EP0682569B1

EP0682569B1 - Liquid dispensing apparatus

Info

Publication number: EP0682569B1
Application number: EP93924755A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Terence William Bolton
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1992-12-02
Filing date: 1993-11-12
Publication date: 1997-03-19
Anticipated expiration: 2013-11-12
Also published as: DE69309113T2; GB2273065B; DE69309113D1; GB2273065A; KR0146973B1; EP0682569A1; RU2097145C1; AU5430294A; WO1994012288A1; GB9225350D0; JP2716586B2; ES2103501T3; JPH08502447A; SG52744A1; KR950704052A; AU672848B2; ATE150341T1

Abstract

Apparatus for dispensing a fine spray of liquid particles, eg an air brush, comprises a hand operated pump 1 directed to supply air under pressure directly to a nozzle 2 so positioned that air leaving the nozzle is directed onto and over the nib 9 of a pen-like container 8 releasably supported within a holder 6 with the nib of the pen-like container in close proximity to the nozzle outlet to cause liquid from the container to be dispensed as a fine particulate spray in air. The pump comprises a flexible bulb secured to the inlet end of a nozzle and includes an internal inwardly extending rib which on assembly of the bulb to the nozzle seats behind an outwardly extending annular step formed on the external surface of the nozzle structure.

Description

This invention relates to apparatus for dispensing a fine spray of liquid particles and more especially, but not exclusively, to liquid dispensers known as air brushes.
My British Patent No: GB-A-2245196 discloses apparatus for dispensing a fine spray of liquid particles which comprises a manually operated pump connected to supply air under pressure directly to a nozzle so positioned that air leaving the nozzle is directed onto and over a nib of a pen-like container releasably supported within a holder with the nib of the pen-like container in close proximity to the nozzle outlet to cause liquid from the pen to be dispensed as a fine particulate spray in air.
More especially, GB-A-2245196 discloses a foot operated pump connected by a flexible hose to a hand held nozzle including a holder for supporting a felt-tipped pen.
This earlier dispenser was found to be cumbersome to use and relatively expensive to produce. Also, during use of this dispenser, it was found that the pressure engendered when the pump was compressed caused, in certain circumstances, the hose of the pump to become separated from the nozzle.
US-A-2538416 discloses an atomiser including a flexible hand-operated bulb connected to a flange forming part of a cap of a container of fluid to be atomised. The flange includes a neck portion which protrudes into an open end of the bulb and is formed with an outwardly extending stop which located behind an internal surface of an inwardly extending tip of the bulb.
US-A-4845 516 discloses a pen exchange mechanism by which a plurality of pen chuck mechanisms holding pens on a carriage are disposed.
The present invention sets out to provide a simplified dispenser including a hand operated pump connected directly to a hand held nozzle without the need for a flexible hose. The present invention also provides a dispenser in which the hand operated pump is securely connected to the nozzle to prevent displacement thereof during use.
According to the present invention in one aspect, there is provided apparatus for dispensing a fine spray of liquid particles, the apparatus comprising a hand operated flexible bulb formed with an open-ended neck which locates over the inlet end of a nozzle positioned to direct air over the inlet end of a nozzle positioned to direct air under pressure from the flexible bulb onto and over the nib of a pen releasably supported within a holder with the nib of the pen in close proximity to the outlet of the nozzle the apparatus being characterised in that the inner surface of the neck of the flexible bulb includes an inwardly extending annular rib which, on assembly of the bulb to the nozzle, seats behind an outwardly extending annular step of an inclined section of the nozzle, located at or towards the said inlet end of the nozzle and in that the inlet end of the nozzle over which the neck of the bulb seats is formed with a second inclined section which terminates in an annular step.
The nozzle preferably includes a locating surface against which a shoulder of the pen adjacent its nib abuts in use to ensure correct location of the nib with respect to the nozzle outlet.
The nozzle and the pen may, in use of the apparatus, be retained within discrete channels of a separable holder, the channels being mutually inclined so that compressed air leaving the nozzle flows directly onto and over the nib of the pen.
The channel for retaining the pen may be defined by a sleeve releasably secured to the holder. More than one such sleeve may be provided to enable pens having a variety of diameters and cross-sections to be retained by the holder.
Alternatively, for example, the channel for retaining the pen, which may be the sleeve releasably secured to the holder, may be provided with internal flanges or shoulders for example which may be of a flexible and/or resilient nature, and which may be so arranged and configured as to enable pens having a variety of diameters and cross section to be retained therein.
The bulb may be produced from a flexible material such as rubber which can be squeezed or otherwise deformed to expel air under pressure therefrom.
The liquid may be a colourant such as ink or an edible food colourant and the liquid source may comprise a conventional ink pen or a felt tipped marker.
The invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which:-

Figure 1 is a perspective view of air brush apparatus in accordance with the invention;
Figure 2 is a front view of a part of the apparatus illustrated in Figure 1; and
Figure 3 is a section taken through an assembly of a hand pump and nozzle of the illustrated apparatus.

The air brush illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 comprises a hand pump 1 in the form of a flexible bulb of, for example, rubber connected to a nozzle 2 retained within a first channel 3 of a plastics holder 4. The holder 4 includes a second channel 5 within which is removably mounted a sleeve 6. The sleeve is retained in place by a suitable screw fixing 7. Positioned within the sleeve 6 is a felt-tipped pen 8.
The channels 3,5 are mutually inclined so that the nib 9 of the pen 8 is positioned in close proximity to the nozzle outlet. When using a nozzle as illustrated in Figure 1, the pen shoulder 11 adjacent the nib 9 is positioned against a step 10 for location purposes.
The holder 4 is designed to be held a specified distance away from the article on which a fine spray of particles is to be applied. Operation of the hand pump 1 causes air under pressure to flow directly through the nozzle 2. As this compressed air passes over the nib 9 of the pen, a fine dispersion of particles is produced.
Turning now to Figure 3, it will be seen that the end 12 of the nozzle 2 over which the open end 14 of the bulb 1 seats includes, in sequence, an inclined section 15 terminating in an upstanding annular step 16, a second inclined section 17 terminating in an annular step 18, and an annular end stop 19. The bulb 1 includes a neck 20 of a length substantially equal to the length of the nozzle end 12 and an inwardly extending annular rib 21 at the junction of the neck 20 and the main part of the bulb 1.
On assembly, the neck 20 is forced over the inclined sections 15,17 of the nozzle until the end of the neck seats adjacent the end stop 19. At this point, the annular step 16 is positioned just behind the annular rib 21 of the bulb and ensures that, despite a build up of pressure within the bulb or the nozzle, the bulb is retained securely on the nozzle. Without the rib 21 and step 16, it has been found that the nozzle can be ejected from the bulb if the bulb is squeezed too tightly or rapidly.
As mentioned previously, the pen 8 may comprise a felt-tipped pen. Alternatively, it may comprise a cartridge containing a technical drawing pen or the nib of a conventional pen. Alternatively, edible food colourants, ink-based acrylic and emulsified paints may be dispensed by means of the apparatus. A selection of sleeves 6 may be provided to enable a variety of different liquid sources to be employed.
It will be appreciated that the foregoing is merely exemplary of one embodiment of dispensing apparatus in accordance with the invention and that modifications can readily be made thereto without departing from the true scope of the invention as set out in the claims appended hereto.

Claims

Apparatus for dispensing a fine spray of liquid particles, the apparatus comprising a hand operated flexible bulb (1) formed with an open-ended neck which locates over the inlet end of a nozzle (2) positioned to direct air under pressure from the flexible bulb (1) onto and over the nib (9) of a pen (8) releasably supported within a holder (4) with the nib (9) of the pen in close proximity to the outlet of the nozzle (2), the apparatus being characterised in that the inner surface of the neck of the flexible bulb (1) includes an inwardly extending annular rib (21) which, on assembly of the bulb onto the nozzle, seats behind an outwardly extending annular step (16) of an inclined section (15) of the nozzle, the annular step (16) being located at or towards the said inlet end of the nozzle (2) and in that the inlet end of the nozzle (2) over which the neck of the bulb (1) seats is formed with a second inclined section (17) which terminates in an annular step (18).
Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 characterised in that the nozzle (2) is formed with an outwardly protruding annular stop (19) which, on assembly of the flexible bulb, locates against the rim of the open end of the bulb.
Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 characterised in that the nozzle (2) includes a locating surface (10) against which a shoulder of the pen adjacent its nib abuts in use to ensure correct location of the nib with respect to the nozzle outlet.
Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims characterised in that the nozzle (2) and the pen (8), in use of the apparatus, are retained within discrete channels (5,3) of the separable holder (4), the channels (5,3) being mutually inclined so that compressed air leaving the nozzle (2) flows directly onto and over the nib (9) of the pen (8).
Apparatus as claimed in Claim 4 characterised in that the channel (5) for retaining the pen (8) is defined by a sleeve (6) releasably secured to the holder (4).
Apparatus as claimed in Claim 5 characterised in that more than one such sleeve (6) is provided to enable pens having a variety of diameters and cross-sections to be retained by the holder.
Apparatus as claimed in Claim 6 characterised in that the channel (5) for retaining the pen (8) is provided with internal flanges or shoulders of a flexible and/or resilient nature.