Actuator systems and methods for aerosol wall texturing

1. An actuator assembly for an aerosol system that dispenses texture material, comprising:

an actuator member comprising a valve stem for engaging the aerosol assembly, where the actuator member defines a first portion of a fluid path; an

an outlet structure that defines a second portion of the fluid path and an outlet orifice, where

the outlet structure is arranged adjacent to the actuator member such that fluid flowing along the first portion of the fluid path flows through the second portion of the fluid path and the outlet orifice, and

a cross-sectional area of the outlet orifice is adjustable; whereby

a spray pattern of the texture material flowing through the outlet orifice is determined by the cross-sectional area of the outlet orifice; and

the cross-sectional area of the outlet orifice is arranged such that the spray pattern of the texture material causes the texture material to be deposited on a target surface in a desired texture pattern that substantially matches a pre-existing texture pattern.

2. An actuator assembly as recited in claim 1 , in which:

the outlet structure comprises a plurality of straws each defining a straw bore having a different cross-sectional area; and

one of the straws is attached to the actuator member to determine the cross-sectional area of the outlet orifice.

3. An actuator assembly as recited in claim 1 , in which the outlet structure comprises an outlet member defining a plurality of outlet openings each having a different cross-sectional area, where the outlet member is movably attached to the actuator member such that one of the plurality of outlet openings determines the cross-sectional area of the outlet orifice.

4. An actuator assembly as recited in claim 1 , in which the outlet structure comprises:

a deformable first member defining an outlet opening; and

a second member movably mounted adjacent to the first member; whereby

the first member is secured relative to the actuator member such that the outlet opening forms the outlet orifice; and

the second member is moved relative to the first member to deform the first member and thereby determine the cross-sectional area of the outlet opening.

5. A method of spraying texture material from an aerosol assembly in a desired spray pattern, comprising the steps of:

providing an actuator member comprising a valve stem;

engaging the valve stem with the aerosol assembly such that the actuator member defines a first portion of a fluid path along which the texture material flows;

providing an outlet structure defining an outlet orifice the cross-sectional area of which may be altered;

arranging the outlet structure relative to the outlet member such that the outlet structure defines a second portion of the fluid path and the fluid path extends through the outlet orifice;

altering the cross-sectional area of the outlet orifice to determine a spray pattern of the texture material flowing through the outlet orifice by; and

causing texture material to flow along the fluid path such that such that the spray pattern of the texture material causes the texture material to be deposited on a target surface in a desired texture pattern that substantially matches a pre-existing texture pattern.

6. A method as recited in claim 5 , in which:

the step of providing the outlet structure further comprises the step of providing a plurality of straws each defining a straw bore having a different cross-sectional area; and

the steps of arranging the outlet structure relative to the outlet member and altering the cross-sectional area of the outlet orifice comprise the step of attaching one of the straws to the actuator member.

7. A method as recited in claim 5 , in which:

the step of providing the outlet structure further comprises the step of providing an outlet member defining a plurality of outlet openings each having a different cross-sectional area;

the step of arranging the outlet structure relative to the actuator member comprises the step of movably securing the outlet member relative to the actuator member; and

the step of altering the cross-sectional area of the outlet orifice comprises the step of moving the outlet member relative to the actuator member such that one of the plurality of outlet openings determines the cross-sectional area of the outlet orifice.

8. A method as recited in claim 7 , in which:

the step of movably securing the outlet member relative to the actuator member comprises the step of rotatably attaching the outlet member relative to the actuator member; and

the step of moving the outlet member relative to the actuator member comprises the step of rotating the outlet member relative to the actuator member.

9. A method as recited in claim 5 , in which:

the step of providing the outlet structure further comprises the steps of

providing a deformable first member defining an outlet opening, and

movably mounted a second member adjacent to the first member;

the step of arranging the outlet structure relative to the actuator member comprises the step of securing the first member relative to the actuator member such that the outlet opening forms the outlet orifice; and

the step of altering the cross-sectional area of the outlet orifice comprises the step of moving the second member relative to the first member to deform the first member.

10. A method as recited in claim 9 , in which the step of moving the second member relative to the first member comprises the step of pinching the first member.

11. A method as recited in claim 9 , further comprising the step of forming a plurality of finger portions on the actuator member, in which:

the step of providing the first member comprises the step of providing a resilient tube;

the step of arranging the outlet structure relative to the actuator member comprises the step arranging at least part of the resilient tube between the finger portions of the actuator member;

the step of moving the second member relative to the resilient tube comprises the step of moving the second member to act on the finger members such that the finger members deform the resilient tube.

12. A method as recited in claim 11 , further comprising the steps of:

forming a first threaded portion on the second member;

forming a second threaded portion on the actuator member; and

forming cam surfaces on the finger portions of the actuator member; and

the step of moving the second member to act on the finger members comprises the step of rotatably engaging the first and second threaded portions to displace the second member relative to the actuator member such that the second member acts on the cam surfaces.