Safety mechanism for dispensing apparatus

• US 6,431,468 B1
• Filed: 11/06/2000
• Issued: 08/13/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Flexible Products Co. (Dow, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Flexible Products Co. (Dow, Inc.)
• Inventors: Brown, Daniel P., Dean, Michael C.
• Primary Examiner(s): EVANS, ROBIN OCTAVIA
• Application Number:
  US09/706,936
• Time in Patent Office: 645 Days
• Field of Search: 239/525, 239/526, 239/527, 239/600, 239/414, 239/DIG.22, 222/145.5, 222/153.14
• US Class Current: 239/526
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 12/0026 to inhibit delivery
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 15/00 Details of spraying plant or spraying apparatus not otherwise provided for; Accessories
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 7/0408 with arrangements for mixing two or more liquids
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 7/1209 the controlling means for each liquid or other fluent material being manual and interdependent
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 7/2497 several liquids from different sources being supplied to the discharge device
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 7/7438 Mixing guns, i.e. hand-held mixing units having dispensing means B29B7/761, B29B7/7678 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/04 cellular or porous

Abstract

A dispenser for mixing together multiple fluids, such as foam components and dispensing the mixed fluids includes a body portion of the dispenser with fluid entrances and an exit. A handle extends from the body portion to facilitate grasping and operation by a user. A flow control valve is positioned in the body portion for controlling flow of foam components entering the dispenser mixing chamber. The trigger is movably mounted to the body portion in opposition to and spaced apart from the handle. A safety for preventing unintended operation of the dispenser is movably mounted to and extends lengthwise of the trigger that is always biased into a safety position. The safety has an arm for preventing movement of the trigger sufficient to cause unintended operation of the flow control valve, and the safety may be disengaged by the same single-handed action used to actuate the dispenser to dispense the mixed fluids.

Claims

1. A dispenser for mixing together foam components to form an expandable foam and dispensing the foam, comprising:

a body portion including foam component entrances and a foam mixing chamber;

a handle extending from said body portion to facilitate grasping and operation by a user, the handle including a stop surface;

a flow control valve disposed in said body portion for controlling flow of foam components entering the dispenser mixing chamber;

a trigger pivotally mounted to said flow control valve and disposed in opposition to and spaced apart from said handle, whereby movement of the trigger opens and closes said flow control valve to respectfully permit flow of said foam components through said dispenser and prevent flow of said foam components through said dispenser; and

a safety for preventing unintended operation of said dispenser, said safety being movably mounted to and extending lengthwise of said trigger, said safety having a projecting arm portion located in opposition to said handle stop surface for preventing substantial, unintended movement of said trigger sufficient to cause unintended operation of said flow control valve.

2. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein said safety further includes an actuating portion extending lengthwise past an outer surface of said trigger so that a user'"'"'s fingers may grasp and actuate said safety when said trigger is depressed.

3. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein said safety is movable between first operative positions wherein said flow control valve is closed and a second operative position wherein said flow control valve is open, said dispenser further including means for biasing said safety into said first operative position, said biasing means operatively interconnecting said safety to said handle.

4. The dispenser of claim 2, wherein said safety is movably mounted to said trigger such that it moves in a counter-clockwise direction when depressed by a user and said safety arm portion moves out of opposition to said handle stop surface.

5. The dispenser of claim 2, wherein said safety is movably mounted to said trigger such that it moves in a clockwise direction when depressed by a user and said safety arm portion moves out of opposition to said handle stop surface.

6. The dispenser of claim 3, wherein when said safety is in said first operative position, said safety arm portion opposes said handle stop surface to prevent substantial movement of said trigger which would operate said flow control valve, and when said safety is in said second operative position, said safety arm portion is moved out of opposition to said handle stop surface so that said trigger may be moved for operating said flow control valve.

7. The dispenser of claim 2, wherein said safety actuating portion projects lengthwise past an exterior surface of said trigger such that both said trigger and said safety may be actuated by a user'"'"'s fingers when grasping said trigger.

8. The dispenser of claim 7, wherein said safety actuating portion is disposed along a front face of said trigger.

9. The dispenser of claim 1, further including a biasing spring for biasing said trigger and said safety array from said handle.

10. A dispenser assembly for dispensing a fluid from at least one stream of fluid through an associated dispensing nozzle, the dispenser assembly comprising:

a body portion including a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet;

a handle extending from said body portion to facilitate grasping and operation by a user;

a flow control valve disposed in said body portion for controlling flow of fluid through said dispensing nozzle, a trigger disposed in opposition to and spaced apart from said handle for selectively operating said flow control valve;

a safety for preventing unintended operation of said flow control valve, the safety being mounted to said trigger and extending lengthwise of said trigger along a grasping surface thereof; and

means for biasing said safety and said trigger into a first operative position away from said handle, said biasing means being interposed between said safety and said handle, wherein said means for biasing includes a spring having two opposing free ends, said free ends respectively engaging said handle and said safety.

11. The dispenser assembly as defined in claim 10, wherein said spring includes a coil spring with a coil portion interposed between said two free ends.

12. The dispenser assembly as defined in claim 11, wherein said free ends extend upwardly from said coil portion into respective engagement with said handle and said safety.

13. The dispenser assembly as defined in claim 10, wherein said handle includes a grasping surface and said trigger includes a grasping surface, said trigger grasping surface extending lengthwise along said handle grasping surface.

14. The dispenser assembly as defined in claim 10, wherein said safety is movably mounted within said trigger and said trigger is mounted to said flow control valve, said safety being mounted in said trigger beneath said flow control valve.

15. A dispenser for dispensing a fluid from a pressurized supply of fluid, the dispenser comprising:

a body portion including a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, the body portion including a handle extending therefrom, the handle having a grasping surface for grasping by a user;

a flow control valve disposed in said body portion interposed between said fluid inlet and said fluid outlet for controlling flow of fluid through said fluid outlet, the flow control valve having at least one passage formed therein that is movable into and out of communication with said fluid inlet and outlet for permitting passage therethrough of said fluid;

a trigger for selectively operating the flow control valve, the trigger being mounted to said flow control valve and extending away from said body portion in opposition to and spaced apart from said handle and,

a trigger lock for preventing unintended operation of said flow control valve, the trigger lock being pivotally mounted to said trigger and having an actuating surface extending lengthwise of said trigger along said the grasping surface of said handle.

16. The dispenser of claim 15, wherein said trigger lock includes a stop arm that projects rearwardly of said trigger lock toward said handle and said handle includes a stop surface disposed thereon in opposition to said trigger lock stop arm and said handle further includes a cavity formed therein and disposed proximate to said stop surface, whereby when a user grasps said handle and presses said trigger lock actuating surface, said trigger lock stop arm is moved out of opposition to said stop surface and into alignment with said handle cavity, thereby permitting operation of said flow control valve.

17. A dispenser for mixing together at least two fluids and discharging the mixed fluid comprising:

a dispenser body portion including at least two fluid inlets, the dispenser including a discharge nozzle, a flow control valve disposed in said body portion and interposed between said discharge nozzle and said fluid inlets for controlling flow of said fluids through said dispenser body portion and out of said discharge nozzle;

a handle extending from sail body portion to facilitate grasping of said dispenser by a user, said handle having a forward-facing stop surface and a cavity adjacent thereto;

a trigger movably mounted to said dispenser body portion and spaced apart from said handle by a spring member that exerts a biasing force on said trigger away from said handle, said trigger being capable of movement toward said handle under pressure applied thereto by a user'"'"'s hand, said trigger being further operatively connected to said flow control valve so that movement of said trigger toward said handle rotates said flow control valve in one direction and opens said flow control valve to permit passage of said through said dispenser and out said discharge nozzle, while movement of said trigger away from said handle rotates said flow control valve in a direction opposite to said one direction and closes said flow control valve to prevent passage of said foam components through said dispenser and out of said discharge nozzle;

a trigger lock for preventing unintended operation of said trigger and said flow control valve, said trigger lock including an elongated lock member pivotally mounted to said trigger and extending lengthwise with respect to said trigger, the lock member having a rearward projecting arm that selectively interferes with movement of said trigger toward said handle, said trigger lock being movable between a first operative position where said arm is disposed in opposition to said stop surface and a second operative position wherein said arm is disposed in opposition to said cavity.

18. The dispenser as defined in claim 17, wherein said cavity is disposed adjacent to and above said stop surface.

19. The dispenser as defined in claim 17, wherein said cavity is disposed adjacent to and below said stop surface.

20. The dispenser as defined in claim 17, wherein said arm further includes having a free end that contacts said stop surface when said safety is in said first operative position, and said trigger is moved toward said handle to operate said flow control valve.