Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is well known, that squeezable containers havin~ a single eva-
cuating aperture, if turned upside down and squeezed, will evacuate an
unknown amount of liquid dependent on how hard the container is squeezed.
When it is turned uprigl~t, the air rushes into the container through the
same opening until the dispensed quantity of liquid is replaced by air.
If valves are employed inside a flexible container, it will operate
in an upright position to dispense liquids and, as is known, such devices
have many advantageous peculiarities.
However, it has been found that during the handling of ball valve
equipped, squeezably operating containers the valves have a particular
property: accidental, unintentional leaking and spilling. With regard
to this property, the object of this practical invention is to provide
a new, better functioning type of ball valve for dispensers and to ex-
tend its applicability in a greater sector of trade.
Prior art includes U.S. patents to Por U.S. Pat. No. 3,878,972,
Schwartzman U.S. Pat. No. 3,705,668, Ward U.S. Pat. No. 2,761,833, Hall
et al. U.S. Pat. No.2,808,966, Mueller U.S. Pat. No. 3,656,660, and Moli-
neaux et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,094,250, Schwartzman U.S. Pat. No. 3,794,213.
~(~571S7
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In a preferred form, the present invention is embodied in a valve
which can be used as an air or a fluid valve the valve, comprising a
tubularly shaped housing, a freely movab~le ball and two ball seats lo-
cated on the opposite ends of housing The seats cover less than ~
surface of the ball. The housing is large enough to assure a friction
free movement of the ball from one seat to the other. In the case of
an air valve, the air passageway through the center of the lower ball
seat is connected to a U-shaped tube which communicates through the clo-
sure member of a flexible container to the atmosphere. Similarly, the
air passageway through the upper ball seat is connected to another tube
which communicates with the air con-tent of the container. In the case
of a fluid valve, the fluid passageway through the center of the lower
ball seat is connected to a filler tube which extends downwardly to the
bottom of the container/dispenser, while the fluid passageway through
the center of the upper ball seat is connected to an evacuation tube
which communicates through the closure member with a suitable spout or
nozzle for discharge of liquid from within the container. In both an
air and a fluid (or liquid) valve, the housings and connected tubes are
assembled so as to be liquid and air tight, so they are submersible in
the liquid to be discharged without affecting their operation.
The movements o the ball valves in thelr respective housings are
directed automatically by gravitation and also by positive - negative
pressures developed inside the sealed container, due to squeezing the
flexible side walls of the container.
In a regular standing, or upright, position of a dispenser having
both the air and liquid valves of the present invention, both valves are
closed by the force of gravity causing the walls to engage the respective
lower ball seats. Upon squeezing the dispenser to increase the pressure
within the container, only the fluid valve opens to allow liquid to flow
out the evacuation tube. After squeezing and upon release of the container,
lOS~lS 7
a negative pressure develops inside the dispenser so that the relative-
ly higher atmospheric pressure opens the air inlet ball valve and air
énters into the dispenser.
If the dispenser is tilted downward, or inverted, both valves will
be closed again by the force of gravity causing the respective balls to
engage their corresponding upper ball seats. However, in this case, when
the container is squeezed, the developed pressure inside the dispenser
opens only the U-shaped air inlet tube to permit liguid to be forced out
of the external air aperture. In this way a clogged, contaminated air
inlet can be cleaned.
A dispenser having a measuring receptacle of the type disclosed in
my prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,878,972 functions more accurately with the valve
of the present invention because the closed fluid valve hinders any addi-
tional liquid, leaking from the container into the measured amount of li-
guid, during the pouring out period from the receptacle.
Dispensers equipped with the valves of the present invention are re-
liable and refillable. If liquid flows into air inlet due to any reason,
the fluid will be sucked back into the container during the next use.
In certain instances, or for economical reasons, a dispenser can
function with one single air valve and an evacuation tube. During com-
pression of the container walls the dispenser will discharge fluid and
the air valve will replace the Eluid with air. When the compression ls
ended, regurgitation occurs in the evacuation tube when a Eluid valve is
not used but the provision of the air valve allows rapid replacement of
air in the container so that the sgueezing process can be repeated, thus
continuous operation is achieved. In this case moderately more compressions
have to be applied on the dispenser, compared with a device operated with
both a fluid and an air valve.
Despite the fact that the fluid and air valves are closed in both
the upright and the inverted, or downward, positions of the dispenser, it
is possible that during storage, handling, or delivery it could be exposed
~0571S~7
to shaking and pressure which could cause discharge of the liquid. To
prevent leaking, it is advisable, therefore, that the container during
the transfer period be sealed with an ordinary closure cap or that the
fluid and air apertures be secured with one or two separate closures.
Summarizing the function of these valves, when the container is
squeezed in a normal upright position it will discharge liquids through
the fluid outlet and at the same time the air valve will prevent the
discharge of air from the container. When the compression is halted and
the container pressure released, negative air pressure develops within
the container and the relatively higher atmospheric pressure opens the
air valve, air then entering into the container. In the inverted posi-
tion the function of the valves is reversed that is, when the container
is squeezed the fluid valve prevents a discharge of liquid through the
fluid outlet, but the air valve opens and liquid will be discharged
through the air inlet. However, in the inverted position the air inlet
tube must first be filled with liquid before there can be a discharge,
and thus the dispensing is delayed so that there is no spilling due to
minor compression of the dispenser. Unintentional spilling is reduced
also because these valves are closed in both the upward and downward po-
sition of the dispenser by the effect of gravity on the balls, therefore
without compression or shaking the dispenser will not discharge any fluid.
Dispensers equipped with valves o~ the type disclosed herein are
widely applicable, Eor several kinds of dispensing heads can be fastened
by frictional engagement or otherwise to the evacuation tube. With differ-
ent external apertures o~ the heads, the dispensers could be useful as a
spray, oiling can and with purposefully modified nozzles as enema bottle,
for douches, gastric lavage with antidote etc.
BRIEF DESCRIPI'ION OF DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an enlarged cross section of the air valve taken through
a central vertical plane and including an attached U shaped tube.
-- 4 --
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FIG. la is an enlarged fragmentary section of the air valve of
FIG. 1, taken along t'le line of S-S.
FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross section of a fluid valve taken along
a central verticaL plane and including a closure cap.
FIG. 3 is a cross section taken through a central vertical plane
of the upper part of a dispenser, showing a closure cap, evacuation
tube with spout and an air valve.
FIG. 4 is a cross section of the upper part of a dispenser, showing
a closure cap with an air inlet and a fluid outlet.
FIG. 5, FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 are cross sections of dispensing heads
with different apertures and with different nozzles.
DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
With continued reference to the drawings, there is shown in FIG. 1
a ball valve comprising a housing 10, a ball 11, and a U shaped tube 12
inserted into an air inlet aperture formed in the center of the lower
ball seat 13. An air outlet tube 15 is inserted in an air outlet aper-
ture formed in the center of the upper ball seat 14 for communication
with the air content of the container in which the valve is mounted. In
FIG. la is shown a cross section of the ball valve and its housing taken
on the line S-S oE FIG. 1, defining the relation between housing 16 and
ball 17.
In FIG. 2 a fluid valve with a closure member is depicted, compris-
ing a housing 18, a ball 19, a lower ball seat 20 and an upper ball seat
21. A filler tube 22 is connected to a liquid inlet aperture formed in
the center of the lower ball seat 20, and an evacuating tube 23 is in-
serted in the li~uid outlet aperture formed in the center of the upper
ball seat 21, the evacuating tube 23 communicating through closure mem-
ber 24 with the spout 25. The filler tube 22 extends to the nearest
point of the containers bottom. The external air inlet opening 26
~1~5~
shown in FIG. 2 leads to the end of the U shaped tube of the air valve,
as shown in FIG. 3.
In FIG. 3 an air valve 27 with an evacuating tube 28 and spout 29
is shown placed in container 30. The container 30 has an upwardly ex-
tending neck with threads 31 on the outer surface which are in a thread-
ed sealing engagement with closure member 32. The air valve 27 communi-
cates by way of a U-shaped tube 33 which opens through the closure mem-
ber 32.
FIG. 4 shows the upper sector of a container 33 with a closure
member 34, an air inlet 35 and a fluid outlet, comprising a filler tube
36, a ball 37 in a housing 38 and spout 39.
FIG. 5 represents a spray dispensing head 40 with a small external
aperture 41, fastened by frictional engagement to the spout 42.
FIG. 6 shows a dispensing head 43 with a middle sized aperture 44
and with a purposefully modified nozzle 45, representing an oiling can.
FIG. 7 depicts a dispensing head 46 with a large external aperture
47 and with a purposefully modified nozzle 48 for an enema rectal tip.
It will be appreciated that the present invention provides an im-
proved, position responsive two-way ball valve arrangement for use in
squeezable dispensing containers. It will be further understood that
the foregoing description is illustrative of preferred embodiments, and
that the true spirit and scope of the present invent:Lon Ls determined
by the following claims.
