AU673075B2

AU673075B2 - Liquid applicator

Info

Publication number: AU673075B2
Application number: AU66054/94A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Rex Arthur Cameron
Original assignee: Lincoln Plastics Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Lincoln Plastics Pty Ltd
Priority date: 1993-07-02
Filing date: 1994-06-29
Publication date: 1996-10-24
Anticipated expiration: 2014-06-29
Also published as: AU6605494A

Description

42914 AWT:MH P/00/011 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

0 Name of Applicant: REX ARTHUR CAMERON *0 Name of inventor; REX ARTHUR CAMERON Address for Service: COLLISON CO., 117 King William Street, Adelaide, S.A. 5000 Invention Title: LIQUID APPLICATOR Details of Associated Provisional Applications: PL9756 dated 2nd July 1993 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: This invention relates to a liquid applicator and more particularly to a liquid applicator useful for domestic applications.

One particular application to which the present invention may be applied is for herbicide or weedicide application but the invention is not limited to this application. The invertion will be generally discussed in relation to herbicide or weedicide application.

There has been proposed a herbicide applicator which comprises a wick extending from a herbicide reservoir. The wick can be rubbed against unwanted plants to dispense herbicide on to the plants. The herbicide in 1 0 such devices, however, is used at a high concentration and hence only very little herbicide is place.d on to the plant. It is difficult to see when sufficient herbicide has been placed on the plant and this either results in :i insufficient herbicide being placed on or over compensation and too much herbicide being placed on to the plant with wastage of the herbicide.

1 5 It is desirable therefore to have a herbicide applicator in which the herbicide can be applied at lower concentrations but this requires a greater flow rate of herbicide and the wick and capillary action of the prior art devices is not suitable.

It is the object of this invention to provide a liquid applicator which overcomes one or more of the above problems or at least provides the public with a useful choice.

In one form therefore the invention is said to reside in a liquid applicator head comprising a body, a brush means extending from the body and a S"valve assembly in the body to enable supply of liquid, wherein the brush means is associated with the valve assembly such that movement of the brush means causes actuation of the valve assembly and consequent supply of liquid.

Preferably the valve assembly comprises a valve body, a valve aperture in the valve body, a valve member adapted to close the valve aperture and a 3 0 valve stem fastened to the valve member with the brush means fastened to the valve stem wherein movement of the brush means and hence of the valve stem causes the valve member to be lifted off the valve aperture to allow flow of liquid.

The body may include means to allow for the connection of a bottle or reservoir of a liquid to be applied.

in an alternative form the invention is said to reside in a liquid applicator comprising a reservoir which is also adapted to act as a handle for the applicator, and an applicator head at one end of the reservoir, the applicator head including a brush means and a valve assembly to supply liquid from the reservoir to the brush means upon demand, wherein the 1 0 brush means is fastened to a valve stem of the valve means such that movement of the brush means causes movement of the valve stem and consequent opening of the valve to allow supply of liquid.

It will be seen that by this invention there is provided a valve arrangement which is opened by movement of the brush such as by brushing the brush S 1 5 across an object such as an undesired plant or using a dabbing action .across the object. This then allows dispensing of liquid directly by the brush on to the object.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the applicator head incl "'s first and second compartments separated by a valve wall through which a valve port passes. A first compartment is adapted to have the reservoir screwed on to it and the second compartment contains the brush. The valve stem extends through the valve port and a valve member and valve seat exists on the reservoir side of the valve wall. The brush is fastened to the valve stem and a spring provides positive engagement of the valve 2 5 member on to the valve sea. When the brush is moved either upwards or from side to side the valve stem is moved or lifted which moves the valve member from the valve seat and allows supply of liquid from the first compartment of the applicator head into the second compartment and hence on to the brush. The valve stem may be splined to allow the 3 0 passage of liquid from the first compartment to the second compartment through the valve port.

Preferably the second compartment includes a flexible rubber boot extending from the sides of the compartment to the bristles of the brush so that liquid is guided into the bristles for direct application. The rubber boot may be corrugated, pleated or shaped in some other way to enable sufficient movement of the brush means to enable dispensing.

The applicator head may further include a cap which may be replaced after use so that the herbicide or other liquid on the brush does not dry up on the bristles and so as to prevent leakage, contamination and to provide safety during storage. The cap may be screwed on, be a push fit, have a bayonet fitting or be a snap fit.

The applicator head may be removable to allow for refilling of the 1 0 reservoir.

In one form the reservoir may be an elongated tube so that it acts as a long handle so that a user can stand upright and apply herbicide to plants.

Preferably the reservoir is manufactured from a plastics rraterial tube having a sealed end at one end and an adaptor for fastening the 1 5 applicator head at the other end. Suitable sealing such as by an O-ring or a gasket may be provided between the applicator head and the reservoir tube.

The O-ring or a jaslet which seals the applicator head to the reservoir tube and the O-rirng whici comprises the valve member may be replaceable.

eeee The device of the present invention may be used for application of paints such as water based paints, glues, shoe polish, herbicides and weedicides, marker fluids, lubricating or penetrating oils and many other applications.

This then generally describes the invention but to assist with understanding the invention reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which show preferred embodiments of the invention particularly as a herbicide applicator.

In the drawings: FIG 1 shows a view of a herbicide applicator according to one embodiment of this inv tion, FIG 2 shows a cross-sectional view of the applicator head according to this embodiment, FIG 3 shows a cross-sectonal view of an applicator head according to an alternative embodiment, FIG 4 shows a cross-sectional view of an applicator head according to an alternative embodiment, FIG 5 shows a cross-sectional view of an applicator head 1 0 according to an alternative embodiment, and FIG 6 shows a cross-sectional view of an applicator head and a container mounted to the applicator head according to an alternative embodiment.

coo• Now looking more closely at the drawings and in particular the first 1 5 embodiment shown in FIG 1 and FIG 2 it can be seen that the herbicide applicator embodiment of this invention comprises an elongated reservoir :i tube 1 having a cap 2 at one end and an applicator head generally shown as 3 at the other.

As can be seen in particular in PIG 2 which is a cross. sectional view of the applicator head 3 there is an adaptor 5 fitted on to the tube 1 which enables the applicator head body 6 to be screwed on to the tube 1. O-ring S7 provides a seal between the adaptor 5 and the body 6. The body 6 is divided into a compartment 8 and a compartment 9 by means of a wall The wall 10 includes an aperture 11 through which extends a valve stem 12. An upper surface of the wall 10 provides a valve seat 13 and an Oring 14 provides a valve member. Screw 16 fastened into the valve stem 12 and washer 15 hold the O-ring in place. A spring 18 on the valve stem 12 holds tha valve member 14 against the valve seat 13.

A ferrule 20 of a brush 21 is fastened into socket 22 on the end of the 3 0 valve stem 12 so that movement of the brush 21 moves the valve stem 12

~I

and hence opens the valve to allow liquid to be dispensed. A flexible rubber boot 23 extends between the outer cylindrical wall of the compartment 9 and the bristles of the brush 21 to provide a flexible closure for the end of the compartment 9.

A cap 25 is adapted to screw fit on to the outside of the body 6 of the applicator head. Suitable knurling at 26 on the cap is provided to enable the cap to be easily removed. Similar knurling 27 on the applicator head body enables the applicator head to be removed from the reservoir tube In use, the applicator head 3 is removed from the reservoir tube 1 and 1 0 herbicide at a low concentration is poured into the tube until it is nearly full. The applicator head is then replaced and the herbicide applicator inverted so that the brush is pointing downwards.

The cap 25 is then removed and by brushing or dabbing the brush 21 on to unwanted weeds the valve is opened and herbicide is allowed to flow 1 5 from the reservoir tube and first compartment into the second compartment 9 from where it can flow on to the bristles and pass down on to the unwanted weeds.

In use there will be an air pocket formed at the upper end of the reservoir tube and as herbicide is used the low pressure in this upper region will stop liquid flooding the bottom chamber whenever the valve is opened.

The dabbing action of the brush during use allows a certain amount of air to come up through the valve and to allow for more liquid to flow out. Tl'he o,"boot 23 around the bristles of the brush prevents excess herbicide from flowing out over the bristles.

,i 25 In a preferred embodiment of the invention the reservoir tube may be 850 mm long and made from plastics tube with 27 mm outside diameter. This provides a reservoir which will hold about 350 mls of dilute herbicide.

Preferably the herbicide is used at a concentration of 3.6 to 7.2 grams/litre of a herbicide such as glyphosate.

3 0 An alternative embodiment of applicator head is shown in FIG 3 in crcss section.

The applicator head in this embodiment is adapted to be fixed to a container such as a jar or bottle of liquid for application of the liquid. The applicator head comprises a body 30 having an internal screw thread 31 at one end. This screw said 31 is adapted to be screwed on to the top of a container for a liquid to be applied. The body 30 includes a dividing wall 32 forming an upper chamber 33 and a lower chamber 34 with an aperture 35 in the wall 32 for allowing the liquid to be applied from the upper chamber 33 to the lower chamber 34. In this embodiment the brush 36 is in the form of an open cell foam. The open cell foam brush is 1 0 supported in a recess in the valve stem 40 which includes a post 44 which protrudes into the foam brush to give some support to the foam brush.

Hence the liquid to be applied flows through the open cell foam brush and is applied from the surface 37. A flexible boot 38 fits around the periphery of the foam brush 36 and up on to the outside of the body 30 to provide a 1 5 closed lower compartment 34. The valve stem includes a valve member 41 which is a push fit connection into the valve stem. The valve member 6 41 includes an integrally moulded sealing surface 42. A spring 43 forces the sealing member 42 into engagement with the wall 32 except when the foam brush 36 is moved in such a manner as to open up the valve.

FIG 4 shows an alternative embodiment of valve arrangement. In this embodiment the portions which have a similar construction and function to those depicted in FIG 3 will be given the same number,3.

The valve stem 50 includes a number of wing portions 51 which bear against the underside of the dividing wall 32 and which provide resilient bias to keep the valve head 53 and integral valve sealing members 54 against the upper side of the dividing wall 32 around the aperture 4**Once again in this embodiment the valve member 53 is push fitted into the valve stem In the embodiment shown in FIG 5 the dividing wall 60 between the upper 3 0 chamber 61 and lower chamber 62 is made from a resilient material such as rubber and this provides the resiliency for the valve operation as well as the dividing wall. The valve stem 63 extends through the rubber wall and an aperture 64 passes through the stem 63. When the brush means 65 is deflected the valve stem 63 is moved and this opens u the 3 5 aperture 64 to fluid flow from the chamber 61 through the aperture 64 into 8 the chamber 62 and hence on to the brush By this means a brush assembly of a simpli" nstruction is formed.

FIG 6 shows an applicator head of a still fu. sner construction mounted on to a bottle 70 by means of a screw thread 71 on the bottle engaging with the corresponding screw thread 72 on the body 73 of the applicator head.

The valve member 74 in this embodiment is similar in its push fit assembly technique to the valve stem shown in FIGS 3 and 4, however, this valve arrangement includes a separate O-ring 75 to provide the sealing member and a resilient coil spring 76 as the spring. A push fit cap 77 is provided to 1 0 fit over the brush and fit on to the body 73 to cover the bristles of the brush 78.

It will be seen generally that by this invention there is an arrangement by which the valve arrangement is directly associated with the brush so that movement of the brush opens the valve to allow fluid flow through the S 1 5 valve. The strength of the resilient spring can be such that a gentle brushing action can be used to spread liquid with the brush without further liquid being dispensed and a stronger dabbing action may be required to actually dispense liquid.

It will be realised that the applicator head according to this invention can 20 be made from any suitable material but particularly useful is an applicator head made by injection moulding of plastics materials.

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