Automated cleansing sprayer

• US 7,837,132 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2003
• Issued: 11/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SC Johnson & Son Incorporated
• Original Assignee: SC Johnson & Son Incorporated
• Inventors: Allen, Michael W., Romandy, Mark K., Kovara, Terry M., Mazooji, Amber N., Blankenship, Paul M., Neumann, Peter M., Beverley, Stephen D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim; Christopher S
• Application Number:
  US10/439,467
• Publication Number:
  US 20040050959A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,748 Days
• Field of Search: 2392631-265, 239329-333, 239/345, 239/347, 239/379, 222/333, 2221811-1813, 222/325, 222/189.11, 222/526, 222/82, 222/83, 222/83.5, 222/88
• US Class Current: 239/263.1
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 3/02 with rotating elements electric spraying discharge apparatus characterised by having rotary outlet or deflecting elements B05B5/04
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 9/0861 the motor being electric

Abstract

An automated sprayer for spraying the walls of a shower enclosure with a liquid cleanser dispenses the cleanser using a pumping system and rotatable spray head. The sprayer has a showerhead mountable housing with an adjustable hanger. There is a portion of the housing for supporting a bottle of cleanser in an inverted fashion. The bottle is vented through a piercing post. A single motor both drives the pump and rotates the spray head.

Claims

1. A motor driven sprayer for dispensing a liquid cleanser comprising:

a bottle for storing and providing the liquid cleanser;

wherein the bottle comprises a top having a mouth, a bottom, and a body that define an interior volume wherein there is an inward slope formed between the top and the bottom when the bottle is in an inverted configuration;

a reservoir tray;

wherein the reservoir tray comprises a bottom, and a wall extending upwardly from the bottom of the reservoir tray, the wall contoured such that there is an inward slope formed by the wall when the reservoir tray is in an upright configuration such that the wall comes into contact with at least a portion of an inward sloped portion of the body of the bottle when the bottle is inserted in the reservoir tray;

wherein the portion of the body of the bottle that is in contact with the wall has the same relative contour as the wall;

wherein the reservoir tray further comprises a piercing post extending upward from the reservoir tray, the piercing post juxtaposed to be towards the middle of the bottom of the tray relative to the wall when the bottle is inserted in the tray and cleanser is in the bottle;

wherein the reservoir tray further comprises a spring loaded outlet valve; and

a cap connected to the mouth of the bottle, the cap having a side wall and an outer surface extending radially inward from the side wall, the cap being connected to the mouth of the bottle;

wherein the outer surface of the cap comprises a recessed thinned area, the recessed thinned area being located such that as the bottle and cap are seated in the reservoir tray, the piercing post will puncture the cap in the recessed thinned area to permit discharge of the liquid when the bottle is installed in the inverted orientation in the reservoir tray;

a motor driven pump in fluid communication with the reservoir; and

a spray head having an outlet orifice through which cleanser from the reservoir can be expelled during operation of the pump if there is such liquid cleanser in the reservoir;

wherein a single motor both drives the pump and rotates the spray head.

2. A motor driven sprayer for dispensing a liquid cleanser according to claim 1, wherein the piercing post comprises a plurality of ribs.

3. A motor driven sprayer for dispensing a liquid cleanser according to claim 1, wherein the bottle top has a generally oval shape.

4. A motor driven sprayer for dispensing a liquid cleanser comprising:

a bottle for storing and providing the liquid cleanser;

wherein the bottle comprises a top having a mouth, a bottom, and a body that define an interior volume wherein there is an inward slope formed between the top and the bottom when the bottle is in an inverted configuration;

a reservoir tray;

wherein the reservoir tray comprises a bottom, and a wall extending upwardly from the bottom of the reservoir tray, the wall contoured such that there is an inward slope formed by the wall when the reservoir tray is in an upright configuration such that the wall comes into contact with at least a portion of an inward sloped portion of the body of the bottle when the bottle is inserted in the reservoir tray;

wherein the portion of the body of the bottle that is in contact with the wall has the same relative contour as the wall;

wherein the reservoir tray further comprises a piercing post extending upward from the reservoir tray, the piercing post juxtaposed to be towards the middle of the bottom of the tray relative to the wall when the bottle is inserted in the tray and cleanser is in the bottle;

wherein the reservoir tray further comprises a spring loaded outlet valve; and

a cap connected to the mouth of the bottle, the cap having a side wall and an outer surface extending radially inward from the side wall, the cap being connected to the mouth of the bottle;

wherein the outer surface of the cap comprises a recessed thinned area, the recessed thinned area being located such that as the bottle and cap are seated in the reservoir tray, the piercing post will puncture the cap in the recessed thinned area to permit discharge of the liquid when the bottle is installed in the inverted orientation in the reservoir tray;

a motor driven pump in fluid communication with the reservoir; and

a spray head having an outlet orifice through which cleanser from the reservoir can be expelled during operation of the pump if there is such liquid cleanser in the reservoir;

wherein the cap and bottle are both provided with ratchet teeth to permit the cap to be tightened onto the bottle, but prevent non-destructive removal of the cap from the bottle thereafter; and

wherein a single motor both drives the pump and rotates the spray head.