Fluid sprinkling – spraying – and diffusing – Combined or convertible
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-18
2001-03-06
Morris, Lesley D. (Department: 3752)
Fluid sprinkling, spraying, and diffusing
Combined or convertible
C239S373000, C222S608000, C310S065000, C280S288400
Reexamination Certificate
active
06196474
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally concerns a pressurized cyclist water spraying apparatus. The invention more particularly concerns a pressurized cyclist water spraying apparatus which attaches to a bicycle or exercise machine for controllably providing a cool spray of water over the rider.
2. Discussion of the Background
It is often desirable and/or necessary during strenuous activities such as cycling to assist the body's cooling by applying water to the surface of the skin. This is particularly true in hot dry environments and where the strenuous activity is sustained for a significant period of time.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,815,635 to Porter and U.S. Pat. No. 4,911,339 to Cushing, for example, disclose a bicycle mounted portable container having a pump which the rider manually operates to receive a spray of water. However, such manually operated devices pose a potential safety hazard in that the user's hand and attention are occupied during operation of the bicycle.
To solve this problem, automatic pump devices are also known such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,645,404 to Zelenak where an electric pump is used for supplying fluids from a reservoir to the user. However, this device requires batteries which are generally heavy, bulky items which are undesirable for cycling apparatus. Moreover, batteries may run out at inconvenient times during a cycling ride and require frequent replacement which is expensive.
Yet another type of device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,807,813 to Coleman and U.S. Pat. No. 3,677,446 to Guyer, Jr., et al. which disclose bicycle mounted water toys that include a fluid pump driven by a rotating wheel of the bicycle to remove water from a reservoir and convey the water to the water toy. However, the fluid pump of these devices provides a stream of fluid on demand which generally requires a large and heavy pump structure which, again, is undesirable for cycling apparatus.
Thus, there is a need for a fluid dispensing system for automatically dispensing a controlled stream of fluid to the user of a bicycle or exercise equipment, and which utilizes a light and simple pump structure that operates without batteries and requires relatively little power.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the current invention to provide a fluid dispensing system for automatically dispensing a controlled stream of fluid to the user of a bicycle or exercise equipment, and which utilizes a light and simple pump structure that operates without batteries and requires relatively little power.
In one form of the invention a pressurized cyclist water spraying apparatus adapted to be mounted on a cycling device having at least one rotating wheel is provided. The apparatus includes a reservoir having an interior adapted to contain a fluid, an electric pump powered by an electric generator having a generator friction wheel engagable with the rotating wheel of the cycling device wherein the rotating wheel turns the generator friction wheel to generate electrical power for the electric pump. The pump is adapted to pressurize the interior of the reservoir, and a fluid valve is adapted to block or pass a stream of pressurized fluid from the reservoir to the spray nozzle and onto the rider of the cycling device. The pump and reservoir are connected via a first tube adapted to convey air from the pump into the reservoir, and the reservoir and spray nozzle are connected via the fluid valve, by a second and third fluid tube each adapted to convey fluid from the reservoir to the spray nozzle.
In another embodiment of the present invention, an electric fan also powered by the generator is provided. In this embodiment, an electric switch adapted to control the flow of power to electric fan is also provided.
In yet another embodiment of the present invention, a pressure valve is attached to the reservoir and adapted to release pressure from the reservoir at a predetermined pressure level such that the pressure in the reservoir is maintained at a constant level.
In still another embodiment of the present invention, an on/off mechanism is provided to control the flow of electric current from the generator to the electric pump. The on/off mechanism may be a conventional electric switch, or a mechanical lever which causes the generator friction wheel to engage and disengage the drive wheel of the cycling device.
Thus, Applicant's invention provides a fluid dispensing system for automatically dispensing a stream of fluid to the user of a bicycle or exercise equipment, and which utilizes a light and simple pump structure that operates without batteries and requires relatively little power per unit time.
REFERENCES:
patent: 567719 (1896-09-01), Libbey
patent: 645482 (1900-03-01), Mills
patent: 2416833 (1947-03-01), Katcher et al.
patent: 3677446 (1972-07-01), Guyer, Jr. et al.
patent: 4807813 (1989-02-01), Coleman
patent: 4815635 (1989-03-01), Porter
patent: 4911339 (1990-03-01), Cushing
patent: 5158218 (1992-10-01), Wery
patent: 5201442 (1993-04-01), Bakalian
patent: 5461269 (1995-10-01), De Raucourt
patent: 5645404 (1997-07-01), Zelenak
patent: 5735440 (1998-04-01), Regalbuto
patent: 5895991 (1999-04-01), Butz
Morris Lesley D.
Oblon & Spivak, McClelland, Maier & Neustadt P.C.
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