WO1983003129A1 - Dosing valve for aerosol container - Google Patents

Abstract

A metering valve for an aerosol can comprises a valve box (1) which has an internal free chamber (10), a main opening (7), an additional opening (20) and a valve stem (4). This additional opening connects in a normal position of the aerosol can its propellant chamber with said interior free chamber and can be closed. Said valve stem carries outside the valve box (1) a metering head and is housed to be axially movable inside the valve box (1). This rod is also held in the closed position of the metering valve by a pressure spring (11). In this closed position of the valve, the interior free chamber (10) is kept sealed by means of a packing ring (16) which bears against a transverse borehole (18) located in said rod (4). The latter is connected by a flow channel (19) with the dosing head and this has in particular that said dosing head is affixed therein sealingly and in continuity solution and that it is fixed in rotation in a rotary drawer (2) in the valve box (1). This rotary drawer opens or respectively closes said additional opening (20) in each of its limit switches.

Description

 DISPENSING VALVE FOR AEROSOL CAN

The invention relates to a dispensing valve for aerosol cans according to the preamble f of patent claim 1.

A dispensing valve of this type is known from DE-PS 28 17393. An aerosol can equipped with this dispensing valve can be used in any position. However, the flow channels of this dispensing valve cannot be cleaned by the propellant content of the aerosol can. Such cleaning is necessary, however, if the contents can clog the flow channels.

The invention is therefore based on the object of specifying a delivery valve for aerosol cans which is of simple construction and which can be produced cost-effectively and which ensures the trouble-free delivery of a medium which tends to block the flow channels using essentially known parts.

In addition, the dispensing valve should enable regulation of the dispensing quantity of the liquid filling material and / or the propellant gas if necessary.

This object is achieved in that the dispensing head is positively and tightly placed on the valve stem and the valve stem is mounted in a rotary valve in the valve housing, which opens the additional opening at one end point of its range of rotation and closes at the other end point.

The dispensing valve enables thorough cleaning of the flow channels, in particular the flow channels in the valve stem and in the dispensing head, by means of the propellant. guaranteed gas content of the aerosol can without significant loss of the liquid contents. In addition, 5 the dispensing valve enables spraying both in the normal upright use position (normal position) and in the reverse position (overhead position) of the aerosol can. In this case, even with high propellant gas pressure, the additional opening is securely closed by the manually adjustable rotary slide valve, so that there is a high level of operational reliability.

Further developments of the invention are specified in the subclaims. 5 ^'

The dispensing valve according to claim 2 enables safe spraying in the overhead position of the aerosol can, since the rotary valve reliably closes the main opening. In addition, the rotary valve allows the flow channels in the valve stem and in the dispensing head to be easily cleaned after the spraying process. For this purpose, in the normal position of the aerosol can, the main opening is closed and the additional opening is opened by turning the dispensing head and the rotary slide valve connected to it. When the discharge valve is opened, only propellant gas is then released, the residual liquid is blown out of the flow channels and thus cleaned. .

The dispensing valve according to claim 3 is favorable for cases in which a regulation of the dispensing quantity of the liquid filling material is desired, e.g. in order to provide a substrate with very thin layers of the filling material.

5

In addition, this embodiment allows regulation of the amount of discharge of the propellant gas. For example, this

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-S, The quantity to be dispensed to save propellant gas can be reduced if the filling material is a low-viscosity and less sticky liquid, so that a smaller amount of propellant gas is sufficient to clean the flow channels after spraying.

The dispensing valve in accordance with claim 4 has the advantage that the supplementary opening is open in a certain range of rotation of the rotary valve, both the main opening as and additionally ^'of these openings can be changed ver¬ also the je¬ stays awhile passage cross-section. This makes it possible to continuously reduce the quantity of liquid filling and to increase the proportion of propellant in the spray jet. This can also be done in the overhead position of the aerosol can. The spray jet can be varied in this way from a concentrated liquid jet to a fine atomized aerosol jet.

In addition to this adjustability of the spray jet for various purposes, there is also the simple possibility that the properties of the dispensing valve can be further used only by using a different rotary valve with differently designed flow channels, but while maintaining the other parts, such as the valve housing, valve stem and dispensing head areas to adapt.

When the delivery valve according to claim 5, the rotary valve has a very convenient shape. It can be essentially cylindrical and is therefore well guided in the valve housing. The longitudinal recesses can be made at the desired position on the rotary slide without difficulty. The dispensing valve according to claim 6 is advantageous because such a longitudinal recess can be arranged in the rotary slide valve in the vicinity of the main opening and the additional opening by the presence of two longitudinal recesses _j . It is then sufficient even a small angle of rotation of the rotary valve to switch to the dispensing valve ^¬ from the spray position for the liquid product to the spray position _Q for the propellant gas (cleaning position). This is particularly clear in the case in which the main opening and the additional opening are offset by approximately 180 ° with respect to the rotary slide circumference. 5

The dispensing valve according to claim 7 relates to an embodiment in which a large amount of propellant gas can be added to the dispensed liquid. Thereby e.g. received a particularly broad and relatively dry spray jet. The amount of propellant gas which can be mixed with the liquid dispensed is infinitely variable.

In addition, with this embodiment it is also possible to increase or decrease the quantity of liquid filling material continuously with substantially the same amount of propellant gas being dispensed. This happens here in the overhead division of the aerosol can. In this way, the concentration of the spray jet can be easily adjusted for various applications.

The dispensing valve according to claim 8 has an essentially cylindrical rotary slide valve which is mounted in the valve housing. The control edge of the rotary valve ensures in the area of the additional opening a particularly fine control of the amount of substance that passes through the additional opening when spraying.

The dispensing valve according to claim 9 enables simplified operation of the rotary slide valve, in particular its positions which correspond to the end points of its rotary range being found quickly.

In the dispensing valve according to claim 10, such rotary valves can be used, which either open the main opening or the additional opening, or rotary valves which have a longitudinal recess in the area of these openings with a larger passage cross-section, so that both the main opening and the additional opening are open in a rotary section.

The dispensing valve according to claim 11 is easy to manufacture and operationally reliable even with frequent use

The dispensing valve according to the invention is particularly suitable for spraying liquids which are relatively highly viscous, sticky or quick-drying or have a high content of fillers. Such liquids tend to clog the flow channels in the valve stem and in the dispensing head and must therefore be blown out of these channels by propellant gas half after the spraying process.

It is particularly advantageous that the invention also makes it possible to add propellant in a controllable amount to the spray jet of the liquid filling material.

Exemplary embodiments of the dispensing valve according to the invention are schematically illustrated in the drawing.

O 1

Show it :

5 Fig. 1 shows a longitudinal section through a first embodiment of a delivery valve according to section line I-I in Fig. 2a

_Q Fig. 2a cross-sections according to line II-II and 2b in Fig. 1 with different

Operating positions of the dispensing valve;

15 Fig. 3 is a cross section similar

2b through a second embodiment of the dispensing valve with a larger passage cross-section of the longitudinal recess in FIG

20 ^' rotary slide valve;

Fig. 4 is a cross section similar

2b through a third embodiment of the dispensing valve 25 with two longitudinal recesses in the

Rotary valve?

Fig. 5 shows a longitudinal section through a fourth embodiment of Ab¬

30 control valve according to section line V-V in Fig. 6 and

6 shows a cross section along line VI-VI in FIG. 5

35

Γ

OF 1, the dispensing valve essentially consists of a valve housing 1 and a rotary slide valve 2 arranged therein with a central recess 3, in which a valve stem 4 is axially displaceable but non-rotatably mounted with the rotary slide valve 2.

From the bottom of an aerosol can, not shown, a riser pipe, also not shown, leads to one

^" with the valve housing 1 coaxial riser pipe nipple 5 with a coaxial bore 6. In the area of a main opening 7 in the bottom of the valve housing 1, a groove-shaped bevel 8 is provided. In the in FIG." 1 and in the corresponding cross section according to FIG. 2a, the position of the rotary valve 2 closes the main opening 7.

In the position of the rotary valve 2 shown in dash-dotted lines in FIG. 1 and in the cross section according to FIG. 2b, a longitudinal recess 9 in the rotary valve 2 is aligned with the groove-shaped chamfer 8, so that a flow path from the bore 6 via the Main opening 7, the bevel 8 and the longitudinal recess 9 up to a free interior 10 in the valve housing 1.

This inner space 10 is closed off from the external atmosphere when the aerosol can is not in use. This is brought about by the fact that a compression spring 11, which is located on the one hand in a recess 12 of the rotary slide 2 and on the other hand on a lower annular shoulder 13 of an annular collar 14 on the valve stem 4 supports, a sealing shoulder 15 of the collar 14 presses against a partially shown sealing washer 16.

O At the same time, the force exerted by the compression spring 11 in the opposite direction causes a surface seal of the rotary valve 2 with respect to the bottom of the valve housing 1.

The perforated sealing disk 16 lies in an annular groove 17 which is arcuate in cross section, in the area of which a transverse bore 18 is provided in the valve stem 4. The transverse bore 18 connects the annular groove 17 with an axial outflow channel 19 which leads into a dispensing head, not shown.

The valve housing 1 has in its bottom eccentrically parallel to the ^"bore 6 additional opening 20. In the in Fig. 1 in solid lines and in the respective cross-section of FIG. Position of the rotary valve 2 shown 2a, there is a flow path from the propellant gas chamber in the normal position located aerosol can via the additional opening 20 and the longitudinal recess 9 in the rotary valve 2 to the free interior 10 of the valve housing 1.

Thus, depending on the position of the rotary valve 2, the interior 10 can be connected via the longitudinal recess 9 either to the main opening 7 or to the additional opening 20, the other opening 7, 20 being closed by the rotary valve 2.

1, 2a and 2b, the cross section of the main opening 7 in the area of the bevel 8 and the cross section of the longitudinal recess 9 are each rectangular and the cross section of the additional opening 20 is shown in a circle. However, other cross-sectional shapes can also be selected. The longitudinal recess 9 can be a groove or a bore, for example.

From FIGS. 2a and 2b it can be seen that the valve stem 4 is positively inserted into the central recess 3 of the rotary valve 2 by means of key surfaces 21. As a result, the rotary slide valve 2 can be easily brought into one of the positions shown in FIGS. The valve stem 4 transmits the rotary motion to the rotary slide 2 practically without play.

To define the two positions in which the free interior 10 is connected via the longitudinal recess 9 either to the main opening 7 or to the additional opening 20, there is a circumferential recess 22 on the rotary slide 2 and one on the inner wall of the valve housing 1 stop lug 23 projecting into the circumferential recess 22. According to FIGS. 2a and 2b, the circumferential recess 22 extends over an angle of 90 °.

In a second embodiment according to FIG. 3, the passage cross section of the longitudinal recess 9 in the rotary slide 2 can be dimensioned so wide that the section of the rotary range of the rotary slide 2 for opening or closing the main opening 7 with the section of the rotary range for the opening or closing of the additional opening 20 overlaps. The position of the rotary slide valve 2, in which the main opening 7 is open and the additional opening 20 is closed, is shown in FIG. 3 with solid lines. The dotted lines show the other position in which the - τo. -

Main opening 7 closed and the Zusatzöi opening 20 is open. In between, positions of the rotary slide valve 2 are possible, in which both the H. ^• • p opening 7 and the additional opening 20 are partially open, the increasing the cross section of one opening and that of the other opening decreasing. Different proportions of liquid contents and propellant can be set in the spray jet.

In a third embodiment according to FIG. 4, the ^' rotary slide valve 2 can have two longitudinal recesses 9, 9', one of which is assigned to the main opening 7 and the other 9 'to the additional opening 20. In the open position of the main opening 7, the additional opening 20 is closed, as shown in FIG. 4. In the other end position of the rotary slide valve 2, the longitudinal recess 9 ′ is aligned with the additional opening 20, the main opening 7 being closed. In this embodiment, a short range of rotation is sufficient for switching over from the opening position of one opening 7, 20 to the opening position of the other opening 7, 20.

Depending on the distance between the longitudinal recesses 9, 9 'and their assignment to the main opening 7 and to the additional opening 20, a simultaneous opening of the two openings 7, 20 can also be achieved in this embodiment (similar to FIG. 3).

In a fourth embodiment according to FIG. 5, the main opening is not provided with a groove-shaped bevel 8, as in FIG. 1, but with a counterbore 24. This means that it is independent of the position. of the rotary valve 2 always a flow path between

_E the main opening 7 and the free interior 1 0 of the valve housing 1.

According to Fig. 5 and 6, the rotary slide valve 2 has a control edge 25 on its end facing the compression spring 11 in a circumferential section. It extends over approximately 90 ° of the rotary slide scope.

According to FIG. 5, a radial surface 26 of the rotary valve 2 is formed along the control edge 25, which rises from a lower end 27 located in the drawing plane of FIG. 5 to a higher end 28 located below this drawing plane. The cutting line VI-VI in Fig. 5 is placed so that the surface 26 is cut from this cutting line in the line 29, which is shown in Fig. 6- In Fig. 6 is a larger, non-hatched portion of the surface 26 below the drawing level.

^• For a better overview 6 Druck¬ spring 11 is omitted in FIG..

In the area of the control edge 25 of the rotary slide valve 2, the additional opening 30 is arranged in the valve housing 1. In the position shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the additional opening 30 is opened by the rotary slide 2. When turning the rotary slide 2 clockwise by approximately 90 ° (FIG. 6), the control edge 25 of the rotary slide 2 moves ever further in the direction of the upper edge 31 of the additional opening 30 until the additional opening 30 through the rotary slide at the end of this turning process - over 2 is closed.

In the case of this embodiment, normality can be used

OPW W11PP the aerosol can be mixed with the liquid filling material to be dispensed with an infinitely variable amount of propellant gas. When the aerosol can is divided overhead, the flow path for the propellant gas via the main opening 7 is continuously open, while the liquid filling material can be infinitely regulated into the propellant gas flow using the rotary slide valve 2 via the additional opening 30.

To use the dispensing valve, the valve stem 4 is usually disengaged from the closed position shown in FIG. 1 against the biasing force of the compression spring 1 by depressing the dispensing head (not shown) and moves in the central recess 3 of the rotary valve 2 in the direction of the bottom of the aerosol can . Depending on the design and position of the rotary valve 2, there is then a flow path from the main opening 7 and / or the additional opening 20 via one or two longitudinal recesses 9-, 9 'to the free interior 10 of the valve housing 1 and via the transverse bore 18 and the axial outflow channel 19 to the delivery head, not shown.

In the position of the rotary valve 2 shown in FIG. 2b, only the flow path from the main opening 7 is released in the normal position of the aerosol nozzle, only the liquid filling material being sprayed out. With the same rotary slide valve position, but in the overhead position of the aerosol nozzle, only propellant gas emerges in this way.

In the position of the rotary valve 2 shown in FIG. 2a, only the flow path from the additional opening 20 is open. In the normal position of the aerosol can

OMFI in this case only propellant gas escapes (cleaning position). With the same rotary slide valve position, ^• however in the overhead division of the aerosol can, only the liquid filling material is dispensed.

The rotary slide valve position shown in solid lines in FIG. 3 corresponds in its function to the position shown in FIG. 2b. The position shown in dashed lines in FIG. 3 is to be equated in its function to the position according to FIG. 2a. However, in the embodiment of the rotary slide valve 2 according to FIG. 3, with rotary slide valve positions between the two end positions shown, a simultaneous partial opening of the main opening 7 and the additional opening 20 can be achieved.

FIG. 4 shows a position of the rotary slide valve 2 with a flow path for the main opening .7 and corresponds in this respect to FIG. 2b. 4, the longitudinal recess 9 in the rotary slide 2 is displaced relative to the main opening 7 and the latter is thereby closed. At the same time, the other longitudinal recess 9 'is aligned with the additional opening 20. The function of this position corresponds to that according to FIG. 2a.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, both the main opening 7 and the additional openings 20 are open. When the rotary slide valve 2 is turned clockwise according to FIG. 6 by a little more than 90 °, the additional opening 30 is gradually closed by the rising control edge 25, while the main opening 7 always remains open. In the normal position of the

OMPI As a result, the amount of additional propellant gas emitted in the spray jet can be steplessly regulated in the aerosol can. In the overhead position of the aerosol can, the main opening 7 is constantly open for the propellant gas, while the amount of the liquid filling material which is mixed with the propellant gas in the spray jet using the additional opening 30 can be regulated depending on the position of the rotary slide valve 2.

All rotary slide valve and aerosol nozzle positions in which only propellant gas is emitted are suitable for cleaning the flow channels in the valve stem 4 and in the dispensing head.

In addition, the passage cross sections of the main opening 7 and the additional openings 20, 30 can be changed by means of the rotary slide valve 2 in such a way that it is possible to influence the spray jet and regulate the quantity.

C F

Claims

 P a t e n t a n s r u c h e 1. A dispensing valve for Aerosoldoεen, häuεe with a Ventilge- (1), daε a free interior space (10), a main opening (7), a εoldose in the normal position of the aerosol propellant whose gas space with ^"free interior (10) connecting, closable additional opening (20, 30) and a valve stem (4) which carries a dispensing head outside the valve housing (1) and is axially displaceably mounted within the valve housing (1) and by a compression spring (11) is held in the closed position of the dispensing valve, in which the free interior (10) is sealed by means of a perforated washer (16) against a transverse bore (18) in the valve stem (4), which is connected to the Delivery head is connected, • '• ^• -d a. you

marked ¬ that the dispensing head is positively and tightly placed on the valve stem (4) and the valve stem (4) is rotatably mounted in a rotary valve (2) in the valve housing (1), the additional opening (20, 30) opens and closes at the other end point. 2. Dispensing valve according to claim 1, dadurchge - indicates that the rotary valve (2) at the end point εeineε rotation range ^*, at which it closes the additional opening (20), the main opening (7) opens (Fig. 2b) and other final OM point the main opening (7) closes (Fig. 2 a). 3. Dispensing valve according to claim 1 or 2, dadurchgekennzelehnet that for the quantity-controlled dispensing of liquid from the aerosol can of the rotary valve (2) over a first portion of its range of rotation opens or closes the main opening (7) and / or that for quantity-controllable Delivery of propellant gas from the rotary valve (2) opens or closes the additional opening (20) over a second section of its rotary range. 4. Dispensing valve according to claim 3, so that the first and the second section partially overlap and both the main opening (7) and the additional opening (20) are each at least partially open. Dispensing valve according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the rotary slide valve (2) has a longitudinal recess (9) outside its axis of rotation which, depending on the position of the rotary slide valve (2), has a flow path between the auxiliary opening (20) and which is arranged off-center / or the main opening (7), which is arranged coaxially and provided with a groove-shaped bevel (8), and on the other hand produces the free interior (10) of the valve housing (1). Dispensing valve according to claim 5, characterized in that the rotary slide valve (2) has a further longitudinal recess (9 ") at a distance from the longitudinal recess (9), the longitudinal recess (9) of the main opening (7) and the Longitudinal recess (9 ^r ) is assigned to the additional opening (20) (FIG. 4). OMPI 7. dispensing valve according to claim 1, dadurchge - kennzelehnet that the main opening (7) 5 is open in each position of the rotary valve (2) (Fig. 5 and 6). 8. dispensing valve according to claim 7, dadurchge - indicates that on ^" one side of the valve housing (1) the additional opening (30) is arranged and in the area of the. Rotary valve (2) in at least one peripheral portion a control edge (25) with which the free ^* cross-section of the additional opening (3 between opening and closing position can be changed 5 9. Dispensing valve according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that on the rotary valve (2) has a peripheral recess (22) which extends over an angle corresponding to the range of rotation 0, and on the valve housing (1) in the region of the • peripheral recess (22) a stop lug (23) are provided for fixing the end positions of the rotary slide (2). ° ιo. Dispensing valve according to one of the preceding claims, that because the rotary range of the rotary slide valve (2) is approximately 90 °. 11. Dispensing valve according to one of the preceding claims, ^• characterized in that the valve stem (4) provided with key surfaces (21) is inserted into a coaxial central recess (3) in the rotary slide valve (2) so as to be displaceable but rotationally fixed. 12. Use of the dispensing valve according to one of the preceding claims for spraying a liquid, in which cleaning of the flow channels in the valve stem (4) and in the dispensing head is required after the spraying process.