Spray dispenser

Abstract

This invention is an apparatus ( 10 ) for spraying contents of a spray container ( 16 ), including a dispenser body ( 12 ) sealingly attachable to the container containing a fluid ( 18 ), a fluid outlet ( 20 ) formed in the dispenser body and a deformable element ( 56 ) generally freely ( 51 ) supported around a perimeter thereof in the dispenser body, the deformable element having a first orientation (FIG. 1 A) when in a reference temperature range and reversibly deforming to a second orientation (FIG. 1 B) when out of the reference temperature range, wherein in the first orientation the deformable element is operative to block passage of the fluid from the container and in the second orientation of the deformable element is operative to allow a passage of the fluid from the container. A method of dispensing a fluid from a container is also disclosed.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . Apparatus for spraying contents of a spray container, comprising: 
 a dispenser body sealingly attachable to a container containing a fluid;    a fluid outlet formed in said dispenser body; and    a deformable element generally freely supported around a perimeter thereof in said dispenser body, said deformable element having a first orientation when in a reference temperature range and reversibly deforming to a second orientation when out of said reference temperature range, wherein in said first orientation said deformable element is operative to block passage of the fluid from the container and in said second orientation said deformable element is operative to allow passage of the fluid from the container.    
     
     
         2 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein said deformable element is generally circular.  
     
     
         3 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein said deformable element is generally rectangular.  
     
     
         4 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  further comprising a container containing a fluid, said dispenser body being sealingly attached to said container.  
     
     
         5 . Apparatus according to  claim 4  wherein in said second position said fluid flows towards and contacts said deformable element, wherein heat is transferred between said fluid and said deformable element so as to bring said deformable element into said reference temperature range, such that said deformable element deforms from said second orientation to said first orientation.  
     
     
         6 . Apparatus according to  claim 4  wherein said fluid contacts said deformable element on a surface of said deformable element which faces said container.  
     
     
         7 . Apparatus according to  claim 3  wherein said fluid contacts said deformable element on a surface of said deformable element which does not face said container.  
     
     
         8 . Apparatus according to  claim 3  wherein said fluid contacts said deformable element both on a surface of said deformable element which faces said container and on a surface of said deformable element which does not face said container.  
     
     
         9 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  and further comprising a plunger arranged for sliding motion in said dispenser body between a first position and a second position.  
     
     
         10 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein said plunger is attached to said deformable element.  
     
     
         11 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein said deformable element comprises a bimetallic element.  
     
     
         12 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein said deformable element comprises a shape memory alloy element.  
     
     
         13 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein said dispenser body comprises thermal insulation for thermally insulating said deformable element from an outside environment.  
     
     
         14 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein said dispenser body is formed with an expansion chamber, and when said deformable element is in said second orientation, said fluid flows into said expansion chamber and expands therein.  
     
     
         15 . Apparatus according to  claim 14  wherein said expansion chamber is positioned on one side of said deformable element.  
     
     
         16 . Apparatus according to  claim 14  wherein said expansion chamber is positioned on two sides of said deformable element.  
     
     
         17 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  and further comprising a safety spray valve in fluid communication with said fluid outlet which is operative to substantially prevent flow of said fluid through said fluid outlet.  
     
     
         18 . Apparatus according to  claim 17  wherein said safety spray valve comprises a stopper slidingly disposed in a bore formed in said dispenser body, said bore allowing fluid to flow from a container to said fluid outlet, wherein said stopper is adapted to slide towards an end of said bore, and be substantially sealingly retained thereat, by a force of pressurized contents of the container.  
     
     
         19 . Apparatus according to  claim 17  wherein said safety spray valve comprises a one-way valve that substantially prevents matter from flowing in a direction from said deformable element back into the container.  
     
     
         20 . Apparatus according to  claim 19  wherein said one-way valve comprises a ball disposed in a bore formed in said dispenser body, said ball not interfering with flow of fluid from the container towards said deformable element, but substantially preventing flow of fluid backwards towards the container.  
     
     
         21 . Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims wherein said spray valve is in fluid communication with contents of a spray container, said contents comprising a first substance, and a second substance which comprises at least one of a liquid portion and a gaseous portion, said spray valve further comprising a tube with a lower open end in fluid communication with said first substance, said tube being formed with at least one side aperture in fluid communication with said second substance.  
     
     
         22 . Apparatus according to  claim 21  wherein said at least one side aperture is in fluid communication with said liquid portion.  
     
     
         23 . Apparatus according to  claim 21  wherein said at least one side aperture is in fluid communication with said gaseous portion.  
     
     
         24 . Apparatus according to any of claims  21 - 23  wherein when said spray valve dispenses said contents, an internal pressure of said container forces said first substance into said open end, and as said first substance rises in said tube, said second substance can enter said at least one side aperture and mix with said first substance, prior to said contents being sprayed.  
     
     
         25 . Apparatus for spraying contents of a spray container, comprising: 
 a dispenser body sealingly attachable to a container containing a fluid;    an expansion chamber formed in said dispenser body;    a fluid outlet formed in said dispenser body; and    a generally rectangular deformable element disposed in said expansion chamber, said deformable element having a first orientation when in a reference temperature range and reversibly deforming to a second orientation when out of said reference temperature range, wherein in said first orientation said deformable element is operative to block passage of the fluid from the container and in said second orientation said deformable element is operative to allow passage of the fluid from the container, and when said deformable element is in said second orientation, said fluid flows into said expansion chamber and expands therein.    
     
     
         26 . Apparatus according to  claim 25  wherein said deformable element is generally freely supported in said expansion chamber in said first orientation, wherein as said deformable element snaps from said first orientation to said second orientation, ends of said deformable element move and abut against inner surfaces of said expansion chamber, said ends of said deformable element being separated by a gap from the inner surfaces of said expansion chamber and freely supported in said expansion chamber when said deformable element has snapped to said second orientation.  
     
     
         27 . Apparatus according to  claim 25  wherein two ends of said deformable element are clamped in said expansion chamber.  
     
     
         28 . Apparatus according to  claim 25  wherein said deformable element is clamped generally around its perimeter in said expansion chamber.  
     
     
         29 . Apparatus according to  claim 25  wherein said deformable element comprises a bimetallic element.  
     
     
         30 . Apparatus according to  claim 25  wherein said deformable element comprises a shape memory alloy element.  
     
     
         31 . Apparatus for spraying contents of a spray container, comprising: 
 a dispenser body sealingly attachable to a container containing a fluid;    a fluid outlet formed in said dispenser body;    a spray nozzle in fluid communication with said dispenser body operative to spray said fluid from the container; and    a safety valve operative to substantially prevent flow of said fluid through said spray nozzle even if said spray nozzle malfunctions.    
     
     
         32 . Apparatus according to  claim 31  wherein said safety spray valve comprises a stopper slidingly disposed in a bore formed in said dispenser body, said bore allowing fluid to flow from a container to said fluid outlet, wherein said stopper is adapted to slide towards an end of said bore, and be substantially sealingly retained thereat, by a force of pressurized contents of the container.  
     
     
         33 . Apparatus according to  claim 31  wherein said safety spray valve comprises a one-way valve that substantially prevents matter from flowing in a direction from said deformable element back into the container.  
     
     
         34 . Apparatus according to  claim 33  wherein said one-way valve comprises a ball disposed in a bore formed in said dispenser body, said ball not interfering with flow of fluid from the container towards said deformable element, but substantially preventing flow of fluid backwards towards the container.  
     
     
         35 . Apparatus according to any of claims  31 - 34  wherein said spray valve is in fluid communication with contents of a spray container, said contents comprising a first substance, and a second substance which comprises at least one of a liquid portion and a gaseous portion, said spray valve further comprising a tube with a lower open end in fluid communication with said first substance, said tube being formed with at least one side aperture in fluid communication with said second substance.  
     
     
         36 . Apparatus according to  claim 35  wherein said at least one side aperture is in fluid communication with said liquid portion.  
     
     
         37 . Apparatus according to  claim 35  wherein said at least one side aperture is in fluid communication with said gaseous portion.  
     
     
         38 . Apparatus according to any of claims  35 - 37  wherein when said spray valve dispenses said contents, an internal pressure of said container forces said first substance into said open end, and as said first substance rises in said tube, said second substance can enter said at least one side aperture and mix with said first substance, prior to said contents being sprayed.  
     
     
         39 . Apparatus for spraying contents of a spray container, said contents comprising a first substance, and a second substance which comprises at least one of a liquid portion and a gaseous portion, said apparatus comprising: 
 a tube with a lower open end in fluid communication with said first substance, said tube being formed with at least one side aperture in fluid communication with said second substance.    
     
     
         40 . Apparatus according to  claim 39  wherein said first substance is generally in a fluid state in said container.  
     
     
         41 . Apparatus according to  claim 39  wherein said first substance is generally in a solid state in said container.  
     
     
         42 . Apparatus according to  claim 39  wherein said tube is formed with a plurality of said side apertures, wherein one of said side apertures is in fluid communication with at least one of said liquid portion and said gaseous portion.  
     
     
         43 . Apparatus according to  claim 42  wherein one of said side apertures has a size different than another of said side apertures.  
     
     
         44 . A method of dispensing a fluid from a container, comprising: 
 providing a container containing a fluid;    attaching a spray valve to said container, said spray valve comprising: 
 a dispenser body sealingly attachable to a container containing a fluid;  
 a fluid outlet formed in said dispenser body;  
 a deformable element generally freely supported around a perimeter thereof in said dispenser body, said deformable element having a first orientation when in a reference temperature range and reversibly deforming to a second orientation when out of said reference temperature range, wherein in said first orientation said deformable element is operative to block passage of the fluid from the container and in said second orientation said deformable element is operative to allow passage of the fluid from the container; and  
   placing said container with said spray valve attached thereto in an environment whose temperature is out of said reference temperature range, such that heat transfer between said deformable element and the environment brings said deformable element out of said reference temperature range after a period of time, whereupon said deformable element deforms to said second orientation, and said fluid flows from said container into said dispenser body and is dispensed out of said fluid outlet.    
     
     
         45 . The method according to  claim 44  further comprising transferring heat between said fluid and said deformable element when said deformable element is in said second orientation so as to bring said deformable element into said reference temperature range, such that said deformable element deforms from said second orientation to said first orientation, thereby preventing said fluid from exiting said dispenser body.  
     
     
         46 . The method according to  claim 44  or  claim 45  further comprising controlling dispensing of the fluid by selecting a desired size of said spray nozzle.  
     
     
         47 . The method according to  claim 44  or  claim 45  further comprising controlling dispensing of the fluid by selecting a desired size of said fluid outlet.  
     
     
         48 . The method according to  claim 44  or  claim 45  further comprising controlling dispensing of the fluid by constructing said deformable element of a bimetallic material with selected thermal properties and physical dimensions.  
     
     
         49 . The method according to  claim 44  or  claim 45  further comprising controlling dispensing of the fluid by directing said fluid to flow on a surface of said deformable element which faces said container, when said deformable element is in said second position.  
     
     
         50 . The method according to  claim 44  or  claim 45  further comprising controlling dispensing of the fluid by directing said fluid to flow on a surface of said deformable element which does not face said container, when said deformable element is in said second position.  
     
     
         51 . The method according to  claim 44  or  claim 45  further comprising controlling dispensing of the fluid by directing said fluid to flow both on a surface of said deformable element which faces said container and on a surface of said deformable element which does not face said container, when said deformable element is in said second position.  
     
     
         52 . The method according to  claim 44  or  claim 45  further comprising controlling dispensing of the fluid by selecting desired physical properties of said fluid.  
     
     
         53 . The method according to  claim 44  or  claim 45  further comprising controlling dispensing of the fluid by selecting desired thermal properties of said fluid.  
     
     
         54 . The method according to  claim 44  or  claim 45  further comprising controlling dispensing of the fluid by selecting desired a pressure of said fluid.  
     
     
         55 . The method according to  claim 44  or  claim 45  further comprising controlling dispensing of the fluid by thermally insulating said dispenser body from an outside environment.