Airbrush
AssigneeHallmark Cards, Incorporated
InventorsGary M. Barch, Paul J. Corsi, Douglas F. Melville, Jr., Charles W. Dietterich, Luis Rodrigo Piñeiro, Robert J. Henry, Wolfgang Witz
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An airbrush apparatus for use in generating a design on a desired object is disclosed. The apparatus and method of use are disclosed wherein the airbrush apparatus comprises a housing, boom, and sprayer head. A fluid to be applied is contained in individual cartridges and is drawn out by a vacuum effect caused by air that is being pumped from the housing across a feed tube which is in fluid communication with the cartridge.
Claims22
An airbrush apparatus comprising:
- a housing;
- a pump at least partially contained within the housing;
- a boom rotatably coupled with the housing, the boom having a proximal end adjacent the housing and a distal end opposite the proximal end;
- a sprayer head coupled with the distal end of the boom, the sprayer head having a feed tube including a passage therethrough having a plurality of fingers extending generally radially inward from a sidewall of the passage, an air nozzle, and a diffuser, wherein the air nozzle is operationally coupled with the pump;
- and,
- a cartridge removably coupleable with the sprayer head, the cartridge having a fluid therein which passes through the passage during use and out an outlet end of the feed tube.
A method of applying a fluid onto an object comprising:
- providing an airbrush apparatus comprising:
- a housing;
- a pump at least partially contained within the housing;
- a boom rotatably coupled with the housing and operationally coupled with the pump, the boom having a proximal end adjacent the housing and a distal end opposite the proximal end;
- a sprayer head coupled to the distal end of the boom, the sprayer head having a cartridge holder, a feed tube having a passage and a plurality of fingers extending generally radially inward from a sidewall of the passage, an air nozzle operationally coupled with the pump, and a diffuser;
- and,
- a cartridge removably coupleable with the sprayer head, the cartridge having a fluid therein and a valve;
- inserting the cartridge into an opening in the cartridge holder, thereby opening the valve in the cartridge;
- activating the pump by a switch;
- directing air from the pump through the air nozzle in the sprayer head and across an outlet end of the feed tube, thereby causing a vacuum which draws the fluid from the cartridge through the open valve, through the feed tube, out the outlet end and into the air stream, wherein the fluid is atomized in the air stream from the air nozzle in the sprayer head;
- and
- directing the atomized fluid through the diffuser onto to the object.
A sprayer mechanism for use with an air source for applying a fluid to an object, the mechanism comprising:
- a sprayer head having an air nozzle and a diffuser, the air nozzle being in fluid communication with the air source;
- a handle coupled with the sprayer head, the handle having a button for controlling activation of the air source;
- a cartridge holder coupled with the sprayer head, the cartridge holder having an opening and a feed tube therein, wherein the feed tube includes a passage therethrough, whereby fluid from within the cartridge passes through the passage during use and out an outlet end of the feed tube, and wherein the passage includes a plurality of fingers extending generally radially inwardly from a sidewall of the passage;
- and
- a cartridge at least partially received in and removably coupleable with the cartridge holder;
- wherein the cartridge contains the fluid to be applied therein, and wherein the cartridge includes a valve for selectively releasing the fluid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.