Trigger spray valve body with pass through filling path

A sprayer device with a trigger operated pump is operative for pumping and spraying liquid from an attached liquid container. The sprayer device includes an integrally molded valve body provided with a base portion that is configured to be mounted to the neck of the liquid container and a delivery nozzle from which the liquid is sprayed. A pumping chamber in the valve body is in fluid communication with an inside of the fluid container and is further in fluid communication with the delivery nozzle. The valve body is further provided with a head portion that has a filling passage extending between the head portion and the base portion such that a liquid received in the head portion flows through the valve body, around the pumping chamber and exits the base portion into the mounted liquid container.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(1) Field of the Invention

The instant invention relates to sprayer devices and more particularly to a liquid pump sprayer manually operated by means of a trigger lever.

(2) Description of Related Art

A sprayer of the type generally contemplated herein comprises a valve body provided with a base configured to be mounted to neck of a liquid container, a delivery nozzle from which the liquid is sprayed, a spring biased trigger lever that is operated manually by the user and a pump operated by the trigger lever to suction liquid from the container and to spray it through the nozzle. The pump has a piston acting in a chamber formed in the valve body. The valve body further comprises an inlet duct with a connecting dip tube that extends from the pump chamber to the inside of the liquid container and an outlet duct extending from the pump chamber to the sprayer nozzle. Within the pump chamber there is a suction and delivery valve adapted to allow the liquid to be sucked in a one-way direction from the container up through the dip tube to the pump chamber and to deliver the liquid from the pump chamber to the delivery nozzle. While reference is made to sprayers for liquids, it should be understood that the presently described types of spray devices can also be used to spray any type of fluid, such as foams or the like.

While the existing pump sprayer are effective for their intended purposes, an ever-evolving consumer market requires novel and improved designs which provide for added functionality, a reduced number of parts and reduced connection and leak points.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An exemplary embodiment comprises a sprayer device with a trigger operated pump that is operative for pumping and spraying liquid from an attached liquid container.

The sprayer device includes an integrally molded valve body provided with a base portion that is configured to be mounted to a neck of a liquid container. The exemplary base portion may be snap fit or plug fit onto the neck of the container or may include a bayonet type connection, or threaded connection or any other connection as known in the art.

The valve body is provided with a delivery nozzle from which liquid from the container is sprayed and has a pumping chamber which is in fluid communication with an inside of the fluid container through an inlet duct and a dip tube, and is further in fluid communication with the delivery nozzle through an outlet duct.

The valve body is further provided with a head portion that is configured to receive a filling container and has a filling passage extending between the head portion and the base portion such that a liquid received in the head portion flows through the valve body, around the pumping chamber and exits the base portion into the neck of the mounted liquid container. The filling container may be snap fit or plug fit onto the head portion of the valve body or may include a bayonet type connection, or threaded connection or any other connection as known in the art. In one exemplary embodiment, the filling container may be sealed and pierced as it is applied to the valve body, or may include a valve to release the contents. In another exemplary embodiment, the valve body may include a separate flow valve to selectively allow flow through the filling passage. In yet another exemplary embodiment, the head portion may receive a shroud or cover with a door or hatch which can be selectively opened to expose the filling path whereby the user can fill the container through the door or hatch.

A trigger lever is hinged to the valve body and to a stem of a plunger or piston which is slidable in the pumping chamber to suction and pump liquid from the liquid container. A spring is captured between the trigger lever and the valve body to bias the trigger outwardly. A suction and delivery valve located within the pumping chamber cooperates with the inlet duct and the outlet duct to control suction of the liquid from the container and delivery of the liquid to the delivery nozzle.

It can thus be appreciated that the exemplary embodiment provides a unique valve body and sprayer which simplifies and reduces the number of parts while also reducing the number of potential leak points to the connections between the valve body base and the liquid container and the valve body head and the filling container.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawings, an exemplary embodiment of a trigger sprayer device10incorporating an exemplary valve body12is illustrated inFIGS. 1-7. The exemplary valve body12is best illustrated inFIGS. 8-13.

The exemplary sprayer device10comprises a trigger operated pump assembly14(SeeFIG. 2) that is operative for pumping and spraying liquid from an attached liquid container16(SeeFIG. 7).

The sprayer device10includes an integrally molded valve body12provided with a base portion18that is configured to be mounted to a neck20of a liquid container16. The exemplary base portion18may be snap fit or plug fit onto the neck20of the container16or may include a bayonet type connection, or threaded connection or any other connection as known in the art.

The valve body12is provided with a delivery nozzle22from which liquid from the container16is sprayed and has a pumping chamber24which is in fluid communication with an inside of the fluid container16through an inlet duct26and a dip tube28(FIG. 7) which extends down into the liquid container16in a conventional manner. The pumping chamber24is further in fluid communication with the delivery nozzle22through an outlet duct30having a vertical portion30′ and a horizontal extension30″ leading to the delivery nozzle22. A plug body32is received into the top of the vertical portion30′ of the outlet duct30to force liquid into the horizontal extension30″ of the outlet duct30.

The valve body12is further provided with a head portion34that is configured to receive a filling container (not shown) and has a flow-through filling passage36extending between the head portion34and the base portion18such that a liquid (see arrowsFIGS. 6-7) received in the head portion34flows through the valve body12, around the pumping chamber24and exits the base portion18into the neck20of the mounted liquid container16. The filling container may contain a pre-mixed liquid to be sprayed or contain a concentrate to be mixed with water in the container16. The flow path36and liquid flow through the valve body12is best shown by the arrows in the cross-sectional views inFIGS. 6 and 7. The filling container may be snap fit or plug fit onto the head portion34of the valve body12or may include a bayonet type connection, or threaded connection or any other connection as known in the art. In one exemplary embodiment, the filling container may be sealed and pierced as it is applied to the valve body12, or may include a valve to release the contents. In another exemplary embodiment, the valve body may include a separate flow valve (not shown) to selectively allow flow through the filling passage36.

When the filling container is not present, the open head portion34allows the user to fill the liquid container16with water or other spray liquid directly through the top of the valve body12without removing the valve body12. In this regard, another exemplary embodiment10A is shown inFIG. 14wherein assembly10A includes a cover or shroud48with a hatch or door50that can be selectively opened and closed to allow the user to fill the container through the hatch or door50. The cover can be part of a larger shroud, or can be a snap-fit or sealed cover with a sliding or hinged door. Other configurations are also contemplated.

A trigger lever38is hinged to the valve body12and to a stem40of a plunger or piston42which is slidable in the pumping chamber24to suction and pump liquid from the liquid container16. A spring44is captured between the trigger lever38and the valve body12to bias the trigger38outwardly. A suction and delivery valve46located within the pumping chamber24cooperates with the inlet duct26and the outlet duct30to control suction of the liquid from the container16and delivery of the liquid to the delivery nozzle22. Operation of the pump assembly14and of the suction and delivery valve46are better described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,175,056 and 8,714,415, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

It can thus be appreciated that the exemplary embodiments provide a unique flow through or pass through valve filling body12and sprayer10which simplifies and reduces the number of parts while also reducing the number of potential leak points to the connections between the valve body base18and the liquid container16, and the valve body head34and the filling container.