Method of making an aerosol dispenser having annular seals and method of making an aerosol container therefor

Abstract

A method of making an aerosol container suitable for use as an aerosol dispenser. The aerosol container includes at least a valve and product delivery device joined to an outer container. The method has the steps of sealing the valve to the product delivery device and outer container at respective annular welds or other bonds joining the valve to the product delivery and to the outer container. The welds, or other bonds may be concentric, with one circumscribing the other, in the same plane or different planes. Suitable product delivery devices include bags and dip tubes. Suitable welds include spin welds.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of making an aerosol container, said method comprising the steps of:
 providing a polymeric outer container having a closed end bottom and an open neck longitudinally opposed thereto, a valve and a product delivery device, said valve and said product delivery device being complementary to said open neck,   disposing said product delivery device in said outer container and in contacting relationship with said neck,   disposing said valve at least partially in said outer container and in contacting relationship with said neck and said product delivery device,   spinning said valve relative to said product delivery device to weld said valve to said product delivery device at a product delivery device spin weld,   charging said outer container with propellant, and   spinning said valve relative to said outer container to weld said valve to said outer container at an outer container spin weld, thereby sealing said propellant therein.   
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein said steps of spinning said valve relative to said product delivery device and spinning said valve relative to said outer container are performed simultaneously. 
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein said product delivery device weld is completed before said outer container weld is completed. 
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein said valve has a product delivery device protrusion fitting onto a sealing surface on said product delivery device and an outer container protrusion fitting onto a sealing surface in said outer container, said product delivery device spin weld and said outer container spin weld being formed at said respective protrusions. 
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein said valve has a product delivery device protrusion fitting onto a sealing surface on said product delivery device and an outer container protrusion fitting onto a sealing surface in said outer container, said product delivery device spin weld and said outer container spin weld being formed at said respective protrusions, said product delivery device protrusion contacting said valve before said outer container protrusion contacts said valve. 
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein said outer container is held axially stationary during said welding step. 
     
     
         7 . A method of making an aerosol dispenser, said method comprising the steps of:
 providing a polymeric outer container having a closed end bottom and an open neck longitudinally opposed thereto, a polymeric valve and a polymeric product delivery device, said valve and said product delivery device being complementary to said open neck,   disposing said product delivery device in said outer container and in contacting relationship with said neck,   disposing said valve at least partially in said outer container and in contacting relationship with said neck and said product delivery device,   joining said valve to said product delivery device in fluid tight relationship at an annular product delivery device seal,   charging said outer container with propellant,   charging product into said aerosol dispenser,   joining said valve to said outer container in fluid tight relationship at an annular outer container seal circumscribing said annular product delivery device seal, thereby sealing said propellant therein,   disposing an actuator on said aerosol dispenser in operable relationship with said valve, whereby said actuator can open said valve as desired by a user, and   decorating said outer container with indicia.   
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 7  wherein said product delivery device comprises a dip tube, and said step of charging said outer container with propellant occurs before said step of charging with product, and said step of charging with product occurs through said dip tube. 
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 7  wherein said product delivery device comprises a dip tube, and said step of charging said outer container with propellant occurs concurrent with said step of charging with product, and said step of charging with product and propellant occurs to said product delivery device. 
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 7  wherein said product delivery device comprises a dip tube, and said step of charging said outer container with propellant occurs concurrent with said step of charging with product, and said step of charging with product and propellant occurs, and further comprising the step of welding closed to contain said product and said propellant in said outer container. 
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 7  wherein said step of joining said valve to said product delivery device comprises welding said valve to said product delivery device. 
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 7  wherein said step of joining said valve to said outer container comprises welding said valve to said outer container. 
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 7  wherein said step of joining said valve to said product delivery device and to said outer container comprises welding said valve to said product delivery device and to said outer container. 
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 7  wherein said step of joining said valve to said product delivery device and to said outer container comprises spin welding said valve to said product delivery device and to said outer container. 
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 7  wherein said step of charging product comprises charging with product selected from the group consisting of air treatment, shaving cream, shaving foam, insecticide and cleansers. 
     
     
         16 . A method of making an aerosol container having a longitudinal axis, said method comprising the steps of:
 providing a polymeric outer container having a closed end bottom and an open neck longitudinally opposed thereto, a polymeric valve and a polymeric product delivery device, said valve and said product delivery device being complementary to said open neck,   disposing said product delivery device in said outer container and in contacting relationship with said neck,   disposing said valve at least partially in said outer container and in contacting relationship with said neck and said product delivery device,   sealingly joining said valve to said product delivery device with a product delivery device seal, and   sealingly joining said valve to said outer container at an outer container seal, said outer container seal being radially outboard of said product delivery device seal.   
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 16  wherein said product delivery device comprises a bag and said steps of sealingly joining said valve to said product delivery device comprises sealingly joining with a product delivery device seal that circumscribes said longitudinal axis and sealingly joining said valve to said outer container comprises sealingly joining with an outer container seal that circumscribes said longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 16  wherein said product delivery device comprises a bag and said steps of sealingly joining said valve to said product delivery device comprises first sealingly joining said valve to said product delivery device with a product delivery device seal that circumscribes said longitudinal axis and then sealingly joining said valve to said outer container comprises sealingly joining said outer container with an outer container seal that circumscribes said longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         19 . A method according to  claim 16  wherein said product delivery device comprises a dip tube and said steps of sealingly joining said valve to said product delivery device comprises sealingly joining with a product delivery device seal that circumscribes said longitudinal axis and sealingly joining said valve to said outer container comprises sealingly joining with an outer container seal that circumscribes said longitudinal axis, and further comprising the step of simultaneously charging said outer container with product and propellant in a predetermined ratio. 
     
     
         20 . A method according to  claim 16  wherein said product delivery device comprises a dip tube and said steps of sealingly joining said valve to said product delivery device and sealingly joining said valve to said outer container comprises sealingly joining only one of said product delivery device and said valve with a seal that circumscribes said longitudinal axis.