Button actuated mechanism for a dispensing canister

Abstract

An actuating mechanism for aerosol product dispensing containers, and more particularly to a button actuated aerosol spray valve actuating mechanism for actuating an aerosol spray valve and dispensing the aerosol product from the dispensing container.

1 . A spray actuator for an aerosol container comprising: 
 a body having an inner wall including an engagement collar for attachment to an aerosol container, a bottom edge for smoothly transitioning to and substantially contacting a sidewall of the aerosol container and, a top edge for supporting an actuator cap;    a button integrally, hingedly attached to the actuator cap about a living hinge positioned between a static portion of the actuator cap and a moveable portion of the actuator cap defining the button; and    wherein the static portion of the actuator cap is fixedly, immovably supported on the body, and the button is free to move relative to the static portion and the body, and the actuator cap pushes a product passageway integrally connected to one of the actuator cap and the body against a valve stem to actuate a valve of the aerosol container.    
     
     
         2 . The spray actuator as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the product passageway defines a dispensing orifice in an outlet end of the product passageway integrally formed with one of the button and the body which communicates with a valve stem in the aerosol container.  
     
     
         3 . The spray actuator as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the body further comprises at least an attachment point for fixedly engaging a mating point formed on the static portion of the actuator cap.  
     
     
         4 . The spray actuator as set forth in  claim 3  wherein the static portion of the actuator cap extends circumferentially around the button.  
     
     
         5 . The spray actuator as set forth in  claim 3  wherein the actuator cap further comprises a first channel and a separate second channel extending from an edge of the actuator button to respective first and second end points separated by an amount of material defining a living hinge between the button and the static portion of the actuator cap.  
     
     
         6 . The spray actuator as set forth in  claim 5  wherein the button comprises an appendage depending from an underside of the button to contact and move a product passageway connected to the valve stem of the spray container.  
     
     
         7 . The spray actuator as set forth in  claim 4  wherein the button further comprises an integral product passageway formed therewith which communicates between the valve stem and a product dispensing orifice.  
     
     
         8 . A spray actuator for an aerosol container consisting of 3 separate parts, a body, a nozzle, and an actuator cap comprising an integral button contiguously attached via a living hinge to a static portion of the actuating cap.  
     
     
         9 . The spray actuator as set forth in  claim 8  wherein one of the actuator cap and the body further comprises an integrally formed product passageway communicating between a valve stem of the aerosol container and the nozzle.  
     
     
         10 . The spray actuator as set forth in  claim 9  wherein at least a portion of the product passageway is aligned along a central vertical axis defined by the valve stem and the actuator cap and the body are axially fixed with respect to one another about the central vertical axis.  
     
     
         11 . The spray actuator as set forth in  claim 3  wherein a bottom edge of the static portion of the actuator cap is supported directly on a top edge of the body so as to form a contiguous outer wall of the spray actuator.  
     
     
         12 . A method of making an actuator for dispensing an aerosol product from an aerosol container, the method comprising the steps of: 
 forming a body having an inner wall including an engagement collar for attachment to an aerosol container, a bottom edge for smoothly transitioning to and substantially contacting a sidewall of the aerosol container and, a top edge for supporting an actuator cap;    hinging a button integrally attached to the actuator cap about a living hinge positioned between a static portion of the actuator cap and a moveable portion of the actuator cap defining the button; and    affixing the static portion of the actuator cap immovably supported on the body, and the button is free to move relative to the static portion and the body, and the actuator cap pushes a product passageway integrally connected to one of the actuator cap and the body against a valve stem to actuate a valve of the aerosol container.