US 5,509,608 A · Low cost trigger sprayer having spinner with integral elastomeric check and primary valves

Abstract

A low cost trigger sprayer has a housing with a first liquid passage containing a spinner assembly. An elastomeric pump element is positioned generally horizontally such that pulling the trigger retracts the element and releasing the trigger allows the element to extend. The sprayer includes a low cost spinner assembly and low cost valving to control the flow of liquid within the sprayer. In one aspect of the invention, the housing has front and rear sections with the rear section having a saddle portion and being hinged to the front section for pivotal movement from an open position for molding the housing to a closed position for operating the sprayer. In another aspect of the invention, the container has a rear portion which extends upwardly past the neck and defining a saddle recess, with the housing connected to the neck of the container and positioned forwardly of the upwardly extending container portion. The sprayer may include an elastomeric spring for biasing the pump element in the extended position.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A spinner for use in a trigger sprayer including a housing having a discharge cavity extending to an opening, the spinner comprising:

an elongate body extending between opposite front and rear ends, the body having a swirl chamber integrally formed at the front end;
and
a flexible elastomeric valve element integrally formed with the spinner body, the spinner being adapted to be positioned within the trigger sprayer housing discharge cavity with the valve element overlying the cavity opening and defining a primary valve of the trigger sprayer.

A spray dispenser for dispensing a liquid substance from a container attached to the dispenser, the dispenser comprising:

a housing having a discharge passage extending between a first and a second end, the first end having an orifice through which the liquid substance is dispensed and the second end having a valve seat formed therein;
an inlet passage extending from the housing into the container for delivering the liquid substance from the container to the spray dispenser;
a pump mounted within the housing, the pump having a variable internal pressure in response to actuation of the spray dispenser, the pump drawing the liquid substance from the container and through the inlet passage in response to a decrease in the internal pump pressure and pushing the liquid substance through the discharge passage and out the discharge passage orifice in response to an increase in the internal pump pressure;
and
an elongate spinner having a first and a second terminus positioned within the housing discharge passage, the first terminus having a swirler head positioned adjacent the discharge passage orifice, the second terminus having an elastomeric valve element configured to seat against the discharge passage valve seat and inhibit the liquid substance from flowing through the discharge passage in a direction from the first end to the second end upon the decrease of the internal pump pressure, the valve element being configured to unseat from the discharge passage valve seat and permit the liquid substance to flow through the discharge passage in an opposite direction from the second end to the first end upon the increase of the internal pump pressure.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Low cost trigger sprayer having spinner with integral elastomeric check and primary valves

Life of this patent

Low cost trigger sprayer having spinner with integral elastomeric check and primary valves

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20