Dispensing – Resilient wall – Supply container delivering to receiving chamber
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-27
2001-08-28
Shaver, Kevin (Department: 3754)
Dispensing
Resilient wall
Supply container delivering to receiving chamber
C222S336000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06279784
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a trigger activated pump sprayer to be coupled to a fluid filled container, wherein the sprayer includes a one piece combination dual action spring and fluid chamber having an expandable spring section integrally connected to and cooperating with a collapsible fluid chamber section.
2. Background Art
Pump sprayers that are trigger activated have long been used as a convenient and easy way to gain access to a supply of fluid that is stored within a container to which the sprayer is attached. However, conventional pump sprayers have been characterized by a relatively large number of parts. For example, to insure a reliable reciprocal action of the trigger between stroke cycles, the trigger assembly has typically included a piston located within and movable through a cylinder in cooperation with a metallic return spring. The use of a large number of parts increases the cost of manufacture for the trigger assembly. This increase in cost is often passed down to the consumer. What is more, a trigger assembly characterized by many parts, including a metal return spring, is more likely to fail than a trigger assembly consisting of a few parts, such that the entire trigger assembly may have to be prematurely discarded. In fact, the metal return spring may not always be compatible with the environment.
Accordingly, it is desirable to have available an environmentally friendly pump sprayer that includes a compact trigger assembly that can be manufactured from a reduced number of non-metallic parts, whereby to facilitate the manufacturing process, reduce the manufacturing cost and prolong the life of the sprayer.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In general terms, a trigger activated pump sprayer is disclosed to be coupled to the neck of a fluid filled container so that fluid from the container can be delivered to and sprayed from a nozzle. The pump sprayer includes a shroud within which is housed a resilient, one piece combination dual action spring and fluid chamber. The combination is molded from a thermo-plastic rubber and includes a collapsible fluid chamber section located above and integrally connected to an expandable spring section. Surrounding the fluid chamber and spring sections of the combination are upper and lower ledges that are arranged in spaced parallel alignment with one another. The trigger is rotatable through the shroud in response to a manual manipulation from a user. The trigger is coupled to the combination spring and fluid chamber by means of a pair of fingers that are located in the space between the upper and lower ledges. Depending downwardly from the collapsible fluid chamber section is a tube socket that is sized to surround and engage a fill tube that communicates with the fluid supply of the container. A tapered valve seat is formed near the top of the tube socket and a ball is seated thereon to form a one way check valve between the collapsible fluid chamber and the fill tube. An elongated elbow runs through the shroud from the nozzle to the combination spring and fluid chamber to support the trigger for rotation. The elbow bends downwardly within the shroud, and a centering post thereof is received through the top of the collapsible fluid chamber section. In the at rest condition of the pump sprayer with the trigger relaxed and no forces being generated, a sealing ring carried at the top of the collapsible fluid chamber section is closed against the centering post of the elbow to prevent fluid communication between the fluid chamber section and the nozzle by way of a fluid channel that extends therebetween.
In operation, the trigger is manipulated (i.e. rotated) by a user to prime the pump sprayer. As the trigger is rotated, the trigger fingers between the upper and lower ledges of the compressible fluid chamber section and expandable spring section are correspondingly rotated to cause the expandable spring section to be stretched and the collapsible fluid chamber section to be compressed. Accordingly, the ball is pushed against its valve seat and the air pressure is increased within the fluid chamber section, whereby the seal between the sealing ring and the centering post of the elbow is broken to open a fluid path by which any air trapped in the fluid chamber section prior to the first use of the sprayer is now expulsed to the atmosphere via the fluid channel and the nozzle. When each priming stroke of the trigger is completed, the original seal between the sealing ring and the centering post is once again established. At the same time, the spring-like memory characteristic of the resilient spring section will cause the combination dual action spring and fluid chamber to automatically return to its at rest configuration and the trigger to be driven back to its at rest position.
During the suction stroke of the trigger and the corresponding rotation of the trigger finger, the ball will be lifted off its valve seat to open a fluid path between the fluid supply of the container and the evacuated fluid chamber section via the fill tube, whereby the fluid chamber will now be filled with fluid. During a subsequent dispensing stroke of the trigger, the increasing fluid pressure within the fluid chamber section as it is compressed will force the ball against its valve seat and break the seal created by the sealing ring to complete the fluid path from the fluid chamber section to the nozzle via the fluid channel so that fluid can be sprayed from the nozzle in the direction in which it is aimed by the user.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3749290 (1973-07-01), Micallef
patent: 4220264 (1980-09-01), Gamadia
patent: 4260079 (1981-04-01), Cary et al.
patent: 4336895 (1982-06-01), Aleff
patent: 5114052 (1992-05-01), Tiramani et al.
patent: 5476195 (1995-12-01), Oder et al.
patent: 5518147 (1996-05-01), Peterson et al.
Fischer Morland C.
Nicolas Frederick C
Shaver Kevin
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