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An apparatus and method for discharging liquids such as vapocoolants in stream or mist form includes the use of a filter to remove contaminants from the liquid prior to dispensing through the nozzle opening. A streamlined flow of liquid is delivered to the nozzle to prevent after spray and the filte

An apparatus and method for discharging liquids such as vapocoolants in stream or mist form includes the use of a filter to remove contaminants from the liquid prior to dispensing through the nozzle opening. A streamlined flow of liquid is delivered to the nozzle to prevent after spray and the filter spaced from the nozzle to inhibit pulsation of the dispensed liquid stream. The filter and nozzle are provided as an assembly mounted in a passageway in the container actuator.

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What is claimed: 1. An apparatus for discharge of liquid in stream or mist form including a container for holding a pressurized supply of liquid, passageway means for conveying liquid from said supply thereof to a nozzle having a nozzle opening for emitting said liquid in stream or mist form, a val

What is claimed: 1. An apparatus for discharge of liquid in stream or mist form including a container for holding a pressurized supply of liquid, passageway means for conveying liquid from said supply thereof to a nozzle having a nozzle opening for emitting said liquid in stream or mist form, a valve having at least one movable valve element operating with a sealing surface for regulating flow of liquid through said passageway means, and a filter downstream of said valve and upstream of said nozzle opening for removing contaminants from liquid conveyed through said passageway means, said nozzle and filter comprising a cartridge assembly that is a separable element from said apparatus, said passageway means extending to an assembly mounting portion in said apparatus for frictionally receiving and mounting said assembly to said container, said assembly including a cylindrical sleeve with an outer wall forming a cylindrical assembly bore of a generally constant diameter having said nozzle and filter mounted therein, said filter comprising a support ring mounted within said assembly bore and having a woven metal mesh extending in a transverse direction across the assembly bore, said support ring including a support ring side wall forming a filter flow passage communicating with said passageway means and supporting said woven metal mesh transversely across said filter flow passage, said nozzle comprising a nozzle side wall forming a rearward open flow passage for receiving liquid flow from said filter flow passage and a forward wall providing said nozzle opening, said support ring side wall and said nozzle side wall each having an outside diameter being sized to fit in said assembly bore with sufficient friction to hold said filter and said nozzle respectively in said assembly, whereby said filter and nozzle are each self-retained in said sleeve and said sleeve is self-retained in said mounting portion of said passageway means, such that separate retention elements and/or screw threading procedures for the assembly of the filter and nozzle into the sleeve to make the cartridge assembly and for operatively locating the cartridge assembly in the mounting portion of said passageway are avoided. 2. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said filter is sized to restrict the flow of contaminants having a size as small as about 30 microns. 3. An apparatus as in claim 2, wherein said filter is spaced from said nozzle opening by a portion of said assembly bore that provides a substantially unobstructed and straight flow path to said nozzle opening. 4. An apparatus as in claim 3, wherein said nozzle opening has a size equal to less than b 0.008″, and said filter is spaced from said nozzle opening a distance sufficient to substantially eliminate pulsations in the stream of liquid emitted from said nozzle opening. 5. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said passageway means comprises a passageway bore extending between said valve and said assembly having a volume sized to substantially reduce after spray following operation of said valve to a closed position. 6. An apparatus as in claim 5, wherein said passageway bore provides a substantially unobstructed and continuous flow path for said liquid that is free of blind extensions. 7. An apparatus as in claim 3, wherein said filter includes a filter exit surface from which said liquid exits the filter, said nozzle opening has an inlet in a nozzle inlet plane, and said filter exit surface is spaced in the direction of liquid flow through said assembly bore from said nozzle inlet plane. 8. An apparatus as in claim 7, wherein said filter exit surface is spaced from said nozzle inlet plane a distance of about 0.1″ or more. 9. An apparatus as in claim 7, wherein said filter exit surface is spaced from said nozzle inlet plane a distance of about 1″ or more. 10. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said support ring side wall has a tubular shape forming said filter flow passage upstream of said woven metal mesh. 11. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said assembly bore has a cross-sectional area for axial flow of said liquid through substantially all of said bore cross-sectional area and said filter has a circular filter cross-sectional area for axial flow of liquid through substantially all of said filter cross sectional area, said bore cross-sectional area is substantially equal to and coextensive with said filter cross-sectional area whereby pressure drop of liquid flowing through said filter is inhibited. 12. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said woven metal mesh is sized to restrict flow of particles having a size at least as small as said nozzle opening. 13. An apparatus as in claim 12, wherein said woven metal mesh has a mesh opening size of 40 microns by 40 microns. 14. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said support ring side wall and said nozzle side wall each have a length extending in the liquid flow direction, and a major portion of each of said support ring side wall length and said nozzle side wall length is frictionally engaged within said assembly bore. 15. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said liquid is a vapocoolant. 16. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said sleeve is formed of plastic and said filter and nozzle are formed of metal. 17. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said filter and said nozzle are spaced apart by said sleeve. 18. An apparatus as in claim 17, wherein said filter and said nozzle are spaced apart a distance greater than about 1″ and said sleeve functions as a dispensing tube. 19. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said container includes a vapor space above said liquid that is maintained at a pressure of from about 4 psi to about 60 psi at room temperature. 20. An apparatus as in claim 1, further including a cap carried by said container and having an actuator arranged to actuate said valve, said passageway means including a passageway bore formed in said cap and extending through said cap, said passageway bore including an enlarged diameter bore portion forming said assembly mounting portion, said assembly being mounted in said enlarged diameter bore portion in said cap to remove contaminants in liquid being conveyed through said passageway bore to said nozzle opening. 21. An apparatus as in claim 20, wherein said assembly has a cylindrical shape with an axial length extending in the liquid flow direction and substantially all of said assembly axial length is received within paid enlarged diameter bore portion with said nozzle opening being exposed for emitting liquid. 22. An apparatus as in claim 21, wherein said filter and said sleeve are spaced apart a distance greater than about 1″ and said sleeve functions as a dispensing tube. 23. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said woven metal mesh is sized to restrict flow of particles having a size at least as small as said nozzle opening. 24. An apparatus for discharge of liquid in stream or mist form including a container for holding a pressurized supply of liquid, passageway means for conveying liquid from said supply thereof to a nozzle having a nozzle opening for emitting said liquid in stream or mist form, a valve having at least one movable valve element operating with a sealing surface for regulating flow of liquid through said passageway means, and a filter for removing contaminants from liquid conveyed through said passageway means upstream of said nozzle opening, said filter being sized to restrict the flow of particles having a size as small as manufacturing debris resulting from the manufacture of plastics, said filter and said nozzle comprising a cartridge assembly that is a separable element from said apparatus, said passageway means extending to an assembly mounting passageway bore portion in said apparatus for frictionally receiving and thereby mounting said cartridge assembly to said apparatus, said cartridge assembly including a cylindrical sleeve with an outer wall forming a cylindrical assembly bore of a generally constant diameter and having said filter and nozzle mounted in the assembly bore at spaced locations in the direction the liquid is conveyed, said filter comprising a support ring mounted within said assembly bore and having a woven metal mesh extending in a transverse direction across the assembly bore, said support ring including a support ring side wall forming a filter flow passage communicating with said passageway means and supporting said woven metal mesh transversely across said filter flow passage, said nozzle comprising a nozzle side wall forming a rearward open flow passage for receiving liquid flow from said filter flow passage and a forward wall providing said nozzle opening, said support ring side wall and said nozzle side wall each being sized to frictionally engage said assembly bore and to thereby mount said filter and said nozzle in said assembly, and said assembly having a cylindrical shape with an axial length extending in the liquid flow direction and substantially all of said assembly axial length being received within said assembly mounting passageway bore portion with said nozzle opening being exposed for emitting liquid whereby said filter and nozzle are each self-retained in said sleeve and said sleeve is self-retained in said mounting passageway bore portion, such that separate retention elements and/or screw threading procedures for the assembly of the filter and nozzle into the sleeve to make the cartridge assembly and for operatively locating the cartridge assembly in the mounting passageway bore portion are avoided. 25. An apparatus as in claim 24, wherein said filter is sized to restrict the flow of contaminants having a particle size as small as said nozzle opening. 26. An actuator assembly for discharge of liquid from a container holding a pressurized supply of liquid and having a button arranged to operate a valve to regulate the supply of liquid to said actuator assembly, a filter and a nozzle, said nozzle having a nozzle opening for emitting said liquid in stream or mist form, passageway means for conveying liquid supplied to said actuator assembly to said nozzle opening, said filter being located in said passageway means upstream from said nozzle opening for removing contaminants from liquid conveyed through said passageway means, said filter and said nozzle comprising a cartridge assembly that is a separable element from said actuator assembly, said passageway means extending to an enlarged bore portion in said actuator assembly for frictionally receiving and thereby mounting said cartridge assembly to said actuator assembly, said cartridge assembly including a cylindrical sleeve forming a cartridge bore of a generally constant diameter and having said filter and nozzle mounted in the cartridge bore at spaced locations in the direction the liquid is conveyed, said filter comprising a support ring mounted within said cartridge bore upstream of said nozzle opening and having a woven metal mesh extending in a transverse direction across the cartridge bore, said support ring including a support ring side wall forming a filter flow passage communicating with said passageway means and supporting said woven metal mesh transversely across said filter flow passage, said nozzle comprising a nozzle side wall forming a rearward open flow passage for receiving liquid flow from said filter flow passage and a forward wall providing said nozzle opening, said support ring side wall and said nozzle side wall each being sized to frictionally engage said cartridge bore and to thereby mount said filter and said nozzle in said cartridge assembly, whereby said filter and nozzle are each self-retained in said sleeve and said sleeve is self-retained in said enlarged bore portion, such that separate retention elements and/or screw threading procedures for the assembly of the filter and nozzle into the sleeve to make the cartridge assembly and for operatively locating the cartridge assembly in the enlarged bore portion are avoided. 27. An actuator assembly as in claim 26, wherein said filter is sized to restrict the flow of contaminants having a size as small as about 30 microns. 28. An actuator assembly as in claim 26, wherein said nozzle opening has a diameter in the range of from about 0.004″ to about 0.015″, and said filter is sized to restrict the flow of contaminants having a size at least as small as said nozzle diameter opening. 29. An actuator assembly as in claim 28, wherein said support ring side wall has a tubular shape forming said filter flow passage. 30. An actuator as in claim 29, wherein said cartridge bore has an area generally equal to the area of said filter flow passage and a substantially uniform diameter between said filter and said nozzle. 31. An actuator assembly as in claim 29, wherein said sleeve has an axial length extending in the liquid flow direction, substantially all of said sleeve axial length being within said enlarged bore portion with said nozzle opening being exposed for emitting liquid. 32. An actuator assembly for discharge of liquid from a container holding a pressurized supply of liquid and having a button arranged to operate a valve to regulate the supply of liquid to said actuator assembly, said actuator assembly including a filter and a nozzle located downstream of said valve, said nozzle having a nozzle opening for emitting said liquid in stream or mist form, passageway means for conveying liquid supplied to said actuator assembly to said nozzle opening, a cylindrical cartridge that is a separable element from said actuator assembly, said passageway means extending to an enlarged bore portion in said actuator assembly for frictionally receiving and thereby mounting said cartridge to said actuator assembly, said cartridge having a cylindrical sleeve forming a cartridge bore of generally constant diameter for conveying liquid, said filter and said nozzle being mounted in said cartridge bore with said filter being located upstream from said nozzle opening for removing contaminants from liquid conveyed through said passageway means, said support ring including a cylindrical support wall forming a filter flow passage communicating with said passageway means and supporting said woven metal mesh transversely across said filter flow passage, said nozzle comprising a cylindrical nozzle wall forming a rearward open flow passage and a forward wall providing said nozzle opening, said cylindrical support wall and said cylindrical nozzle wall each being sized to frictionally engage said cartridge bore and to thereby mount said filter and said nozzle in said cartridge, whereby said filter and nozzle are each self-retained in said sleeve and said sleeve is self-retained in said enlarged bore portion, such that separate retention elements and/or screw threading procedures for the assembly of the filter and nozzle into the sleeve to make the cartridge assembly and for operatively locating the cartridge assembly in the enlarged bore portion are avoided. 33. An actuator as in claim 32, wherein, said filter is spaced from said nozzle opening, said cartridge is contained substantially entirely in said enlarged bore portion with said nozzle opening exposed for emitting liquid. 34. An actuator as in claim 33, wherein said bore portion is spaced from said nozzle opening a distance of about 0.1″ or more. 35. An actuator as in claim 34, wherein said woven metal mesh has a mesh opening sized to restrict flow of particles having a size at least as small as said nozzle opening. 36. An actuator as in claim 35, wherein said sleeve is formed of plastic and said filter and nozzle are formed of metal.