Valve assembly, repair kit, and method for salvaging an aerosol container

Abstract

A valve and/or repair kit assembly restores functionality to an aerosol container by being selectively and removably attachable the annular container rim adjacent the container outlet, which has been damaged or otherwise compromised. The valve assembly comprises a container-to-assembly interface fitting and a plunger assembly. The fitting interfaces the plunger assembly to the container, which plunger assembly comprises a sleeve, a nut, and a plunger structure. The sleeve comprises communicating cavities in which the nut and plunger structure are received. The plunger structure is coupled to the nut, each of which provide certain conduit. The fitting axially aligns the plunger assembly with the container outlet and matter-conducting conduit thus extends from the container outlet to the assembly outlet via the valve assembly. Certain methodology for discharging container contents is further supported by the valve assembly.

1 . A valve assembly for restoring functionality to an aerosol container, the aerosol container having an annular container rim and a container outlet, the valve assembly comprising:
 a container-to-assembly interface fitting, said fitting comprising a rim-receiving slot and a through-hole, the slot having a rim-receiving mouth and being defined by a C-shaped flange opposed to a rim-covering lid, the through-hole extending from the lid, the rim-receiving mouth having a mouth width, the mouth width being greater in magnitude than the diameter of the container rim for receiving the container rim, the flange for securing the fitting to the aerosol container via the container rim; and   a plunger assembly, the plunger assembly comprising a sleeve, a nut, and a plunger, the sleeve comprising nut-receiving and plunger-receiving cavities, said cavities being in communication with one another, the nut being received in the nut-receiving cavity and comprising a plunger-coupling cavity and a conduit inlet communicatively engageable with the container outlet, the plunger being received in the plunger-receiving and plunger-coupling cavities and comprising plunger conduit and an assembly outlet, the plunger being coupled to the nut thereby providing matter-conducting conduit from the conduit inlet to the assembly outlet, the sleeve being coupled to the through-hole for enabling matter to pass from the container outlet to the assembly outlet via the conduit inlet and plunger conduit, the valve assembly thusly for restoring functionality to the aerosol container.   
     
     
         2 . The valve assembly of  claim 1  wherein the plunger assembly comprises spring means for biasing the plunger and nut to a non-activated position, said spring means thus enabling the user to selectively discharge container contents. 
     
     
         3 . The valve assembly of  claim 1  wherein the plunger assembly comprises gasket means for enhancing sealed and directed delivery of container contents from the container outlet to the conduit outlet. 
     
     
         4 . The valve assembly of  claim 3  wherein the plunger shaft is threadably attached to the nut, the site of threaded attachment being upstream from said gasket means thereby eliminating a thread sealant requirement. 
     
     
         5 . The valve assembly of  claim 3  wherein the plunger-receiving cavity comprises ramped gasket seat structure, the ramped gasket seat structure for enhancing sealed and directed delivery of container contents from the container outlet to the assembly outlet. 
     
     
         6 . The valve assembly of  claim 1  wherein the plunger comprises a shaft and at least one interchangeable nozzle, the shaft and each interchangeable nozzle being coupled to one another for enabling the user to selectively interchange one or more interchangeable nozzles. 
     
     
         7 . The valve assembly of  claim 6  wherein the interface between the shaft and each interchangeable nozzle is tapered, the tapered interface for enhancing the seal intermediate the shaft and each interchangeable nozzle and for effecting a slip resistant interface. 
     
     
         8 . The valve assembly of  claim 1  wherein the sleeve comprises a nut-to-sleeve flat interface, the flat interface for preventing the nut from rotating relative to the sleeve. 
     
     
         9 . A repair kit for salvaging an aerosol container, the aerosol container having a container rim and a container outlet, the repair kit comprising:
 an interface fitting, said fitting comprising fastening means for fastening the fitting to the container rim and a through-hole; and   a plunger assembly, the plunger assembly comprising a sleeve, a nut, and a plunger, the sleeve comprising communicating nut-receiving and plunger-receiving cavities, the nut being received in the nut-receiving cavity and comprising a conduit inlet communicatively engageable with the container outlet, the plunger being received in the plunger-receiving cavity and comprising plunger conduit and an assembly outlet, the plunger being coupled to the nut thereby providing matter-conducting conduit from the conduit inlet to the assembly outlet, the sleeve being coupled to said fastening means for enabling matter to pass from the container outlet to the assembly outlet via the plunger assembly.   
     
     
         10 . The repair kit of  claim 9  wherein the plunger assembly comprises spring means for biasing the plunger and nut to a non-activated position, said spring means thus enabling the user to selectively discharge container contents. 
     
     
         11 . The repair kit of  claim 9  wherein the plunger assembly comprises gasket means for enhancing sealed and directed delivery of container contents from the container outlet to the assembly outlet. 
     
     
         12 . The repair kit of  claim 11  wherein the plunger is threadably attached to the nut, the site of threaded attachment being upstream from said gasket means thereby eliminating a thread sealant requirement. 
     
     
         13 . The repair kit of  claim 11  wherein the sleeve comprises a plunger-receiving cavity for receiving said plunger, said cavity comprising ramped gasket seat structure, the ramped gasket seat structure for enhancing sealed and directed delivery of container contents from the container outlet to the assembly outlet. 
     
     
         14 . The repair kit of  claim 9  wherein the plunger comprises a shaft and at least one interchangeable nozzle, the shaft and each interchangeable nozzle being coupled to one another for enabling the user to selectively interchange one or more interchangeable nozzles. 
     
     
         15 . The repair kit of  claim 14  wherein the interface between the shaft and each interchangeable nozzle is tapered, the tapered interface for enhancing the seal intermediate the shaft and each interchangeable nozzle and for effecting a slip resistant interface. 
     
     
         16 . The repair kit of  claim 9  wherein the sleeve comprises a flat structure, the flat structure for preventing the nut from rotating relative to the sleeve. 
     
     
         17 . An assembly for salvaging an aerosol container, the assembly comprising:
 attachment means for attaching replacement discharge means to an aerosol container, said attachment means being attachable to an aerosol container adjacent a compromised container outlet thereof; and   discharge means for discharging container contents from the aerosol container via the compromised container outlet, said discharge means being attachable to the aerosol container via said attachment means.   
     
     
         18 . The assembly of  claim 17  wherein said discharge means discharge container contents from the aerosol container via the compromised container outlet and said attachment means. 
     
     
         19 . The assembly of  claim 18  wherein said discharge means are axially displaceable, the axially displaceable discharge means for depressing the compromised container outlet thereby discharging container contents. 
     
     
         20 . A method of discharging container contents from an aerosol container, the method comprising the steps of:
 attaching a valve assembly to an aerosol container via the container rim thereof, the valve assembly comprising axially displaceable conduit, said conduit being communicatively engageable with a container outlet of the aerosol container;   axially displacing said conduit towards the container outlet for releasing container contents from the aerosol container; and   directing container contents through said conduit to an assembly outlet of the valve assembly thereby discharging container contents from the aerosol container.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the step of attaching the valve assembly to the container rim of an aerosol container comprises the step of slot-receiving the container rim by the valve assembly. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  wherein an interface fitting slot receives the container rim during the step of attaching the valve assembly to the aerosol can, said fitting thereby axially aligning the conduit relative to the container outlet. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20  wherein a select portion of the valve assembly is interchangeable, the interchangeable select portion enabling the user to selectively manage the assembly outlet. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the valve assembly comprises spring means for biasing the valve assembly to a non-activated position, the method comprising the additional step of biasing the conduit away from the container outlet after directing container contents through said conduit, said spring means thus enabling the user to selectively discharge container contents after attaching the valve assembly to the container rim. 
     
     
         25 . A method of discharging the contents of an aerosol container in which the valve member is impaired, the method comprising a series of steps, including:
 radially connecting an auxiliary valve member to an aerosol container by radially moving said auxiliary valve member into attached connection with the aerosol container in adjacency to a container valve member thereby contemporaneously axially aligning the auxiliary valve member with the container valve member and additionally and contemporaneously aligning an auxiliary container discharge passageway with the container valve member: and axially moving an auxiliary plunger into contact with the container valve member to depress same and to enable container contents to be propelled through the container valve member and discharged through the auxiliary container discharge passageway in a controlled manner in accordance with the needs of the user.