Gear pump and replaceable reservoir for a fluid sprayer

• US 6,328,543 B1
• Filed: 11/06/2000
• Issued: 12/11/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: Benecke, Arnold George
• Primary Examiner(s): Walberg, Teresa
• Assistant Examiner(s): FASTOVSKY, LEONID M
• Application Number:
  US09/706,909
• Time in Patent Office: 400 Days
• Field of Search: 417/411, 417/46, 222/383
• US Class Current: 417/411
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/20 Mops
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/22 with liquid-feeding devices
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 17/049 Cleaning or scouring pads; Wipes
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/43 Solvents
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/505 encapsulated or adsorbed on a carrier, e.g. zeolite or clay

Abstract

A gear pump and reservoir device for a fluid sprayer comprises a pump housing having a recessed portion for receiving and sealing thereto a fluid reservoir and a cavity for locating a drive motor and gears therein. The recessed portion has a rigid conical projection centered therein which has an orifice extending into a pump inlet. The gear pump further includes a fluid container mounted above the recessed portion of the pump housing to form a fluid reservoir. The fluid reservoir has a discharge valve that is opened by engagement with the conical projection within the recessed portion to provide fluid communication to the pump inlet. A static head in the fluid reservoir maintains the gear pump in a primed state. A fluid line leading from the gear pump to a sprayer head has a discharge check valve located therein. The check valve has a cracking pressure higher than the static head of fluid so that fluid passes to the sprayer head only when the gear pump operates to increase pressure in the fluid line above the cracking pressure. There is also means for powering and operating the motor such that the gear pump provides a continuous flow of fluid to the sprayer head upon demand by a user.

Claims

1. A gear pump/reservoir device for a fluid sprayer, comprising:

a motor driven gear pump having a mounting surface for attachment to a hand held appliance and a means for sealing said gear pump to a fluid reservoir, said fluid reservoir located above said gear pump so that a static head of fluid in said reservoir maintains said gear pump in a primed state;

a fluid line leading from said gear pump to a sprayer head, said fluid line having a discharge check valve located therein, said check valve having a cracking pressure higher than said static head of fluid so that fluid passes to said sprayer head only when said gear pump operates to increase pressure in said fluid line above said cracking pressure; and

means for powering and operating said motor driven gear pump such that said gear pump provides a continuous flow of fluid to said sprayer head when said means is activated.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said cracking pressure ranges from 0.7 to 5.0 psig.

3. A method of priming a gear pump of a spray appliance, said method comprising:

positioning a fluid reservoir filled with a fluid whereby said fluid reservoir has a static head of fluid, above the gear pump of a gear pump device of a fluid sprayer such that said fluid reservoir is in fluid communication with said gear pump, said gear pump device comprising a motor driven gear pump having a mounting surface for attachment to a hand held appliance and a means for sealing said gear pump to said fluid reservoir, a fluid line leading from said gear pump to a sprayer head, said fluid line having a discharge check valve located therein, said check valve having a cracking pressure higher than said static head of fluid so that fluid passes to said sprayer head only when said gear pump operates to increase pressure in said fluid line above said cracking pressure and means for powering and operating said motor driven gear pump such that said gear pump provides a continuous flow of fluid to said sprayer head when said means is activated and whereby said static head of fluid in said reservoir maintains said gear pump in a primed state.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said cracking pressure of said check valve is between about 0.7 psig and about 5 psig.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein said fluid reservoir contains a liquid comprising surfactant.

6. A method of spraying a fluid with a fluid sprayer comprising the steps of:

positioning a fluid reservoir filled with a fluid whereby said fluid reservoir has a static head of fluid, above the gear pump of a gear pump device of a fluid sprayer such that said fluid reservoir is in fluid communication with said gear pump, said gear pump device comprising a motor driven year pump having a mounting surface for attachment to a hand held appliance and a means for sealing said gear pump to said fluid reservoir, a fluid line leading from said gear pump to a sprayer head, said fluid line having, a discharge check valve located therein, said check valve having a cracking pressure higher than said static head of fluid so that fluid passes to said sprayer head only when said gear pump operates to increase pressure in said fluid line above said cracking pressure and means for powering and operating said motor driven gear pump such that said gear pump provides a continuous flow of fluid to said sprayer head when said means is activated; and

actuating said operating means such that said gear pump increases pressure in said fluid line above said cracking pressure whereby said fluid is driven to said sprayer head.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said crackings pressure of said check valve is between about 0.7 psig and about 5 psig.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein said fluid reservoir contains a liquid comprising surfactant.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein said motor is a direct current motor, said means for power is four size AA batteries and said means for operating is an on-off switch being manually controlled and wherein said four size AA batteries are wired to said motor in series with said on-off switch.