Fluid dispensing device

• US 6,974,092 B1
• Filed: 08/26/2003
• Issued: 12/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Clio Designs Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Clio Designs Incorporated
• Inventors: Leventhal, James M.
• Primary Examiner(s): HWU, DAVIS D
• Application Number:
  US10/649,592
• Time in Patent Office: 840 Days
• Field of Search: 239/302, 239/754, 239/304, 239/310, 239/311, 239/337, 239/346, 239/366, 401/176, 401/268, 401/207, 401/185
• US Class Current: 239/302
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 11/0017 with pre-pressurised reservoirs, e.g. aerosols
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 9/0833 comprising a compressed gas container, e.g. a nitrogen cartridge

Abstract

A fluid dispensing device configured as a brush is provided. The device includes a hollow barrel having a plurality of bristles disposed along its surface and a plurality of openings in fluid communication with a chamber defined therein. The barrel is engaged to a hollow handle defining a chamber configured to contain an enclosed pressurized fluid reservoir containing a quantity of fluid. A user switch disposed along a surface of the device helps to discharge a volume of pressure from the fluid reservoir to thereby discharge a volume of fluid. The brush dispenses the volume of discharged fluid through the plurality of openings as a fluid spray or a fluid mist. In one embodiment according to the invention, the device permits a user to apply and to distribute a fluid through their hair, while the user brushes and/or styles their hair with the device.

Claims

1. A fluid dispensing brush comprising:

a barrel portion defining a first chamber and a handle portion operatively connected to the barrel portion and defining a second chamber, the barrel portion having a plurality of openings defined in at least a portion of its outer surface in fluid communication with the first chamber and a plurality of bristles projecting therefrom;

a fluid assembly contained in the second chamber of the handle portion, the fluid assembly including an enclosed fluid reservoir configured to maintain a quantity of fluid under pressure and an enclosed gas pressure cartridge operatively connected to a proximal end of the fluid reservoir such that a first interior chamber defined within the fluid reservoir and a second interior chamber defined within the gas pressure cartridge are in fluid communication when the fluid reservoir and the gas pressure cartridge are operatively connected, the gas pressure cartridge being constructed and arranged to discharge a volume of pressurized gas from the second interior chamber to the first interior chamber of the fluid reservoir to thereby continuously pressurize the first interior chamber of the fluid reservoir and any fluid contents of the fluid reservoir when the gas pressure cartridge is operatively connected to the fluid reservoir and until pressurized gas is depleted from the gas pressure cartridge;

an actuator disposed along an outer surface of the handle portion such that the actuator is operatively connected to an actuator valve defined in a distal end of the fluid reservoir, the actuator being further disposed and configured such that when actuated the actuator actuates the actuator value to discharge a volume of pressure from the pressurized fluid reservoir such that a volume of fluid contents is discharged from the pressurized fluid reservoir; and

a nozzle extending from the first interior chamber of the fluid reservoir and contained in the first chamber of the barrel portion, the nozzle having one or more holes defined in at least a portion of its outer surface along a terminal portion, each hole being in fluid communication with the first chamber, the nozzle being configured and connected to the pressurized fluid reservoir such that the nozzle receives at least a portion of the volume of fluid contents discharged from the pressurized fluid reservoir and the one or more holes discharge the volume of fluid contents into the first chamber as at least one of a fluid spray and a fluid mist, wherein the plurality of openings vents the fluid spray or mist from the brush.

2. The brush of claim 1, wherein movement of the switch actuator from a first position to a second position actuates the actuator.

3. The brush of claim 1, wherein the pressurized gas is selected from the group consisting of compressed air, compressed N₂O and compressed CO₂.

4. The brush of claim 1, wherein each of the one or more holes of the nozzle is sized and configured, and wherein the actuator valve is further configured to discharge the volume of pressure with sufficient force, such that the nozzle discharges the volume of fluid contents as at least one of fine fluid droplets and ultra-fine fluid droplets.

5. The brush of claim 4, wherein each of the one or more holes has a span of from about 0.4 mm to about 1.0 mm.

6. The brush of claim 1, wherein each of the one or more holes of the nozzle is sized and configured, and wherein the actuator valve is further configured to discharge the volume of pressure with sufficient force, such that the nozzle discharges the volume of fluid contents as at least one of an atomized fluid spray and an atomized fluid mist.

7. The brush of claim 1, wherein the nozzle further includes a hollow elongated tube configured to extend from the first chamber into the second chamber, and further configured to place an interior of the nozzle in fluid communication with the first interior chamber of the fluid reservoir.

8. The brush of claim 1, wherein each of the barrel portion and the handle portion are configured such that the barrel portion is removably connected to the handle portion.

9. The brush of claim 1, wherein the barrel portion defines a circular cylinder.

10. The brush of claim 9, wherein the plurality of bristles is distributed along the outer surface of the cylinder such that the plurality of bristles defines a round brush.

11. The brush of claim 9, wherein the plurality of openings is distributed along the outer surface of the cylinder such that the fluid vents from a circumferential perimeter of the circular cylinder.

12. The brush of claim 1, wherein the barrel portion defines a paddle-shaped conformation having a first side and a second side, wherein the plurality of bristles and the plurality of openings are disposed along at least a portion of the first side.

13. The brush of claim 1, wherein the handle portion defines a circular cylinder.

14. The brush of claim 1, wherein the terminal portion of the nozzle further includes a dispensing valve constructed and arranged such that a span of each of one or more holes is adjustable.

15. The brush of claim 14, wherein the dispensing valve is constructed and arranged such that rotation of the terminal portion of the nozzle adjusts a span of each of one or more holes.

16. A fluid dispensing brush comprising:

a barrel portion defining a first chamber and a handle portion defining a second chamber, the barrel portion and the handle portion being operatively connected;

at least a portion of an outer surface of the barrel portion defining a plurality of openings in fluid communication with the first chamber and having a plurality of bristles projecting therefrom;

first means contained within the second chamber to contain a quantity of fluid;

second means contained within the second chamber to apply pressure to the quantity of fluid wherein said means is operatively connected to said means to contain a quantity of fluid;

means contained within the second chamber to discharge a volume of fluid from said means to contain a quantity of fluid; and

means contained within the first chamber to receive at least a portion of the volume of fluid discharged and to vent the volume of fluid through the plurality of openings.

17. A fluid dispensing brush comprising:

a barrel portion defining a first chamber and a handle portion operatively connected to the barrel portion and defining a second chamber;

a plurality of dispensing apertures defined in at least a portion of an outer surface of the barrel portion, the plurality of dispensing apertures being in fluid communication with the first chamber;

a plurality of bristles disposed along and projecting from at least a portion of the outer surface of the barrel portion;

a fluid reservoir and a gas pressure cartridge disposed within the second chamber of the handle portion, the fluid reservoir and the gas pressure cartridge being operatively connected such that a first interior chamber of the fluid reservoir and a second interior chamber of the gas pressure cartridge are in fluid communication, the first interior chamber being configured to contain fluid contents and to receive a supply of pressurized gas from the second interior chamber of the gas pressure cartridge, and

a nozzle assembly extending from the first interior chamber of the fluid reservoir into the first chamber of the barrel portion, the nozzle assembly having a terminal portion with a plurality of dispensing apertures defined along at least a portion of its outer surface, the plurality of dispensing apertures being in fluid communication with the first interior chamber of the fluid reservoir and the first chamber of the barrel portion.

18. The brush of claim 17 wherein the terminal portion of the nozzle assembly further includes a valve, the valve being constructed and arranged to adjust a span of one or more dispensing apertures.

19. The brush of claim 18 wherein the valve includes a manually actuated valve.

20. The brush of claim 18 wherein a span of one or more dispensing apertures includes a range of from about 0.4 mm to about 1.0 mm.

21. The brush of claim 18 wherein the handle portion includes at its proximal end a cap portion, the cap portion being removably connected to the handle portion to permit access to the second chamber when removed from the handle portion.

22. The brush of claim 21 wherein the gas pressure cartridge is removably connected to the fluid reservoir.

23. The brush of claim 22 wherein the cap portion further includes a bias mechanism such that when the cap portion is attached to the handle portion, the bias mechanism abuts the gas pressure cartridge to dispose the gas pressure cartridge in operable connection with the fluid reservoir.

24. The brush of claim 17 further comprising an actuator switch disposed along an outer surface of the handle portion and further disposed such that when the actuator switch is actuated a volume of pressure and a volume of fluid are discharged from the first interior chamber of the fluid reservoir.

25. The brush of claim 17 further comprising at least a portion of a surface of the handle portion is constructed of at least one of a translucent material and a transparent material to permit visual inspection of the second chamber.

26. The brush of claim 17 further comprising at least a portion of a surface of the fluid reservoir is constructed of at least one of a translucent material and a transparent material to permit visual inspection of the first interior chamber.