Enhanced Valve Sealing In Pressurized Dispensing Container

Abstract

An improved valve for a pressurized dispensing container has a long sealed shelf life. This is obtained by having the valve stem button drive a tunnel into the grommet which provides both enhanced sealing between the button sidewall and grommet as well as the pinching of the grommet between the button and the valve mounting cup to prevent grommet material creep. A laterally extending annular plate from the bottom of the button facilitates dispensing in a tilt valve fashion. The lower portion of the stem has an interference fit with the grommet. The plate is spaced from the bottom surface of the grommet sufficiently so that the bending of the grommet base that occurs under pressure does not result in contact between the grommet and the tilt plate.

1 . In a valve for use with a pressurized container for dispensing a product, the valve having a stem with a button, an annular mounting cup and an annular sealing grommet made of a resilient material, the stem extending through a central opening of the grommet, the valve having a sealed state and a dispensing state, the improvement to provide enhanced shelf-life comprising:
 in said sealed state, said button of said stem compressing an annular segment of said grommet at said opening in said grommet to create a tunnel for said button within said grommet, and   in said sealed state, said button providing a seal between the surface of said button and the tunnel surface of the compressed grommet, said button also providing a stabilizing pinch of said grommet between said button and said mounting cup.   
     
     
         2 . The improvement of  claim 1  wherein the lower portion of said stem has an interference fit relation with the adjacent portion of said grommet. 
     
     
         3 . The improvement of  claim 1  further comprising: a plate on the base of said button extending outboard of said button to provide a lever to permit tilting said valve into a dispensing state. 
     
     
         4 . The improvement of  claim 2  further comprising: a plate on the base of said button extending outboard of said button to provide a lever to permit tilting said valve into a dispensing state. 
     
     
         5 . The improvement of  claim 1  wherein, in said sealed state, said stabilizing pinch is provided by (a) the outside diameter of said stem button being less than the inside diameter of said valve cup and (b) the upper surface of said button being higher than the lower surface of said valve cup. 
     
     
         6 . The improvement of  claim 2  wherein, in said sealed state, said stabilizing pinch is provided by (a) the outside diameter of said stem button being less than the inside diameter of said valve cup and (b) the upper surface of said button being higher than the lower surface of said valve cup. 
     
     
         7 . The improvement of  claim 3  wherein, in said sealed state, said stabilizing pinch is provided by (a) the outside diameter of said stem button being less than the inside diameter of said valve cup and (b) the upper surface of said button being higher than the lower surface of said valve cup. 
     
     
         8 . The improvement of  claim 4  wherein, in said sealed state, said stabilizing pinch is provided by (a) the outside diameter of said stem button being less than the inside diameter of said valve cup and (b) the upper surface of said button being higher than the lower surface of said valve cup. 
     
     
         9 . The improvement of  claim 1  wherein: The durometer of said grommet is sufficiently low to permit said button to create said tunnel and sufficiently high to assure a return to a sealed state when the dispensing state is terminated. 
     
     
         10 . The improvement of  claim 2  wherein: The durometer of said grommet is sufficiently low to permit said button to create said tunnel and sufficiently high to assure a return to a sealed state when the dispensing state is terminated. 
     
     
         11 . The improvement of  claim 3  wherein: The durometer of said grommet is sufficiently low to permit said button to create said tunnel and sufficiently high to assure a return to a sealed state when the dispensing state is terminated. 
     
     
         12 . The improvement of  claim 4  wherein: The durometer of said grommet is sufficiently low to permit said button to create said tunnel and sufficiently high to assure a return to a sealed state when the dispensing state is terminated. 
     
     
         13 . The improvement of  claim 5  wherein: The durometer of said grommet is sufficiently low to permit said button to create said tunnel and sufficiently high to assure a return to a sealed state when the dispensing state is terminated. 
     
     
         14 . The improvement of  claim 6  wherein: The durometer of said grommet is sufficiently low to permit said button to create said tunnel and sufficiently high to assure a return to a sealed state when the dispensing state is terminated. 
     
     
         15 . The improvement of  claim 7  wherein: The durometer of said grommet is sufficiently low to permit said button to create said tunnel and sufficiently high to assure a return to a sealed state when the dispensing state is terminated. 
     
     
         16 . The improvement of  claim 8  wherein: The durometer of said grommet is sufficiently low to permit said button to create said tunnel and sufficiently high to assure a return to a sealed state when the dispensing state is terminated. 
     
     
         17 . The improvement of  claim 3  wherein: in said sealed state, there is a gap between the upper surface of said plate and the lower surface of said grommet, said gap being sufficiently great to prevent said grommet from contacting said plate when pressure causes said grommet to distort by flaring downward. 
     
     
         18 . The improvement of  claim 4  wherein: in said sealed state, there is a gap between the upper surface of said plate and the lower surface of said grommet, said gap being sufficiently great to prevent said grommet from contacting said plate when pressure causes said grommet to distort by flaring downward. 
     
     
         19 . The improvement of  claim 7  wherein: in said sealed state, there is a gap between the upper surface of said plate and the lower surface of said grommet, said gap being sufficiently great to prevent said grommet from contacting said plate when pressure causes said grommet to distort by flaring downward. 
     
     
         20 . The improvement of  claim 8  wherein: in said sealed state, there is a gap between the upper surface of said plate and the lower surface of said grommet, said gap being sufficiently great to prevent said grommet from contacting said plate when pressure causes said grommet to distort by flaring downward. 
     
     
         21 . The improvement of  claim 11  wherein: in said sealed state, there is a gap between the upper surface of said plate and the lower surface of said grommet, said gap being sufficiently great to prevent said grommet from contacting said plate when pressure causes said grommet to distort by flaring downward. 
     
     
         22 . The improvement of  claim 12  wherein: in said sealed state, there is a gap between the upper surface of said plate and the lower surface of said grommet, said gap being sufficiently great to prevent said grommet from contacting said plate when pressure causes said grommet to distort by flaring downward. 
     
     
         23 . The improvement of  claim 13  wherein: in said sealed state, there is a gap between the upper surface of said plate and the lower surface of said grommet, said gap being sufficiently great to prevent said grommet from contacting said plate when pressure causes said grommet to distort by flaring downward. 
     
     
         24 . The improvement of  claim 16  wherein: in said sealed state, there is a gap between the upper surface of said plate and the lower surface of said grommet, said gap being sufficiently great to prevent said grommet from contacting said plate when pressure causes said grommet to distort by flaring downward. 
     
     
         25 . The improvement of  claim 17  wherein: in said sealed state, there is a gap between the upper surface of said plate and the lower surface of said grommet, said gap being sufficiently great to prevent said grommet from contacting said plate when pressure causes said grommet to distort by flaring downward. 
     
     
         26 . In a valve for use with a pressurized container for dispensing a product, the valve having a stem with a button, an annular mounting cup and an annular sealing grommet made of a resilient material, the stem extending through a central opening of the grommet, the valve having a sealed state and a dispensing state, the improvement to provide enhanced shelf-life comprising:
 in said sealed state, said button of said stem compressing an annular segment of said grommet at said central opening in said grommet to create a tunnel for said button within said grommet,   in said sealed state, said button providing a seal between the surface of said button and the tunnel surface of the compressed grommet, said button also providing a stabilizing pinch of said grommet between said button and said mounting cup,   the lower portion of said stem having an interference fit relation with the adjacent portion of said grommet.   in said sealed state, said stabilizing pinch provided by (a) the outside diameter of said stem button being less than the inside diameter of said valve cup and (b) the upper surface of said button being higher than the lower surface of said valve cup,   the durometer of said grommet being sufficiently low to permit said button to create said tunnel and sufficiently high to assure a return to a sealed state when the dispensing state is terminated,   
     
     
         27 . The improvement of  claim 26  further comprising:
 a plate on the base of said button extending outboard of said button to provide a lever to permit tilting said valve into a dispensing state.
 in said sealed state, a gap between the upper surface of said plate and the lower surface of said grommet, said gap being sufficiently great to prevent said grommet from contacting said plate when pressure causes said grommet to distort by flaring downward.