GB2191961A

GB2191961A - Hose-end dispenser

Info

Publication number: GB2191961A
Application number: GB08714642A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Russo; Joseph Philip Larosa
Original assignee: CHESEBROUGH PONDS; Chesebrough Ponds Inc
Current assignee: CHESEBROUGH PONDS; Chesebrough Ponds Inc
Priority date: 1986-06-30
Filing date: 1987-06-23
Publication date: 1987-12-31
Also published as: ZA873581B; AU7447787A; GB8714642D0

Abstract

The dispenser has a handle 16 on the upper surface of a container body 11 adjacent an opening 13 holding a spray head 12. A hose is intended to be connected to the spray head by means of a hose adapter so that the hose lies immediately adjacent the upper surface of the handle. The handle is configured so that there is an aperture between it and the container body which can accommodate the human hand. A person desiring to use the dispenser device grasps the container by means of the handle and, due to the close proximity of the hose to the upper surface of the handle, such person can also hold the hose at the same time that he is holding the handle. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Hose-end dispenser device Background of the invention Field of invention The present invention is a device adapted to hold liquids which can be connected to the end of a hose to dispense an aqueous spray of the liquid.

Description ofthepriorart It is well-known to utilize dispenser devices which are adapted to be attached to the end of a hose (e.g., a garden hose) to dispense liquids therefrom. For example, liquid agricultural chemicals can be dis pensedfrom such a device to control weed growth or to dispense fertilizer materials to either a lawn or garden.

U.S. Patent No. 3, 964, 689 to S.R. Horvath, Jr. des cribes a typical hose-end dispenser device which includes a container having an outlet opening, a handle extending along the top of the container adjacent the opening, a rigid tube for carrier fluid flow overlying the handle and the opening and having insulating means along the handle, a fluid connection from the container into the tube through the opening of the container, and a discharge means at one end of the tube. Preferably, the device shown in the Horvath, Jr. patent is characterized by radially extending thermally non-conductive fins on the rigid tube to form insulating means and/or a foaming nozzle of particular configuration forming the discharge means.The dispenser device shown in the foregoing patent is designed to dispense hot water, steam, or otherfluids as the carrier fluids such that an operator cannot readily grasp the hose.

Description of related development In co-pending U.K. Patent Application entitled "SprayApparatus", filed on even date herewith, (Attorney Docket: CP-81 16) a particular spray head for mixing pressurized water witch a liquid (e.g., a liquid agricultural chemical such as a herbicide) held in a container is described. When such a system is used with containers that are of relatively small capacity, a person can readily hold the hose which is connected to the spray head through an appropriate hose adapter member attached to the spray head.

However, the use of larger sized containers which would hold more of the liquid to be dispensed create an additional weight load on the spray head and its connection to the container if a person were to merely hold the hose. Therefore, a need has arisen for a system which would remove some of the weight load on the spray head and its hose adapter connection with the containerwhen such largercapacity containers are utilized. It is to this need thatthe present invention is directed.

Summary ofthepresentinvention The present invention is a hose-end dispenser device which comprises a container, preferably formed of plastic, having an opening on its upper surface adjacent one side end with a handle having one of its ends attached to the upper surface of the container adjacent the opening and extending along the upper surface of the container away from the opening to a second point of attachment with the upper surface of the container. The handle defines an aperture between it and the upper surface of the containerwhich is large enough to accommodate a human hand. The spray nozzle means which are adapted to be held in the opening in the upper surface of the container have a hose adapter located above and adjacent to the end of the handle which is nearest the opening.

This configuration allows a hose to be connected to the hose adapter so that the hose lies adjacentthe handle and can be held in the human hand when the hand is placed within the aperture between the handle and the upper surface of the container to also hold the handle. By means of such an arrangement, a person will hold the container and the hose atthe sametime thereby taking some of the weight load off the spray nozzle and its point of connection with the container that would ordinarily occur if a person were merelyto hold the hose.

The present invention differs from the type of arrangement shown in the Horvath, Jr. patent, which is discussed before, since, in the present invention, the point of connection between the hose and the spray nozzle lies between the end ofthe handle nearest the spray nozzle and the opening in which the spray nozzle is adapted to be placed. In the Horvath, Jr. patent, the hose is connected outsidethe point of attachment of the handle to the container which is remote from the end of the handle nearest the opening in which the spray head is placed.

Description ofthe drawing The present invention isfurtherunderstood byreference to the Drawing which forms a portion of the present specification. The Drawing illustratesadis- penser device in accordance with the present invention from a side view perspective.

Detailed description ofthe present invention The Drawing illustrates a container 11 having a spray nozzle or spray head 12 attached thereto on its upper surface by means of an opening 13. Preferably, the spray nozzle is of the type that is described in the previously mentioned co-pending application entitled "Spray Apparatus" (Attorney's Docket: CP8116). Further details regarding such a spray nozzle can be found in the co-pending application, which is incorporated herein by reference. However, it is to be understood that the present dispenser device can also be used with othertypes of spray nozzlesthat are known to persons of ordinary skill in the art.The spray nozzle which is intended to be used is one which is adapted to be connected to a suitable hose 14, e.g., by means of a hose adapter 15 which is attached to the back of the spray head 12 and which preferably is an integral part of the spray nozzle.

When a source of pressurized water is fed through the hose 14 it passes through a venturi passage within the spray nozzle which acts to draw up liquid (e.g., liquid agricultural chemicalq) from the containerthrough a suitable dip tube thereby leading to the mixing of the liquid with the pressurized waterto dispense a spray from the spray nozzle 12 in a known manner.

The present invention contemplates the provision of a handle 16 extending along the top surface ofthe container 11 with a point of attachment 1 6a at one end thereof which is adjacentthe opening 13 holding spray nozzle 12 and a second point of attachment 1 6b at a point more remote from the opening 13 holding the spray nozzle 12. This arrangementforthe handle 16 defines an aperture 17 which is large enough to accommodate the human hand. The hose 14 lies immediately above the upper surface of handle 16 and is close enough to itso that when a person places their hand through aperture 17 to grasp and hold the container 11 by means of handle 16, they can also easily hold hose 14 at the same time. This arrangementallows a person to hold the container by means ofthe handle and atthesametimehavetheirhand in a holding position around hose 14. It obviates the problem of holding the entire dispenser device soleby by means of the hose 14which would place much more of a weight strain caused by the entire assembly upon such components as hose adapter 15, spray head 12, and the point of attachment between the spray head 12 and the container 11 atopening 13.

Theforegoing isintendedtoillustratecertainemb- odiments of the present invention but should not be construed in a limiting fashion. The scope of protection that is desired is setforth in the claimswhich follow.

Claims

1. A hose-end dispenser device which comprises: (a) a container, adapted to hold a liquid therein, which has an opening in its upper surface and a handle having one of its ends attached to the upper surface of the container adjacentthe opening, said handle extending along the upper surface ofthe con tainer away from the opening to a second point of attachmentwith the uppersurface ofthe containerto thereby define an aperture between the handle and the upper surface of the container large enough to accommodate a human hand; and (b) a spray nozzle held in the opening in the upper surface of the container, said spray nozzle having a hose adapter located above and adjacent to the end ofthe handle nearest the opening, so that, when a hose is connected to the hose adapter, the hose lies above the handle and can be held when a human hand is placed within the aperture between the handle and the upper surface of the container to also hold the handle.

2. A device as claimed in Claim 1 whereinthe containerisformed of plastic.

3. A device as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the spray nozzle is formed of plastic.

4. A device as claimed in Claim 1 whereintheopening is adjacent one side end of the container.

5. Adevice as claimed in claim 4wherein the con tainer and spray nozzle are both formed of plastic.

6. A device as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the container holds a liquid agricultural chemical.

7. A device as claimed in Claim 4wherein the container holds a liquid agricultural chemical.

8. A device as claimed in Claim 5 wherein the container holds a liquid agricultural chemical.