Fluid delivery assembly for a spray gun
Assignee3M Innovative Properties Company
InventorsAnna M. Hegdahl, Stephen C.P. Joseph, Alexander T. Ebertowski, John W. Henderson, Steven J. Tarnowski, Scott D. Gullicks, Elaine M. Yorkgitis
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention relates to a fluid delivery assembly for a spray gun, the assembly comprising a container for holding paint. The container is self-supporting and configured to collapse as fluid is dispensed via the spray gun, wherein the container comprises at least one vent. The invention further relates to a spray gun including such fluid delivery assembly, a method of forming the container and a thermo/vacuum forming tool to be used in such method.
Claims23
A liner for holding paint in a fluid delivery assembly of a gravity-fed spray gun, comprising:
- a sidewall and a liner base, wherein the sidewall and the liner base are formed from a single sheet of polymeric material, wherein an open liner top end is delimited at least by the sidewall;
- a vent provided by at least one vent hole formed in the liner base;
- a valve assembly that is configured to open and close the vent, the valve assembly further comprising:
- a first element that is separately formed from the liner base, wherein the first element has a first side that is bonded to the liner base in a non-rotatable manner thereby forming a seal around the vent and a second side opposite from the first side;
- and,
- a second element configured as a plug that is insertable into the first element at the second side;
- wherein the first element comprises a cylindrical section configured to receive the second element;
- wherein the liner is configured to collapse when the second element is inserted into the first element and assembled into the fluid delivery assembly as fluid is dispensed via the gravity-fed spray gun.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.