Dispensing-Tube and Cap Holder for Use in Combination With an Aerosol Can

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a dispensing-tube and cap holder which is mounted on the side of an aerosol can for holding a dispensing-tube and more particularly to a dispensing-tube and cap holder which is for use with an aerosol can which requires a dispensing-tube to be fitted to its valve.

2.Description of the Prior Art

U.S. Pat. No. 3,221,950, entitled Aerosol Dispenser, issued to William R. O'Donnell on Dec. 7, 1965, teaches an aerosol dispenser which includes, in combination, a pressurized container and an actuator cap. The pressurized container has a valved outlet passage. The actuator cap is movably carried by the pressurized container and has a discharge passage communicating with the valved outlet passage. The actuator cap is movable toward the pressurized container to open the valved outlet passage valve to effect a discharge and is movable in a direction away from the pressurized container to halt the discharge. An elongated tubular L-shaped nozzle member is carried by the upper portion of the actuator cap. The member communicates with the discharge passage of the actuator cap. A mechanism pivotally mounts the nozzle member on the upper portion of the actuator cap for movement between a retracted position extending downward, closely adjacent and alongside the actuator cap and the pressurized container and an extended position extending laterally of the actuator cap and the pressurized container. The nozzle member includes a straight exposed portion whose length is commensurate with the combined effective lengths of the actuator cap and the pressurized container. The actuator cap and the pressurized container have commensurate outside diameters. A projection extends laterally from the bottom of the pressurized container to be engaged by the distal end of the spout to prevent downward movement thereof.

In the past, aerosol products have commonly been packed in a disposable pressurized can having an aerosol valve in one end of the can. In order to assist with the application of some aerosol products which are required to be placed in difficult situations with some degree of accuracy, the supplier of these aerosol products provide a small bore dispensing-tube commonly of flexible plastics material which may have one end inserted into the outlet of the aerosol valve so that the aerosol product may be applied through the dispensing-tube. Such dispensing-tubes have been fastened to the aerosol can for sale by way of adhesive tape which has the disadvantages that it is slow to package and therefore uneconomical and furthermore does not provide a convenient way of retaining the dispensing-tube with the aerosol can once the dispensing-tube has been used for a first time. In order to overcome this disadvantage, some suppliers provide a retainer which is molded into the upright side of a cap for an aerosol container so that the dispensing-tube may be held in the retainer when not in use. Such caps have been of a diameter substantially the same as the diameter of the aerosol can so that the dispensing-tube may be fixed in an upright position on the outer periphery of the cap and extend down the side of the can when packed. This arrangement has the disadvantage that a comparatively large cap must be provided of the same diameter as the diameter of the can, which is uneconomical to manufacture due to the comparatively large amount of plastics material which must be used in the manufacture of the cap. Smaller caps which engage with the upstanding flange surrounding the aerosol cap have been used to reduce the amount of plastics material required but such caps have not been suitable for the mounting of a dispensing-tube.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,520,951, entitled Aerosol Cap, issued to Roy B. Facey on June 4, 1985, teaches a cap for an aerosol container which has a transverse groove in its top for retaining therein a dispensing-tube. The cap for an aerosol container includes an annular wall which is open at its bottom end and closed at its upper end by a top wall which is perpendicular to the annular wall. The top wall has a diametric transverse groove which is formed integral with the top wall and is adapted to releasably retain a dispensing-tube in a lowermost portion thereof. The groove is open at each end and has a substantially semi-circular cross-section at the lowermost half thereof and substantially parallel straight sides at the uppermost half thereof integral with the top wall so as to be open at the top. The groove further has protuberances along the inner faces of the parallel sides adjacent the upper most portion of the sides at spaced locations along the inner faces thereof for frictionally embracing and releasably retaining the dispensing-tube in the groove. The cap for an aerosol container also includes a plurality of radially directed lugs at spaced portions along the inner periphery of the annular wall at the lowermost portion thereof for engaging and releasably securing the cap to the top end of the container.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,276,641, entitled Actuator for Dispensing Pump, issued to Herbert G. Lehmann on Oct. 4, 1966, teaches a stationary cap for use in a hand-held dispenser. The stationary cap includes a mechanism for mounting it on a container neck, a depress button which is movable in the cap between extended and retracted positions, a spout member which is movably carried by the depress button and shiftable thereon between extended and retracted positions, mechanism on the depress button, establishing communication between the container and spout, and an automatic cooperable locking mechanism on the spout and button, the means being responsive to movement of the spout member on the button and being automatically rendered operative by positioning the spout member in its retracted position and positively preventing movement of the button to its retracted position on the cap when the spout member is in the retracted position. The mechanism for releasing the depress button for movement when the spout member is in its extended position.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,428,220, entitled Pressurized Container with Cap Having Suspension Means for Display Purposes, issued to Harold Osrow on Feb. 18, 1969, teaches the combination of a pressurized container of substantial weight and a closure cap for the container, which closure is adapted to be hung from a horizontally elongated display hanger. The closure is an overcap having an open bottom which is removably engageable with the top of the container. Tamper-proof means securely affixes the closure to the container. The closure further includes a bail-type suspension integral with and extending upwardly from the top wall of the closure. The force required to separate to closure from the container is greater than the weight of the container.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,732,591, entitled Cap Having a Removable Wiping Blade, issued to P. Gach on May 15, 1973, teaches a cap for a fluid dispensing container having a body and flange members on the body for holding the cap adjacent to a dispensing area of the container is disclosed. An elongate slot in the body removably retains a resilient blade member for wiping a liquid dispensed from the container of off the surface onto which it is dispensed. A cleat on the body carries the blade member in a storage position when the blade is not in use.

In view of the foregoing factors and conditions which are characteristic of the prior art it is the primary object of the present invention to provide a dispensing-tube and cap holder which is mounted on the side of an aerosol can for holding a dispensing-tube and which is for use with an aerosol can which requires a dispensing-tube to be fitted to its valve.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a dispensing-tube and cap holder which will either obviate or minimize the foregoing disadvantage of the prior art in a simple yet effective manner and which will at least provide the public with a useful choice.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a dispensing-tube and cap holder which can also hold the cap of the aerosol can.

In accordance with the present invention an embodiment of a dispensing-tube and cap holder for use in combination with an aerosol can and a dispensing-tube has been described. The aerosol can includes a cylindrical container which has an annular sidewall, a top peripheral rim and a bottom peripheral rim, a valve and a cap. The valve is fluidly coupled to the cylindrical container. The cap covers the valve when the aerosol can is not in use. The dispensing-tube may be fluidly coupled to the valve. The dispensing-tube and cap holder includes a curved, rectangular sheet having a front surface, a rear surface, a top edge, a bottom edge and two side edges. The length of the two side edges is slightly shorter than the length of the cylindrical container. The dispensing-tube and cap holder also includes a sheath, a tube-tensioning mechanism and a cap-holding mechanism. The sheath is disposed on one of two sides of the curved, rectangular sheet and holds the dispensing-tube. The tube-tensioning mechanism is disposed on the front surface of the curved, rectangular sheet adjacent to its bottom edge and secures the dispensing-tube in the sheath. The cap-holding mechanism is disposed on the front surface of the curved, rectangular sheet adjacent to its top edge and holds the cap. The dispensing-tube and cap holder further includes an attaching mechanism which attaches the curved, rectangular sheet to the cylindrical container so that it is mounted on its annular sidewall.

The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims.

Other claims and many of the attendant advantages will be more readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description and considered in connection with the accompanying drawing in which like reference symbols designate like parts throughout the figures.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a dispensing-tube, an aerosol can with a cap which is mounted in a first embodiment of a dispensing-tube and cap holder which has been constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

FIG. 2. is a perspective view of the first embodiment of the dispensing-tube and cap holder of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation in cross-section of the first embodiment of the dispensing-tube and cap holder of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the first embodiment of the dispensing-tube and cap holder and aerosol can of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a dispensing-tube and cap holder which has also been constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

In order to best understand the present invention it is necessary to refer to the following description of its preferred embodiment in conjunction with the accompanying drawing. Referring to FIG. 1 in conjunction with FIG. 2 a dispensing-tube and cap holder 10 is used in combination with an aerosol can 11 and a dispensing-tube 12. The aerosol can 11 includes a cylindrical container 13 with an annular sidewall, a valve 14 and a cap 15 which is for covering the valve 14 when the aerosol can 10 is not in use. The first dispensing-tube and cap holder 10 includes a curved, rectangular sheet 16, a sheath 17, a first punched-out portion 18 and a second punched-out portion 19. The length of the curved, rectangular sheet 16 is slightly shorter than the length of the cylindrical container 13. The width of the curved, rectangular sheet 16 is sufficient to provide enough rigidity to the dispensing-tube and cap holder 10. The sheath 17 is disposed on one side of the curved, rectangular sheet 16. The first punched-out portion 18 is disposed on the top surface of the curved, rectangular sheet 16 adjacent to its top end and forms a tube-tensioning mechanism 18. The second punched-out portion 19 is disposed on the top surface of the curved, rectangular sheet 16 adjacent to its bottom end and forms a cap-holding mechanism 19. The first dispensing-tube and cap holder 10 is mounted on the annular sidewall of the cylindrical container 13. The cap 14 may be clipped into the cap-holder mechanism 19 of the first dispensing-tube and cap holder 10. The first dispensing-tube and cap holder 10 also includes a first attachment mechanism 20 which attaches it to the cylindrical container 13.

Referring to FIG. 3 in conjunction with FIG. 4 the first attachment mechanism 20 includes a top flange 21 and a bottom flange 22. Both the top and bottom flanges 21 and 22 are disposed adjacent to the top edge and bottom edges, respectively, of the curved, rectangular sheet 16.

Referring to FIG. 5 a second dispensing-tube and cap holder 30 may be used in combination with the aerosol can 11 and the dispensing-tube 12. The second dispensing-tube and cap holder 30 includes a curved, rectangular sheet 36, a sheath 37, a first punched-out portion 38 and a second punched-out portion 39. The length of the curved, rectangular sheet 36 is slightly shorter than the length of the cylindrical container 13. The width of the curved, rectangular sheet 36 is sufficient to provide enough rigidity to the second dispensing-tube and cap holder 30. The sheath 37 is disposed on one side of the curved, rectangular sheet 16. The first punched-out portion 38 is disposed on the top surface of the curved, rectangular sheet 36 adjacent to its top end and forms a tube-tensioning mechanism 38. The second punched-out portion 39 is disposed on the top surface of the curved, rectangular sheet 36 adjacent to its bottom end and forms a cap-holding mechanism 39. The second dispensing-tube and cap holder 30 is mounted on the annular sidewall of the cylindrical container 13. The cap 14 may be clipped into the cap-holder mechanism 39 of the second dispensing-tube and cap holder 30. The second dispensing-tube and cap holder 30 also includes a second attachment mechanism 40 for attaching it to the cylindrical container. The second attachment mechanism 40 includes a first plurality of spot welds and a second plurality of spot welds to the annular sidewall of the cylindrical container 13 adjacent to its top and bottom edges, respectively. A third attachment mechanism includes an application of an adhesive to the bottom surface of the curved, rectangular sheet 36.

From the foregoing it can be seen that a dispensing-tube and cap holder has been described. It should be noted that the sketches are not drawn to scale and that distance of and between the figures are not to be considered significant.

Accordingly it is intended that the foregoing disclosure and showing made in the drawing shall be considered only as an illustration of the principles of the present invention.