GB2169384A

GB2169384A - Sprayer

Info

Publication number: GB2169384A
Application number: GB08531762A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Sario Buti
Original assignee: Spray Plast SpA
Current assignee: Spray Plast SpA
Priority date: 1984-12-28
Filing date: 1985-12-24
Publication date: 1986-07-09
Also published as: GB8531762D0; SE8506088L; SE8506088D0; NL8503571A; DE8535472U1; FR2575372A3; FR2575372B3; IT8424281V0

Abstract

A sprayer comprises a main body (11), means (12a) for engaging with a container for the product to be sprayed, a spray nozzle, a pumping means and valve means for allowing or preventing the discharge of the spray liquid through a passage in said body according to the position of the pumping means, and vent (aerating) means (20) for permitting selective communication between the inside of the container and the outer air, the vent means consisting of a notched (25) opening, made in a part (12) of the body communicating with the inside of the container, wherein an occluding member (30) made of deformable material is inserted; said member comprises a part provided with an abutting end resting against one of the surface areas (23) adjacent to the opening, a stem fitting into the opening and slightly curved end flaps (34), making contact with at least a part of the area adjacent to the opening on the opposite surface (24), the stem being shorter than the distance between the surfaces (23, 24) adjacent to the opening. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Sprayer This invention relates to a sprayer of the type which has a main body comprising means for engaging with a container for the product to be sprayed, a spray nozzle, a pumping means and a valve means for allowing or preventing the discharge of the spray liquid through a passage in said body according to the position of the pumping means.

Known sprayers of this type are provided with a vent which permits communication between the inside of the container and the outer air, in order to re-establish an equilibrium between the internal pressure and the external pressure after suction and subsequent spraying of the liquid.

In several known spraying devices attempts have been made to prearrange said vent as an opening made in the main body in such a way that it is normally closed by one of the sprayer's components, for example connected to the operating lever, when in the passive state, and is only open during the pumping action, so as to compensate for the negative pressure produced inside the container, while at the same time preventing the liquid from leaking out, if said container were to be overturned when the device is not being used.

According to these known devices, the components must be accurately manufactured, so that the coupling occurs as required only during pumping.

Therefore, the object of this invention is to provide a sprayer wherein the means for providing a vent to the out-side is selectively open or closed by means of a component which is not connected to any moving element belonging to said sprayer during the pumping action; said vent means requiring no special arrangements either during its making or for its reciprocal adjusting during assembly, but providing none the less communication with the outside whenever the pressure inside the container is different, being lower than the external pressure.

The object is achieved by providing for said vent means to consist of a shaped opening, in particular with suitable notches, made in a part of the body communicating with the inside of the container; in said opening an occluding member is inserted made of a deformable material and comprising a portion with an abutting end for resting against at least one surface area adjacent to the opening, a stem suitable for fitting into the opening and slightly curved end flaps, suitable for making contact with at least a part of the area adjacent to the opening on the surface opposite to the one whereon the abutting end rests.

In particular, provision is made for the stem of the occluding member to be slightly shorter than the distance between the surfaces of the area adjacent to the opening, preferably by about 15%.

A preferred but non-binding embodiment of this invention will now be illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a simplified overall view of the sprayer according to the invention; Figure 2 shows a view along the plane of ll-ll of Fig. 3; Figure 3 is a cross-section taken along line Ill-Ill of Fig. 2, in which the vent means is in the closed condition; Figure 4 represents a cross-section taken along line IV-IV of Fig. 2, in which the vent means is in the open condition; Figure 5 shows in particular the occluding member of the vent means according to the invention.

Referring to Fig. 1, it can be seen that a sprayer 10 has a body 11 which ends in a engaging means 12 slotted into a threaded ring 12a for screwing onto a container 9. The engaging means communicates with a hole inside the sprayer which has a nozzle 14 at the end. A suction tube 13 is paced in said hole.

As in all known sprayers, a valve means is fitted internally. The sprayer also comprises a pumping lever 16 and a vent means 20.

According to the invention, the vent means 20 consists of an opening 22 bounded by an upper surface 23 and a lower surface 24, as can be seen in Figs. 2, 3 and 4. Figs. 2 and 4 show that there are notches 25 in the opening 22. A rubber washer 30, shown in more detail in Fig. 5 is placed in said opening; it has a pointed upper part 32 terminating in a round abutting end 32a, a stem 33 and a lower part with curved flaps 34. Said rubber washer or occluding member for the opening 22 is made of deformable material, in particular nitrile rubber 45 or 50 short, so as to be very flexible.

In the non-pumping condition the pressure inside the container and the external pressure are in equilibrium; therfore, the contact area 37 of the curved flap 34 rests against the lower surface 24, as is shown in Fig. 5.

The non-pumping condition is shown in Fig.

3.

When pumping has taken place and some of the liquid has been sprayed through the nozzle, depression occurs inside the container.

At this point pressure is exerted by the outer air on the curved flap 34, causing the area 37 to withdraw from the lower surface 24 and thereby allowing air to pass through the notches 25.

The path of said air is indicated schematically in Fig 4.

According to the invention length D of the stem 33 is slightly shorter than the thickness S of the engaging means 12, that is, than the distance between the surfaces 23 and 24 of the areas adjacent to the opening 22.

It is preferable for D to be shorter than the dimension S by at least 15%.

It is clearly evident from what has been stated above that the object intended by this invention has been achieved.

Claims

1. A sprayer comprising a main body, means for engaging with a container for the product to be sprayed, a spray nozzle, a pumping means and valve means for allowing or preventing the discharge of the spray liquid through a passage in said body according to the position of the pumping means, and vent means for permitting selective communication between the inside of the container and the outer air, wherein said vent means consists of a shaped opening, made in a part of the body communicating with the inside of the container, wherein an occluding member made of deformable material is inserted; said member comprising a part provided with an abutting end for resting against one of the surface areas adjacent to the opening, a stem suitable for fitting into the opening and slightly curve end flaps, suitable for making contact with at least a part of the area adjacent to the opening on the opposite surface, said stem being shorter than the distance between the surfaces adjacent to the opening.

2. A sprayer according to claim 1, wherein said shaped opening is provided with a cylindrical part and at least one lateral notch.

3. A spayer according to claim 1, wherein the stem is shorter than the distance between the surfaces adjacent to the opening by about 15%.

4. A sprayer according to claim 1, wherein the part of the occluding member provided with an abutting end is pointed such that it deforms and penetrates into the opening during assembly.

5. A spayer according to claim 1, wherein the terminal flaps have a convex surface on the side opposite to the stem of the occluding member.

6. A spayer according to claim 1, wherein the part with an abutting end is positioned on the outer surface of said body, while the part with the curved flaps is situated on the inner wall.

7. A sprayer according to claims 1 and 6, wherein the contact area of the curved flaps on the occluding member is reduced relative to the area of extension of said flaps, such that it withdraws as soon as the external pressure is greater than the internal pressure.

8. A sprayer for fitting a container and having a pump for pumping liquid from the container and discharging the liquid through a nozzle, the gun further having a one-way valve to permit air to enter the container but to prevent liquid leaking from the container.

9. A sprayer as claimed in claim 8, and having a wall portion for separating the contents of the container from the outside, the valve being provided by a resilient flap valve element fitted to a hole in the wall portion.

10. A sprayer substantially as described in the description with reference to the drawings.