Automated cleansing sprayer

• US 20040050959A1
• Filed: 05/16/2003
• Published: 03/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SC Johnson & Son Incorporated
• Original Assignee: SC Johnson & Son Incorporated
• Inventors: Allen, Michael W., Romandy, Mark K., Kovara, Terry M., Mazooji, Amber N., Blankenship, Paul M., Neumann, Peter M., Beverley, Stephen D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,837,132 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 239/263.1
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 3/02 with rotating elements electric spraying discharge apparatus characterised by having rotary outlet or deflecting elements B05B5/04
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 9/0861 the motor being electric

Abstract

An automated sprayer for spraying the walls of a shower enclosure with a liquid cleanser dispenses the cleanser using a pumping system and rotatable spray head. The sprayer has a showerhead mountable housing with an adjustable hanger. There is a portion of the housing for supporting a bottle of cleanser in an inverted fashion. The bottle is vented through a piercing post. A single motor both drives the pump and rotates the spray head.

Claims

1. An automated sprayer for spraying an enclosure with a liquid cleanser, comprising:

a reservoir suitable to contain the liquid cleanser;

a pump in fluid communication with the reservoir;

a movable spray head having an outlet orifice through which cleanser from the reservoir can be expelled during operation of the pump if there is such liquid cleanser in the reservoir; and

a motor drive mechanism for operating the pump and moving the spray head.

2. The automated sprayer of claim 1, wherein the pump is connected to the spray head by a fluid line.

3. The automated sprayer of claim 2, wherein the fluid line has a valve interrupting flow to the spray head when the pump is not operating.

4. The automated sprayer of claim 3, further including a filter in line with the fluid line upstream from the valve.

5. The automated sprayer of claim 2, wherein the fluid line is connected to the spray head via a junction such that the fluid line connects to the junction at an inlet fixed with respect to the sprayer and wherein the spray head connects to the junction via a rotatable shaft.

6. The automated sprayer of claim 5, wherein the shaft provides a fluid passageway in communication with the inlet.

7. The automated sprayer of claim 6, wherein the shaft has a forked end mounting the spray head.

8. The automated sprayer of claim 7, wherein the junction includes a resilient seal disposed about the shaft.

9. The automated sprayer of claim 8, wherein the junction includes a removable cap including the inlet.

10. The automated sprayer of claim 9, wherein the cap mounts to a wall of a stationary plate supporting the drive mechanism.

11. The automated sprayer of claim 1, wherein the drive mechanism comprises an electric motor that can simultaneously drive the pump and rotate the spray head.

12. The automated sprayer of claim 1, wherein the enclosure is a shower enclosure.

13. The automated sprayer of claim 1, wherein the enclosure is a toilet bowl.

14. An automated sprayer for spraying an enclosure with a liquid cleanser, comprising:

a bottle suitable to contain the liquid cleanser;

a reservoir tray supporting the bottle in an inverted orientation;

a spray head having an outlet orifice through which cleanser from the bottle can be expelled if there is such liquid cleanser in the bottle; and

a piercing post extending from the reservoir tray into the bottle, the post also providing an air vent pathway.

15. The automated sprayer of claim 14, further comprising a check valve controlling air flow to the piercing post and inhibiting fluid flow out through the piercing post.

16. A dispenser for dispensing a liquid, comprising:

a bottle suitable to contain the liquid;

a reservoir tray having an upwardly extending well for supporting the bottle in an inverted orientation; and

a cap closing a top end of the bottle;

wherein the well has a spring-loaded outlet valve that permits outflow from the well when a portion of the cap abuts against the outlet valve.

17. The dispenser of claim 16, wherein the cap has a radially extending web to form a seal against a side of the well.

18. The dispenser of claim 16, wherein the dispenser is an automated sprayer for dispensing a liquid cleaner.

19. An automated sprayer for spraying an enclosure with a liquid cleanser, comprising:

a bottle suitable to contain the liquid cleanser;

a reservoir tray supporting the bottle in an inverted orientation;

a spray head having an outlet orifice through which cleanser from the bottle can be expelled if there is such liquid cleanser in the bottle; and

a hanger attached to the sprayer that is adjustable from a first compact configuration to a second hanger configuration;

wherein the hanger is in the form of a tower having a cavity and a slider, the slider engaging the tower in a tab and slot arrangement.

20. An assembly for coupling a fluid line to a rotatable nozzle, the assembly comprising:

a fluid inlet line;

a rotatable nozzle;

a chamber attached to the fluid inlet line and rotationally fixed with respect thereto;

a seal disposed within the chamber; and

a shaft having an end disposed within the chamber about which the seal is disposed and an opposite end connected to the nozzle, the shaft both being rotatable and defining a passageway in communication with the chamber and the nozzle.

21. The assembly of claim 20, wherein the seal is an o-ring, and a cap is provided having an annular surface projecting into the chamber radially outside the shaft so as to contact the o-ring and press the o-ring.