US 2003/0192964 A1 · Adjustable hose end sprayer nozzle

Abstract

An adjustable nozzle is attachable to the end of a garden hose and is also attachable to a separate product container, for example, a bottle containing a garden fertilizer or a bottle containing a cleaning soap concentrate. The adjustable nozzle receives a flow of water from the garden hose and dispenses a product from the container attached to the nozzle. The nozzle has a simplified construction with a reduced number of component parts and the operation of the nozzle is simplified yet enables a user to selectively discharge a flow of water or a mixture of water and product from the nozzle, to control the ratio of water to product when the nozzle is employed in dispensing the mixture of water and product, and to direct the discharge as a stream or disperse the discharge in an upwardly or downwardly directed fanned spray pattern.

Drawings

Drawings are temporarily unavailable. Open the PDF at USPTO

Drawings

Claims33

Dependent claims

1) An adjustable nozzle comprising:

a housing having an inlet end and an opposite outlet end and an interior with a fluid flow path extending through the housing interior from the inlet end to the outlet end;
a first connector on the housing that is connectable to a separate source of water to be dispensed by the nozzle;
a second connector on the housing that is connectable to a separate source of product to be dispensed by the nozzle;
and,
a control valve mounted in the housing interior for movement along the fluid flow path between a first position of the control valve relative to the housing where the control valve blocks the flow path between the housing inlet end and the housing outlet end, a second position of the control valve relative to the housing where the control valve opens the flow path between the housing inlet end and the housing outlet end, and a third position of the control valve relative to the housing where the control valve opens the flow path between the housing inlet end and the housing outlet end and communicates the flow path with the second connector and with a separate source of product when a separate source of product is connected to the second connector.

2 more elements

29) An adjustable nozzle comprising:

a housing having an inlet end and an opposite outlet end, an interior with a fluid flow path extending through the housing interior from the inlet end to the outlet end and the housing having a product port communicating with the fluid flow path;
a first connector on the housing that is connectable to a separate source of water to be dispensed by the nozzle;
a second connector on the housing at the product port that is connectable to a separate source of product to be dispensed by the nozzle;
a control valve mounted in the housing interior for movement relative to the fluid flow path between one position of the control valve where the control valve blocks the flow path between the housing inlet end and the housing outlet end and closes the product port and another position of the control valve where the control valve opens the flow path between the housing inlet end and the housing outlet end and opens the product port communicating the flow path with a separate source of product connected to the second connector;
and,
a product port valve mounted on the housing for movement relative to the housing and the fluid flow path between a first position of the product port valve where the product port valve opens a first valve opening area between the flow path and the product port communicating the product port with the flow path through the first valve opening area and a second position of the product port valve where the product port valve opens a second valve opening area between the flow path and the product port communicating the product port with the flow path through the second valve opening area, where the second valve opening area is larger than the first valve opening area.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Description6,348 words

Summary1,722 words

#(1) Field of Invention

#The present invention pertains to an adjustable nozzle that is attached to the end of a garden hose and is also attached to a separate product container, for example, a bottle containing a garden fertilizer or a bottle containing a cleaning soap concentrate. More specifically, the present invention pertains to an adjustable nozzle that receives a flow of water from a garden hose and dispenses a product from a container attached to the nozzle, where the nozzle has a simplified construction with a reduced number of component parts and where the operation of the nozzle is simplified yet enables a user to selectively discharge a flow of water or a mixture of water and product from the nozzle, control the ratio of water to product when the nozzle is employed in dispensing the mixture of water and product, and to direct the discharge as a stream or disburse the discharge in an upwardly or downwardly directed fanned spray pattern.

#(2) Description of the Related Art

Brief description of the drawings14 figures

#Further features of the present invention are set forth in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the intention and in the drawing figures wherein:

#FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of the sprayer nozzle of the invention;

#FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the component parts of the nozzle;

Detailed description4,402 words

#As stated earlier, the adjustable sprayer nozzle (10) of the present invention is assembled from a total of 12 component parts. In the preferred embodiment, the component parts are molded of various types of plastics. The component parts of the adjustable sprayer nozzle include a two piece housing, a three piece fluid flow control valve assembly contained in the housing, a two piece manual actuator mounted on the housing and operatively connected with the control valve assembly, a two piece hose connector mounted on an inlet end of the housing, a dip tube, a product port control valve mounted at an outlet end of the housing and a spray deflector also mounted at the outlet end of the housing. The front of the sprayer nozzle is to the left in FIGS. 1-5 and the rear of the nozzle is to the right.

#The two piece housing includes a housing front piece (12) and a housing back piece (14). The front piece (12) and back piece (14) are snap-fit together to define the sprayer housing. The sprayer housing has an interior bore (16) with a center axis (18) that extend through the housing from an inlet end (18) of the housing to an outlet end (22) of the housing. The interior bore (16) of the housing also defines the flow path of liquid supplied to the adjustable sprayer nozzle (20) and channeled through the nozzle housing as will be explained.

#The housing front piece (12) has a hollow interior that defines a portion of the housing interior bore (16). The front piece (12) of the housing has a pair of pivot pins (24) projecting from opposite sides of the housing exterior surface. The pivot pins (24) are employed in mounting the spray deflector on the housing as will be explained. A detent pin (26) also projects from the housing exterior surface. The detent pin (26) is also employed in positioning the spray deflector as will be explained. An actuator lock (28) is provided on the top of the housing exterior surface. The actuator lock (28) is employed in holding the manual actuator in predetermined positions relative to the housing that are explained later. A bayonet connector (30) is provided on the housing front piece (12) and is employed in connecting the housing to a separate container of a liquid to be dispensed from the sprayer nozzle (10). The housing has a pair of elongated slots (32) on opposite sides of the housing that extend through a portion of the housing front piece (12) adjacent its rearward end. The slots (32) extend into the housing interior bore (16) and the lengths of the slots are parallel with the bore center axis (18). A pair of rectangular shaped openings (34) are provided in the housing front piece (12) on opposite sides of the housing interior bore (16) and adjacent to the rearward end of the front piece.

Facts

Application

10/119,451Filed 10 Apr 2002

Published

16 Oct 2003

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification4 codes

B05B 1/267
With fixed deflectors: the liquid or other fluent material being deflected in determined directions
B05B 1/28
Nozzles, spray heads or other outlets, with or without auxiliary devices such as valves, heating means: with integral means for shielding the…
B05B 7/2443
Using carrying liquid for feeding, e.g. by suction, pressure or dissolution, a carried liquid from the container to the nozzle: the carried liquid…
B05B
Spraying apparatus

Timeline

10 Apr 2002Application filedUS 10/119,451
19 Feb 2003Assigned to Continental Afa Dispensing Companyassignment of assignor's interest
16 Oct 2003Published
21 Nov 2003Assigned to Oak Hill Securities Fund, L.P.assignment for security
5 Aug 2005Assigned to Continentalafa Dispensing Company, Afa Products, Inc., Delaware Corporation, Continental Sprayers International, Inc., A Delaware Corporationtermination of security interest and release of co
2 Nov 2005Assigned to The Cit Group/Business Credit, Inc. AS Collateral Agentsecurity agreement
3 Nov 2005Assigned to The Cit Group/Business Credit, Inc. AS Collateral Agentsecurity agreement
31 May 2007Assigned to Continentalafa Dispensing Companyrelease of security interest in patents as recorded on 11/2/2005 at reel 016722, frame 0012 and on 11/3/2005 reel 016722, frame 0349
8 Jun 2007Assigned to Wachovia Capital Finance Corporation (Central)security agreement
15 Jun 2007Assigned to Harbinger Capital Partners Master Fund I, Ltd.patent collateral assignment and security agreement
28 Nov 2016Assigned to Meadwestvaco Calmar, Inc.assignment of assignor's interest
28 Nov 2016Assigned to Westrock Dispensing Systems, Inc.change of name
26 Jan 2017Assigned to Continentalafa Dispensing Companyrelease of security interest
27 Jan 2017Assigned to Continentalafa Dispensing Companyrelease of security interest

Adjustable hose end sprayer nozzle

Life of this patent

Adjustable hose end sprayer nozzle

Life of this patent

Life of this patent

Abstract

Drawings

Drawings

Claims33

Description6,348 words

Drawings

Classification4 codes

Life of this patent

Description6,348 words