filled with the product the container 3 enables the volume of noxious substances to be reduced to a minimum; moreover, this container does not give rise, during emptying, to residual volumes of inactive substances.
[0015] In the case of large-diameter aerosol dispensers, the principal cross-section of the inner container 3 can be modified from the rectangular section illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 to a rectangular section with sides which are corrugated so as to form concentric ribs on the surface of the helix which enable expansion perpendicular to the axis of the helix.
[0016] In the variant illustrated in Figure 3, the inner container, indicated 6, is in the form of a helical bellows.
1. An aerosol dispenser for delivering products by means of a pressurised propellant
gas, which is provided with a flexible inner container for containing the product
to be delivered and which can deform under the action of the propellant gas, characterised
in that the inner container (3, 6) is helical in shape so as to enable its insertion
in a unitary pressure container (1) through the neck (2) of said container (1) by
an operation analogous to screwing.
2. An aerosol dispenser according to Claim 1, characterised in that the inner container
(3) is in the shape of a hollow helical coil.
3. An aerosol dispenser according to Claim 2, characterised in that the coil (3) is
constituted by a tube of substantially-rectangular, elongate cross-section wound into
a helix.
4. An aerosol dispenser according to Claim 3, characterised in that the elongate rectangular
cross-section of the coil (3) has sides which are corrugated so as to form concentric
ribs on the surface of the helix which enable expansion perpendicular to the axis
of the helix.
5. An aerosol dispenser according to Claim 1, characterised in that the inner container
is in the shape of a helical bellows (6) whose lateral surface behaves like the thread
of a screw during the insertion of the container (6) into the pressure container (1)
by its being screwed into the aperture of the neck (2) of the said container (1).