Patent ID: 6062493
Filing Date: 2000-05-16
Classification: B05B,B65D

Abstract:
A liquid sprayer, comprising in combination a container for a liquid product to be sprayed, a valved container containing propellant, and an interconnecting bridge member for physically connecting the two containers in side by side relation; said bridge member having first means at a first end for attachment to the propellant container and second means at a second end for attachment to the product container; said bridge member having an enclosed channel to convey propellant from the first end to the second end of the bridge when the valved propellant container is actuated; a product opening extending into the bridge interior adjacent its second end for liquid product to flow into the bridge from the product container; a nozzle insert positioned interiorly of the bridge within a bridge opening at the second end of the bridge; said nozzle insert having a rearward portion, an intermediate portion and a forward portion; said nozzle insert rearward portion containing a channel in fluid communication with said bridge enclosed channel; said nozzle insert intermediate portion containing a venturi constriction with an outlet orifice from which propellant may exit and at least two product channels adjacent the venturi constriction and extending substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis of the nozzle insert; said nozzle insert forward portion containing an expansion chamber having an entrance diameter which is significantly larger than the diameter of the venturi constriction outlet orifice, and said expansion chamber having a length sufficient to not substantially disrupt the vacuum established by the venturi constriction outlet at the transverse product channels; an interior bridge space extending about the intermediate portion of the nozzle insert and in fluid communication with both the product opening extending into the bridge and the at least two transverse product channels; said nozzle insert transverse product channels extending longitudinally forward of said venturi constriction and extending longitudinally rearwardly to longitudinally overlap said venturi constriction; said venturi constriction outlet being surrounded by an outer smoothly tapering surface having its smaller diameter in the forward direction and its larger diameter in the rearward direction; the smaller forward outer diameter of the tapering surface being less than the entrance diameter of the expansion chamber; the transverse product channels having rearward surfaces that extend to the larger diameter of said tapering surface, said rearward surfaces and said tapering surface characterized by an absence of protruding surfaces so as to provide for smooth product flow therealong; said venturi constriction outlet being longitudinally spaced from the entrance to the expansion chamber such that the circumference of the envelope of a cone of propellant gas exiting the venturi constriction outlet remains substantially equal to or less than the circumference of the expansion chamber at its entrance until the cone enters the expansion chamber.