How the First Aerosol Spray Can Works
A 1941 invention by Lyle Goodhue and William Sullivan that created the modern aerosol spray can by using a liquefied gas to propel liquid contents.
Original patent title: “Dispensing apparatus”
A 1941 invention by Lyle Goodhue and William Sullivan that created the modern aerosol spray can by using a liquefied gas to propel liquid contents. Granted to CLAUDE R WICKARD in 1943 with 20 forward citations, and it is now in the public domain.
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
The patent describes a pressurized container that uses a liquefied gas propellant to force a liquid product out through a nozzle. When the valve is opened, the difference in pressure between the inside of the can and the outside causes the liquid and propellant mixture to rush out. As the propellant evaporates, it breaks the liquid into a fine mist or aerosol. This mechanism allowed for the portable, self-contained spraying of insecticides, which was the original intended use during World War II.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover non-pressurized pump-action spray bottles.
- Does not cover systems that use mechanical air pumps instead of liquefied gas propellants.
- Does not cover the chemical composition of the liquid being sprayed.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
Key facts
What made this novel
The inventors realized that by using a propellant that is liquid under pressure but turns to gas upon release, they could maintain a constant pressure inside the can until the very last drop was used.
The Patent Drawing
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Hairspray cans
Aerosol whipped cream
Spray paint cans
Air freshener sprays
Insecticide spray cans
Why it matters
The bigger picture
This invention fundamentally changed how we apply everything from hairspray and deodorant to spray paint and cooking oil. It enabled the mass-market convenience of the aerosol industry, which became a staple of 20th-century consumer goods.
Filed
October 3, 1941
Granted
October 5, 1943
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Major consumer goods companies like SC Johnson, Procter & Gamble, and various contract packaging firms continue to refine aerosol delivery systems for household and personal care products.
Market impact
This patent effectively launched the multi-billion dollar aerosol industry. It enabled the transition of chemical application from industrial equipment to handheld, consumer-ready devices, creating an entirely new category of convenience products.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
The patent describes a pressurized container that uses a liquefied gas propellant to force a liquid product out through a nozzle. When the valve is opened, the difference in pressure between the inside of the can and the outside causes the liquid and propellant mixture to rush out. As the propellant evaporates, it breaks the liquid into a fine mist or aerosol. This mechanism allowed for the portable, self-contained spraying of insecticides, which was the original intended use during World War II.
The clever bit
The inventors realized that by using a propellant that is liquid under pressure but turns to gas upon release, they could maintain a constant pressure inside the can until the very last drop was used.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover non-pressurized pump-action spray bottles.
- Does not cover systems that use mechanical air pumps instead of liquefied gas propellants.
- Does not cover the chemical composition of the liquid being sprayed.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Application published, typically 18 months after filing
Patent officially issued
Patent enters public domain
This patent is in the public domain
See the Freedom to Build guide — what is free to use, what is not, and how to cite this patent.
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Early stage
Citation count
26/40
Moderately cited
Claim breadth
0/20
Narrow claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →
Recency
0/20
Older than 20 years
Assignee scale
0/20
Independent or smaller assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$8K – $26K
Midpoint $16K · expired or expiring · industry ×0.9
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
Claim text not yet imported for this patent
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Sullivan, W. N., & Goodhue, L. D. (1943). How the First Aerosol Spray Can Works (U.S. Patent No. 2,331,117). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/2331117/aerosol-spray-can-goodhue
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
Embed
Add this patent to your site
Drop this plain-English patent card into any blog post or article — free, no signup. It always links back to the full breakdown here.
<div data-patentlens-widget data-patent-number="US2331117"></div> <script src="https://patentbrief.org/embed.js" async></script>
Stay in the loop
Get a weekly digest of new patents.
One email per week. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Keep exploring
Related patents you should know
US 4683195 · 1987
How to Make Billions of Copies of a DNA Segment
This patent describes the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), a method to rapidly create many copies of a specific piece of DNA or RNA, enabling its detection and analysis.
Cetus Corp
US 8697359 · 2014
How to Edit Genes in Human Cells Using an Engineered CRISPR System
This patent describes an engineered CRISPR-Cas9 system for precisely cutting DNA in eukaryotic cells to change how genes work, opening the door for gene editing in complex organisms.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
US 7657849 · 2010
How the iPhone's Slide-to-Unlock Gesture Works
Apple's 2010 patent describes unlocking a device by dragging a specific graphical image across the touchscreen along a predefined path, a gesture that became iconic with the original iPhone.
Apple Inc
US 4733665 · 1988
How Doctors Implant a Permanent Stent Using a Balloon
This patent describes the method for placing a permanent, expandable wire mesh tube inside a blood vessel or other body tube using a balloon-tipped catheter to widen it and keep it open.
Expandable Grafts Partnership
US 4965188 · 1990
How to Make Many Copies of a DNA Piece with Heat
This patent describes the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) method, a technique to make millions of copies of a specific DNA segment using a heat-resistant enzyme and repeated temperature changes.
Cetus Corp
US 4235871 · 1980
How to Encapsulate Active Materials in Lipid Bubbles Efficiently
This patent describes a method for trapping biologically active substances inside tiny, multi-layered fat bubbles called liposomes, using a specific water-in-oil emulsion and gel-forming process to improve how much material gets captured.
Individual
Semantically similar
You might also find these interesting
More to explore
More in Consumer Electronics
US 7657849 · 2010 · Apple Inc
How the iPhone's Slide-to-Unlock Gesture Works
US 7479949 · 2009 · Apple Inc
How Touchscreens Understand Your Finger Swipes and Scrolls
US 4528643 · 1985 · FPDC Inc
How Stores Make Custom Products On-Demand with Remote Approval
US 7469381 · 2008 · Apple Inc
How Touchscreens Show and Snap Back When You Scroll Past an Edge
New to patents?
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does How the First Aerosol Spray Can Works cover?
A 1941 invention by Lyle Goodhue and William Sullivan that created the modern aerosol spray can by using a liquefied gas to propel liquid contents.
Who owns patent US 2331117?
CLAUDE R WICKARD owns this patent, granted in 1943.
When does this patent expire?
This patent has expired and is now in the public domain — anyone can use the invention freely.
What is patent US 2331117 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 20 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
This invention fundamentally changed how we apply everything from hairspray and deodorant to spray paint and cooking oil. It enabled the mass-market convenience of the aerosol industry, which became a staple of 20th-century consumer goods.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover non-pressurized pump-action spray bottles.
Patent monitoring