Fluid valve and actuator for inverted fluid reservoir

• US 20050058500A1
• Filed: 08/25/2004
• Published: 03/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Clorox Company
• Original Assignee: Clorox Company
• Inventors: Minkler, Douglas J., Hall, Michael J., Culang, Francis J., Couts, Danielle J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,048,458 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 401/140
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/22 with liquid-feeding devices
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/26 Other cleaning devices with liquid supply arrangements such arrangements on floor-polishing machines A47L11/00, on scrapers A47L13/03, on mops A47L13/22; cloths, pads, or the like containing cleaning agents A47L13/17, A47L13/19
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/312 supplied with liquid wax or oil
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/44 Securing scouring-cloths to the brush or like body of the implement

Abstract

A valve for controlling flow of fluid from an inverted fluid reservoir, the valve comprising: retaining mechanism for coupling the valve to a fluid reservoir; a central fluid opening for flow of fluid from the fluid reservoir through the valve; a valve post slidably disposed within the central fluid opening, the valve post having a sealing portion adapted to seal the central fluid opening and prevent fluid flow through the valve in a closed position; a biasing mechanism coupled to the valve post for biasing the sealing portion of the valve post against the central fluid opening when the valve is in the closed position; and an air vent system.

Claims

1. A valve for controlling flow of fluid from an inverted fluid reservoir on a hard surface cleaning system to the hard surface, the valve comprising:

retaining means for coupling the valve to an inverted fluid reservoir;

a central fluid opening for flow of fluid from the fluid reservoir through the valve;

a valve post slidably disposed within the central fluid opening, the valve post having a sealing means adapted to seal the central fluid opening and prevent fluid flow through the valve in a closed position;

a biasing means coupled to the valve post, the biasing means creating a biasing force for sealing the sealing means of the valve post against the central fluid opening when the valve is in the closed position; and

an air vent system comprising an opening between the fluid reservoir and the atmosphere and an elongated dip tube, the dip tube having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end coupled to the opening, and the distal end connected to a backflow preventer to prevent flow of fluid into the dip tube.

2. The valve of claim 1 further comprising a valve cap, the valve cap defining the central fluid opening.

3. The valve of claim 2 in which the valve cap further comprises the opening between the fluid reservoir and the atmosphere.

4. The valve of claim 1 in which the backflow preventer comprises a duck bill valve.

5. The valve of claim 1 in which the backflow preventer comprises a check valve.

6. The valve of claim 1 in which the backflow preventer comprises a ball and spring-type check valve.

7. The valve of claim 1 further comprising a protector for the backflow preventer to prevent interference with the backflow preventer.

8. The valve of claim 7 in which the protector comprises a portion which extends to and around the backflow preventer.

9. A valve for controlling flow of fluid from an inverted fluid reservoir, the valve comprising:

retaining mechanism for coupling the valve to a fluid reservoir;

a central fluid opening for flow of fluid from the fluid reservoir through the valve;

a valve post slidably disposed within the central fluid opening, the valve post having a sealing portion adapted to seal the central fluid opening and prevent fluid flow through the valve in a closed position;

a biasing mechanism coupled to the valve post for biasing the sealing portion of the valve post against the central fluid opening when the valve is in the closed position; and

an air vent system.

10. The valve of claim 9 in which the valve post further comprises an external cam surface for communicating an actuating force to the valve post.

11. A method for coupling an inverted fluid reservoir to a tool for cleaning hard surfaces, the method comprising the following steps:

obtaining a cleaning tool with a handle and a holster portion coupled to the handle for supporting a cleaning fluid reservoir in an essentially inverted position;

obtaining a fluid reservoir having an opening at one end;

attaching a valve to the opening of the fluid reservoir; and

receiving the inverted fluid reservoir into the holster portion such that upon actuation of the valve, fluid is dispensed from the inverted fluid reservoir through the valve as desired.

12. A method for dispensing fluid from an inverted fluid reservoir coupled to a cleaning tool, the method comprising the following steps:

obtaining a cleaning tool with a handle and a holster portion coupled to the handle for supporting a cleaning fluid reservoir in an essentially inverted position;

obtaining a fluid reservoir having an opening at one end;

attaching a valve to the opening of the fluid reservoir;

receiving the inverted fluid reservoir into the holster portion such that the valve is disposed within the holster portion; and

controllably dispensing fluid from the inverted fluid reservoir by allowing fluid to flow through the valve as desired.

13. A method for dispensing fluid from a fluid reservoir coupled to a cleaning tool, the method comprising the following steps:

attaching a portion of flexible tubing with a nozzle at one end to a valve on a fluid reservoir;

attaching the nozzle at the end of the portion of flexible tubing to a cleaning head portion on the cleaning tool; and

actuating the valve on the fluid reservoir, thereby dispensing fluid from the nozzle as desired.