GB2210813A - Spray apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

Spray apparatus, for example which can be attached temporarily to a tap, comprises a tube (6) for connection to the tap or other source of liquid and a spray head (1) which includes an inlet (5) for connection to the tube and a plurality of nozzles (3) for creating a spray. A hollow body (11) is connected to the spray head for receiving the tube (6) when the spray apparatus is not in use (Fig. 4). <IMAGE>

Description

SPRAY APPARATUS The present invention relates to spray apparatus and nore particularly, but not exclusively, is concerned with spray apparatus which can be attached teriporarily to, for exmaple, a tap.

Spray apparatus is known which comprises a spray head which is attached to a Those. The hose is divided into two by a T-piece and rubber tap connectors are provided on The free ends of the two tube sections for connection to hot and cold taps. Such spray apparatus functions aoequately but is inconvenient to store or to carry when travelling.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a spray apparatus hich is convenient to store or to carry when travelling.

According to the present invention there is provided a spray apparatus which cdomprises : a tube for connection to a source of liquid ; a spray head including an inlet for connection to the tube and a plurality of nozzles for creating a spray; anc a hollow body connected to the spray head for receiving the tube when the spray apparatus is not in use.

tube nay comprise a twin tube and the spray head may include an inlet for connection to eac of the tubes.

A tap connector is preferably provided for connection to tiiat enr of the or each tube remote from the spray heao.

Advantageously, the hollow body is removably connected to tne spray head by way of a flange forned on the spray head. The spray apparatus may include an aperture ror the passage of the tube constituted by a recess formed in the hollow body and/or the flange of the spray head.

The spray a;pparatus nay include an enc ca removably connected to the hollow body by way of a flange formed on that end of the hollow body remote from the spray head. An aperture nay be provided for the passage of the tube constituted by a recess Eormed in the end cap and/or the flance of the hollow body.

For a better understanding of the present invention and to show ore clearly how. it nay be carries into effect reference will now be nave, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings in which : Figure 1 is a general schematic illustration, partly in section, of one embodiment of a spray apparatus according to the present invention; Figure 2 is an end view of a spray head of the spray apparatus shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is an illustration of a configuration of the spray apparatus in use; Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the spray apparatus in its travelling or storage configuration ; ane Figure 5 is an elevational view of the spray apparatus.

rShe figures show a spray apparatus which comprises a spray gead 1 which is generally oval when viewed in the longitudinal direction of the apparatus as shown in Figure 2 ano which is generally triangular in section wheii viewed in a transverse direction as shown in Figure 1. The spray head 1 me, be made of any suitable material such as an AlS plastics material and is made in two components, a spray portion 2, which incorporates the oval bocy and a spray element with nozzles 3 for creating a spray, and a closure portion 4 which closes the oval body.The closure portion 4 includes two annular recessed portions 5 for receiving the ends of twin tube 6 in which the two tubes 6a,ò are attached to each other in a side-by-side relationship, the annular recessed portions including an aperture for the passage of water. The closure portion 4 also incorporates a flange 7 on that side of the closure portion remote from the spray portion 2. The purpose of the flange 7 will be explained in more detail hereinafter. When the spray portion 2 and the closure portion 4 are raze of 5S plastics they may be secured tooether by ultrasonic welding.

The twin tube 6 may Dc nade of, for example, a soft PVC material and at the end of the tube remote from the closure portion 4 the tubes 6a, 6b are separated from each other.

A collar 8, for example of plastics material, prevents further separation of the tubes 6a, 6b, The free ends of the tubes 6a, 6b are attached to tap connectors 9, for example of rubber, by way of tubes 10, for example of polypropylene, which extend through an aperture in the tap connector 9 and into the bore of the tube 6a, 6b.

In normal use of spray apparatus a hollow oval tube 11 is mounted on the flange 7 of the closure portion 4 and an end cap 12 is mounted in a flange 13 for at that eno of the oval tube 11 remote fron tne flange 7. Both the oval tube 11 ana the end cap 12 Inay be moulded from ABS plastics material. The outer surface at least of the oval tube 11 may be ribbed for decorative purposes and/or to provide improved grip to the tube.The tube 6 passes through the hollow body of the oval tube 11 and passes through an aperture forned at the junction between the oval tube 11 and the end cap 12. The aperture is constituted by two adjacent substantially semi-circular recesses formed in the flange i3 forming a recess i. in the shape of half a figure-eight and by e recess 15 formed in tile end cap 12 which is in the forn of a complementary half-figure-eight at the base of a rectangular recess.A further recess 16 in the share of a half-figure-eight is provided in the flange 7 to enable the oval tube to be removed and the end cap 12 mounted on the flange 7 with the tuDe 6 passing through an aperture formed by the recesses 15 and 16 as shown in Figure 3. The arrangement shown in Figure 3 reduces the bulk of the spray apparatus in use and may be more convenient in use. Alternatively, it is possible to remove both the oval tube 11 and the end cap 12 during use of the spray apparatus.

When the spray apparatus is not in use the tube C can be coiled into the body of the hollow oval tube 11 as shown in Figure d and to facilitate tis the tube C' can be ranufactured so as to give the tub a memory of the coiled confiauration. In order to prevent the tap connectors 9 moving about within the end cap 12 during movement of the spray apparatus the end cap is provided with a pair of bosses 17 over which the tap connectors 9 can be positioned.

As an alternative to a coiled tube 6 it is possible to manufacture a tube which nas ory of a folded configuration so that the folds run along the length of the oval tube 11. Additionally, instead of passing a tube 10 through the tap connectors 9 and into the tubes 6a,6b, it is possible to pass the tubes 6a, 6b into the body of the tap connectors and to pass a retaining tube into the bore of the tube 6a,- so as to trap the tube Ga,(o between the retaining tube and the body of the tap connector. We have found that suc an arrangement increases the flexibility of the tube 6a, 6b in the region of the tap connectors.

Although the spray apparatus has en illustrated as l,avino a twin tube 6, it is also possible to Provide a single tube and to modify the spray head 1 and the end cap 12 accordingly. Such a modified spray apparatus is suitable for so-called mixer taps where hot and cold water are mixed d supplied through a single tap.

We have found that the spray apparatus according to the present invention is convenient to use and can readily be packed in suitcase. It takes up little space when travelling and in the home can be stood on its end cap to give a neat and tidy impression.

Claims (8)

1. A spray apparatus which comprises: a tube for connection to a source of liquid ; a spray head including an inlet for connection to the tube and a plurality of nozzles ior creating a spray ; and.

a hollow bod connected to the spray head for recciving the tube when te spray appratus is not in use.

2. A spray apparatus as claimed in claiin i, wherein the tube comprises a twin tube and the spray head includes an inlet for connection to each of the tubes.

A A spray apparatus as claimed in clain i or 2 and including a tap connector for connection to that end of the or eac tube remote fre the spray head.

4. A spray apparatus as claimed in claim 1,2 or 3, wherein the hollow body is removably connected to the spray head by way of a flange formed on the spray head.

5. A spray apparatus as claimed in claim 4 and including an aperture for the passage of the tube constituted by a recess formed in the hollow body and/or the flange of the spray head.

6. A spray apparatus as claimed in clain 4 or 5 and including an end cap removably connected to the hollow body by way of a flange formed on that end of the hollow body remote fron the spray head.

7. h spray apparatus as claimed in claim 6 and including an aperture for the passage of the tube constitutec N- a recess formed in the end cap and/or the flange of the hollow body.

8. A spray apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.