Abstract:
The present invention is a portable sprayer with a tank and a measuring device in selective fluid communication with the tank. The measuring device may be located adjacent to a funnel at the top of the tank and a valve provided to selectively control the flow of fluid from the measuring device into the funnel. The measuring device may include a plurality of surfaces extending from the internal wall of the measuring device to provide indicia of the amount of fluid within the measuring device.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to pressure sprayers and, more particularly, to portable pressure sprayers.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Pressure sprayers are well known in the art, having been developed many years ago. They essentially consist of a tank that is adapted to hold a liquid and become pressurized with air. The tank becomes pressurized via a pump. When a spray head and/or wand that is attached to the pressurized tank is opened, the liquid within the tank is ejected from the spray head/wand by the pressure in the tank. Eventually, the pressure within the tank decreases with the ejection of liquid therefrom. When the pressure upon the liquid within the tank drops to a particular value, the liquid will not be ejected from the tank due to lack of pressure. The amount of liquid that is ejected before the pressure in the tank drops to the particular value is a function of both the volume of air in the tank and the pressure of the air. Therefore, in order to maintain (have) adequate pressure within the tank in order to eject the liquid therefrom, the pressure must be periodically increased. This is accomplished by a manually actuated pump associated with the pressure sprayer.  
         [0003]     Such pressure sprayers may be used for spraying insecticides, pesticides, biocides, and herbicides, as well as paints, stains, water, and virtually any other low viscosity liquid. Small, portable (i.e. hand-carried) pressure sprayers have been used by the home and business industry. Early pressurized sprayers included metal canisters with a manually actuated pump. When these metal tanks were filled with a liquid, and manually pumped to the appropriate pressure, they were quite heavy and cumbersome to carry. Currently, most pressure sprayers are formed from a suitable plastic.  
         [0004]     The liquid that is ejected from the pressure sprayers is typically mixed just prior to use. Accordingly, a concentrated solution of the toxic insecticide, pesticide, biocide, etc. is measured and mixed within the sprayer with a measured amount of water. Beneficially, only a small amount of the toxic solution is needed. The measurement of the correct amount of the solution in a small measuring vessel, however, may be problematic.  
         [0005]     For example, measuring vessels typically include indicia marked upon the vessel walls, such as a line circumscribing the vessel. Such indicia are difficult to read. Accordingly, while positioning the vessel so as to be able to discern the markings, the vessel must also be balanced to maintain the vessel level. Additionally, the positioning and pouring of the toxic solution into some small measuring vessels such as teaspoons and tablespoons must be done without spilling the contents of the measuring vessel either on the ground or on the user.  
         [0006]     In some measuring vessels, the user need only fill the vessel to the brim of the vessel in order to measure the desired amount. Such measuring vessels significantly ease the determination of when the desired amount has been measured. These vessels suffer, however, from an increased likelihood of spillage since the measured solution must be poured to the very brim of the measuring vessel and then the measuring vessel must be positioned over the tank prior to spilling any of the contents. Of course, some users may attempt to avoid spillage onto the ground by first positioning the measuring vessel over the tank. This approach may lead to undesired consequences when the measuring device is overfilled, dumping an undetermined amount of the solution into the tank.  
         [0007]     Moreover, when measuring liquid having a high viscosity, some amount of the liquid tends to remain in the measuring vessel even after attempting to pour the contents of the vessel in to the tank. It is thus necessary to rinse the measuring vessel, and pour the rinsed solution into the tank. The rinsing of the measuring vessel is preferably also done without spilling the rinsed solution outside of the tank or on the user.  
         [0008]     Of course, the measuring of the solution presupposes that an appropriate measuring device may be located. Many solutions are provided without any such measuring device. Moreover, even when a device is provided with the solution, the measuring device is frequently lost or misplaced. Accordingly, the user typically absconds with a measuring device previously used in measuring foodstuffs. While providing a short term solution, such misappropriation of measuring vessels may lead to various other problems, of which replacement of the measuring vessel may be the least problematic.  
         [0009]     What is needed is a measuring device for use with hand-pressurized compressed air sprayers that is eases the process of determining the amount of fluid in the measuring device.  
         [0010]     What is further needed is a measuring device for use with hand-pressurized compressed air sprayers that reduces the potential for spilling a measured fluid.  
         [0011]     What is still further needed is a measuring device for use with hand-pressurized compressed air sprayers that simplifies rinsing of the measuring device.  
         [0012]     What is also needed is a measuring device for use with hand-pressurized compressed air sprayers that may be stored with a hand-pressurized compressed air sprayer.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0013]     The present invention is a portable sprayer with a tank and a measuring device in selective fluid communication with the tank. In one embodiment, the measuring device is in selective fluid communication with the tank through a valved passageway.  
         [0014]     In accordance with a further embodiment, a portable sprayer includes a tank with an opening for receiving a fluid to be ejected from the sprayer. A funnel is located above the opening of the tank and a measuring device is located adjacent to the funnel.  
         [0015]     In yet another embodiment, a portable sprayer includes a tank for holding pressurized fluid and a measuring device in selective fluid communication with the tank. The measuring device includes an inner wall defining a cavity for receiving a fluid to be measured and a plurality of surfaces extending from the inner wall, each of the plurality of surfaces for indicating an amount of fluid within the cavity.  
         [0016]     These and other advantages and features of the present invention may be discerned from reviewing the accompanying drawings and the detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0017]     The present invention may take form in various system and method components and arrangement of system and method components. The drawings are only for purposes of illustrating exemplary embodiments and are not to be construed as limiting the invention.  
         [0018]      FIG. 1  shows a side elevational view of a portable pressure sprayer incorporating features of the present invention;  
         [0019]      FIG. 2  shows an exploded perspective view of the portable pressure sprayer of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0020]      FIG. 3  shows a top elevational view of the portable pressure sprayer of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0021]      FIG. 4  shows a detail view of the internal ledges of the measuring device shown in  FIG. 3 ;  
         [0022]      FIG. 5  shows a detail view of the measuring device and measuring dock of the portable pressure sprayer of  FIG. 1  with the measuring device rotated to the closed position;  
         [0023]      FIG. 6  shows a detail view of the measuring device and measuring dock of the portable pressure sprayer of  FIG. 1  with the measuring device rotated to the open position;  
         [0024]      FIG. 7  shows a detail view of the pressure relief mechanism of the portable pressure sprayer of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0025]      FIG. 8  shows a partial front elevational view of the portable pressure sprayer of  FIG. 1 ; and  
         [0026]      FIG. 9  shows a flow chart of one embodiment of a method using the portable pressure sprayer of  FIG. 1 .  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0027]     Referring now to the drawings and, more particularly to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a portable pressure sprayer generally designated  10 . In the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , the pressure sprayer  10  is formed (e.g. molded) from a suitable plastic that is durable, able to withstand air pressure stress, and other stresses of use. Various thermoplastics may be used such as polyethylene, polypropylene, nylon, and the like. It should be appreciated that one type of plastic may be used for one component of the pressure sprayer  10  while another type of plastic may be used for other components. The pressure sprayer  10  includes a tank portion  12  and a pump portion  14 .  
         [0028]     The tank portion  12  is provided with a plurality of protuberances  16  which extend outwardly from the body  18  of the tank portion  12  and support the pressure sprayer  10  when the pressure sprayer  10  is placed on, for example, the ground. A fill line  11  indicates a level of fluid within the tank portion  12 . The fill line  11  is a level indicator that may indicate, for example, the level within the tank portion  12  that corresponds to one liter or one gallon of fluid within the tank portion  12 . Additional level indicators may be used if desired.  
         [0029]     The tank portion  12  also includes a hose bore  20  and a vent  22  shown in  FIG. 2 . The hose bore  20  allows a siphon tube  24  to be inserted into the body  18  of the tank portion  12 . A hose or wand (not shown) is then connected to the siphon tube  24  using the hose connector unit  26  and a hose nut  28 . The vent  22  is rotatable between a closed position wherein air is not allowed to pass through the vent  22  from the body  18  of the tank portion  12  and an open position wherein air is allowed to pass through the vent  22  from the body  18  of the tank portion  12  so as to de-pressurize the tank portion  12 .  
         [0030]     With continued reference to  FIG. 2 , the pressure sprayer  10  further includes a handle assembly  30  that is fixedly attached to the body  18  via a funnel  32 . The handle assembly  30  is preferably formed of a solid plastic and is predominantly defined by a grip  34  that is attached to the funnel  32 . At one side the handle assembly  30  includes a storage area  36  and at the other end a measuring device dock  38 . The grip  34  is preferably formed with a plurality of ridges  40  in an arch portion  42  from a plastic material so as to allow a user to comfortably carry the pressures sprayer  10  by the handle assembly  30 . The storage area  36  includes a plurality of receptacles formed therein for storage of various accessories used with the pressure sprayer  10  such as spray nozzles.  
         [0031]     The funnel  32  includes a spillway  46  and a spout  48 . The funnel  32  is adapted to direct fluids poured therein toward a neck  50  which is connected to the body  18  through an internally threaded portion  52 . The spout  48  may be used to direct fluid within the pressure sprayer  10  to a desired location when it is desired to empty the pressure sprayer  10 . The spillway  46  is adjacent the measuring device dock  38  so as to direct fluids from a measuring device  54  into the tank defined by the body  18 .  
         [0032]     The measuring device  54  in this embodiment is snap-fitted into the measuring device dock  38  so as to allow removal for cleaning of the measuring device  54 . The measuring device  54  includes a number of internal ledges  56  as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4  wherein  FIG. 4  shows the detail  4  of  FIG. 3 . The ledges  56  provide indicia of the amount of fluid within the measuring device  54 . The internal ledges  56  in this embodiment are further provided with printed indicia of the amount of fluid within the measuring device  54 . Thus, as a user is filling the measuring device  54  with a fluid such as an herbicide, fertilizer, etc., the amount of fluid within the measuring device  54  is readily discernable.  
         [0033]     The measuring device  54  is further rotatable within the measuring device dock  38  between a closed and an open position as shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6  which show detail  5  of  FIG. 2 . Referring to  FIG. 5 , when the measuring device  54  is rotated into the closed position, there is no opening from the measuring device  54  to the spillway  46 . Rotation of the measuring device  54  to the open position as shown in  FIG. 6 , however, aligns an opening  58  in the measuring device  54  with an opening  60  in the measuring device dock  38 . Thus, fluid within the measuring device  54  is allowed to flow out of the measuring device  54  within the measuring device dock  38  into the spillway  46  through the internal passageway formed by the opening  58  and the opening  60 . The measuring device  54  and the measuring device dock  38  thus form a valve controlling the flow of fluid from the measuring device  54  into the spillway  46 .  
         [0034]     The flow of fluid from a measuring device into a spillway may be controlled in a number of alternative manners. By way of example, a valve may be located within the measuring device that is opened upon insertion into the measuring device dock. Accordingly, the measuring device may be removed without spilling liquid within the measuring device. This is useful in the event that the measuring device has been overfilled. Additionally, the valve between the measuring device and the spillway may be provided in whole or in part by additional components which may be operated by pressing a button or lever.  
         [0035]     Referring back to  FIG. 2 , the pump portion  14  includes an externally threaded portion  62  at a first end  64  of a cylindrical housing  66 . A second end portion  68  includes a hole  70  therethrough adapted to receive a piston assembly  72 . The piston assembly  72  includes a piston  74  at one end of a shaft  76  and a pump handle  78  at the opposite end of the shaft  76 . The pump handle  78  includes two projections  80  configured to engage two cutouts  82  in the second end portion  68  of the cylindrical housing  66 .  
         [0036]     The piston  74  is sized to fit within the cylindrical housing  66  which defines a compression chamber. The piston  74  includes a hole  84  therethrough. As shown more clearly in  FIG. 7 , which shows the detail  7  of  FIG. 2 , a pressure relief ball  86  is sized to snugly fit against the rim of the hole  84 . The pressure relief ball  86  is maintained in position against the rim of the hole  84  by a pressure relief spring  88 .  
         [0037]     When the pump portion  14  is assembled, the piston  74  is located within the cylindrical housing  66 . A cushioning spring  90  is located between the piston  74  and the first end  64  of the cylindrical housing  66 . The piston assembly  72  is maintained within the cylindrical housing  66  by a locking clip  89  that engages the second end portion  68  of the cylindrical housing  66 .  
         [0038]     The externally threaded portion  62  of the cylindrical housing  66  is complimentarily threaded with the threaded portion  52  of the neck  50 . The first end  64  of the cylindrical housing  66  includes an opening therethrough such that when the pump portion  14  is threadedly engaged to the internally threaded portion  52  of the neck  50 , the hole in the first end  64  aligns with the neck  50  allowing air to pass from within the compression chamber defined by the cylindrical housing  66  into the cavity defined by the body  18 .  
         [0039]     In this embodiment, the externally threaded portion  62  is located proximate the first end  64  such that when the pump portion  14  is attached to the tank portion  12  the cylindrical housing  66  extends upwardly from the neck portion  50  as shown in  FIG. 8 . Thus, even when the shaft  76  is fully inserted within the cylindrical housing  66 , the pump handle  78  is located high above the tank portion  12 . The resulting height may be modified within the scope of the invention in a number of ways. By way of example, the external threads may be located higher up on the cylindrical housing to reduce the height. Alternatively, the length of the shaft and/or the length of the cylindrical housing may be increased for additional height or decreased for shorter height.  
         [0040]      FIG. 9  shows a method of operating the pressure sprayer  10  which begins with the pump portion  14  engaged with the tank portion  12  substantially as shown in  FIG. 1  with the further connection of a wand to the hose bore  20 . At step  100  the user ensures that the vent  22  is in the open position so as to equalize pressure within the tank with the atmospheric pressure. The pump portion  14  is then removed from the tank portion  22  at step  102  by rotating the pump handle  78  in the counter-clockwise direction with the projections  80  engaged with the cutouts  82 . Because the pump handle  78  is engaged with the cylindrical housing  66  by the projections  80  within the cutouts  82 , the rotation of the pump handle  78  causes the cylindrical housing  66  to rotate thereby unthreading the pump portion  14  from the tank portion  12 .  
         [0041]     At step  104 , the internal passageway (I.P.W.) is closed by placing the measuring device  54  in the closed position within the measuring device dock  38 . The desired amount of fluid to be measured by the measuring device  54  is then poured into the measuring device  54  at step  106 . At step  108  the internal passageway between the measuring device  54  and the spillway  46  is opened by rotating the measuring device  54  to the open position. This aligns the opening  58  in the measuring device  54  with the opening  60  in the measuring device dock and allows the fluid within the measuring device  54  to flow into the spillway  46 . The spillway  46  and the funnel  32  direct the measured fluid to the neck  50  and into the cavity formed by the body  18 .  
         [0042]     At step  110  the measuring device  54  (M.D.) is flushed with the fluid that will be mixed with the measured fluid, typically water. The desired amount of mix fluid is then provided at step  112  by directing the fluid into the funnel  32  which in turn directs the fluid to the neck  50  and into the cavity formed by the body  18 . At step  114  the pump portion  14  is threadedly engaged to the tank portion  12  by reversing the process described above for removing the pump portion  14 .  
         [0043]     Once the vent  22  is rotated to the closed position at step  116 , the tank portion  12  may be pressurized at step  118  by grasping the pump handle  78  and reciprocating the pump handle  78 . Downward movement of the pump handle  78  causes air within the cylindrical housing  66  to be forced through a check valve (not shown) in the first end  64  of the cylindrical housing  66 . The check valve allows air to flow out of the compression chamber of the cylindrical housing  66  through the first end portion  64  but air is not allowed to flow into the compression chamber through the first end  64 . Thus, the air within the cylindrical housing  66  is forced through the neck  50  into the cavity defined by the body  18  thereby pressurizing the tank portion  12 .  
         [0044]     Various safety features are implicated during pressurization of the tank portion  12 . For example, as the pump handle  78  continues to move downward and nears the first end  64 , the cushioning spring  90  begins to be compressed. This signals the user that the downward stroke should be terminated and slows the downward stroke of the piston assembly  72  so as to prevent damage to the piston assembly  72 . Additionally, in the event a user attempts to over pressurize the tank portion  12 , the pressure inside of the cylindrical housing  66  underneath the piston  74  will exceed the pressure exerted by the pressure relief spring  88  on the pressure relief ball  86 .  
         [0045]     Continuing with  FIG. 9 , once the tank portion  12  has been appropriately pressurized, the contents of the tank portion  12  may be sprayed at step  120  by opening a valve on the wand (not shown). If movement of the pressure sprayer  10  is desired during the spray operation, then a user grasps the handle assembly  30  and lifts the pressure sprayer  10 . The handle assembly  30  is configured such that when it is used to lift the pressure assembly  10 , the pump portion  14  does not interfere with the movement of the user.  
         [0046]     At step  122 , a status check is performed. If additional spraying is desired but there is insufficient fluid remaining in the tank portion  12 , then the operation returns to step  100  and the tank is vented, re-filled and re-pressurized. If additional spraying is desired but there is insufficient pressure in the tank portion  12 , then the process returns to step  118  and the tank portion  12  is re-pressurized.  
         [0047]     If the spray operation is completed, then the process continues at step  124  wherein the vent  22  is rotated to the open position so as to equalize pressure within the tank with the atmospheric pressure. The pump portion  14  is then removed from the tank portion  22  at step  126  by rotating the pump handle  78  in the counter-clockwise direction with the projections  80  engaged with the cutouts  82  in the manner described above for step  102 . At step  128 , the fluid remaining within the tank portion  12  is poured out of the tank portion  12  using the spout  48  to direct the fluid to the desired place such as an appropriate storage vessel. The tank portion  12  is then rinsed at step  130  and the pump portion is re-attached to the tank portion  12  at step  132  in the manner described with respect to step  114 .  
         [0048]     At step  134  the measuring device  54  is cleaned by removing, rinsing and re-inserting the measuring device  54  into the measuring device dock  38 . The process then ends.  
         [0049]     While the present invention has been illustrated by the description of exemplary processes and system components, and while the various processes and components have been described in considerable detail, applicant does not intend to restrict or in any limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. Additional advantages and modifications will also readily appear to those skilled in the art. The invention in its broadest aspects is therefore not limited to the specific details, implementations, or illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departing from the spirit or scope of applicant&#39;s general inventive concept.