Safety overcap for aerosol container incorporating continuous spray mechanism

Claim 1

A molded plastic overcap and actuator device for a valved aerosol dispensing container having an axially projecting valve stem, comprising in combination: a cap body in the form of an inverted cup having side and end walls, means on said cap for securing it to the valved end of the container in enclosing relation thereto; an integral valve actuator formed in said cap end wall by slotting said end wall to define a generally diametrically disposed tab hingedly connected at one end to said cap adjacent said side wall and free at its opposite end for resilient flexing movement toward and away from the plane of said end wall; said tab having a laterally exposed face at its free end and a discharge orifice opening onto said face, said cap body being configured to complement said laterally exposed end face to give access for unimpeded spray discharge from said tab face; a socket formed in the underside of said tab adjacent its free end for fitted reception therein of a valve stem, and internal conduit means in said tab intercommunicating said discharge orifice and socket; interengagable locking means carried by said cap body and tab, respectively, said locking means comprising a resilient strut extending generally diametrically of the cap internally thereof beneath said tab, said strut being retained in the cap in prebowed condition to dispose its central portion under The free end of said tab and engagable thereby to block depression of the tab, said strut being capable of further bowing in the same direction upon application of manual pressure to opposite side walls of the cap at the points of attachment of the strut thereto, said further bowing causing displacement of said central portion of said strut to a non-blocking position relative to said tab to permit depression of said tab free end out of the plane of said cap end wall.