Fluid dispenser

• US 8,096,487 B2
• Filed: 04/09/2009
• Issued: 01/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SC Johnson & Son Incorporated
• Original Assignee: SC Johnson & Son Incorporated
• Inventors: Hornsby, James Russell
• Primary Examiner(s): KIM, CHRISTOPHER S
• Application Number:
  US12/420,997
• Publication Number:
  US 20090256004A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,013 Days
• Field of Search: 2392631-265, 239331-334, 239/329, 239/330
• US Class Current: 239/263.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/22 Phase substances, e.g. smokes, aerosols or sprayed or atomised substances
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/24 Apparatus using programmed or automatic operation
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 12/02 for controlling time, or sequence, of delivery
• 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 is disclosed. The sprayer includes a bottle suitable for containing the liquid, a housing, a pump located in the housing wherein the pump is in fluid communication with the bottle, a rotatable dome-shaped spray head extending away from an opening in a surface of the housing, a spray nozzle positioned such that an outlet of the spray nozzle is positioned within an opening in a side wall of the rotatable spray head wherein the spray nozzle is in fluid communication with an outlet of the pump, a motor located in the housing, and a transmission operably coupled to a shaft of the motor, the rotatable spray head, and the pump. The transmission transfers rotational motion of the shaft of the motor to drive the pump and cause rotation of the rotatable spray head such that the liquid is sprayed radially away from and around the housing thereby providing a circular spray pattern that contacts the walls of the shower enclosure.

Claims

1. An automated sprayer for spraying an enclosure with a liquid, the sprayer comprising:

a bottle suitable for containing the liquid;

a housing;

a pump in fluid communication with the bottle, the pump being located in the housing;

a rotatable spray head extending axially above an opening in an upper surface of the housing;

a spray nozzle positioned such that an outlet of the spray nozzle is positioned within an opening of the rotatable spray head, the spray nozzle being in fluid communication with an outlet of the pump;

a motor located in the housing; and

a transmission operably coupled to a shaft of the motor, the transmission also being operably coupled to the rotatable spray head, and the transmission also being operably coupled to the pump such that the transmission transfers rotational motion of the shaft to drive the pump and cause rotation of the rotatable spray head.

2. The automated sprayer of claim 1 wherein:

the transmission is a gear box assembly.

3. The automated sprayer of claim 2 wherein:

the pump is operably coupled to a pump drive gear of the gear box assembly.

4. The automated sprayer of claim 2 wherein:

the gear box assembly is enclosed in a case;

the spray nozzle includes a tubular fluid inlet in fluid communication with the outlet of the pump, and

the tubular fluid inlet extends through an aperture in the case.

5. The automated sprayer of claim 4 wherein:

the tubular fluid inlet is mounted in a central opening of a spray nozzle drive gear of the gear box assembly.

6. The automated sprayer of claim 1 further comprising:

a hook for mounting the sprayer,

wherein the housing and the rotatable spray head are located above the bottle when the sprayer is mounted.

7. The automated sprayer of claim 1 wherein:

the housing includes a bottle coupler having internal threads for engaging mating threads on a neck of the bottle.

8. The automated sprayer of claim 7 wherein:

the bottle coupler includes a first conduit defining a liquid passageway in fluid communication with an inlet of the pump and a second conduit defining an air vent passageway in fluid communication with an interior of the housing.

9. The automated sprayer of claim 8 wherein:

the air vent passageway is in fluid communication with a check valve.

10. The automated sprayer of claim 1 further comprising:

a control circuit in electrical communication with a power source and the motor,

wherein the control circuit initiates a spray cycle of the sprayer upon movement of an actuator by providing power from the power source to the motor, and the control circuit automatically terminates the spray cycle by ceasing providing power from the power source to the motor.

11. The automated sprayer of claim 10 wherein:

the control circuit includes a timer that delays providing power from the power source to the motor for a predetermined time after movement of the actuator.

12. The automated sprayer of claim 1 wherein:

a lower end of the housing includes a bottle interface for engaging a neck of the bottle, the bottle interface including at least one compartment for an energy source for the motor.

13. An automated sprayer for spraying an enclosure with a liquid, the sprayer comprising:

a bottle suitable for containing the liquid;

a housing;

a pump in fluid communication with the bottle, the pump being located in the housing;

a rotatable spray head extending axially above an opening in an upper surface of the housing;

a spray nozzle positioned such that an outlet of the spray nozzle is positioned within an opening of the rotatable spray head, the spray nozzle being in fluid communication with an outlet of the pump;

a motor located in the housing;

an energy source in electrical communication with the motor, the energy source being located in the housing;

a gear box assembly located in the housing, a first gear of the gear box assembly being operably coupled to a shaft of the motor, a second gear of the gear box assembly being operably coupled to the rotatable spray head, and a third gear of the gear box assembly being operably coupled to the pump such that the gear box assembly transfers rotational motion of the shaft to drive the pump and to cause rotation of the rotatable spray head; and

a hook for mounting the sprayer,

wherein the housing and the rotatable spray head are located above the bottle when the sprayer is mounted.

14. The automated sprayer of claim 13 wherein:

the gear box assembly is enclosed in a case;

the spray nozzle includes a tubular fluid inlet in fluid communication with the outlet of the pump, and

the tubular fluid inlet extends through an aperture in the case.

15. The automated sprayer of claim 14 wherein:

the tubular fluid inlet is mounted in a central opening of the second gear of the gear box assembly.

16. The automated sprayer of claim 13 further comprising:

a hook for mounting the sprayer,

wherein the gear box assembly is located above the motor and the pump when the sprayer is mounted.

17. The automated sprayer of claim 13 further comprising:

a hook for mounting the sprayer,

wherein the housing and the rotatable spray head are located above the bottle when the sprayer is mounted.

18. An automated sprayer for spraying an enclosure with a liquid, the sprayer comprising:

a bottle suitable for containing the liquid;

a housing;

a pump in fluid communication with the bottle, the pump being located in the housing;

a rotatable spray head extending away from an opening in a surface of the housing;

a spray nozzle positioned such that an outlet of the spray nozzle is positioned within an opening of the rotatable spray head, the spray nozzle being in fluid communication with an outlet of the pump;

a motor located in the housing; and

a transmission operably coupled to a shaft of the motor, the transmission also being operably coupled to the rotatable spray head, and the transmission also being operably coupled to the pump such that the transmission transfers rotational motion of the shaft to drive the pump and cause rotation of the rotatable spray head;

wherein the transmission is a gear box assembly, wherein the pump is operably connected to a pump drive gear of the gear box assembly, and wherein the pump drive gear is operably coupled to a push rod that reciprocates a piston in a cylinder of the pump.