Fluid sprinkling – spraying – and diffusing – Including supply holder for material – Resilient holder wall
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-14
2001-07-31
Scherbel, David A. (Department: 3752)
Fluid sprinkling, spraying, and diffusing
Including supply holder for material
Resilient holder wall
C239S341000, C239S539000, C239S314000, C239S403000, C137S894000, C222S206000, C222S212000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06267304
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a dispensing head for a dispenser which is pressurized by squeezing the sides of the container. More particularly, the invention is directed to a dispensing head in which air and liquid are mixed to produce a fine spray, and in which the density of the spray may be varied.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Although squeeze bottle types sprayers have been used for many years, such sprayers were largely replaced for a long period of time by pressurized can dispensing systems. One squeeze bottle dispenser which has come into use as a substitute for pressurized cans is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,183,186 and 5,318,205. These patents show a squeeze bottle dispenser in which an air passageway and a product (i.e., fluent material) passageway meet in a tapered mixing chamber. In the device of that invention, the tapering of the mixing chamber direct the air flow at an angle to the flow of liquid, resulting in turbulence in the liquid in the mixing chamber. This turbulence breaks the liquid up and intimately mixes it with the air. As a result, a fine spray is propelled out of the orifice.
One characteristic of current dispensers such as those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,183,186 and 5,318,205 is that the amount and density of the spray is fixed. In other words, current dispensers only provide for either an open position, in which a fixed density spray is made or a closed position in which there is no spray.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a spray dispensing device for use with a non-pressurized container, such as a squeeze bottle, which allows the density of the spray to be varied.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a valve which prevents the infiltration of air into the internal passages of the dispenser.
In accordance with the invention, a spray dispenser is provided having a dip tube which can extend into a container, such as a squeeze bottle, holding a quantity of liquid. The top of the dip tube is connected to a ball-check valve assembly having a ball which ordinarily rests on top of a conduit of restricted diameter. A rotatable valve has an air passage and a product passage. The air passage in the spray dispenser can connect the inside of the bottle with a mixing chamber in the dispenser. The separate product passage leads from the top of the ball-check to a mixing chamber and is directed toward a spray orifice in the mixing chamber. The air passage is an annular passageway which is concentrically disposed around a portion of the product passage leading to the mixing chamber. As the valve is rotated, the amount of communication between the air passage and product passage and the interior of the container is varied.
When the bottle is squeezed while the rotatable valve is open, the resulting pressure build up forces air into the mixing chamber and liquid up the dip tube. The liquid forces the ballcheck to open and the liquid is directed toward the mixing chamber. Simultaneously, air is forced through the annular air passage. The stream of air converges and impinges upon the core stream of liquid when deflected by tapered walls of the mixing chamber. This causes an atomization of the liquid and a fine spray is expelled through the orifice.
As the pressure in the bottle is relieved, the ball drops down back onto the conduit of restricted diameter thereby trapping product in the dip tube. Thus, the product will be retained in the dip tube at a high level, above the liquid level in the bottle, ready for the next squeeze cycle. In this way, the lag time which ordinarily occurs prior to spraying is eliminated.
The product passage is formed in a valve which is housed in a body of the spray dispenser. The valve may advantageously be formed as a rotatable valve which opens and closes the air and product passageways. In a closed position of the valve, both the product and air passageway are completely closed to the inside of the squeeze bottle, thereby preventing air from entering the inside of the squeeze bottle. The closing off of the passageways therefore reduces potential drying of the liquid product in the squeeze bottle.
The valve is formed so that as the valve is rotated from a closed position to a completely open position, the amount of communication between the interior of the container and the passages is varied. In this manner, the density of the spray can be varied.
Further objectives and advantages of the subject invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the detailed description of the disclosed invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3102691 (1963-09-01), Gall
patent: 3933179 (1976-01-01), Hechler, IV
patent: 3940069 (1976-02-01), Gunzel, Jr. et al.
patent: 5183186 (1993-02-01), Delaney, Jr.
patent: 5318205 (1994-06-01), Delaney, Jr.
patent: 5372310 (1994-10-01), Ketcham
patent: 6012650 (2000-01-01), Hadar
patent: 6050504 (2000-04-01), Schultz
Emsar, Inc.
Kenyon & Kenyon
Nauyen Dinit Q.
Scherbel David A.
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