Locking aerosol dispenser
An aerosol valve actuator with a top portion rotatable on a bottom portion. The entire top portion in one rotatable position is depressible vertically to actuate the valve. A click post and clicking rib provide a single click in each direction of rotation. Flanges on top and bottom portions interact to stop rotation as soon as each click occurs. Plastic springs interact with spring biasing members only when the top portion is in actuating position, and assure return of the actuator top portion to full upward position for rotation after actuation of even a short-stemmed valve. Downwardly extending flexible connecting flanges connect the actuator top and bottom portions. The top portion has a lower periphery with a plurality of upwardly extending indentations to overlie lateral ribs in the lower portion in actuation position. The top and bottom portions have interfitting cylinders to stabilize the top portion and maintain verticality.
1. An aerosol actuator for actuating an aerosol valve on the top of an aerosol container, said actuator comprising in combination a top portion and a bottom portion, the bottom portion being mountable on an aerosol container, the top portion being mounted on the bottom portion, and the top portion being rotatable with respect to the bottom portion about an axis of rotation between a first position for actuating the aerosol valve and a second position wherein the aerosol valve cannot be actuated; said bottom portion including one of a clicking post and a flexible clicking rib, and said top portion including the other of said clicking post and said clicking rib; said clicking post having a first surface engaging and deflecting said clicking rib to pass on an inner side of the clicking post proximate said axis of rotation in a first direction of rotation of said top portion, and a second surface engaging and deflecting said clicking rib to pass on an outer side of the clicking post remote from said axis of rotation in a second direction of rotation of said top portion; said clicking rib snapping back from its deflected position to create an audible clicking noise during each direction of rotation of said top portion, upon said clicking rib and clicking post passing each other.
2. The aerosol actuator of claim 1 , wherein said clicking post is a parallelogram.
3. The aerosol actuator of claim 1 , wherein said actuator has a single clicking post and a single clicking rib as the sole position clicking indicator upon rotation of said top portion, thereby providing a single audible clicking noise during each direction of rotation.
4. The aerosol actuator of claim 1 , wherein said top portion and bottom portion have respective stop flanges interacting to define a limit of rotation in each direction of said top portion, said stop flanges terminating rotation in both directions at positions where said clicking rib and clicking post have just passed each other.
5. The aerosol actuator of claim 1 , wherein said actuator top portion is a unitary member and in said first position is depressible as a whole in a vertical direction to actuate the aerosol valve.
6. An aerosol actuator for actuating an aerosol valve on the top of an aerosol container, said actuator comprising:
a bottom portion mountable on the aerosol container;
a top portion mounted on said bottom portion for rotation about an axis of rotation with respect to said bottom portion between an actuating position and a non-actuating position;
a clicking post on one of said bottom portion and said top portion; and
a flexible clicking rib on the other of said bottom portion and said top portion, wherein said clicking post has a first surface engaging and deflecting said flexible clicking rib towards said axis of rotation in one direction of rotation of said top portion and a second surface engaging and deflecting said flexible clicking rib away from said axis of rotation in an opposite direction of rotation of said top portion.
7. The aerosol actuator of claim 6 , wherein said bottom portion comprises an outer skirt secured to an internal ring member by a plurality of ribs so that an annular gap is defined between said outer skirt and said internal ring member and said top portion comprises a lower periphery with a plurality of spaced curved indentations which define peripheral segments, said top portion being mounted on said bottom portion so that said lower periphery is received in said annular gap.
8. The aerosol actuator of claim 7 , wherein, when said top portion is in said actuating position, said plurality of indentations are aligned with said plurality of ribs so that said top portion can be vertically depressed with respect to said bottom portion with said plurality of curved indentations moving downwardly over said plurality of ribs with said peripheral segments lying between said plurality of ribs, and wherein, when said top portion is in said non-actuating position, said peripheral segments are aligned with and sit on top of said plurality of ribs so that said top portion cannot be vertically depressed with respect to said bottom portion.
9. An aerosol actuator for actuating an aerosol valve on the top of an aerosol container, said actuator comprising:
a bottom portion mountable on the aerosol container, said bottom portion having an annular gap defined between an outer skirt and an internal ring member;
a top portion having a lower periphery, said top portion mounted on said bottom portion so that said lower periphery is received in said annular gap, said top portion being rotatable with respect to said bottom portion between an actuating position and a non-actuating position;
a clicking post on one of said bottom portion and said top portion; and
a flexible clicking rib on the other of said bottom portion and said top portion, wherein said clicking post has a first surface engaging and deflecting said clicking flexible rib towards said annular gap in one direction of rotation of said top portion and a second surface engaging and deflecting said clicking rib away from said annular gap in an opposite direction of rotation of said top portion.
10. The aerosol actuator of claim 9 , wherein said lower periphery has a plurality of spaced curved indentations which define peripheral segments, said top portion being mounted on said bottom portion so that said periphery segments are is received in said annular gap.
11. The aerosol actuator of claim 10 , wherein, when said top portion is in said actuating position, a plurality of indentations are aligned with said plurality of ribs located in said annular gap so that said top portion can be vertically depressed with respect to said bottom portion with said plurality of curved indentations moving downwardly over said plurality of ribs with said peripheral segments lying between said plurality of ribs, and wherein, when said top portion is in said non-actuating position, said peripheral segments are aligned with and sit on top of said plurality of ribs so that said top portion cannot be vertically depressed with respect to said bottom portion.