Ready-to-use hose end sprayer

• US 9,980,430 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2014
• Issued: 05/29/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OMS Investments Incorporated (Scotts Miracle-Gro Company)
• Original Assignee: OMS Investments Incorporated (Scotts Miracle-Gro Company)
• Inventors: Goodwin, Randy M., Havlovitz, Paul, Hsu, Paul, Perkins, Jay F.
• Primary Examiner(s): VALVIS, ALEXANDER M
• Application Number:
  US14/577,225
• Publication Number:
  US 20150102131A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,257 Days
• Field of Search: 239378, 222470, 222472, 222473, 222474, 222136, 2221445, 2221455, 2221485, 2224641, 222527, 222529, 403 2, 411 1- 4, 411 43, 411386, 411395, 220752, 220759, 220768, 220769
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 23/047 Spraying of liquid fertilisers
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 7/0046 Hand-operated sprayers apparatus to be carried on or by a person B05B9/08
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/3026 the controlling element being a gate valve, a sliding valve or a cock B05B1/3006, B05B1/326 take precedence; gate valves or sliding valves in general F16K3/00; cocks in general F16K5/00
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 7/2408 characterised by the container or its attachment means to the spray apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 7/244 using carrying liquid for feeding, e.g. by suction, pressure or dissolution, a carried liquid from the container to the nozzle B05B7/2459 - B05B7/247 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 7/2443 the carried liquid and the main stream of carrying liquid being brought together downstream of the container before discharge B05B7/2454 takes precedence

Abstract

A ready-to-use sprayer comprises a container defining an interior compartment for containing a liquid product and having a pin receiver located near the rear portion and an opening located near the front portion, a housing having a main chamber and a grip portion, a nozzle in selective fluid communication with the outlet of the fluid chamber, a pivot switch on the exterior of the housing for selecting a fluid flow condition for the main chamber, and the housing being coupled to the container at the container opening and the pin receiver.

Claims

1. A sprayer comprising:

a container defining an interior compartment for containing a substance liquid and comprising a pin receiver;

a container opening spaced apart from the pin receiver; and

a housing comprising an exterior shell, a grip portion, a main chamber, and a pivot switch, wherein the exterior shell comprises a first part and a second part connected to the first part, wherein the main chamber comprises a substance liquid inlet, a carrier liquid inlet, and an outlet, wherein the pivot switch is positioned on an exterior of the housing and operatively coupled to a pivot arm to translate movement of the pivot switch through an arcuate path to the main chamber, and wherein the pivot arm is pivotally connected to a pivot axis, the pivot axis being located below the main chamber within the housing;

wherein prior to the housing being connected to the container, the first part of the housing comprises a pin attached thereto such that the first part and the pin are a unitary, monolithic component;

wherein after the housing is connected to the container, the pin is inserted through the pin receiver such that the first part and pin are no longer a unitary, monolithic component and the housing is coupled to the container at two separate points comprising;

the container opening and the pin receiver.

2. The sprayer of claim 1, wherein the container comprises a front portion and a rear portion, wherein the front portion is elevated with respect to rear portion.

3. The sprayer of claim 1, wherein the pin includes an outside portion that is perforated.

4. The sprayer of claim 1, wherein the housing and the container are removably coupled through the pin and the pin receiver.

5. The sprayer of claim 1, wherein the grip portion is curved and

wherein a carrier liquid receiving port and a nozzle are in selective fluid communication with the outlet of the main chamber and the housing is coupled to the container opening at the substance liquid inlet.

6. The sprayer of claim 1, wherein the grip portion and the pivot switch are positioned so that a user can hold the sprayer and affect movement of the pivot switch with one hand.

7. The sprayer of claim 5, further comprising:

a carrier liquid conduit in selective fluid communication with the main chamber at the carrier liquid inlet; and

a substance liquid conduit in selective fluid communication with the main chamber and the container at the substance liquid inlet.

8. The sprayer of claim 1, wherein the pivot switch controls the flow of a carrier liquid and the substance liquid into the main chamber.

9. The sprayer of claim 7, wherein the substance liquid conduit is positioned perpendicular to the main chamber.

10. The sprayer of claim 7, wherein the main chamber is configured to generate a vacuum to enable mixing of a carrier liquid and the substance liquid.

11. The sprayer of claim 1, wherein the main chamber comprises:

a rear chamber;

a middle chamber; and

a front chamber.

12. The sprayer of claim 11, wherein the rear chamber, the middle chamber, and the front chamber have different dimensions.

13. The sprayer of claim 11, wherein the main chamber is configured so that the mixing of a carrier liquid and the substance liquid occurs within the front chamber.

14. The sprayer of claim 11, wherein the main chamber comprises three operating positions, the three operating positions comprising:

a first operating position, wherein the main chamber is not in fluid communication with either a carrier liquid conduit or a substance liquid conduit;

a second operating position, wherein the main chamber is in fluid communication with both the carrier liquid conduit and the substance liquid conduit; and

a third operating position wherein the main chamber is fluid communication with the carrier liquid conduit but not with the substance liquid conduit.

15. A sprayer comprising:

a container defining an interior compartment for containing a substance liquid;

the container comprising a front portion, a rear portion, and a pin receiver;

a container opening spaced apart from the pin receiver;

a housing comprising;

an exterior shell comprising a first part and a second part,

a curved grip portion,

a pin,

a main chamber comprising a substance liquid inlet, a carrier liquid inlet, and an outlet,

a carrier liquid receiving port, and

a nozzle in selective fluid communication with the outlet of the main chamber; and

a pivot switch having three operating positions, the pivot switch being located on the exterior of the housing for selecting a fluid flow condition for the main chamber, wherein the pivot switch is operatively coupled to a pivot arm to translate movement of the pivot switch, through an arcuate path, to the main chamber and the pivot arm is pivotally connected to a pivot axis, the pivot axis being located below the main chamber within the housing;

wherein prior to the housing being connected to the container, the first part of the housing comprises a pin attached thereto such that the first part and the pin are a unitary, monolithic component;

wherein after the housing is connected to the container, the pin is inserted through the pin receiver such that the first part and pin are no longer a unitary, monolithic component and the housing is coupled to the container at two separate points comprising;

the container opening and the pin receiver.

16. A sprayer comprising:

a container defining an interior compartment for containing a substance liquid and comprising a pin receiver;

a container opening spaced apart from the pin receiver;

a housing comprising a grip portion, a main chamber, and a pin; and

a pivot switch on an exterior of the housing for selecting a fluid flow condition for the main chamber, wherein the pivot switch is operatively coupled to a pivot arm to translate movement of the pivot switch, through an arcuate path, to the main chamber and the pivot arm is pivotally connected to a pivot axis, the pivot axis being located below the main chamber of the housing, wherein the main chamber comprises a front chamber, a middle chamber, and a rear chamber configured to have three operating positions, the three operating positions comprising;

a first operating position, wherein the main chamber is not in fluid communication with either a carrier liquid conduit or a substance liquid conduit,

a second operating position, wherein the main chamber is in fluid communication with both the carrier liquid conduit and the substance liquid conduit, and

a third operating position wherein the main chamber is fluid communication with the carrier liquid conduit but not with the substance liquid conduit;

wherein prior to the housing being connected to the container, the housing comprises a pin attached thereto such that the housing and the pin are a unitary, monolithic component;

wherein after the housing is connected to the container, the pin is inserted through the pin receiver such that the housing and pin are no longer a unitary, monolithic component and the housing is coupled to the container at two separate points comprising;

the container opening and the pin receiver.