Electrostatic sprayer including a flexible container
AssigneeImperial Chemical Industries PLC
InventorsAndrew Jeffries, Michael L. Green, Timothy J. Noakes
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Liquid to be dispensed is supplied to a dispensing nozzle (88) from a compressible container (30) such as a sachet with a valve-controlled outlet (66) by compressing the sachet through the agency of a pad (46) of resiliently deformable material. The dispensing device is embodied in a hand held unit having a trigger (102) and electrical circuitry (91, 96, 106, 98, 106) for applying high voltage to the liquid in order to effect dispensing of the liquid in the form of an electrostatically charged, atomised spray.
Claims33
A device for electrostatically spraying fluids, comprising a housing for receiving a flexible liquid-containing container, said container being of the type which is operable to dispense its contents in response to being compressed, a nozzle from which the liquid is to be sprayed in use, means for compressing the container to feed liquid to the nozzle and high voltage means for applying electrostatic potential to the liquid such that the liquid issues from the device in the form of an electrically charged spray, said means for compressing the container comprising a pad of resiliently deformable material for bearing against the container, and means for deforming said material to subject the container to compressive loading.
A device for electrostatically spraying liquids comprising a housing, a container in the form of a flexible liquid-containing sachet housed within said housing and having a valve-controlled outlet, a nozzle connected to the outlet of said sachet and from which the liquid is to be sprayed in use, means for compressing said sachet to feed liquid to the nozzle and high voltage means for applying electrostatic potential to the liquid such that the liquid issues from the device in the form of an electrically charged spray, said means for compressing said sachet comprising a user-operable member mounted on said housing and means for translating operation of said member into compression of said sachet, said translating means comprising a drive plate and a pad of resiliently deformable material interposed between said drive plate and said sachet whereby operation of said member effects displacement of said drive plate thereby deforming said pad and applying compressive loading to said sachet through the agency of said pad.
A device for electrostatically spraying liquids, comprising a housing for receiving a flexible liquid-containing container, the container being of the type which is operable to dispense its contents in response to being compressed, a nozzle from which the liquid is to be sprayed in use, means for compressing the container to feed liquid to the nozzle, and high voltage means for applying electrostatic potential to the liquid such that the liquid issues from the device in the form of an electrically charged spray, said compressing means comprising a user-displaceable member and means for non-linearly translating displacement into compressive force with a compressive force versus displacement characteristic having a plateau region over which the compressive force generated is relatively constant in comparison with adjacent regions whereby a relatively constant spraying rate can be obtained.
A device for electrostatically spraying liquids, comprising:
- a housing;
- a nozzle projecting from said housing;
- a flexible liquid storage container in the form of a compressible sachet having a valve-controlled outlet, said container being removably located within said housing with said valve-controlled outlet connected to said nozzle;
- high voltage generating means located within said housing for applying high potential to the liquid so that the liquid emerging from said nozzle is dispensed from said nozzle in the form of an electrostatically charged spray;
- and
- means for compressing said sachet and opening said valve to effect feed of liquid from said sachet to said nozzle, said compressing means comprising a user-displaceable member and means for non-linearly translating displacement into compressive force with a compressive force versus displacement curve having a plateau region over which variation in the compressive force applied varies to a lesser extent per unit displacement than over adjacent regions of the curve, said user-displaceable member having a predetermined range of displacement and the arrangement being such that said translating means operates within said plateau region for at least a major part of the displacement of said member over said predetermined range.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.