Aerosol overcap with evaporation vent
View Patent ↗A cap is configured to mount on a can to cover a product dispenser included in the can. The cap is formed to include a passage arranged to vent vapor extant in an interior region of the cap to the surroundings outside of the cap while the cap is mounted on the can.
1. A package for storing a dispensable product, the package comprising
a can including a valve cup and a product dispenser coupled to the valve cup and configured to dispense product stored in a product-storage chamber formed in the can, the valve cup being formed to include a reservoir configured to collect liquid applied to the can, and
a cap including an exterior shell having a top wall and a chamber side wall coupled to the top wall to form a shell chamber and an interior shell located in the shell chamber and coupled to the top wall of the exterior shell, wherein the top wall is imperforate and cooperates with the interior shell to form a vapor-collection space situated to receive vapor generated by evaporation of any liquid remaining in the reservoir formed in the valve cup after the cap is mounted on the can to cover the valve cup and the interior shell is formed to include vent means for venting vapor extant in the vapor-collection space into a vapor-discharge chamber located in the shell chamber between the interior shell and the chamber side wall for subsequent discharge to the atmosphere through a gap formed between the can and the chamber side wall of the exterior shell while the cap is mounted on the can to cover the valve cup.
2. A package for storing a dispensable product, the package comprising
a can including a valve cup and a product dispenser coupled to the valve cup and configured to dispense product stored in a product-storage chamber formed in the can, the valve cup being formed to include a reservoir configured to collect liquid applied to the can,
a cap including an exterior shell having a top wall and a chamber side wall coupled to the top wall to form a shell chamber and an interior shell located in the shell chamber and coupled to the top wall of the exterior shell, wherein the top wall is imperforate and cooperates with the interior shell to form a vapor-collection space situated to receive vapor generated by evaporation of any liquid remaining in the reservoir formed in the valve cup after the cap is mounted on the can to cover the valve cup and the interior shell is formed to include vent means for venting vapor extant in the vapor-collection space into a vapor- discharge chamber located in the shell chamber between the interior shell and the chamber side wall for subsequent discharge to the atmosphere through a gap formed between the can and the chamber side wall of the exterior shell while the cap is mounted on the can to cover the valve cup, and
wherein the vent means includes a first vapor-vent channel formed in the interior shell, and the first vapor-vent channel includes a vertical wall shaped to force the vapor downwardly toward the can and outwardly away from the can.
3. The package of claim 2 , wherein the cap further includes first and second grip flanges coupled to an inner wall of interior shell and configured to mate with the valve cup to retain the cap in a mounted position on the cap and the first and second grip flanges are arranged to lie in spaced-apart location to one another to locate the first vapor-vent channel therebetween.
4. The package of claim 3 , wherein the vent means further includes a second vapor-vent channel formed in the interior shell, the cap further includes third and fourth grip flanges coupled to the inner wall of the interior shell and configured to mate with the valve cup to retain the cap in the mounted position on the can, and the third and fourth grip flanges are arranged to lie in spaced-apart relation to one another to locate the second vapor-vent channel therebetween.
5. The package of claim 3 , wherein the first and second grip flanges are arranged to lie in spaced-apart relation to one another to define a first space therebetween and a separate second space therebetween, the vent means further includes a second vapor-vent channel formed in the interior shell, the first vapor-vent channel is formed in the interior shell to lie in the first space, and the second vapor-vent channel is formed in the interior shell to lie in the second space.
6. A package for storing a dispensable product the package comprising
a can including a valve cup and a product dispenser coupled to the valve cup and configure to dispense product stored in a product-storage chamber formed in the can, the valve cup being formed to include a reservoir configured to collect liquid applied to the can,
a cap including an exterior shell having a top wall and a chamber side wall coupled to the top wall to form a shell chamber and an interior shell located in the shell chamber and coupled to the top wall of the exterior shell, wherein the top wall is imperforate and cooperates with the interior shell to form a vapor-collection space situated to receive vapor generated by evaporation of any liquid remaining in the reservoir formed in the valve cup after the cap is mounted on the can to cover the valve cup and the interior shell is formed to include vent means for venting vapor extant in the vapor-collection space into a vapor-discharge chamber located in the shell chamber between the interior shell and the chamber side wall for subsequent discharge to the atmosphere through a gap formed between the can and the chamber side wall of the exterior shell while the cap is mounted on the can to cover the valve cup,
wherein the vent means includes a first vapor-vent channel formed in the interior shell, and
wherein the first vapor-vent channel is formed to have a vertically extending opening in an inner wall of the interior shell extending from an outer rim of the valve cup in a direction toward the top wall of the exterior shell.
7. A package for storing a dispensable product, the package comprising
a can including valve cup and a product dispenser coupled to the valve cup and configured to dispense product stored in a product-storage chamber formed in the can, the valve cup being formed to include a reservoir configured to collect liquid applied to the can,
a cap including an exterior shell having a too wall and a chamber side wall coupled to the top wall to form a shell chamber and an interior shell located in the shell chamber and coupled to the top wall of the exterior shell, wherein the top wall is imperforate and cooperates with the interior shell to form a vapor-collection space situated to receive vapor generated by evaporation of any liquid in the reservoir formed in the valve cup after the cap is mounted on the can to cover the valve cup and the interior shell is formed to include vent means for venting vapor extant in the vapor-collection space into a vapor-discharge chamber located in the shell chamber between the interior shell and the chamber side wall for subsequent discharge to the atmosphere through a gap formed between the can and the chamber side wall of the exterior shell while the cap is mounted on the can to cover the valve cup,
wherein the vent means includes a first vapor-vent channel formed in the interior shell, and
wherein the first vapor-vent channel is defined by two long side-wall edges, one short end-wall edge, and one channel floor included in the interior shell.
8. The package of claim 7 , wherein the two long side-wall edges and the channel floor cooperate to form a downwardly facing opening in a bottom edge of the interior shell.
9. The package of claim 7 , wherein the valve cup includes a basin formed to include the reservoir and an annular rim coupled to and arranged to surround the basin and the channel floor is arranged to lie in spaced-apart relation to the annular rim of the valve cup to allow vapor extant in the vapor-collection space to flow along a path between the channel floor and the annular rim in a direction toward the gap formed between the can and the chamber side wall of the exterior shell.
10. A package for storing a dispensable product, the package comprising
a can including a valve cup and a product dispenser coupled to the valve cup and configured to dispense product stored in a product-storage chamber formed in the can, the valve being formed to include a reservoir configured to collect liquid applied to the can,
a cap including an exterior shell having a top wall and a chamber side wall coupled to the top wall to form a shell chamber and an interior shell located in the shell chamber and coupled to the top wall of the exterior shell, wherein the top wall is imperforate and cooperates with the interior shell to form a vapor-collection space situated to receive vapor generated by evaporation of any liquid remaining in the reservoir formed in the valve cup after the cay is mounted on the can to cover the valve cup and the interior shell, is formed to include vent means for venting vapor extant in the vapor-collection space into a vapor-discharge chamber located in the shell chamber between the interior shell and die chamber side wall for subsequent discharge to the atmosphere through a gap formed between the can and the chamber side wall of the exterior shell while the cap is mounted on the can to cover the valve cup,
wherein the vent means includes a first vapor-vent channel formed in the interior shell, and
wherein the interior shell includes a cylindrical inner wall surrounding the valve cup and the first vapor-vent channel defines a side opening facing toward the valve cup and interrupting the cylindrical inner wall of the interior shell.
11. The package of claim 10 , wherein the interior shell includes two side-wall edges arranged to lie in spaced-apart relation to one another to define the side opening of the first vapor vent channel therebetween.
12. The package of claim 11 , wherein the interior shell includes an exterior wall arranged to cooperate with the chamber side wall and a portion of the top wall to define the vapor-discharge chamber and the interior shell also includes a channel floor coupled to the two side-wall edges and arranged to lie therebetween and in a space between the exterior wall of the interior shell and the side opening of the first vapor-vent channel formed in the inner wall of the interior shell.
13. A package for storing a dispensable product, the package comprising
a can including a valve cup and a product dispenser coupled to the valve cup and configured to dispense product stored in a product-storage chamber formed in the can, the valve cup being formed to include a reservoir configured to collect liquid applied to the can,
a cap including an imperforate top wall, an interior shell coupled to an underside of the imperforate top wall and configured to mate with the valve cup included in the can to mount the cap on the can, and a chamber side wall coupled to a perimeter edge of the imperforate top wall and arranged to surround the interior shell, and wherein the interior shell is formed to include a vapor-vent channel to allow vapor associated with liquid collecting in the valve cup to vent to surroundings outside of the cap through the first vapor-vent channel while the cap is mounted on the can, and
wherein the vapor-vent channel includes a channel outlet formed in a bottom edge of the interior shell.
14. A package for storing a dispensing product, the package comprising
a can including a vessel formed to include a product-storage chamber and a top closure member coupled to the body to close an opening into the product-storage chamber, the top closure member including a valve cup coupled to the vessel and a product dispenser mounted on the valve cup and configured to dispense product stored in the product-storage chamber to the surroundings,
a cap including an imperforate top wall, an interior shell coupled to an underside of the imperforate top wall and configured to mate with the valve cup included in the can to mount the cap on the can, and a chamber side wall coupled to a perimeter edge of the imperforate top wall and arranged to surround the interior shell, wherein the interior shell includes an outer wall facing toward the exterior shell and cooperating with the chamber side wall and a portion of the top wall to form a vapor-discharge chamber therebetween, an inner wall facing away from the outer wall and cooperating with a portion of the imperforate top wall to form a vapor-collection space situated to receive vapor generated by evaporation of any liquid remaining in a reservoir formed in the valve cup after the cap is mounted on the can to cover the valve cup, a bottom edge interconnecting the inner and outer walls of the interior shell, a channel inlet opening into the vapor-collection space, a channel outlet opening into the vapor-discharge chamber, and a first vapor-vent channel extending between and interconnecting the channel inlet and the channel outlet to allow flow of vapor from the vapor-collection space to the vapor-discharge space therethrough while the cap is mounted on the can to cover the valve cup, and
wherein the channel inlet is formed in the inner wall of the interior shell and the channel outlet is formed in the bottom edge of the interior shell.