Pump sprayer having leak preventing seals and closures

In a liquid sprayer of a type comprising a fixed housing part and a movable housing part together defining a variable volume pump chamber between them, wherein said fixed housing part includes a liquid inlet passageway for delivering liquid from a reservoir into the pump chamber, and an inlet valve, and said movable housing part includes a spray forming outlet and an outlet valve, wherein movement of the movable housing part towards the fixed housing part decreases the volume of the pump chamber, and closes the inlet valve, and opens the outlet valve, and forces liquid out from the pump chamber through the spray forming outlet, and wherein movement of the movable housing part away from the fixed housing part increases the volume of the pump chamber, and closes the outlet valve, opens the inlet valve, and draws liquid through said inlet passageway into the pump chamber, the improvement characterized by;

• said inlet passageway including a valve plug socket which opens towards the pump chamber, said socket including an annular base and an annular inlet valve seat at said base,
• said inlet valve including an axially elongated valve plug having a closed, convex first end directed towards the inlet valve seat, and an opposite, second end, having an end wall;
• said fixed housing part including a valve plug stop spaced axially from the inlet valve seat and confronting the second end of the valve plug,
• wherein when the inlet valve is closed the closure end of the valve plug is against the inlet valve seat, the second end of the valve plug is spaced axially from the valve plug stop,
• wherein when the inlet valve is open the second end of the valve plug is against the valve plug stop, the closure end portion of the valve plug is spaced axially from the inlet valve seat, and a liquid flow path is formed in the valve plug socket around the valve plug, through which liquid flows into the pump chamber;
• and wherein the movable housing part includes an outlet member having an axial outlet opening at its center surrounded by an annular outlet valve seat, said outlet valve including said outlet member and a pin positioned axially inwardly of the outlet opening, said pin including a closure surface confronting the outlet valve seat, said outlet member being resilient and having a static first position in which said outlet valve seat is in contact with the closure surface on the pin and the outlet opening is closed, and said outlet member being movable by fluid pressure in the pump chamber, axially away from the pin, into a second position in which the outlet valve seat is spaced from the closure surface and a fluid passageway is formed by and between the outlet valve seat and the closure surface, said outlet valve being closed when the outlet member is in said first position and being open when the outlet member is in said second position.

A liquid sprayer, comprising:

• a fixed housing part;
• a movable housing part;
• said fixed and movable housing parts together defining a variable volume pump chamber between them;
• said movable housing part including a spray forming outlet and an outlet valve;
• said fixed housing part including an elongated stem having a longitudinal liquid inlet passageway for delivering liquid from a reservoir into the pump chamber, said inlet passageway including a valve plug socket opening towards the pump chamber, said valve plug socket including an annular base and an annular inlet valve seat at said base;
• said fixed housing part also including a tubular member that is formed separate from said stem, said tubular member having a first end portion that engages said stem and a second end portion that extends axially outwardly from said stem, said second end portion of the tubular member being formed to include radially inwardly projecting stop lugs spaced axially from the valve plug socket;
• a valve plug that is initially positioned within the second end portion of the tubular member, axially outwardly from said stop lugs, said valve plug having a closure end facing the valve plug socket, and a second opposite end;
• a frangible section initially connecting said valve plug to the second end portion of the tubular member, said frangible section being breakable in response to a push on the valve plug, and said valve plug being axially moveable by a push, through the second end portion of the tubular member, beyond the stop lugs, into a position between the inlet valve seat and the stop lugs;
• said valve plug and said valve plug socket together forming an inlet valve for the pump chamber;
• said second end of the valve plug confronting the stop lugs once the valve plug has been moved past the plugs;
• wherein a subsequent movement of the movable housing part towards the fixed housing part, with liquid in the pump chamber, causes the liquid to push the valve plug into the valve plug socket and move the closure end of the valve plug against the inlet valve seat, while at the same time opening the outlet valve and forcing liquid out from the pump chamber through the spray forming outlet;
• wherein when the closure end of the valve plug is against the inlet valve seat, the second end of the valve is spaced axially from the stop lugs;
• wherein a movement of the movable housing part away from the fixed housing part closes the outlet valve, opens the inlet valve and draws liquid through the inlet passageway into the pump chamber;
• and
• wherein when the inlet valve is open, the second end of the valve plug is against the stop lugs, the closure end portion of the valve plug is spaced axially from the inlet valve seat, and a liquid flow path is formed in the valve plug socket around the valve plug, through which liquid flows into the pump chamber.

In a liquid sprayer of a type comprising a fixed housing part and a movable housing part together defining a variable volume pump chamber, wherein said fixed housing part includes an elongated tubular stem including a liquid inlet passageway for delivering a liquid into the pump chamber, an inlet valve, and a tubular wall surrounding said tubular stem, with an annular chamber being formed by and radially between the tubular wall and the tubular stem, wherein said movable housing part includes an outlet opening and an outlet valve between the pump chamber and the outlet opening, wherein movement of the movable housing part towards the fixed housing part decreases the volume of the pump chamber, and closes the inlet valve, and opens the outlet valve, and forces liquid out from the pump chamber through the outlet opening, and wherein movement of the movable housing part away from the fixed housing part increases the volume of the pump chamber, and closes the outlet valve, and opens the inlet valve, and draws liquid from the inlet passageway into the pump chamber, the improvement characterized by:

• said fixed housing part including an elongated, tubular inlet valve housing, having a rear end portion fittable into said annular chamber, about said tubular stem, said inlet valve housing also including radially inwardly projecting stop lugs;
• said inlet valve including a forwardly directed valve seat spaced rearwardly from the stop lugs;
• and
• a valve plug positioned axially between said inlet valve seat and the stop lugs, said valve plug being movable back and forth axially between a rear position in which it is seated against the inlet valve seat, and the inlet valve is closed, and a forward position in which it is against the stop lugs, the inlet valve is open, and a liquid passageway is formed about the valve plug member.

For use in a liquid sprayer, a tubular inlet valve housing, comprising:

• a sidewall having first and second opposite ends and an interior space extending from the first end to the second end;
• radially inwardly projecting stop lugs, projecting from said sidewall into said space, between the first and second ends;
• a valve plug, in said space and including a closed first end, directed towards the second end of the inlet valve housing and including a closure surface, and a second end;
• and
• a frangible section initially connecting the closure plug to the tubular inlet valve housing, in a position forwardly of the stop lugs,
• wherein the second end of the valve plug has an outside diameter that is larger than a space between the stop lugs,
• wherein the frangible section can be severed by a push on the valve plug to separate the valve plug from the sidewall, and
• wherein the second end of the valve plug is dimensioned to be snap-fitted past the stop lugs.

For use in a liquid sprayer, a tubular inlet valve housing, comprising:

• a sidewall having first and second ends and an interior space extending from the first end to the second end;
• an annular inlet valve seat in said space formed as a part of the sidewall, said inlet valve seat being directed towards the first end;
• stop lugs spaced axially towards said first end from the inlet valve seat, said stop lugs projecting radially inwardly from the sidewall;
• said inlet valve seat and said stop lugs forming between them a space for receiving a valve plug which is movable axially between a first position in which it is against the inlet valve seat and is spaced axially from the stop lugs, and a second position in which it is against the stop lugs and is spaced axially from the inlet valve seat;
• a first seal forming edge at the second end of the inlet valve housing, adapted to make a tight interference fit seal with a surrounding tubular wall, to form a seal between the inlet valve housing and the surrounding tubular wall;
• and
• a second seal forming edge spaced forwardly of the first seal forming edge, said second seal forming edge being adapted to make a tight interference fit seal with the inside surface of a second tubular wall, to form a seal between the tubular inlet valve housing and the second tubular wall.

In a liquid sprayer of a type comprising a fixed housing part and a movable housing part together defining a variable volume pump chamber between them, wherein said fixed housing part includes a liquid inlet passageway for delivering a liquid into the pump chamber, and an inlet valve between said passageway and the pump chamber, wherein said movable housing part includes an outlet opening and an outlet valve between the pump chamber and the outlet opening, wherein movement of the movable housing part towards the fixed housing part decreases the volume of the pump chamber, and closes the inlet valve, and opens the outlet valve, and forces liquid out from the pump chamber through the outlet opening, and wherein movement of the movable housing part away from the fixed housing part increases the volume of the pump chamber, and closes the outlet valve, and opens the inlet valve, and draws liquid from the inlet passageway into the pump chamber, the improvement characterized by:

• said fixed housing part having an inlet region including a forwardly facing, inlet valve seat surrounding the liquid inlet passageway, radially inwardly directed stop lugs spaced axially forwardly from the inlet valve seat, and a valve plug positioned between the stop lugs and the inlet valve seat, said valve plug being movable between a first position in which it is seated on the inlet valve seat, and closes the liquid inlet passageway, and is spaced from the stop lugs, and a second position in which it is against the stop lugs, is spaced from the inlet valve seat, and the liquid inlet passageway is open to permit liquid flow past the valve plug into the pump chamber;
• said movable housing part comprising an elongated tubular sidewall forming a pump chamber sidewall, and a forward part forming a pump chamber front wall;
• a seal sealing between the inlet region and the pump chamber sidewall, said seal constituting a rear end closure for the pump chamber;
• said movable housing part including an outlet member positioned forwardly of the pump chamber front wall, said outlet member including an outlet orifice surrounded by a rearwardly directed outlet valve seat;
• said pump chamber front wall including a forwardly facing pin having a closure surface confronting the outlet valve seat;
• said movable housing part also including a flex wall section connected to the outlet member, said flex wall section normally holding the valve seat contiguous the closure surface on the pin, but permitting axial movement of the outlet member forwardly away from the pin, to create a liquid passage between the outlet valve seat and the closure surface;
• and
• an outlet passageway leading from the pump chamber to a region adjacent the outlet valve seat, the closure surface, and the flex wall section,
• wherein movement of the movable housing part towards the fixed housing part, when liquid is in the pump chamber, will move the valve plug into a seated position on the inlet valve seat, and will force liquid out from the pump chamber through the outlet passageway to the flex wall section, and will exert pressure on the flex wall section to force the outlet member forwardly, thereby moving the outlet valve seat away from the closure surface on the pin and permitting liquid flow between the outlet valve seat and the closure surface on the pin, to and through the outlet opening, and
• wherein a forward movement of the movable housing part away from the fixed housing part will cause a rearward movement of the flex wall section and the outlet member, to place the outlet valve seat against the closure surface on the pin, and will move the valve plug forwardly from the inlet valve seat, into a position against the stop lugs, thereby permitting liquid flow through the liquid inlet passageway into the pump chamber.

In a liquid sprayer of a type comprising a fixed housing part and a movable housing part together defining a variable volume pump chamber between them, wherein said fixed housing part includes a liquid inlet passageway for delivering liquid from a reservoir into the pump chamber, and an inlet valve, and said movable housing part includes a spray forming outlet and an outlet valve, wherein movement of the movable housing part towards the fixed housing part decreases the volume of the pump chamber, and closes the inlet valve, and opens the outlet valve, and forces liquid out from the pump chamber through the spray forming outlet, and wherein movement of the movable housing part away from the fixed housing part increases the volume of the pump chamber, and closes the outlet valve, opens the inlet valve, and draws liquid through said inlet passageway into the pump chamber, the improvement characterized by:

• said movable housing part including an annular radial wall surrounding the spray forming outlet, and an annular tubular wall connected to the radial wall and extending forwardly from the radial wall, said tubular wall and said radial wall defining a front end socket;
• a foam forming insert comprising a body fittable into said socket, said body including a tubular center portion having a central passageway open at its front and rear, said passageway being in axial alignment with the spray forming outlet and converging from its rear to its front;
• and
• an ambient air path for introducing ambient air into the rear of the passageway.