WO2003018209A1

WO2003018209A1 - Improvements in or relating to nozzles

Info

Publication number: WO2003018209A1
Application number: PCT/GB2002/003847
Authority: WO
Inventors: Keith Laidler
Original assignee: Incro Ltd
Current assignee: Incro Ltd
Priority date: 2001-08-22
Filing date: 2002-08-21
Publication date: 2003-03-06
Anticipated expiration: 2004-02-22
Also published as: GB0120405D0

Abstract

The present invention relates to a nozzle arrangement which is adapted to actuate and control the release of the contents of a container. The nozzle arrangement is configured to fit to an outlet of said container and comprises an internal passageway; an actuator which, upon operation, actuates the release of the contents of said container into said passageway; and an extension member (17) having an outlet (22) connected to the internal passageway. At least a portion of the extension member (17) is flexible thereby enabling said extension member to be reconfigured between an extended configuration suitable for use and a storage configuration. In a further aspect the invention also relates to a container fitted with a nozzle arrangement of the present invention.

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO NOZZLES

This invention relates to improvements in or relating to nozzles.

Nozzles are commonly used in conjunction with pressurised aerosol

containers to actuate and control the release of the product contained in

the aerosol container. Finger pump or trigger nozzle devices are also

widely used to actuate and control the release of a wide range of products

from non-pressurised containers.

In certain circumstances it is necessary or desirable to be able to

direct the product ejected through a nozzle to a precise location or area.

This can be achieved to a certain extent with conventional nozzles, but it

can be a particular problem if the product is required to be directed into a

confined or a "hard to reach" location.

One known approach to address this problem involves the

attachment of a straight plastic tube to the outlet of a nozzle. This results

in fluid ejected through the nozzle outlet being directed along the bore of

the plastic tube instead and exiting at the opposing end of the tube.

Using this arrangement it is possible to direct the product to a specific

location and, in addition, the tube can be used to access confined spaces

and hard to reach locations.

However, there are a number of problems associated with this

known arrangement. Firstly, the plastic tube is provided as a separate

component which cannot be conveniently stored on the container. This

means that the tube can easily be misplaced or lost altogether. Secondly, when the tube is fitted to the nozzle arrangement, the quality of the spray

generated at the opposing end of the tube (i.e. the droplet size distribution

and extent of dispersion of the spray droplets produced) can be adversely

affected.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a nozzle

arrangement to actuate and control the release of the contents of a

container in which the above-mentioned problems are obviated or at least

minimised.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a nozzle

arrangement that is more convenient to use and which is suitable for

directing a spray into a confined space or a hard to reach location.

In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention there is

provided a nozzle arrangement which is adapted to actuate and control

the release of the contents of a container, said nozzle arrangement being

configured to be fitted to an outlet of said container and comprising:

(i) an internal passageway;

(ii) an actuator which, upon operation, actuates the release of

the contents of said container into said passageway; and

(iii) an extension member having an outlet connected to the

internal passageway;

wherein at least a portion of the extension member is flexible thereby

enabling said extension member to be reconfigured between an extended

configuration suitable for use and a storage configuration. It shall be understood that by "flexible" it is meant that the

extension member can be folded, bent, coiled or flexed and subsequently

returned to the unfolded, unbent, uncoiled or unflexed configuration

without imparting any damage to the structural integrity of the extension

member.

The nozzle arrangements of the present invention can be used to

conveniently generate and direct a spray into a confined spaces or hard to

reach locations. Furthermore, the flexible portions of the extension

member enable it to be converted between an extended configuration

which is suitable for use and a storage configuration. This storage

configuration enables the extension member to be placed in a convenient

storage position on the container, thereby reducing the possibility of

misplacing or losing the extension member.

The main application of the nozzle arrangements of the present

invention relates to products where a spray is required with good

directional control and/or directional control. Typical applications include,

for example, products which contain lubricants, water repellents (such as

the product sold by WD40 Company Limited under the trade name

WD40), other penetrative oils, glues, paint sprays, deodorant sprays for

spraying into shoes, toilet cleaners, insecticides, vetinary and

pharmaceutical products.

In the "extended configuration suitable for use" the extension

member, or at least a substantial portion thereof, is preferably in the form of a substantially straight and elongate protrusion which enables the spray

to be directed towards or into the desired location.

In the "storage configuration" the extension member may be placed

in any convenient storage position. This will invariably require at least a

portion of the extension member to be bent, coiled or folded. For

example, the extension member may be bent or coiled around either the

container per se or the nozzle arrangement. In the case where the

extension member is wound around the nozzle arrangement, the extension

member preferably fits within a cap which is fitted to the container and

which covers the nozzle arrangement. In most cases it is preferable that

the storage configuration for the extension member is compact, i.e. the

extension member is bent or coiled up into a more compact form. In

some embodiments, the extension member may comprise one or more

folds to provide a compact storage configuration, again to enable

convenient storage on the container. Alternatively, the extension member

may simply hang down the side of the container or be releasably secured

to the side of the container in the storage configuration. However,

regardless of the actual storage configuration used, it is an important

feature of the present invention that the extension member may be

reconfigured into the extended position prior to use.

Preferably the extension member is an elongate tube. Most

preferably, the extension member is a plastic tube. In some embodiments

of the invention, it is preferable that the entire length of the plastic tube is flexible to enable the tube to be folded, bent or coiled at any position

along its length into a compact storage configuration.

In a first preferred embodiment of the invention, the extension

member is an elongate plastic tube provided with corrugations or

castellations formed in the tube wall along at least a portion of its length.

These corrugations or castellations function in a similar manner to the

corrugated sections of a drinking straw, i.e. they enable the extension

tube to be reconfigured between an extended configuration and a storage

configuration by enabling the formation and removal of bends or folds in

the region of the tube provided with the corrugations or castellations. The

corrugations or castellations in the tube wall enable the tube wall to

become compressed on one side and extended on the opposing side the

tube, thereby allowing the tube to be bent or folded and subsequently

straightened. In some embodiments the entire length of the tube wall has

corrugations or castellations formed therein.

In a second preferred embodiment of the present invention, the

extension member is an elongate plastic tube which is provided with a

wire along at least a portion of its length. The wire may be inserted

within the bore of the tube (without preventing the flow of fluid), wound

around the outside of the tube, or moulded within the plastic wall of the

tube. The wire allows the plastic tube to be reconfigured between an

extended configuration suitable for use and a storage configuration by

enabling the formation and subsequent removal of bends, coils or folds in the region of the tube in which the wire is present. In some embodiments

the wire may extend for the entire length of the tube.

The extension member preferably includes a spray modifying

arrangement at, in or adjacent to, the outlet of the extension tube.

Preferably, it is fitted into the outlet of the extension tube. The spray

modifying arrangement modifies the properties characteristics (i.e. droplet

size distribution and dispersion) of the spray droplets ejected through the

outlet of the extension member. The spray modifying arrangement may

be formed integrally within the extension member or may be separate

component which is attached thereto.

The modifying arrangement may comprise certain internal spray-

modifying structures, such as one or more expansion chambers, one or

more inner orifices, one or more swirl chambers, multiple internal

channels, or one or more venturi chambers. The effect of these internal

spray-modifying structures is described in WO 01 /89958, the entire

contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

It is preferable that the spray-modifying arrangement is fitted to the

end of the extension tube and comprises a swirl chamber having an outlet

orifice formed therein. Swirl chambers are commonly used in nozzle

arrangements and are available, or can be readily moulded, as inserts

suitable for fitting to the end of the extension tube. A typical swirl

chamber comprises four separate inlet channels which direct fluid into the

swirl chamber. In use, fluid passing through the extension member can be diverted into these channels by providing a body which extends into the

bore of the tube and diverts the flow towards the inlet channels.

The net effect of the provision of a spray-modifying arrangement is

that the droplets size distribution of the spray produced can be

dramatically improved and controlled to be optimal for the application

concerned.

In most cases it is preferable that the extension member is

integrally formed with, or permanently attached to, the nozzle

arrangement. In effect this provides the nozzle arrangement with a

permanently attached extension to the internal passageway, thereby

obviating the problem of the extension member being a separate item

which can easily be misplaced or lost.

In some cases, however, an extension member comprising a spray-

modifying arrangement at, in or adjacent to the outlet of the extension

member may be separable from said nozzle arrangement, thereby enabling

the extension member to be releasably connectable to said nozzle

arrangement when required. Although this is generally not preferred, it

does enable the nozzle arrangement to be operated either with or without

the extension member present.

The nozzle arrangement may be a pump or trigger nozzle device. In

such devices the actuator is the pump or trigger itself, which, upon

operation, causes the contents of the container to which the nozzle

arrangement is attached to be ejected. In most cases, however, the canister will be a pressurised aerosol

canister and the actuator of the nozzle arrangement will be configured to

releasablγ engage with an outlet valve of the aerosol canister.

Accordingly, the actuation of the actuator of the nozzle arrangement

causes the outlet valve of the canister to open, thereby allowing the

contents of the container to access the internal passage of the nozzle

arrangement. Preferably, the nozzle arrangement is in the form of a spray-

through cap which can be fitted to the end of the aerosol canister

surrounding the outlet valve. The cap is preferably provided with an

actuator portion which is flexible or otherwise adapted to enable

movement relative to the cap so that the actuator portion may be moved

into and out of engagement with the outlet valve of the canister. This

enables the actuation of the release of the contents simply by pressing the

actuator portion of the spray through cap. It is preferable that the spray-

through cap comprises an aperture in the cap to allow access to the

actuator portion without removal of the cap. An example of a so-called

spray through cap nozzle arrangement is described in the applicant's co-

pending International PCT Patent Application No. PCT/GB01 /02036

(which is published as WO 01/89958).

It is also preferred that the spray through cap is provided with an

aperture through which a permanently attached extension member can

protrude. It is especially preferred that the extension member can be

coiled up inside the spray through cap (in a similar manner to a coiled

garden hose pipe) to form a compact storage configuration with the outlet of the extension member being accessible through the aperture defined in

the cap and thereby enabling the extension member to be extended

through the aperture by a user pulling the end of the extension member

through the aperture. This pulling action causes the extension member to

uncoil from the compact configuration inside the cap into an extended

configuration which protrudes from the cap. This enables the required

amount of extension member to be extended for use. After use the

extension tube can be pushed back into the cap.

Alternatively, the extension member can either hang by the side of

the aerosol container or be releasably secured to the side of the container.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is

provided a container having an outlet fitted with a nozzle arrangement as

hereinbefore defined.

The invention will now be described further by way of example only

and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows a diagrammatic representation of a part of a prior

art form of nozzle arrangement;

Figure 2 shows a diagrammatic side view of a part of one form of

nozzle arrangement according to the present invention;

Figure 3 shows a plan view of the part of the nozzle arrangement of

Figure 2; and

Figure 4 shows a diagrammatic representation of a spray insert for

use with the nozzle arrangement, a part of which is shown in Figures 2

and 3. A known nozzle arrangement is shown diagrammatically in Figure 1 .

The nozzle arrangement 1 1 is a so-called button nozzle which fitted

directly over an outlet of an aerosol canister (not shown). In use, the

body of the button nozzle arrangement is pushed downwards (towards

the aerosol canister) by an operator in the direction of arrow 10 to actuate

the release of the contents of the aerosol canister. Depressing the nozzle

arrangement 1 1 in this manner causes the outlet valve of the aerosol

canister to open and the contents to be discharged through a nozzle outlet

1 2 provided in the body during normal operation. However, instead of

generating a spray through the nozzle outlet 12, a plastic tube extension

tube 13 can be releasably attached into the nozzle outlet 12, as shown in

Figure 1 . This causes fluid to flow along the extension tube and exit at the

outlet 13a thereof.

With the extension member 1 3 attached, greater directional control

can be achieved when the contents of an aerosol container (not shown)

are released. However, the properties of the spray (i.e. droplet size,

distribution etc.) ejected at the outlet 1 3a of the extension member 1 3 are

adversely affected.

Figure 2 shows a diagrammatic representation of one embodiment

of a nozzle arrangement in accordance with the present invention. The

nozzle arrangement is in the form of a spray-through cap nozzle

arrangement which is fitted to the end of an aerosol container (not

shown). The cap has a body 18 inside of which there is an actuator

portion 14 which engages with an outlet valve 16 of the container (not shown). In side the actuator portion 14 is an internal passageway which,

in use, enables the fluid released from the outlet valve by actuation of the

actuator 14 to be directed through the actuator 14 and access a tubular

extension member 17. The tubular extension member 17 is in the form of

a flexible plastic tube which is permanently connected to the internal

passageway in the actuator 14. The extension member 1 7 extends

through an aperture 19 in the body 18. The cap body 18 is provided with

a further aperture 21 on the upper surface thereof (shown in the plan

view of Figure 3) on the upper surface thereof which enables the actuator

portion 14 to be reached and hence, a user to contact the actuator portion

to actuate the opening of the outlet valve 16 of the container.

In this embodiment the actuator portion 14 is not connected to the

cap body 18. However, in alternative embodiments of the invention the

cap body can be moulded so that the actuator portion is an integral part

thereof which is flexible or moveable relative to the remainder of the cap

and is arranged such that said part is in an actuating engagement with the

outlet valve of the aerosol canister 16. Nozzle arrangements of this type

are described in the applicant's co-pending International patent application

No. PCT/GB01/02036 (WO 01/89958).

In use, the extension member 1 7 is withdrawn from the cap 1 8 by

pulling the exposed end until a sufficient length extends beyond the

aperture 19 of the cap for use. The actuator portion 14 can then be

actuated in the manner described above to cause the opening of the outlet

valve 16 and the release of the contents of the container through the extension member 17. Once completed, the extension member 17 can be

reinserted into the cap 18 by pushing the tubular member 1 7 back into

the cap via the aperture 1 9.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown in Figure

3 in which the nozzle arrangement is arranged such that the tubular

extension member 17 is wound round the container outlet valve 1 6. The

winding/unwinding of the extension member is effected by the rotation of

the cap body 18 relative to the actuator member 14. Accordingly, when

coiled around the outlet valve 16, the extension member 17 is in a

compact storage configuration, whereas pulling the outlet of the extension

member out of the aperture in the cap body 1 8 results in the extension

member being converted from the compact storage configuration to an

extended configuration.

As mentioned above, use of the extension member 17 has a

deleterious effect on the properties of the spray generated as the contents

of the aerosol container emerge from through the outlet of the extension

member 17. In order to address this problem, it is possible to incorporate

within the dispense member 17, or attach thereto, a spray-modifying

arrangement 22. The modifying arrangement 22 comprises a swirl

chamber having an outlet formed therein. In use, fluid flowing through

the extension member 17 is caused to enter the swirl chamber where

rotational flow is induced in the fluid flow resulting in the atomisation of

the droplets ejected though the outlet formed in the swirl chamber. An alternative embodiment of the spray-modifying arrangement 22,

when formed as a separate insert for attachment to the dispense member,

is shown in Figure 4. This alternative embodiment comprises an

attachment tail 23 for engagement with the open end of the tubular extension member 17 and a nozzle outlet 24. A fluid flow bore (not

shown) extends through the insert and a central part 26 of the insert may

be configured with any of the features described in the WO 01/89958 to

give the desired spray characteristics at the outlet.

It is of course to be understood that the invention is not intended to

be restricted to the details of the above embodiment which are described

by way of example only.

Claims

1 . A nozzle arrangement which is adapted to actuate and control the

release of the contents of a container, said nozzle arrangement being

configured to be fitted to an outlet of said container and comprising:

(i) an internal passageway;

(ii) an actuator which, upon operation, actuates the release of

the contents of said container into said passageway; and

(iii) an extension member having an outlet connected to the

internal passageway;

wherein at least a portion of the extension member is flexible thereby

enabling said extension member to be reconfigured between an extended

configuration suitable for use and a storage configuration.

2. A nozzle arrangement according to Claim 1 , wherein said extension

member is integrally formed with said nozzle arrangement.

3. A nozzle arrangement according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein said

extension member is in the form of an elongate tube.

4. A nozzle arrangement according to any preceding claim, wherein

said extension member is a plastic tube.

5. A nozzle arrangement according to Claim 4, wherein said plastic

tube is flexible along its entire length.

6. A nozzle arrangement according to any preceding claim, wherein

said extension member is bent, coiled or folded in said storage

configuration.

7. A nozzle arrangement according to claim 6, wherein said extension

member is bent or coiled around either the nozzle arrangement or the

container in said storage configuration.

8. A nozzle arrangement according to Claim 7, wherein said extension

member is coiled up around the nozzle arrangement stored within a cap of

said container which covers said nozzle arrangement.

9. A nozzle arrangement according to Claim 6, wherein said extension

member comprises one or more folds to form a compact storage

configuration.

10. A nozzle arrangement according to Claim 9, wherein said extension

member either hangs down at the side of the container or is releasably

secured to the side of the container in said storage configuration.

1 1 . A nozzle arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims,

wherein said extension member is an elongate plastic tube that is provided

with corrugations along at least a portion of it length, said corrugations

enabling the tube to be reconfigurable between the extended configuration

suitable for use and the storage configuration by enabling the formation

and removal of bends, coils or folds in the tube in the region of said

corrugations.

12. A nozzle arrangement according to any one of Claims 3 to 10,

wherein said extension member is an elongate plastic tube which

comprises a wire either inserted within, around or moulded within the

plastic wall of the tube, said wire extending over at least a portion of the

length of the tube and enabling the tube to be reconfigurable between said extended configuration suitable for use and said storage configuration

by enabling the formation and removal of bends, coils or folds in the tube

in the region of said wire.

1 3. A nozzle arrangement according to any one of claims 3 to 10,

wherein said extension member is an elongate plastic tube which

comprises one or more flattened dome or equivalent shaped regions which

enable the tube to be folded, coiled or bent into a suitable storage

configuration and subsequently returned to the extended configuration.

14. A nozzle arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims,

wherein said extension member is substantially straight and elongate in

said extended configuration.

1 5. A nozzle arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims,

wherein said extension member is provided with a spray modifying

arrangement at, in, or adjacent to, the outlet of the extension member,

said spray modifying arrangement being configured to modify the

properties of the spray droplets ejected through the outlet of the

extension member.

16. A nozzle arrangement according to Claim 15, wherein said spray

modifying arrangement is integrally formed with said extension member.

17. A nozzle arrangement according to Claim 15, wherein said spray

modifying arrangement is a separate component which may be fitted to

the open end of the extension member.

18. A nozzle arrangement according to Claims 15 or 17, wherein said

spray modifying arrangement comprises a swirl chamber having an outlet

formed thereto through which a spray is ejected.

1 9. A nozzle arrangement according to Claims 1 5 or 17, wherein said

spray modifying arrangement additionally comprises an additional spray

modifying feature selected form the group consisting of one or more

expansion chambers, one or more inner orifices, one or more venturi

chambers, and multiple inner channels.

20. A nozzle arrangement according to any preceding claim wherein

said nozzle arrangement is a pump or trigger nozzle arrangement and said

actuator is the pump or trigger.

21 . A nozzle arrangement according to any one of Claims 1 to 1 9,

wherein said canister is a pressurised aerosol canister and the actuator of

said nozzle arrangement is configured to releasably engage with an outlet

valve of said aerosol canister such that actuation of the actuator of the

nozzle arrangement causes said outlet valve of the canister to open,

thereby allowing the contents of the container to access the internal

passage of the nozzle arrangement.

22. A nozzle arrangement according to Claim 21 , wherein said nozzle

arrangement is in the form of a spray through cap which is fitted to an

end of the aerosol canister surrounding the outlet valve of the canister,

said cap being provided with an actuator portion which can engage with

said outlet valve thereby enabling the actuation of the release of the

contents by pressing the actuator portion of the spray through cap.

23. A nozzle arrangement according to Claim 22, wherein said spray

through cap is provided with an aperture through which the extension

member can be extended for use.

24. A nozzle arrangement according to Claim 23, wherein said

extension member is coiled up inside the cap in the compact configuration

with the end of the extension member accessible through the aperture in

the cap thereby enabling said extension member to be extended through

said aperture by pulling on the end of the and causing the extension

member to unwind to the desired extent.

25. A nozzle arrangement according to Claim 22, wherein said

extension member can either hang by the side of the aerosol container or

be releasably secured to the side of the container.

26. A nozzle arrangement according to any one of Claims 1 5 to 25,

wherein said extension member comprises a spray modifying arrangement

at, in or adjacent to, the open end of extension member and is separable

from said nozzle arrangement, thereby enabling the extension member to

be releasably connectable to said nozzle arrangement when required.

25. A container having an outlet fitted with a nozzle arrangement as

defined in any preceding claim.

26. A container as claimed in Claim 25, wherein said container is a

pressurised aerosol container.

27. A container as claimed in Claim 25, wherein said nozzle

arrangement is a trigger or pump spray device and said container is a non-

pressurised container.