Trigger sprayer assembly with dual action piston

A trigger sprayer assembly for dispensing a fluid, comprising:

• an engine comprising a piston chamber and a fluid passage that is fluidly coupled to the piston chamber, the fluid passage extending from an inlet portion to an outlet portion;
• a piston that is slidably disposed within the piston chamber, the piston defining an interior bellows chamber;
• a bellows component disposed within the interior bellows chamber, the bellows component movable between an uncompressed position in which an available fluid volume in the interior bellows chamber is minimized and a compressed position in which the available fluid volume in the interior bellows chamber is maximized;
• a trigger lever coupled to the engine and the piston, the trigger lever configured to pivot between a neutral position and an actuated position;
• an input valve configured to control unidirectional fluid flow from the inlet portion to the piston chamber;
• a piston valve configured to control unidirectional fluid flow from the piston chamber to the interior bellows chamber;
• and
• an output valve configured to control unidirectional fluid flow through the outlet portion;
• wherein pivotal movement of the trigger lever from the neutral position to the actuated position pushes the piston vertically in the piston chamber to drive fluid from the piston chamber through the piston valve into the interior bellows chamber and move the bellows component from the uncompressed position to the compressed position;
• and
• wherein relaxation of the bellows component from the compressed position to the uncompressed position drives fluid from the interior bellows chamber to the outlet portion and through the output valve.

A method of dispensing fluid from a trigger sprayer assembly, the method comprising:

• pulling a trigger lever toward a rear end of the trigger sprayer assembly, wherein the trigger lever pushes a piston vertically in a piston chamber to drive fluid from the piston chamber through a piston valve into an interior bellows chamber formed in the piston;
• in response to pulling the trigger lever, moving a bellows component disposed in the interior bellows chamber from an uncompressed position to a compressed position;
• releasing the trigger lever toward a front end of the trigger sprayer assembly;
• and
• in response to releasing the trigger lever, relaxing the bellows component from the compressed position to the uncompressed position to drive fluid from the interior bellows chamber to an outlet fluid passage.