Fluid sprinkling – spraying – and diffusing – Including supply holder for material – Fluid pressure discharge means
Reexamination Certificate
2000-07-20
2001-10-30
Morris, Lesley D. (Department: 3752)
Fluid sprinkling, spraying, and diffusing
Including supply holder for material
Fluid pressure discharge means
C239S436000, C239S525000, C239S532000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06308899
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS
There are no related patent applications.
FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to pressurized injection systems used to unclog, clean and service pipes, tubing and related equipment. More particularly, this invention, describes a compact, highly portable, high pressure fluid injection system able to reach difficult to access places to efficiently service a variety of diameter pipes and tubing.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
Field work in the air conditioning and plumbing business requires a variety of rugged but light weight tools. Performance demands on these tools are high as they directly affect the productivity of high cost professionals.
There exists a wide variety of commercially available apparatus regularly used to unclog, clean and otherwise maintain plumbing and appliances comprised of pipes and tubing. Many such apparatus are large and/or heavy, difficult to carry and of limited use in servicing pipes and tubing located in remote or difficult to reach places.
It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a durable apparatus for cleaning pipes and tubing which is light, compact, and highly portable, and that can be used to easily service pipes and tubing including those not immediately accessible.
Commercially available equipment rely extensively upon compressed air to inject pressurized liquid and gas into and around pipes, tubing and related components. Compressed air is typically supplied through independently powered air compressors or via gas cartridges. Air compressors and gas cartridges reflect an additional expense to the plumbing and air conditioning service industry. Moreover, air compressors are heavy, noisy, and require an independent power source that severely restricts the mobility of the field worker, while gas cartridges represent an additional consumable supply which must accompany the field worker on all jobs.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for cleaning pipes and tubing that functions by injecting pressurized gas and liquid into and around pipes and tubing without the limitations or expense consequent to the use of independently powered air compressors or gas cartridges.
Among the pertinent prior art are compact apparatus designed to inject compressed air and spray pressurized liquid to unclog pipes and tubing. Such apparatus are generally specific for either air or liquid. Those apparatus that accommodate both liquid and gas modalities must be emptied and/or filled in order to change between modes. Service personnel desiring to apply, alternatively, pressurized air and liquid to service pipes and tubing using presently available equipment must have available one apparatus per compressed mode, or must empty and/or fill the apparatus between modes.
A further object of the subject invention is to provide service personnel with the ability to inject either or both compressed liquid and compressed air using a single, light weight, apparatus, without the need to empty or fill the apparatus between modalities.
Fluid injection systems include sizable lengths of hose to transport pressurized liquid and gas to spray applicators. When not in use, the hose dangle free. Free dangling hose typically becomes caught on and tangled with other equipment, drags along the ground during transport, and is particular prone to damage.
A further object of the claimed invention is to provide a compact injection system which includes onboard storage for the flexible hoses to facilitate transport of the system and prevent tangling and damage to the hose.
It is still a further object of the subject invention to provide a multi-mode fluid injection system having a gun applicator capable of injecting small volumes of liquid or compact blasts of air at relative high pressure and velocity to small, hard to reach areas of pipes, tubing and related equipment.
Yet another object of the subject invention is to provide a multi-mode injection system having applicators that can efficiently address a diverse range of shaped and sized tubing as well as tubing accessible only from specific pre-defined distances and angles.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
These and other objects are accomplished in the present invention, a multi-mode fluid injection system comprising a tank having a first port which allows access to the tank's upper contents and a second port which allows access to the tank's lower contents, a means for introducing liquid into the tank, a hand pump built into the tank to pressurize the tank and its contents, one or more applicators, and flexible hoses which connect the applicators to the first and/or second port to supply the applicators with the tank's contents. Among the invention's preferred embodiments are systems which employ specialized injection gun and sprayer wand applicators capable of supplying small volumes of liquid and gas at high pressure and velocity, systems having applicators with stiff, flexible tips that can access and effectively shoot difficult to access pipes and tubing, and systems which include onboard means for stowing the flexible hoses in order to prevent tangling and damage to the hoses during transport and stowage.
The small size and weight of the apparatus of the present invention allow a great degree of portability and facilitates its use in hard to reach locations. The tank is pressure rated to withstand the moderate pressures introduced by hand pumping, and includes a safety valve and an optional pressure gauge. The ergonomic form of the tank promotes ease of use and includes a concave base extension which accommodates stowage of the flexible hose.
Applicators are detachably coupled to one of the two tank ports through quick connect fittings or comparable commercially available coupling methods. The port which makes available the upper tank contents supplies applicators with gas under pressure, while the port which makes available the lower tank contents supplies the applicators with pressurized liquid.
The fluid injection gun applicator of the present invention embodies a balanced light weight design having a small travel-high flow valve, a stiff but readily adjustable nozzle tube, a unique accumulation chamber after the valve, readily replaceable nozzles, and a proven conical sealing adaptor for connecting to varying size openings when used in internal passage cleaning The wand sprayer applicator of the present invention similarly embodies an ergonomic design and includes a stiff but flexible wand tips of varying length in order to efficiently address difficult to access pipes and tubing coils having a range of diameters.
The operation of the multi-mode fluid injection system of the present invention is briefly described in the following. A liquid, which may be water or a cleaning solution of some sort, is introduced into the tank. The hand pump, built into the tank, is hand activated and pressurizes the tank. Depending on the mode of operation, liquid, gas, or both, one or two hoses are quick coupled to the appropriate port fitting and to the selected applicators. The applicator is moved into position and the flexible nozzle bent as required in order to allow access to the furthest reaches of complicated equipment.
Actuation of fluid injection is enabled by the hand operated applicator valve. In the case of the injection gun applicator, the pumped fluid first fills the post-valve chamber and then exits the nozzle at high velocity and pressure. Alternatively, the wand applicator is be used in a similar manner and, like the injection gun, for both liquid or gas injection. The wand applicator, with its length adjustable and stiff but highly flexible tip, is particularly well suited for spraying difficult to access areas as, for example, fins and radiators on the back side of equipment. Both applicators can employ the same tip attachments, being the stiff-flexible tip extensions and conical sealing adaptors.
Further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from consideration of the dr
Morris Lesley D.
Reiss Seth M.
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