Valve for use in a container which employs pressure to dispense product
A valve for a pressurized dispensing container has a resilient annular grommet that surrounds a valve stem. The grommet has a lower segment which engages an elongate valve stem opening with a slight interference fit to provide user controllable metering of the product being dispensed. A recess in the lower surface of the grommet contains the stem button from the closed state to the fully open state to provide stability for the stem. The upper portion of the grommet has a restoring boot to assure that the valve is returned to its closed state once manual force is removed from the valve. A boot flange and stem recess engagement together with other dimensional relationships assures that the boot provide the required restoring force throughout the dispensing of product.
1. A vertically movable valve for use with a pressurized product dispensing container wherein the valve is movable between an upper closed state and a depressed dispensing state, the valve having a valve stem with an axis and a button at its base, at least one dispensing opening in the lower zone of the valve stem and a resilient annular sealing grommet around the stem, comprising:
an annular boot portion at the upper end of the grommet, said boot having an annular foot at the upper end of said boot and an annular leg portion extending downwardly from said boot,
a shoulder on said valve stem,
said foot having an upper surface engaging said shoulder to provide a restoring force when said valve is depressed,
a lower zone of the sealing grommet having an interference fit relationship with the valve stem at the dispensing opening,
a recess in the base of the grommet to accept the button of the stem, said recess being deep enough so that said button is within said recess when the valve is in its fully open state,
at least one recess in the edge of said button to provide product passageway for product when the valve is open,
the vertical distance between said stem shoulder and the stem button is less than the vertical distance between said upper surface of said grommet foot and said surface of said grommet base recess that engages said button.
2. The valve of claim 1 wherein: said at least one dispensing opening of the stem has an elongate shape in the direction of the axis of the stem and also has a transverse opening distance that is greater at the upper part of the opening and lesser at the lower part of the opening.
3. The valve of claim 2 further comprising:
a radial inwardly extending flange on said foot,
an annular recess on said stem, said recess adjacent to and below said shoulder,
said foot and said stem recess engaging to provide insertion of said flange into said recess,
said stem recess having an opening width greater than the thickness of said foot flange,
the inner diameter of said boot below said foot flange has an interference fit relative to the outer diameter of said stem below said recess to assure full insertion of said flange into said recess.
4. The valve of claim 3 wherein: the upper surface of the button and the upper surface of said grommet recess have a radial tapered engagement providing for first contact at a radial inner zone and a final contact at a radial outer zone.
5. The valve of claim 1 further comprising:
a radial inwardly extending flange on said foot,
an annular recess on said stem, said recess adjacent to and below said shoulder,
said foot and said stem recess engaging to provide insertion of said flange into said recess,
said stem recess having an opening width greater than the thickness of said foot flange,
the inner diameter of said boot below said foot flange has an interference fit relative to the outer diameter of said stem below said recess to assure full insertion of said flange into said recess.
6. The valve of claim 1 wherein: said leg portion of said boot having a concave curved inner surface and a convex curved outer surface, said concave curved inner surface extending downward further than said convex outer surface.
7. The valve of claim 1 wherein: the upper surface of the button and the upper surface of said grommet recess have a radial tapered engagement providing for first contact at a radial inner zone and a final contact at a radial outer zone.
8. The valve of claim 1 wherein: said interference fit between the sealing grommet and the valve stem at said stem openings is approximately eleven mils on a diameter.
9. The valve of claim 1 wherein: said interference fit between said boot and the stem below said stem recess is approximately four mils on a diameter.
10. A vertically movable valve for use with a pressurized product dispensing container wherein the valve is movable between an upper closed state and a depressed dispensing state, the valve having a valve stem with an axis and a button at its base, at least one dispensing opening in the lower zone of the valve stem and a resilient annular sealing grommet around the stem, the grommet having a surface that engages the button in the closed state, comprising:
an annular boot portion at the upper end of the grommet, said boot having an annular foot at the upper end of said boot and an annular leg portion extending downwardly from said boot,
a shoulder on said valve stem,
said foot having an upper surface engaging said shoulder to provide a restoring force when said valve is depressed,
said foot providing an inwardly extending radial flange,
an annular recess on said stem, said recess adjacent to and below said shoulder,
said foot and said stem recess engaging to provide insertion of said flange into said recess,
said stem recess having an opening width greater than the thickness of said boot flange,
the inner diameter of said boot below said foot flange has an interference fit relative to the outer diameter of said stem below said recess to assure full insertion of said flange into said recess, and
said leg portion of said boot having a concave curved inner surface and a convex curved outer surface, said concave curved inner surface extending downward further than said convex outer surface.
11. The valve of claim 10 wherein: the vertical distance between said stem shoulder and the stem button is less than the vertical distance between said upper surface of said grommet foot and the grommet surface that engages said button.
12. The valve of claim 11 wherein: The outer diameter of the upper edge of said foot is at least equal to the outer diameter of said shoulder.
13. The valve of claim 10 wherein: the outer diameter of the upper edge of said foot is at least equal to the outer diameter of said shoulder.
14. The valve of claim 10 wherein: said interference fit between said boot and the stem below said stem recess is approximately four mils on a diameter.
15. A vertically movable valve for use with a pressurized product dispensing container wherein the valve is movable between an upper closed state and a depressed dispensing state, the valve having a valve stem with an axis and a button at its base, at least one dispensing opening in the lower zone of the valve stem and a resilient annular sealing grommet around the stem comprising:
a lower zone of the sealing grommet having an interference fit relationship with the valve stem at the dispensing opening,
a recess in the base of the grommet to accept the button of the stem, said recess being deep enough so that said button is within said recess when the valve is in its fully open state, said recess having an upper surface that engages the button in the closed state,
at least one recess in the edge of said button to provide product passageway for product when the valve is open, and
the upper surface of the button and the upper surface of said grommet recess having a radial tapered engagement providing for first contact at a radial inner zone and a final contact at a radial outer zone,
the vertical distance between said stem shoulder and said stem button being less than the vertical distance between said upper surface of said grommet foot and said upper surface of said grommet base recess.
16. The valve of claim 15 wherein: The area of said button edge recess is approximately equal to the area of the stem wall opening to provide an appropriate accumulator effect upon initial opening of the valve.
17. The valve of claim 16 wherein:
said interference fit between the sealing grommet and the valve stem at said stem openings is approximately eleven mils on a diameter, and
said radial taper of said upper surface of said grommet recess is approximately one degree.
18. The valve of claim 15 wherein: said interference fit between the sealing grommet and the valve stem at said stem openings is approximately eleven mils on a diameter.
19. The valve of claim 15 wherein: said radial taper of said upper surface of said grommet recess is approximately one degree.
20. A vertically movable valve for use with a pressurized product dispensing container wherein the valve is movable between an upper closed state and a depressed dispensing state, the valve having a valve stem with an axis and a button at its base, at least one dispensing opening in the lower zone of the valve stem and a resilient annular sealing grommet around the stem comprising:
an annular boot portion at the upper end of the grommet, said boot having an annular foot at the upper end of said boot and an annular leg portion extending downwardly from said boot,
a shoulder on said valve stem,
said foot having an upper surface engaging said shoulder to provide a restoring force when said valve is depressed,
said foot providing an inwardly extending radial flange,
an annular recess on said stem, said recess adjacent to and below said shoulder,
said foot and said stem recess engaging to provide insertion of said flange into said recess,
said stem recess having an opening width greater than the thickness of said boot flange,
the inner diameter of said boot below said foot flange has an interference fit relative to the outer diameter of said stem below said recess to assure full insertion of said flange into said recess,
said leg portion of said boot having a concave curved inner surface and a convex curved outer surface, said concave curved inner surface extending downward further than said convex outer surface,
a lower zone of the sealing grommet having an interference fit relationship with the valve stem at the dispensing opening,
a recess in the base of the grommet to accept the button of the stem, said recess being deep enough so that said button is within said recess when the valve is in its fully open state, said recess having a downwardly facing upper surface, at least one recess in the edge of said button to provide product passageway for product when the valve is open,
the vertical distance between said stem shoulder and said stem button being less than the vertical distance between said upper surface of said grommet foot and said surface of said grommet base recess
the upper surface of said grommet recess having a slight radial taper to provide a shallow pyramid surface to engage the button in the closed state of the valve.
21. The valve of claim 20 wherein: The outer diameter of the upper edge of said foot is at least equal to the outer diameter of said shoulder.
22. The valve of claim 20 wherein: The area of said button edge recess is approximately equal to the area of the stem wall opening to provide an appropriate accumulator effect upon initial opening of the valve.
23. The valve of claim 20 wherein: said interference fit between the sealing grommet and the valve stem at said stem openings is approximately eleven mils on a diameter.
24. The valve of claim 20 wherein: said radial taper of said upper surface of said grommet recess is approximately one degree.
25. The valve of claim 20 wherein: said interference fit between said boot and the stem below said stem recess is approximately four mils on a diameter.