Compact spray device

• US 20060076366A1
• Filed: 10/11/2005
• Published: 04/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SC Johnson & Son Incorporated
• Original Assignee: SC Johnson & Son Incorporated
• Inventors: Gasper, Thomas P., Nelson, Cory J., Short, Michael E., Furner, Paul E., Lemon, Leon M., Madsen, Brent D., Carpenter, M. Scott, Michaels, Kenneth W., Kubicek, Chris A., Westphal, Nathan R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,837,065 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 222/402.130
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 1/2038 Holders or dispensers for pressurized insecticide, e.g. pressurized vessels, cans
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2209/11 Apparatus for controlling air treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2209/111 Sensor means, e.g. motion, brightness, scent, contaminant sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2209/134 Distributing means, e.g. baffles, valves, manifolds, nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/14 using sprayed or atomised substances including air-liquid contact processes
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/1053 combined with means, other than pressure, for automatically opening a valve during actuation; combined with means for automatically removing closures or covers from the discharge nozzle during actuation
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 12/02 for controlling time, or sequence, of delivery
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 12/12 responsive to conditions of ambient medium or target, e.g. humidity, temperature position or movement of the target relative to the spray apparatus B05B12/082, B05B12/084 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 12/122 responsive to presence or shape of target B05B12/124 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/262 by clockwork, motor, electric or magnetic means operating without repeated human input

Abstract

An automatic discharge device comprises a housing adapted to receive a container therein. An actuator arm is attached to the housing and movable between first and second positions. The actuator arm includes a dispensing bore therein. A drive unit is provided for automatically moving the actuator arm into one of the first and second positions in response to a signal from at least one of a timer, a sensor, and a manual switch. The actuator arm is adapted to engage and actuate a nozzle of the container in the first position and allow a fluid disposed in an interior of the container to be dispensed through the nozzle and the dispensing bore of the actuator arm.

Claims

1. An automatic discharge device, comprising:

a housing adapted to receive a container therein;

an actuator arm attached to the housing and movable between first and second positions, wherein the actuator arm includes a dispensing bore therein; and

a drive unit for automatically moving the actuator arm into one of the first and second positions in response to a signal from at least one of a timer, a sensor, and a manual switch, wherein the actuator arm is adapted to engage and actuate a nozzle of the container in the first position and allow a fluid disposed in an interior of the container to be dispensed through the nozzle and the dispensing bore of the actuator arm.

2. The automatic discharge device of claim 1, wherein an orifice of the nozzle directs the fluid substantially upwardly along an axial length thereof into the dispensing bore of the actuator arm.

3. The automatic discharge device of claim 2, wherein the fluid emitted through the dispensing bore is dispersed substantially uniformly into an environment around the housing.

4. The automatic discharge device of claim 1, wherein the fluid disposed in the interior of the container is an aerosol.

5. The automatic discharge device of claim 1, wherein the sensor is a light sensor.

6. The automatic discharge device of claim 1, wherein the sensor is a motion sensor.

7. The automatic discharge device of claim 1, wherein the nozzle of the container is rotatable about an axial length thereof to dispense the fluid.

8. The automatic discharge device of claim 1, wherein the housing includes a pivotally mounted cover.

9. The automatic discharge device of claim 8, wherein a manual switch is disposed on the housing and actuable by squeezing the cover adjacent the switch.

10. An automatic dispenser, comprising:

a housing having a seat adapted to securely retain a container therein;

a drive motor disposed within a bottom portion of the housing;

a reduction gear train in association with the drive motor being disposed substantially between the seat and a rear side of the housing; and

an actuator arm,

wherein activation of the drive motor and the associated gear train provides for movement of the actuator arm between at least one of a pre-actuation position and a discharge position adjacent the top portion of the housing.

11. The automatic dispenser of claim 10, wherein at least one of a plurality of gears and a motor pinion of the reduction gear train and the drive motor, respectively, are comprised of urethane.

12. A method of discharging a fluid from an automatic discharge device, comprising:

securing an aerosol container having a fluid and a nozzle disposed thereon within a seat of a housing of an automatic discharge device having an actuator arm that includes a main portion thereof extending substantially adjacent an axial length of the container and an overhang portion extending over and adjacent to the nozzle; and

pulling the main portion of the actuator arm along a path substantially parallel to the axial length of the container to actuate the nozzle thereof by the overhang portion, thereby discharging the fluid from the nozzle and through a dispensing bore of the actuator arm.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the pulling step further includes a drive unit for pulling the actuator arm.

14. The method according to claim 13, further including the step of pulling the actuator arm in response to an input signal from at least one of a manual switch, a timer, and a sensor.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the sensor is a light sensor.

16. The method according to claim 13, wherein the nozzle is depressed in a direction substantially parallel to the axial length of the container.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the fluid is dispensed in a direction substantially parallel to the axial length of the container.

18. A method of operating a dispensing unit, comprising:

providing a power source to a dispensing unit that includes a housing having an aerosol container disposed therein and an actuator arm;

activating the dispensing unit in response to a minimum threshold of light being sensed by a light sensor;

selecting a sleep period interval between spray operations;

moving the actuator arm after completion of a startup delay period from a pre-actuation position to a discharge position along a path substantially parallel to an axial length of the container to actuate a nozzle of the container to discharge a fluid from the container; and

alternating automatically between the sleep period having a duration commensurate with the selected sleep period interval and a discharge period during which the fluid is dispensed from the container.

19. The method according to claim 18 further including the step of manually activating the dispensing unit for the duration of the discharge period during the sleep period interval.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein when the dispensing unit is manually activated the sleep period interval is not reset, and the fluid is discharged during the automatic discharge period at the end of the sleep period interval.

21. The method according to claim 19, wherein the dispensing unit is manually activated by depressing a switch disposed on the housing.

22. The method according to claim 18, wherein the duration period comprises about a half of one second.

23. The method according to claim 18, wherein the startup delay period ranges from about one minute to about three minutes.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the startup delay period is about one minute.

25. A method of operating a dispensing unit, comprising:

providing a power source to a dispensing unit that includes a housing having an aerosol container disposed therein;

selecting a sleep period interval between spray operations; and

activating a motion sensor disposed on the dispensing unit to detect motion within a sensory path of the sensor after completion of the sleep period interval,

wherein after completion of the sleep period interval if no motion is detected by the motion sensor a fluid is automatically discharged from the aerosol container and the sleep interval is reset, and

wherein after completion of the sleep period interval if motion is detected by the motion sensor a delay time interval is initiated and fluid is not discharged from the aerosol container, and the dispensing unit alternates between activating the sensor to detect motion and resetting the delay time interval until no motion is detected by the motion sensor at the expiration of the delay time interval, which results in the automatic discharge of fluid from the aerosol container and a resetting of the sleep period interval.

26. The method according to claim 25 further including the step of continuously monitoring for motion after the sensor detects motion upon completion of the sleep period interval, wherein the delay time interval is not initiated until the sensor does not detect any further motion.

27. The method according to claim 25 further including the step of continuously monitoring for motion during the delay time interval, wherein detection of motion causes the sensor to further continuously monitor for motion and reset the delay time interval after no further motion is detected.

28. The method according to claim 25, wherein the delay time interval comprises about two minutes or less.

29. The method according to claim 25, wherein the sleep period interval comprises about 15 minutes or more.