Applicator with collapsible wand

• US 10,022,742 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2017
• Issued: 07/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OMS Investments Incorporated (Scotts Miracle-Gro Company)
• Original Assignee: OMS Investments Incorporated (Scotts Miracle-Gro Company)
• Inventors: Goodwin, Randy M., Havlovitz, Paul, Montag, Sean David, Perkins, Jay F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Chee-Chong
• Application Number:
  US15/828,079
• Publication Number:
  US 20180085770A1
• Time in Patent Office: 229 Days
• Field of Search: 239332, 222333, 2223833, 222527, 222530, 222533, 222538, 222381, 222380, 222372
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 15/652 whereby the jet can be oriented
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 9/0426 with a pump attached to the spray gun or discharge device single-units hand-held apparatus in which the flow is effected by a pump B05B11/10
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 9/0861 the motor being electric

Abstract

An applicator comprises a housing having a liquid input, a pump, a motor, and a power source; a trigger for providing selective control over the pump; a wand hingedly connected to the housing; and a nozzle coupled to the wand for discharging liquid from the applicator. The nozzle and the liquid input are in fluid communication via the pump and various conduits of the applicator.

Claims

1. An applicator configured to dispense liquid comprising:

a housing, comprising;

a pump,

an electric motor for driving the pump,

a power source for providing power to the electric motor, and

a flexible housing conduit in fluid communication with the pump;

a trigger in electronic communication with the power source and the electric motor, wherein the trigger provides manual selective control over the pump such that when the trigger is depressed, the pump is actuated and when the trigger is released, the pump ceases operation;

a wand connected to the housing via a wand hinge that is configured to allow the wand to be collapsed against the housing in a first position and extended away from the housing in a second position, the wand hinge comprises a hinge conduit engaging the flexible housing conduit and that curves around a pivot point of the wand hinge such that when the wand is collapsed against the housing in the first position, the hinge conduit keeps the flexible housing conduit apart from the pivot point of the wand hinge;

a nozzle coupled to the wand for discharging liquid from the applicator, wherein the nozzle is in fluid communication with the pump; and

a liquid conduit having a proximal end in fluid communication with the pump and a distal end that extends externally from the housing, the distal end is configured to connect to a container that is external to and separate from the housing such that when the distal end of the liquid conduit is connected to the container, the container is coupled to the housing by the liquid conduit such that the container remains external to and separate from the housing.

2. The applicator of claim 1, wherein the nozzle comprises:

a first nozzle portion having a first nozzle conduit; and

a second nozzle portion having several second nozzle conduits;

wherein the second nozzle portion is rotatable relative to the first nozzle portion and wherein one or more of the several second nozzle conduits align with the first nozzle conduit depending upon a position of the second nozzle portion relative to the first nozzle portion.

3. The applicator of claim 2, wherein a configuration of the several second nozzle conduits creates a variety of liquid spray patterns depending upon the position of the second nozzle portion.

4. The applicator of claim 2, wherein the second nozzle portion and the several second nozzle conduits are configured such that none of the several second nozzle conduits align with the first nozzle conduit when the second nozzle portion is rotated to a particular position relative to the first nozzle portion.

5. The applicator of claim 2, further comprising a single liquid outlet in fluid communication with the several second nozzle conduits for discharging liquid from the nozzle.

6. The applicator of claim 1, wherein the wand is rotatable via the wand hinge through an arc up to about 180 degrees between the first position and the second position.

7. The applicator of claim 1, wherein the housing further comprises a curved grip portion.

8. The applicator of claim 1, wherein the housing and the trigger are configured such that a user may grip the housing and actuate the trigger with only one hand.

9. The applicator of claim 1, wherein the power source comprises at least one battery.

10. The applicator of claim 1, further comprising a clip coupled to the container, wherein the housing and the clip are configured to be removably attached to one another.

11. The applicator of claim 1, wherein a plane, defined by an arc through which the wand swings between the first position and the second position, intersects the housing.

12. The applicator of claim 1, wherein the pivot point of the wand hinge is located internal to the housing.

13. The applicator of claim 1, further comprising a liquid conduit cap configured to be connected to the liquid conduit, the liquid conduit cap for providing a sealing interface between the container and the liquid conduit to facilitate fluid communication between the container and the pump.

14. The applicator of claim 1, wherein the wand comprises a wand conduit in fluid communication with the pump.

15. The applicator of claim 14, wherein the flexible housing conduit provides fluid communication between the pump and the wand conduit.

16. The applicator of claim 14, wherein the nozzle is in fluid communication with the pump via the wand conduit, the hinge conduit, and the flexible housing conduit.

17. The applicator of claim 16, wherein the flexible housing conduit, the wand conduit, and the hinge conduit form a continuous conduit to provide the fluid communication from the pump to the nozzle.

18. The applicator of claim 16, wherein one of the wand conduit and the hinge conduit comprises a flexible tube.

19. The applicator of claim 1, wherein the housing further comprises a liquid input;

and

wherein the pump is in fluid communication with the liquid conduit via the liquid input.

20. A system for dispensing liquid comprising:

a container containing a ready-to-use liquid product and comprising a cylindrical neck and a container opening; and

a housing, comprising;

a pump,

an electric motor for driving the pump,

a power source for providing power to the electric motor, and

a flexible housing conduit in fluid communication with the pump;

a trigger in electronic communication with the power source and the electric motor, wherein the trigger provides manual selective control over the pump such that when the trigger is depressed, the pump is actuated and when the trigger is released, the pump ceases operation;

a wand connected to the housing via a wand hinge that is configured to allow the wand to be collapsed against the housing in a first position and extended away from the housing in a second position, the wand hinge comprises a hinge conduit engaging the flexible housing conduit and that curves around a pivot point of the wand hinge such that when the wand is collapsed against the housing in the first position, the hinge conduit keeps the flexible housing conduit apart from the pivot point of the wand hinge;

a nozzle coupled to the wand for discharging liquid from the system, wherein the nozzle is in fluid communication with the pump; and

a liquid conduit having a proximal end in fluid communication with the pump and a distal end that extends externally from the housing and connects to the container via a liquid conduit cap such that when the distal end of the liquid conduit is connected to the container, the container is coupled to the housing by the liquid conduit such that the container remains external to and separate from the housing;

wherein the liquid conduit cap providing a sealing interface between the container opening and the liquid conduit to facilitate fluid communication between the container opening and the pump.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the ready-to-use liquid product comprises one of a fertilizer or pesticide.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the nozzle comprises:

a first nozzle portion having a first nozzle conduit; and

a second nozzle portion having several second nozzle conduits;

wherein the second nozzle portion is rotatable relative to the first nozzle portion and wherein one or more of the several second nozzle conduits align with the first nozzle conduit depending upon a position of the second nozzle portion relative to the first nozzle portion.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the second nozzle portion and the several second nozzle conduits are configured such that none of the several second nozzle conduits align with the first nozzle conduit when the second nozzle portion is rotated to a particular position relative to the first nozzle portion.

24. The system of claim 22, further comprising a single liquid outlet in fluid communication with the several second nozzle conduits for discharging liquid from the nozzle.

25. The system of claim 20, wherein the pivot point of the wand hinge is located internal to the housing.

26. The system of claim 20, wherein the wand is rotatable via the wand hinge through an arc up to about 180 degrees between the first position and the second position.

27. The system of claim 20, wherein the housing further comprises a curved grip portion.

28. The system of claim 20, further comprising a clip coupled to the container, wherein the housing and the clip are configured to be removably attached to one another.

29. The system of claim 20, wherein the wand comprises a wand conduit in fluid communication with the pump;

and

wherein the flexible housing conduit provides fluid communication between the pump and the wand conduit.

30. The system of claim 20, wherein the wand comprises a wand conduit in fluid communication with the pump;

and

wherein the nozzle is in fluid communication with the pump via the wand conduit, the hinge conduit, and the flexible housing conduit.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the flexible housing conduit, the wand conduit, and the hinge conduit form a continuous conduit to provide the fluid communication from the pump to the nozzle.

32. The system of claim 30, wherein one of the wand conduit and the hinge conduit comprises a flexible tube.

33. The system of claim 20, wherein the housing further comprises a liquid input;

and

wherein the pump is in fluid communication with the liquid conduit via the liquid input.

34. A system for dispensing liquid comprising:

a container containing a ready-to-use liquid product and comprising a cylindrical neck and a container opening; and

a housing, comprising;

a pump,

an electric motor for driving the pump,

a power source for providing power to the electric motor, and

a flexible housing conduit in fluid communication with the pump;

a trigger in electronic communication with the power source and the electric motor, wherein the trigger provides manual selective control over the pump such that when the trigger is depressed, the pump is actuated and when the trigger is released, the pump ceases operation;

a wand connected to the housing via a wand hinge, the wand comprising a wand conduit;

the wand hinge is configured to allow the wand to be collapsed against the housing in a first position and extended away from the housing in a second position, the wand hinge comprises a hinge conduit that engages and is in fluid communication with the flexible housing conduit and the wand conduit, the hinge conduit curves around a pivot point of the wand hinge such that when the wand is collapsed against the housing in the first position, the hinge conduit keeps the flexible housing conduit apart from the pivot point of the wand hinge;

a nozzle coupled to the wand for discharging liquid from the system, wherein the nozzle is in fluid communication with the wand conduit; and

a liquid conduit having a proximal end in fluid communication with the pump and a distal end that extends externally from the housing and connects to the container via a liquid conduit cap such that when the distal end of the liquid conduit is connected to the container, the container is coupled to the housing by the liquid conduit such that the container remains external to and separate from the housing;

wherein the liquid conduit cap providing a sealing interface between the container opening and the liquid conduit to facilitate fluid communication between the container opening and the pump.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the wand is rotatable via the wand hinge through an arc up to about 180 degrees between the first position and the second position.

36. The system of claim 34, wherein the pivot point of the wand hinge is located internal to the housing.

37. The system of claim 34, wherein the nozzle is in fluid communication with the pump via the wand conduit, the hinge conduit, and the flexible housing conduit.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the flexible housing conduit, the wand conduit, and the hinge conduit form a continuous conduit to provide the fluid communication from the pump to the nozzle.

39. An applicator configured to dispense a liquid comprising:

a housing comprising;

a pump,

an electric motor for driving the pump,

a power source for providing power to the electric motor, and

a flexible housing conduit in fluid communication with the pump;

a trigger in electronic communication with the power source and the electric motor, wherein the trigger provides manual selective control over the pump such that when the trigger is depressed, the pump is actuated and when the trigger is released, the pump ceases operation;

a wand connected to the housing via a wand hinge that is configured to allow the wand to be collapsed against the housing in a first position and extended away from the housing in a second position, the wand hinge comprises a hinge conduit engaging the flexible housing conduit and that curves around a pivot point of the wand hinge such that when the wand is collapsed against the housing in the first position, the hinge conduit keeps the flexible housing conduit apart from the pivot point of the wand hinge;

a nozzle coupled to the wand for discharging liquid from the applicator, wherein the nozzle is in fluid communication with the pump; and

a liquid conduit having a proximal end and a distal end, at least a portion of the proximal end of the liquid conduit is within the housing and is in fluid communication with the pump, the distal end of the liquid conduit extends externally from the housing and is configured to connect to a container that is external to and separate from the housing.

40. The applicator of claim 39, wherein the nozzle comprises:

a first nozzle portion having a first nozzle conduit; and

a second nozzle portion having several second nozzle conduits;

wherein the second nozzle portion is rotatable relative to the first nozzle portion and wherein one or more of the several second nozzle conduits align with the first nozzle conduit depending upon a position of the second nozzle portion relative to the first nozzle portion.

41. The applicator of claim 40, wherein the second nozzle portion and the several second nozzle conduits are configured such that none of the several second nozzle conduits align with the first nozzle conduit when the second nozzle portion is rotated to a particular position relative to the first nozzle portion.

42. The applicator of claim 40, further comprising a single liquid outlet in fluid communication with the several second nozzle conduits for discharging liquid from the nozzle.

43. The applicator of claim 39, wherein the wand is rotatable via the wand hinge through an arc up to about 180 degrees between the first position and the second position.

44. The applicator of claim 39, wherein the housing further comprises a curved grip portion.

45. The applicator of claim 39, wherein the pivot point of the wand hinge is located internal to the housing.

46. The applicator of claim 39, wherein the wand comprises a wand conduit in fluid communication with the pump.

47. The applicator of claim 46, wherein the flexible housing conduit provides fluid communication between the pump and the wand conduit.

48. The applicator of claim 46, wherein the nozzle is in fluid communication with the pump via the wand conduit, the hinge conduit, and the flexible housing conduit.

49. The applicator of claim 48, wherein the flexible housing conduit, the wand conduit, and the hinge conduit form a continuous conduit to provide the fluid communication from the pump to the nozzle.

50. The applicator of claim 48, wherein one of the wand conduit and the hinge conduit comprises a flexible tube.

51. The applicator of claim 39, wherein the housing further comprises a liquid input;

and

wherein the pump is in fluid communication with the liquid conduit via the liquid input.