Abstract:
An improved manually operated trigger sprayer includes an ergonomic trigger having an hourglass exterior finger gripping surface that can significantly reduce or eliminate the fatigue associate with prolonged use of trigger sprayers. The trigger can include gripping elements made of elastomeric material for improved security. The dimensions are such that the consumer can use two or three fingers to operate the trigger.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     This invention relates to the field of manually operated trigger sprayers for dispensing liquids from bottles and similar containers, and more particularly to a trigger actuated pump sprayer with an ergonomic trigger which enables consumers to operate the sprayer for extended periods of time with ease.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Manually operated trigger sprayers for dispensing liquids from a bottle or a similar container are well known and are in wide use in connection with the application of home cleaning products. Such dispensers-provide a convenient means of dispensing, applying and using such home cleaning products. A variety of such trigger sprayers is known in the prior art.  
         [0003]     Trigger actuated pump sprayers are typically mounted on the neck of a container of a liquid product to be dispensed. In use, the consumer grasps the container neck and the closure cap provided for mounting the trigger sprayer to the container. The consumer dispenses the product by engaging the trigger lever for stroking the pump for dispensing. Depending on the product being dispensed and/or the task at hand, sprayers can be used to dispense small quantities of product on an occasional basis or can be used to dispense larger amounts of product over an extended period of time. In the latter case, the consumer often experiences fatigue especially if the container is large and heavy.  
         [0004]     The art is in search of improved trigger sprayers that allow consumers to operate the sprayers more conveniently for prolonged periods of time without incurring the discomforts associated with using prior art devices.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     The invention is based, in part, on the demonstration that incorporating an improved ergonomic trigger to manually operated pump sprayers can significantly reduce or eliminate the fatigue associate with prolonged use of trigger sprayers.  
         [0006]     In one aspect, the invention is directed to a trigger for a sprayer that includes a housing with a pump therein wherein the sprayer is manually actuated by the reciprocating action of a pump, the trigger including: a lever, which is pivotally mounted on the housing for engaging the pump, and that comprises an elongated lever having a finger engaging surface that includes an upper section, a middle section, and a lower section, wherein the middle section has a width that is shorter than the widths of the upper section and of the lower section.  
         [0007]     In another aspect, the invention is directed to a trigger sprayer for manually dispensing fluid from a container that includes: 
        a housing that defines a pump therein wherein the pump is actuated by a reciprocating mechanism;     an inlet passageway for connecting fluid from a container to the pump;     an outlet passage for allowing exit of fluid from the pump; and     a trigger operatively connected with the pump, wherein the trigger comprises an elongated lever, which is attached to the actuator, the lever defining a finger engaging surface that includes an upper section, a middle section, and a lower section, wherein the middle section has a width that is shorter than the widths of the upper section and of the lower section.        
 
         [0012]     In yet another embodiment, the invention is directed to a trigger sprayer for manually dispensing fluid from a container that includes: 
        a housing defined by at least two side walls, a top wall, and a bottom wall which is adapted for supporting the sprayer on a user&#39;s hand;     a pump situated within the housing;     an inlet passageway for connecting fluid from a container to the pump;     an outlet passage for allowing exit of fluid from the pump; and     a trigger operatively connected with the pump, wherein the trigger comprises an elongated lever defines a finger engaging surface that includes an upper section, a middle section, and a lower section, wherein the middle section has a width that is shorter than the widths of the upper section and of the lower section, characterized in that the elongated lever has dimensions that permit the user to pull the trigger repeatedly with at least two fingers while grasping the handle of the sprayer.       
 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0018]      FIG. 1  is a side perspective view of a pump dispenser of the present invention;  
         [0019]      FIG. 2  is the front elevation view of the pump body;  
         [0020]      FIGS. 3 and 4  are perspective views of the pump body;  
         [0021]      FIG. 5  is a sectional view of the pump body;  
         [0022]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the trigger;  
         [0023]      FIG. 7  is a front elevation view of the trigger;  
         [0024]      FIG. 8  is a rear elevation view of the trigger;  
         [0025]      FIGS. 9 and 10  are the right and left side elevation views of the trigger, respectively;  
         [0026]      FIG. 11  is a top plan view of the trigger; and  
         [0027]      FIG. 12  is a bottom plan view of the trigger.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0028]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a pump dispenser  10 , which embodies the invention, generally comprises a liquid-filled container  12  and a pump body  14  that is releasably connected to the neck  15  of the container  12  with a collar or closure cap  16 . The pump dispenser  10  is manually actuated with trigger  24  and is particularly suited for spraying a liquid cleaning agent such as a conventional all purpose cleaner. As will be further described, the ergonomically designed hourglass-shaped trigger  24  enables an individual to operate the pump dispenser  10  for longer periods of time without experiencing hand and/or finger fatigue vis-à-vis dispensers with conventional triggers.  
         [0029]     As illustrated in  FIGS. 2-4 , the exterior features of the pump body  14  include: (1) parallel upper sidewalls  18 A,  18 B, (2) parallel middle sidewalls  32 A,  32 B, (3) parallel lower sidewalls  34 A,  34 B, (4) a top wall  20  that blends into (5) an inclined upper rear wall  26 , and (6) a bottom facing support surface  28 . (The exterior covering of the pump body is often referred to the shroud.) A nozzle cap  22  and a pivoted trigger  24  are disposed on the front end of the pump body  14 . The front edges of the middle sidewalls  32 A,  32 B and lower sidewalls and  34 A,  32 B, collectively define the forward perimeters  36 A,  36 B of the pump body  14  which form the perimeter of aperture  23 . The pivoted trigger  24  is operatively connected by the arm  25  to a piston (not shown); the arm  25  is positioned within the aperture  23  being bordered by forward perimeters  36 A and  36 B.  
         [0030]     The upper and middle sidewalls  18 A,  18 B and  32 A,  32 B, respectively extend longitudinally and continuously between their edges to the rear wall  26 . The lower sidewalls  34 A,  34 B extend between their front edges to the lower rear wall  38 . The lower sidewalls  34 A,  34 B and lower rear wall  38  define a constricted throat portion  40  situated immediately above the collar  16 .  
         [0031]     The support surface  28  is dimensioned to fit on the web of a person&#39;s hand when the sprayer is being operated. In addition, the size and configuration of the exterior contour of the throat  40  are selected to enable a person to readily grasp the sprayer with the palm of his hand essentially surrounding the collar  16  and bottle neck  15  such that the web of the hand between the thumb and forefinger underlie the support surface  28 . The thumb, forefinger and hand web likewise grip about the constricted throat portion  40 . The user can manipulate the trigger lever  24  by the forefinger and/or middle finger by pulling the trigger to actuate the pump. As will be further described, for maximum comfort the ergonomic trigger of the present invention is configured to be pulled using two or three fingers.  
         [0032]     The front surface of the trigger  24  preferably includes a plurality of gripping elements  27  that are formed on the recesses in the trigger body. As illustrated in  FIGS. 2-4 , in one embodiment, four gripping elements that form a chevron pattern are provided. The gripping elements can be formed from an elastomeric material, such as rubber or a synthetic rubber-compound such as polyurethane, silicone-rubber and the like. In addition, the grips can be textured so as to present a rough surface for added security so that the person&#39;s fingers do not inadvertently slip off even when the grip surface is wet.  
         [0033]     The front surface of the trigger  24  has an hourglass-shaped perimeter and, in one embodiment, a generally continuous, slightly concave contour extending along its length from the proximal (or upper) to distal end of the trigger. Alternatively, the front surface can exhibit a center bulge that protrudes outward to create a slight protrusion along a center of the front surface that traverses longitudinally along the middle of the gripping elements  27 .  
         [0034]      FIG. 5  illustrates the internal mechanism of the pump body  14  which when activated delivers a liquid product from the container (not shown) through the aperture in the nozzle  22 . A pump chamber  40  is disposed within the housing  54  of the pump body. A fluid supply and discharge assistant  44  includes a piston  46  and a piston conduit  48  that provides fluid to the pump chamber  40  from the container. The piston conduit  48  may be provided with an inlet conduit or dip tube  50  that is adapted to extend into the container to draw fluid into the pump chamber  40  via the piston conduit  48  and an inlet ball check valve  52 . The slideable piston  46 , which is reciprocally disposed inside the pump chamber  40 , is actuated against the bias of a coil spring  56  by squeezing trigger  24  thereby reducing the enclosed volume within the pump chamber  40 .  
         [0035]     A flexible member  42  in contact with the piston  46  functions as the movable portion of the inlet ball valve and as a piston ring. The piston conduit orifice  62  may be blocked in response to pressure within the pump chamber  40  by the ball  52  of the inlet ball valve.  
         [0036]     Fluid in the pump chamber  40  may be discharged from the dispenser through an outlet conduit  70  and a nozzle fitting  71 . The nozzle fitting carries an operative discharge check valve  72 . The fitting  71  and check valve  72  are enclosed in a nozzle cap  22  which, depending on its position, controls the form of discharge, e.g., stream or spray. The discharge path includes outlet orifice  74  which is shown in the “off” position in  FIG. 5  as not being aligned with or in communication with the outlet conduit  70 . The trigger sprayer of the present invention can employ a variety of nozzles with the choice depending on a number of considerations such as (1) the size and/or shape of the spray pattern and (2) level of foaming desired. For example, the nozzle may have outlet orifices of different sizes, i.e., diameters, or orifices with different configurations. Typically, the consumer can select the appropriate operating parameter(s), e.g., spray pattern, by rotating the nozzle cap  22 . Suitable nozzles are well known in the art and are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,313,568 to Shay and U.S. Pat. No. 6,446,882 to Dukes et al. which are incorporated herein by reference.  
         [0037]     The trigger  24  is pivotally attached to the projections  78  located on opposite sides of the housing. The reciprocating arm  76  is attached the trigger  24  on one end and operatively connected to the piston  46  on the other end. The reciprocating action of the pump dispenser is initiated from the downward position of the piston  46 . As the trigger  24  is pulled toward the collar  16  to raise the piston  46 , forcing liquid in the pump chamber  40  out delivery tube  70  and through the discharge check valve  72  and the orifice  74 . When the trigger  24  is released, the spring  56  pulls the piston  46  downward, creating a negative pressure in the pump chamber  40  and causing the ball  52  of the ball valve to raise off the valve seat drawing liquid from the piston conduit  48  upward into the chamber  40 . In the event that the pump chamber  40  is empty, it is necessary to “prime” the pump by retracting the trigger  24  a few times before the pump chamber  40  is adequately filled with liquid.  
         [0038]     The particular internal pump mechanism is not critical to the invention. The improved ergonomic trigger can be employed with conventional manually actuated piston or bellows-type pumps that are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,227,650 to McKinney, U.S. Pat. No. 4,538,745 to Dunning et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,213,236 to Bloom, U.S. Pat. No. 6,234,361 to Bloom, U.S. Pat. No. 6,332,562 to Sweeton, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,364,175 to Bloom Which are all incorporated herein by reference.  
         [0039]     FIGS.  6  to  12  illustrate another embodiment of the ergonomic trigger  94  with its generally hourglass-shaped front exterior contour  80 ,  82 , and  84 . The exterior contour preferably defines a continuous, slightly concave smooth surface. In this embodiment, the gripping surface is textured and covers essentially the entire front surface of the trigger  94 . The body of the trigger  94  is preferably made of a hard molded plastic and the gripping surface is embedded within a recess with the body surface. At least a portion of the edge  86  of the body of the trigger  94  where the fingers are in contact with the trigger  94  is rounded for ease of handling.  
         [0040]     The front finger-grasping surface comprises three sections: (1) an upper section  80 , (2) a middle section  82 , and (3) a lower section  84 . To permit a consumer to use 2 or 3 fingers to engage the trigger  94 , the finger engaging surface preferably has an overall length of about 45 mm to 65 mm, as measured along its surface. In addition, the upper section  80  preferably has a width of about 17 mm to 27 mm, the middle section  82  preferably has a width of about 7 mm to 16 mm, and the lower section  84  preferably has a width of about 17 mm to 27 mm. Finally, the upper section  80  preferably has a length of about 17 mm to 25 mm, the middle section preferably has a length of about 11 mm to 15 mm, and the lower section preferably has a width of about 17 mm to 25 mm. As illustrated, in a preferred embodiment of the trigger, the hourglass front exterior configuration as an upper section  80  with dimensions that are substantially identical to those of the lower section  84 .  
         [0041]     The configuration of the back surface  96  of the trigger  94  as illustrated in  FIGS. 6-12 , generally has an aesthetically convex exterior surface. The trigger  94  at the upper portion of the back surface  96  is attached to an arm  76 , which is adapted to mate with the piston  46 . The arm  76  includes a spiral-shaped member  98  which pivots on an a projecting peg  78  located on opposite sides of the housing ( FIG. 5 ).  
         [0042]     In use, a consumer grasps the container neck and the and at least the collar such that the container is supported at the user&#39;s hand by the rearwardly extending support surface  28  ( FIG. 2 ) which rests upon the top of the user&#39;s hand at the web of the hand between the thumb and the forefinger. The forefinger (or the forefinger and middle finger) engages the trigger lever for stroking the pump for dispensing the product. The size and shape of the ergonomic trigger intuitively positions the fingers over the exterior surface of the trigger.  
         [0043]     While various advantageous embodiments have been chosen to illustrate the present invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.