SPRAY PUMP DEVICE

• US 20090121041A1
• Filed: 10/17/2008
• Published: 05/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zobele Holding SpA (Z Alpha SA)
• Original Assignee: Zobele Holding SpA (Z Alpha SA)
• Inventors: Ballesteros, Julio Cesar Ruiz, DeFlorian, Stefano, Mosconi, Daniel, Sordo, Walter
• Granted Patent: US 8,931,716 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 239/34
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/1052 Actuation means locking means therefor B05B11/1059; the dispensing stroke being affected by the stored energy of a spring B05B11/109

Abstract

The invention refers to a spray pump device for spraying a liquid operated by a memory shape element. The spraying device is provided with a memory shape alloy wire with electrical resistivity, that is able to generate heat that increases its temperature so that due to memory shape property, the wire shrinks when current is applied. This shrinking permits the wire to activate a pump that atomizes a volatile substance.

Claims

1. A spray pump device comprising a spray head operated by a memory shape element.

2. The device according to claim 1 wherein the memory shape element is a wire made of a memory shape metal alloy.

3. The device according to claim 1 wherein the device further comprises electronic means to supply an electric current through said wire.

4. The device according to claim 3 wherein the value of said electric current is selected to shrink the wire.

5. The device according to claim 2 wherein the wire is arranged so as to exert a force that activate the pump head.

6. The device according to claim 1 claim wherein it further comprises an end-run-switch connected to said electronic means, said end-run-switch being arranged to detect a selected position in which the spray head has been activated.

7. The device according to claim 6 wherein the electronic means are adapted to cut the electric current through the wire when the end-run-switch detect that the spray head has been activated.

8. The device according to claim 6 further comprising a stopper element configured to provide a reference end position of the end-run switch, and wherein the position of said stopper element is adjustable to regulate said reference end position of the end-run switch.

9. The device according claim 1 wherein it further comprises a lever pivotally mounted in respect to one of its ends, and adapted to activate the pump head, and wherein a first end of the wire is joined to a point of said lever, and a second point of the wire is joined to a fixed point of the device.

10. The device according to claim 6 wherein the lever activates the pump head when the wires shrinks.

11. The device according to claim 1 wherein the wire is arranged substantially parallel to the axis of the longitudinal axis of the pump head.

12. The device according to claim 1 wherein it further comprises a porous material arranged to receive a major amount of the liquid sprayed by said pump head.

13. The device according to claim 1 wherein it further comprises a container coupled to said spray head for containing a liquid.

14. The device according to claim 12 wherein the porous material extends around the spray head.

15. The device according to claim 12 wherein the spray head has an output nozzle which is closed by said porous material.

16. The device according to claim 1 wherein it further comprises an ambient temperature sensor associated to said electronic means, said electronic means being adapted to prevent the accidental activation of the pump when the temperature of the ambient is over the wire transition temperature.

17. The device according to claim 1 wherein it further comprises a sensor selected from the group comprising:

movement sensor, light sensor, proximity sensor, wherein said sensor is associated to said electronic means, and the activation of the spray pump head is governed by said sensor.

18. The device according to claim 1 wherein the pump spray head is configured to operate below 1 Kg force.