Actuation unit for a plurality of aerosol cans and use on an actuation unit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10065789-B2
Application number	US-201615257165-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 6, 2016
Priority date	Dec 11, 2015
Publication date	Sep 4, 2018
Grant date	Sep 4, 2018

Abstract

Actuation unit for plural aerosol cans has a cover, a first button partially guided by the cover for pushing a first aerosol vent of a first aerosol can, a second button partially guided by the cover for pushing a second aerosol vent of a second aerosol can, wherein the first button and the second button are adjacent to each other, and a connection unit connected to the cover, the connection unit comprising a first upper clip for clamping a head part of the first aerosol can, a second upper clip for clamping a head part of the second aerosol can, a first lower clip for clamping a body part of the first aerosol can and a second lower clip for clamping a body part of the second aerosol can, the connection unit adapted for covering only an upper part of the first aerosol can and the second aerosol can.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An actuation unit for a plurality of aerosol cans, comprising
a cover,
a first button having an upper part located opposite with respect to a lower part of the first button and configured for pushing a first aerosol vent of a first aerosol can, wherein the upper part of the first button has a first side face slidable onto a first corresponding face of the cover such that the first button is partially guided by the cover,
a second button having an upper part located opposite with respect to a lower part of the second button and configured for pushing a second aerosol vent of a second aerosol can, wherein the upper part of the second button has a second side face slidable onto a second corresponding face of the cover such that the second button is partially guided by the cover,
wherein the first and second buttons are arranged adjacent to each other and partially guided by each other, and
a connection unit, configured for clamping the first aerosol can and the second aerosol can, connected to the cover,
wherein the connection unit comprises
a first upper clip configured for clamping a head part of the first aerosol can,
a second upper clip configured for clamping a head part of the second aerosol can,
a first lower clip configured for clamping a body part of the first aerosol can and
a second lower clip configured for clamping a body part of the second aerosol can, and

further wherein
the connection unit is adapted for covering only an upper part of the first aerosol can and the second aerosol can,
the lower part of the first button is disposed within a first opening of the connection unit that is formed within a first collar of the connection unit, and
the lower part of the second button is disposed within a second opening of the connection unit that is formed within a second collar of the connection unit.

2. The actuation unit according to claim 1 wherein the connection unit is adapted for clamping the first aerosol can and the second aerosol can by a clamping force providing a friction force against an axial displacement of a first aerosol can and a second aerosol can in the connection unit, wherein the clamping force is higher than an actuation force for opening a first aerosol vent of the first aerosol can and a second aerosol vent of a second aerosol can.

3. The actuation unit according to claim 1 wherein the first button comprises a first inlet port configured for receiving a part of the first aerosol vent, in a press-fitted manner, and for abutting a distal first front face of the first aerosol vent, wherein the first button comprises a first stop configured for limiting the maximum displacement of the first button from the upper most position towards the connection unit and the second button comprises a second inlet port configured for receiving a part of the second aerosol vent, in a press-fitted manner, and for abutting a distal second front face of the second aerosol vent, wherein the second button comprises a second stop configured for limiting the maximum displacement of the second button from the most upper position towards the connection unit, wherein the first inlet port and/or the second inlet port comprises a stepped channel.

4. The actuation unit according to claim 1 wherein the connection unit comprises a plate configured for limiting the insertion of the first aerosol can and the second aerosol can into the connection unit, wherein the plate comprises a first opening configured for leading the first aerosol vent to the first button and a second opening configured for leading the second aerosol vent to the second button.

5. The actuation unit according to claim 4 wherein the plate comprises a first collar surrounding the first opening configured for receiving the first inlet port, with a clearance, and for abutting the first stop and/or a second collar surrounding the second opening for receiving the second inlet port, with a clearance, and for abutting the second stop.

6. The actuation unit according to claim 1 wherein the first button comprises a first discharge channel configured for communicating with the first aerosol vent and a first outlet orifice pointing mainly in radial direction, wherein the cover comprises a first outlet opening configured for communicating with the first outlet orifice in any position of the first button between the most upper position and the lowest position of the first button and/or the second button comprises a second discharge channel configured for communicating with the second aerosol vent and a second outlet orifice pointing mainly in radial direction, wherein the cover comprises a second outlet opening configured for communicating with the second outlet orifice in any position of the second button between the most upper position and the lowest position of the second button.

7. The actuation unit according to claim 1 wherein a contact of the first upper clip with the first aerosol can is spaced to a contact of the first lower clip by a distance d and/or a contact of the second upper clip with the second aerosol can is spaced to a contact of the second lower clip by the distance d, wherein 5 mm≤d≤50 mm applies.

8. The actuation unit according to claim 1 wherein the first button comprises a first upper sliding face configured for sliding on a corresponding second upper sliding face of the second button and a first lower sliding face configured for sliding on a corresponding second lower sliding face of the second button, wherein the first upper sliding face is arranged mainly at the upper end of the first button and the second upper sliding face is arranged mainly at the upper end of the second button, wherein the first lower sliding face is arranged at the lower end of the first button, adjacent to the first inlet port, and the second lower sliding face is arranged at the lower end of the second button, adjacent to the second inlet port.

9. The actuation unit according to claim 1 wherein the first button comprises a distal first actuation face configured for pressing the first button by means of a human finger, wherein the first actuating face comprises a first haptic element configured for indicating a first rim of the first bottom pointing towards the second button, and the second button comprises a distal second actuation face configured for pressing the second button by means of a human finger, wherein the second actuating face comprises a second haptic element configured for indicating a second rim of the second bottom pointing towards the first button.

10. The actuation unit according to claim 9 wherein the first second haptic elements are spaced with respect to each other and border a receiving space sized and/or configured for receiving a human finger between the first haptic element and the second haptic element.

11. The actuation unit according to claim 1 wherein the connection unit comprises a protruding connection wall extensively connected to the cover, wherein the connection wall is mainly flush with an outer face of the first lower clip and the second lower clip.

12. The actuation unit according to claim 1 wherein the first upper clip and the first lower clip are arranged mainly coaxially to each other and/or the second upper clip and the second lower clip are arranged mainly coaxially to each other.

13. The actuation unit according to claim 1 wherein the cover comprises at its distal end a deepening, wherein the first button and the second button are received in a central opening of the deepening.

14. An aerosol spray system comprising the actuation unit according to claim 1 , a first aerosol can inserted into the actuation unit and

Assignees

• Kao Germany Gmbh

Inventors

• Lamboy Peter
• Matsumoto Shuhei

Classifications

• B65D83/68

  Dispensing two or more contents · CPC title

• B65D83/48

  Lift valves, e.g. operated by push action (non-reclosable valves B65D83/50) · CPC title

• B65D83/205 Primary

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B65D83/20 Primary

  Actuator caps · CPC title