MXPA97007777A - Sprayer with trigger to supply combined liquids from separa compartments - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a manually operated liquid dispensing pump for distributing in a combined manner first and second fluids stored separately in a first and in a second respective compartment, comprising: a pump body having pumping means in communication fluid with said fluid compartments for simultaneously sucking fluid therefrom and for combining the fluids before discharge, said pumping means comprising a pair of axially-aligned interconnected pistons of relatively greater and smaller reciprocable diameters in unison, within cylinders of relatively larger and smaller diameter to define first and second pumping chambers of variable volume, said piston of smaller diameter has means to valvulate one of said fluids from said second chamber to be combined with the other of said fluids in said chamber during each stroke of compression of said pistons and actuating means in said pump body for actuating said pistons as a unit against the force of a return spring of the piston to distribute said combined fluids from said chamber during each compression stroke.

Description

SPRAYER WITH TRIGGER TO SUPPLY COMBINED LIQUIDS FROM SEPARATE COMPARTMENTS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to a trigger sprayer for internally combining liquids stored separately within the body of the pump before supplying the combined liquids after the action of the trigger , and more particularly to such a trigger sprayer where liquids are combined during each compression start during pumping.

A trigger sprayer for simultaneously supplying different fluids stored separately in different fluid compartments is presented in U.S. Patent 5,535,950, jointly owned herein. A pair of side-by-side pumping pistons are simultaneously driven for reciprocation within their respective side-by-side cylinders that define a pair of separate variable volume pumping chambers with them. The two fluids are combined from the pumping chambers just before or just after exiting through the discharge orifice.

Another trigger sprayer for simultaneously supplying different fluids stored separately in different fluid compartments is presented in U.S. Patent 5,560,545, property in common with the present. Said supplying apparatus has a single pumping piston and cylinder arrangement that defines separate in-line pumping chambers for pumping the different fluids that are combined outside the pumping chambers just before or just after exiting through the discharge orifice.

There is a need to provide a trigger sprayer capable of combining, during pumping, two formulas stored separately within the main pumping chamber. If one of the formulas were a concentrated household cleaning agent, for example, combining that formula with a carrier solution produces a superior cleaning action compared to individual formulas, more diluted but has a limited life once combined. Past efforts have focused on 1: 1 mixes, despite the fact that a mixing ratio of the most highly concentrated catalyst / carrier solution in : 1 to 15: 1 will provide the additional value of the sprayer's package with trigger for the consumer. In addition, the early internal combination of the separate fluids tends to reduce the cost and complexity of the sprayer package.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a trigger sprayer capable of internally mixing, during pumping, a concentrate and a carrier solution stored separately, at the cost of a small part and assembly and yet result in a highly efficient and economical sprayer package.

The disperse liquids stored by separate compartments are internally combined and pumped by the manually operated liquid pumping sprayer of the invention, during each compression stroke.

The pump comprises a pair of axially aligned and interconnected pistons of relatively greater diameter and smaller reciprocal in unison within cylinders of relatively greater diameter and less to thereby define relatively larger and smaller pumping chambers. During each compression stroke, the smaller diameter piston passes the liquid through its valves from its chamber into the piston chamber and larger diameter cylinder to be combined with the other liquid therein so that the combined liquids are pumped out of the piston. the main chamber during each compression stroke.

The smaller diameter piston, which is more in the nature of a valve, may have the shape of an annular conical valve sloping outward in a direction toward the larger diameter piston, the conical valve being strong enough to deform in response at increased pressure in the smaller diameter chamber during each compression stroke.

Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will be more apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DUCTS Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a trigger-operated pump sprayer embodying the invention, illustrated in the resting position of the pistons; Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing the pistons at the end of their compression stroke; and Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view showing the piston of smaller diameter at or near the end of the compression stroke with the piston of smaller diameter removing the product of its chamber through its valves.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to the drawings in which the similar reference characters refer to similar and corresponding parts during all the various views, the sprayer according to the invention, generally designated 10 in the drawings, is mounted to a neck with rope 11 of the container 12 containing a carrier solution (not shown) that can be water. The sprayer includes a pump body 13 having a vertical cylinder 14 within which a portion of the cylindrical neck 15 is frictionally engaged. The neck portion has a smaller annular flank 16 covering the upper edge of the neck of the bottle, a rope closure 17 having a central opening bounded by an upper flank 18 which is provided to mount the sprayer to the container as the container flank 18 covers flank 16 with an annular elastomer seal 19 disposed therebetween. Of course, otherwise a pressure closure could be provided without departing from the invention.

The neck portion 15 has a dependent sleeve 21 that supports an insertion hose 22 that extends below the liquid level in the container in the known manner. The sleeve 21 has a valve seat supporting a one-way feed check float valve 23 for the feed passage 24.

The neck portion 15 has another dependent sleeve 25 which supports a foldable bag 26 or the like which forms a separate compartment for another liquid (not shown) which can be a formula such as a concentrated catalyst which when mixed with the container carrying solution , provide a homemade cleaning formula.

The sleeve 25 is formed with an appropriate valve seat supporting a feed check float valve 27 of the feed passage 28.

The pump body 13 further includes a larger diameter pump cylinder 29 having a feed port 31 in communication with the feed passage 24, and having a vent port 32 for communicating with the interior of the container 12 by nozzle hollow 33 A larger diameter piston 34 is mounted inside the cylinder 29 for reciprocation between its positions of Figures 1 and 2, the piston has an inner annular piston seal 35 in the inverted V-shape, and an external annular vent seal 36 a turn in the inverted V shape, both in sliding sealant coupling with the cylinder wall 29.

The inner wall of the pump cylinder has one or more longitud ribs 37 (or grooves) to break the sealing action between the vent seal 36 and the wall of the pump cylinder during reciprocation of the piston to establish a vent passage from the atmosphere inside the container via port 32 and hollow nozzle 33, as is well known in this technique.

An actuator trigger 38 is pivotally connected at its upper end to the pump body in some normal manner, and has a pylon extending rearwardly 39 which engages the opposite outer edge of the piston 34 in the normal manner to transmit the applied force to the piston. by the fingers of the operator when pulling the trigger against the force of a return spring of the piston 41 placed inside the larger and variable volume pumping chamber 42 defined by the piston 34 and its cylinder 29.

The chamber 43 communicates with a discharge passage 44 for the combined liquids via a discharge port 43.

A rotary nozzle cap 45 having a discharge orifice 46 is mounted on the nozzle end of the pump body and, together with a rotating probe 47 of known construction, defines turning mechanisms so that the combined liquids exit through the pump body. the discharge orifice in the form of a fine wet spray depending on the rotated position of the nozzle cover.

A pump body cover 48, partially illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, typically surrounds the body of the pump and may have the shape of the type of cover illustrated in any of the aforementioned patents.

A smaller diameter piston 49 has a post 51 for coupling the piston of smaller diameter to the larger diameter piston 34 as in 52. The piston 49 may have the shape of a conical skirt valve expanding outwardly in a direction toward the seal of the piston. piston 35, and that is in the form of an inverted V-shaped seal of resistant material.

The skirt of the piston 53 slides during the reciprocation of the piston 34 in sealing engagement with the wall of its cylinder 54 to thereby define a pumping chamber of smaller diameter of variable volume 55 in open communication with the feed passage 28. Thus , pistons of greater and smaller diameter are interconnected for reciprocity in unison, even though their inverted V-shaped seals are opposite.

Before describing the operation of the trigger sprayer of the invention, it is assumed that the pumping chamber 42 is filled with liquid product from the container 12, and that the combined chamber 55 and the passage 28 are filled with the liquid from the compartment 26. Thus, during each compression stroke of the pistons after the action of the trigger illustrated at the end of each compression stroke in Figure 2, the product in the combined chamber 55, 28, being incompressible, and being caught by the float valve of check at rest 27, is removed by the valves within the chamber 42 since that product under pressure deforms the skirt of the piston 53 radially inward creating a passage for the liquid to pass the skirt 53 as illustrated by the arrows in the Figure 3. Thus, the liquid product that had been sucked into the combined chamber 55, 28 during a suction stroke is passed through valves within the pumping chamber 42 where it is mixed with the carrier solution there, so that the combined liquids are discharged practically simultaneously from the chamber 42 via the port 43 and out through the discharge orifice via the passageway 44.

The combination of the two liquids in the chamber 42 is effected during each compression stroke of the pistons while the combined liquids are discharged in the same way from the pumping chamber 42 during those compression blows.

After each stroke back to the position of Figure 1, the chamber 42 expands to thereby attract product from the container 12 via the insertion hose and the non-quiescent float valve 23 into the chamber. Similarly, during each suction stroke product is attracted from the bag 26 into the chamber 55 via the passage 28 and the check float valve 27 not at rest.

The unwanted air from the pump chamber 42 is discharged directly into the atmosphere via the orifice 46 during the filling strokes of the pump. Since the unwanted air from the chamber 42 is not discharged into the atmosphere through the open end of the piston cylinder 29 since it passes through the seals 35 and 36 as in the prior art, any tendency of the combined liquids to exit by blowing from the chamber 42 inside the container via the ventilation port, they are avoided. The intermixing of the liquids combined with the liquid in the container 12 is therefore minimized.

It should be noted that the piston 49 is more of the nature of a one-way valve for feeding the product from the chamber 55 into the chamber 42 during each compression stroke of the piston. During each suction stroke, the piston skirt or reversed V 53 of the piston 49 remains in sealing engagement with the wall of its cylinder 54 thus expanding the chamber 55 which sucks the liquid product from the bag 26 into the expanded chamber .

Known unilateral valves other than inverted V 53 are therefore available as equivalent to that presented for the smaller diameter piston, without departing from the invention.

Also, in view of the insertion hose 22 extending within the liquid within the container 12, the sleeve 21 could be attached to another collapsible bag (not shown) of the carrier solution, in which case the ventilation port 32 and the vent rib 37 could also be removed.

The compartment formed by the foldable bag 26 could be formed otherwise by a collapsible hose or by a compartment having a known transpiston as those provided for high viscosity products, without departing from the invention.

And, the chamber 55 could be provided by, for example, the provision of a rib or filler groove in the cylinder wall 54, as presented in United States Patent 4,051,983, if necessary.

Obviously many other modifications and variations of the present invention are made possible in light of the above teachings. It should be understood therefore that within the scope of the appended claims the invention can be practiced in ways other than those specifically described.

Claims (7)

1. CLAIMS: 1. A manually operated liquid pumping sprayer for supplying first and second fluids stored separately in respective first and second compartments, comprising: a pump body having pumping means in fluid communication with said fluid compartments for suctioning simultaneously flowing them to combine the fluids before discharge; said pumping means comprise a pair of axially aligned and interconnected pistons of relatively greater and smaller reciprocal diameters in unison within cylinders of relatively greater and smaller diameter to thereby define first and second pumping chambers of variable volume; said piston of smaller diameter has means for removing by valves one of said fluids from said second chamber to be combined with the other of said fluids in said one chamber during each compression stroke of said pistons; and means of action in said pump body for driving said pistons as a unit against the force of a piston to supply said fluids as a chamber is combined from said during each compression stroke.
2. 2. The sprayer according to Claim 1, wherein said pump body has a discharge passage extending from said first chamber through which the combined fluids are discharged during each compression stroke.
3. 3. The sprayer according to Claim 1, wherein said valve means comprises an annular conical seal on said smaller diameter piston with an outward slope in a direction toward said larger diameter piston.
4. 4. A manually operated liquid pumping sprayer for combining and supplying first and second fluids stored separately in respective first and second compartments, comprising: coaxial pumping cylinders in open communication with each receiving reciprocating pistons of relatively greater and smaller diameters axially aligned to define first and second variable volume pumping chambers for said first and second fluids; first and second separate fluid inlets controlled by valves for said first and second fluids leading to said chambers; means for reciprocating said pistons substantially in unison; and said smaller diameter piston having means for feeding the first fluid into said second chamber to be combined with the second fluid therein in response to the buildup of pressure in said first chamber during compression blows of said pistons.
5. 5. The sprayer according to Claim 4, including a discharge passage leading out of said second chamber through which the combined fluids are supplied by the larger diameter piston during compression blows.
6. 6. The sprayer according to Claim 4, wherein said first and second fluid compartments have relative fluid capacities of about 1:10.
7. 7. The sprayer according to Claim 4, wherein a return spring of the piston is disposed in one of said cylinders. EXTRACT OF THE INVENTION A trigger-operated sprayer for dispensing separate liquids stored separately in separate liquid compartments includes a pair of axially aligned and interconnected pistons of relatively greater and smaller reciprocal diameters in unison within cylinders of relatively greater and smaller diameters to they define pumping chambers of variable volumes greater and smaller, the piston of smaller diameter passes by valve a fluid from its chamber to be combined with the other of the fluids in the other chamber during each compression stroke of the pistons, the combined liquids supplied from the camera after the action of the trigger during each compression stroke.