AU716336B2 - Apparatus for dispensing and applying fluids - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING AND APPLYING FLUIDS The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me.

This invention relates to hand held apparatus for dispensing and applying a fluid, such as for example paint or detergent, to a surface.

*.The invention broadly comprises hand-held apparatus for dispensing and applying a fluid, including a handle providing a reservoir for said fluid, pump means so located on the handle as to be actuatable by a hand gripping the handle, said pump S 15 means operating to raise the air pressure within the reservoir, and fluid supply conduit means extending from the reservoir to supply fluid to a fluid applicator mounted on the •handle.

o For the purposes of illustration the invention will be described by way of example only with reference to hand held apparatus for applying paint to a surface by means ofa painting roller and by means ofa pad, and with reference to a squeegee for window cleaning. It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to these i particular applications of paint and equally may be utilised in the application of other fluids to surfaces.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 illustrates a handle portion; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal cross-section of the handle portion shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 Illustrates an assembled squeegee; Fig. 4 Illustrates a valve which forms part of these components; is a side elevation of the squeegee; Fig. 6 Illustrates components of a squeegee for use with the handle portion illustrated in Fig. 1; c97023.doc 12/6/97 Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a painting pad in accordance with the invention; Fig. 8 is an exploded view of a portion of the pad assembly suitable of Fig. 7; Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a paint roller configured in accordance with a preferred embodiment the first aspect of the invention; and Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a rotating fluid coupling suitable for use in the paint roller embodiment illustrated in Fig. 1.

As will be seen below, the illustrated embodiments of the invention have in common a fluid-containing handle, which may be pressurised to drive fluid to the head of the device. Depending on the application, the head may for example comprise a squeegee, a paint roller, a paint pad or other device. The features of the handle portions .i of these devices will therefore be described first, and the features of the various heads will then be described.

:i 15 The handle 20 illustrated in Figs 1 and 2 is a hollow cylinder, suitably of aluminium and ofa diameter comfortably to suit the hand, and is provided at its lower end with a removable threaded end cap 21. The end cap 21 is preferably smaller in diameter than the handle, to enable an extension pole (not shown here) to be attached to and removed from the handle without interference.

20 The upper end of the handle, not shown in Figs. 1 or 2, will support an S implement such as the squeegee, pad or roller, as described below.

Towards the lower end of the handle, at a location comfortably encompassed by the hand with which the operator grips the handle, there is provided a concave wall portion 22, and this portion of the handle is surrounded by a band 23 of elastic material such as natural rubber, this band having a distended portion forming a diaphragm 24 which is located in juxtaposition with the wall portion 22 to form a valve chamber A non-return valve air inlet 26 is fitted in the wall of the diaphragm 24, and a non-return valve 27 is fitted into the concave wall 22 to allow air to flow only into the interior of the handle The handle 20 may thus be gripped so as to allow the user to depress the diaphragm 24, thereby forcing air through the valve 27 and raising the pressure inside the handle 20. Upon release of the diaphragm 24 it will return to its distended shape, with the valve 26 allowing air to pass into the valve chamber 25. The return of the c97023.doc 12/6/97 diaphragm to its distended shape may be assisted by means of a spring, such as the leaf spring 28 mounted within the handle 20 and shown by way of example in Fig. 3.

Figs. 3 and 5 illustrate a squeegee employing a handle 20 as described in Figs 1 and 2. The squeegee 30 includes a squeegee head 31 mounted on a handle 20, the head having a squeegee blade 32 fixed on one edge of a base 33. A pad 34 of material such as pile is fixed to one side of the base 33.

In use detergent stored in the reservoir formed by the tubular handle 20 is pumped by pressure to the squeegee head 31 through a fluid passage defined by a fluid supply tube 50 in the handle 20, a slide valve 35, and fluid manifolds 36 and 37.

The manifolds 36 and 37 are of D-shaped cross-section and are located on opposite sides of the head 31, with manifold 37 adjacent to the blade 32 and manifold 36 beneath the pad 34 on the opposite side. Each manifold 36 and 37 includes a plurality of fluid outlet ports 38 and is coupled to the valve 35 by flexible tubes 39 and 40 respectively. A single row of bristles 29 may be provided below the manifold 37 to 15 catch excess detergent which may otherwise escape on to the finished surface.

The valve 35 includes a hollow rectangular body 41 partially enveloping a complementary solid rectangular slide 42. A cylindrical orifice 43 passes through a S.central region of the slide 42 between the lower (inlet) and upper (outlet) side thereof The body 41 is provided with two orifices 44 and 45 on the corresponding outlet 20 side of comparable diameter to the cylindrical orifice 43, and two corresponding orifices 46 and 47 on the inlet side coaxial with the orifices 44 and 45 respectively. The flexible tubes 39 and 40 are coupled to orifices 44 and 45 respectively, while the tube 50 ends in a T portion 51 connecting it with the orifices 46 and 47.

The valve 35 has three states, determined by three respective positions of the slide 42. In the first state the slide 42 is located within the body 41 so that the orifice 43 coincides with the orifices 44 and 46 to establish a fluid passage between them, enabling fluid to be passed to the manifold 37 which supplies the blade 32.

In the second, closed, state the slide is located as shown in Fig. 4, with the orifice 43 located midway between the pairs of orifices 44, 46 and 45, 47 so that these are simultaneously blanked off by the slide 42.

In the third state of the valve 35 the slide is moved to the right from the position shown in Fig. 4 so that the orifice 43 is aligned with the orifices 45 and 47 to establish a fluid passage between those orifices, enabling flow to the manifold 36 which supplies the sponge 34.

c97023.do 13/6/97 The slide 42 fits with a clearance within the body 41, and the latter is provided with pips 48 on the opposed inner side surfaces of the body 41. These pips reduce the sliding resistance of the slide 42 as it is moved between its three states and reduce the incidence of sticking.

The slide 42 is provided with end stops 49 on both longitudinal ends preventing the slide 42 from being completely withdrawn from within the body 41 The tube 50 extends down the length of the handle 20 towards the bottom and is fitted with an end cap and filter 54.

The squeegee is assembled as described with the handle 20 filled with detergent.

Pressure inside the handle 20 is increased in the manner described ,forcing the detergent up the tube 50 to one of the two tubes 39 or 40 depending on the state of the valve selected by the user. Selection of the state of the valve 35 will thus allow detergent to flow either to the blade 32 or the pad 34, after which the valve slide 42 may be positioned in its central, closed state while the charge of detergent thus delivered to the :15 squeegee head is used.

The squeegee illustrated has a short handle 20 for normal close work. It may of course be provided with a longer handle, or an extension handle may be attached for longer reach.

Reference is now made to Figs 7 and 8, which illustrate a painting pad.

20 The illustrated painting pad 55 includes a pad assembly 56 pivotally coupled to a handle 20 provided as in the previous embodiments with a pump mechanism including a diaphragm 24 and a supply tube 50, which in this embodiment is a flexible tube. In this case, of course, the handle 20 forms a paint reservoir.

The pad assembly 56 comprises a finishing pad 57 mounted on a backing pad 58 and a base 59 In use paint stored in the reservoir is pumped under pressure to the finishing pad 57 through a fluid passage defined by the flexible fluid feed tube 50 which extends from the handle 20, and a tubular feed manifold 60 having a plurality of fluid outlet ports 61.

The manifold 60 is housed in a corresponding groove in the base 59 and is sandwiched in place in the groove by the backing pad 58. The backing pad 58 includes orifices (not shown) which coincide with the outlet ports 61 allowing paint to flow from the manifold 60 to the finishing pad 57.

The base 59 is pivotally mounted on the handle 20, preferably with a spring (not shown) to hold the pad on the surface with an even pressure, and the tube 50 forms a c97023.doc 12/6/97 flexible fluid coupling between the paint reservoir and the pad assembly, enabling the handle to be held at a range of angles relative to the base 59 which is convenient to the user while providing a continuous fluid passage.

Operation of the pump and the consequent increasing air pressure in the handle 20 forces the paint in the reservoir up the tube 50 and into the manifold 60 and thence out of the outlet ports 61.

The finishing pad 57, which may be made of sponge material or some other suitable material for applying paint to a surface, will absorb the paint which will then be applied to a surface during a painting action of the painting pad.

Another embodiment of the invention provides a painting roller 65 shown in Figs. 9 and 10. The roller 65 includes a roller frame 66 rotatably mounted on a hollow S: arm 67 coupled to a handle 20. As in the previous embodiment, the handle 20 forms a paint reservoir with a hand operated pump (not shown).

In use, paint is applied to a surface by a roller sleeve (not shown) fitted over and 15 rotating with the frame. The paint is stored in the reservoir handle 20 and pumped under pressure to the roller sleeve through a fluid passage defined by a feed tube 50 in the handle 20, the arm 67, a rotating fluid coupling 68 and manifolds 69 with outlet ports 70 adjacent the inner surface of the sleeve.

The upper end of the arm 67 forms a hollow axle 71 for the frame 66 and 20 includes an orifice forming a fluid outlet port 72, and the other end is coupled to a top end ofthe handle The frame 66 includes the coupling 68 in the form of a hollow manifold disc a. e rotatably mounted on the axle 71 over the fluid outlet port 72.

At least one and preferably two manifolds 69 are coupled to the disc 73 so they project from the periphery region of the disc 73 in an axial direction, each manifold 69 having a plurality of orifices forming outlet ports The disc 73 and manifolds 69 provide a fluid passage allowing paint leaving the outlet port 72 to be passed to the outlet ports 70 while the disc 73 is free to rotate with the frame 66 about the axle 71.

The roller sleeve (not shown) fitted to the frame 66 absorbs the paint as it exudes from the ports 70. Alternatively the sleeve may be provided with holes located to correspond with the fluid outlet ports, so that the paint which flows out of the outlet ports 70 will be applied to a surface during a rolling action of the roller c97023.doc 12/6/97 The roller sleeve may be made of fibres or some other material suitable for applying paint to a surface.

As in the case of the squeegee, the handle 20 of the painting pad or of the roller may be longer than shown, or an extension handle provided for greater reach.

Variations and additions may be made to the devices described above without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, it may be preferred to provide a non-return valve at the upper end of the handle, between the supply tube 50 and the fluid passage to the squeegee, pad, roller or other device attached to the handle. Such a non-return valve could comprise a valve seat and a spring-loaded ball within a housing mounted in the upper end of the handle 20. Instead of providing an inner concave wall 22 and a non-return valve 27, this wall may be eliminated and the entire interior of the tube pressurised by the pump action of the diaphragm 24. Other variations may be made within the scope of the claims.

*ee c97023.doc 12/6/97

Claims (14)

1. Hand-held apparatus for dispensing and applying a fluid, including a handle providing a reservoir for said fluid, pump means so located on the handle as to be actuatable by a hand gripping the handle, said pump means operating to force air into said reservoir to raise the air pressure within said reservoir, and fluid supply conduit means extending from the reservoir to supply fluid to a fluid applicator mounted on the handle.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the pump means includes a cavity formed :in the wall of said handle and diaphragm means covering said cavity to form a valve I chamber, said diaphragm means being depressible into said cavity by the gripping hand. 15

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said pump means further includes a non- return valve allowing the movement of air from said cavity to said reservoir and a non-return valve allowing the flow of air into said cavity from the atmosphere. *g

4. Apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 to 3 wherein said applicator is a squeegee head including a squeegee blade and sponge means and fluid delivery conduit means selectively delivering fluid from the fluid supply conduit means to the squeegee blade or the sponge means.

Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the fluid delivery conduit means includes valve means operable between a first position in which fluid is directed from said supply conduit means to delivery conduit means associated with the squeegee blade, a second position in which fluid is directed from said supply conduit means to delivery conduit means associated with the sponge means, and a third position in which flow of fluid from said supply conduit means to said delivery conduit means is prevented.

6. Apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 to 3 wherein said applicator is a t painting pad including fluid delivery conduit means distributing fluid from said supply 8 conduit to applicator pad means.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6 in which the painting pad further includes a base member, said delivery conduit means including a manifold housed by the base member.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7 in which the pad further includes a backing pad mounted on the base member and supporting a finishing pad, the backing member being apertured to allow the passage of fluid from the manifold to the finishing pad.

9. Apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 to 3 wherein said applicator is a painting roller including a frame for supporting a removable applicator sleeve and manifold means distributing fluid to said sleeve from said supply conduit means. 15

10. Apparatus according to claim 9 in which the frame is mounted for rotation on an arm mounted on said handle, the arm being tubular to provide conduit means between the handle and the manifold means. 0*

11. Apparatus according to claim l0 in which the frame rotates on a tubular axle S 20 mounted on said arm and carrying paint therefrom, the frame including a rotating o manifold communicating with an orifice in the axle to carry paint therefrom to "manifolds mounted on the periphery of the frame.

12. Hand-held apparatus for dispensing and applying a fluid substantially as described herein with reference to Figs. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.

13. Hand-held apparatus for dispensing and applying a fluid substantially as described herein with reference to Figs. 3 to 6 of the accompanying drawings.

14. Hand-held apparatus for dispensing and applying a fluid substantially as described herein with reference to Figs. 7 and 8 of the accompanying drawings. 8a Hand-held apparatus for dispensing and applying a fluid substantially as described herein with reference to Figs. 9 and 10 of the accompanying drawings. RAMON RIYAD BESHAY 14 December 1999 Patent Attorneys for the Applicant: Halford Co. S S