Abstract:
A venting system of a manually operated trigger sprayer vents the interior of a liquid container connected to the trigger sprayer. The trigger sprayer is provided with a vent chamber that surrounds the pump chamber, and a vent piston that surrounds the pump piston. The vent piston is received in the vent chamber for reciprocating movements between a vent closed and vent opened position in the vent chamber, and the vent chamber having two different interior diameter sections with a larger interior diameter section reducing drag on the vent piston when the vent piston is moved to the vent opened position.

Description:
This patent application is a continuation-in-part of patent application Ser. No. 10/961,286, which was filed on Oct. 8, 2004, and is currently pending. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     (1) Field of the Invention 
     The present invention pertains to a venting system for a manually operated, liquid dispensing trigger sprayer. More specifically, the present invention pertains to improvements to a venting system of a manually operated trigger sprayer that vents the interior of a liquid container connected to the trigger sprayer. For the most part, the construction of the trigger sprayer is typical. The improvement comprises a vent chamber that surrounds the pump chamber and a vent piston that surrounds the pump piston. The vent piston is received in the vent chamber for reciprocating movements with the pump piston in the pump chamber. The reciprocating movement of the vent piston alternatively opens the vent chamber to the exterior environment of the trigger sprayer and thereby vents the interior of the liquid container connected to the trigger sprayer, and closes the vent chamber thereby sealing the interior of the liquid container from the exterior environment. The interior of the vent chamber has a novel configuration where the interior diameter of the vent chamber gets larger as the vent chamber extends from a forward portion of the vent chamber toward a rearward portion of the vent chamber. This reduces the drag or friction between the peripheral sealing edge of the vent piston and the interior surface of the vent chamber as the vent piston moves from the forward portion of the vent chamber toward the rearward portion of the vent chamber. 
     (2) Description of the Related Art 
     A typical manually operated liquid dispensing trigger sprayer comprises a sprayer housing that has a nozzle for dispensing liquid, a trigger mounted on the sprayer housing for movement of the trigger relevant to the housing, a pump chamber on the housing, and a pump piston operatively connected to the trigger and received in the pump chamber for reciprocating movement of the piston in the pump chamber in response to manual movement of the trigger, and a connector attaching the trigger sprayer to a liquid container. The reciprocating movement of the pump piston in the pump chamber alternately draws liquid from the liquid container into the pump chamber, and then pumps the liquid out of the pump chamber and dispenses the liquid through the nozzle of the sprayer housing as a spray or stream. 
     Trigger sprayers of this type are often provided with some system of venting the interior of the liquid container connected to the trigger sprayer. This allows air to enter the container interior and occupy that portion of the internal volume of the container that is vacated by the liquid dispensed from the container by the trigger sprayer. 
     Many different types of trigger sprayer venting systems have been developed in the prior art. One type of venting system employs a resilient diaphragm valve that is positioned in the interior of the sprayer housing covering over a vent hole in the sprayer housing. The vent hole communicates the interior of the sprayer housing and the interior of the connected liquid container with the exterior environment of the sprayer. A plunger is provided on the trigger member of the trigger sprayer. The plunger projects from the bottom of the pump piston rod and curves toward the sprayer housing with a distal end of the plunger being positioned just outside of the vent hole. On manual manipulation of the trigger, the plunger end is inserted through the vent hole and engages the diaphragm valve, displacing the diaphragm valve from its position over the vent hole. This vents the interior of the liquid container. On the return movement of the trigger the plunger is retracted out of the vent hole and the resilience of the diaphragm valve allows it to resume its position over the vent hole. 
     However, this prior art venting system has been found to be disadvantaged in that repeated use of the trigger sprayer causes repeated displacement of the diaphragm valve from the sprayer vent hole. The resiliency of the diaphragm valve is effected by these repeated displacements and the valve is no longer able to immediately reposition itself over the vent hole once the plunger is retracted from the vent hole. This can result in liquid leaking from the container through the vent hole should the container and trigger sprayer be knocked over on one side before the diaphragm valve repositions itself over the vent hole. In addition, the plunger projecting from the piston rod is considered by many to detract from the appearance of the sprayer and is undesirable. 
     Another type of venting system employs a vent cylinder on the sprayer housing and a vent piston operatively connected to the trigger of the trigger sprayer. The vent piston, like the previously described plunger, projects from the pump piston rod. The vent hole is positioned in the side of the vent cylinder and one or more small ribs are formed on the interior surface of the vent cylinder in the area of the vent hole. The vent piston curves beneath the pump piston rod and extends into the vent cylinder where the vent piston engages in a sliding, sealing engagement with the interior surface of the vent cylinder. As the trigger is manipulated, the vent piston is pushed through the vent cylinder toward the vent hole and the ribs. The ribs engage with the periphery of the vent piston and displace the periphery from the interior surface of the vent cylinder, thereby communicating the exterior environment of the trigger sprayer around the piston and through the vent cylinder and the vent hole to the interior of the liquid container. 
     This venting system has been found to be disadvantaged in that is has the same unappealing appearance of the plunger. Also, after repeated use of the trigger sprayer, the ribs in the vent cylinder have a tendency to deform the resilient material around the periphery of the vent piston. This detracts from the ability of the vent piston to seal against the interior surface of the vent cylinder, and can result in leakage of liquid from the liquid container through the vent cylinder. 
     Trigger sprayer designs have eliminated the projecting plunger or vent piston rod that detracts from the overall appearance of the trigger sprayer. These designs employ a vent piston that is coaxial with the pump piston of the trigger sprayer, and is moved by the pump piston rod of the trigger sprayer. The vent piston is moved through a vent chamber that is coaxial with the trigger sprayer pump chamber. This double piston design is more desirable because it eliminates the separate plunger arm or vent piston arm from the pump piston rod. 
     However, the sliding engagement or rubbing of the vent piston peripheral sealing surface across the cylindrical interior surface of the vent chamber as the trigger sprayer pump is operated often causes swelling of the material of the vent piston. This swelling of the vent piston can bind the vent piston in the vent chamber, making it difficult or uncomfortable to push the vent piston into the vent chamber, and at times preventing the vent piston from being pushed back out of the vent chamber by the pump spring. What is needed to overcome this disadvantage of trigger sprayers having coaxial pump and vent chambers is a redesign of the venting system that eliminates the cause of vent piston swelling, and thereby prevents binding of the vent piston in the vent chamber. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention overcomes disadvantages associated with prior art venting systems of trigger sprayers by providing an improved trigger sprayer venting system that vents air to the liquid container connected to the trigger sprayer and prevents liquid from leaking through the venting system should the trigger sprayer and liquid container be turned on one side, where the venting system eliminates the undesirable appearance of the vent plunger or vent piston employed in the prior art, and the venting system eliminates the problem of the vent piston sticking in the vent chamber by eliminating swelling of the vent piston and the vent chamber wall. 
     Much of the construction of the trigger sprayer of the invention is common to trigger sprayers. The trigger sprayer is generally constructed with a sprayer housing that is connected by a separate connector to a fluid container. The sprayer housing is formed with a liquid pump chamber that communicates with a liquid supply passage and a liquid discharge passage. A pump piston is mounted in the pump chamber for reciprocating movement. A trigger is mounted on the sprayer housing for manual manipulation. The trigger is operatively connected with the pump piston, and manipulation of the trigger reciprocates the pump piston in the pump chamber. Reciprocation of the pump piston alternatively draws liquid from the liquid container, through the liquid supply passage, and to the pump chamber, and then pumps the liquid from the pump chamber, through the liquid discharge passage, and dispenses the liquid from the sprayer housing as a spray or stream. 
     The trigger sprayer of the invention differs in construction from that of prior art trigger sprayers in the venting system provided on the trigger sprayer. The venting system is basically comprised of a vent chamber, and a vent piston received inside the vent chamber for reciprocating movement of the vent piston relative to the vent chamber. 
     The vent chamber is formed on the sprayer housing around the pump chamber of the trigger sprayer. The vent chamber has a cylindrical side wall that extends around and surrounds the pump chamber. This coaxial positioning of the pump chamber and vent chamber relative to each other eliminates the undesirable appearance of the vent plunger or vent piston rod of the trigger sprayer. A vent hole is provided in the sidewall of the vent chamber. The vent hole communicates the interior volume of the vent chamber with the interior of the liquid container connected to the trigger sprayer. 
     The vent chamber sidewall has a cylindrical interior surface that extends from an open, forward end of the vent chamber to a closed, rearward end of the vent chamber. The interior surface has a larger interior diameter dimension adjacent the rearward end of the vent chamber. The interior diameter dimension remains consistent for a majority of the length of the vent chamber as the vent chamber extends from the rearward end toward the forward, open end of the vent chamber. As the vent chamber approaches the forward end of the vent chamber, the interior diameter dimension of the vent chamber interior surface gradually decreases, forming a necked down interior surface of the vent chamber having a smaller interior diameter dimension adjacent the chamber forward end. 
     With the vent chamber being coaxial with the pump chamber, the vent piston is formed coaxially around the pump piston. The vent piston is formed of the same resilient material as the pump piston. In a first position of the vent piston relative to the vent chamber, the peripheral surface of the vent piston engages in a sealing engagement with the necked down portion of the vent chamber interior surface at the vent chamber forward end. This seals the interior of the vent chamber from the exterior environment of the trigger sprayer, and prevents unintended liquid leakage from the liquid container attached to the trigger sprayer through the vent chamber. 
     On actuation of the liquid pump, the vent piston moves with the pump piston. The vent piston moves away from the necked down portion of the vent chamber interior surface having the smaller interior diameter, toward the rearward end of the vent chamber. This movement of the vent piston causes the force of engagement of the peripheral surface of the vent piston against the interior surface of the vent chamber to decrease, thereby reducing the drag on the vent piston peripheral surface as the vent piston moves from the vent chamber forward end toward the vent chamber rearward end and through the larger interior diameter portion of the vent chamber. This reduced drag prevents swelling of the peripheral surface of the vent piston and/or the vent chamber interior surface, and prevents binding of the vent piston in the vent chamber. 
     With the novel construction of the venting system of the invention described above, the trigger sprayer of the invention overcomes disadvantages commonly associated with prior art trigger sprayer venting systems. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Further features of the present invention are set forth in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention and in the drawing figures wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a side elevation view, in section, of the trigger sprayer apparatus of the invention in the first, vent closed position of the vent piston relative to the vent chamber; 
         FIG. 2  is an enlarged, partial view of the pump chamber and vent chamber of  FIG. 1  in the vent closed position of the vent piston; and, 
         FIG. 3  is a view similar to  FIG. 3 , showing the vent piston in the vent opened position. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       FIG. 1  shows a side sectioned view of the trigger sprayer of the invention that includes the novel venting system of the invention. Many of the component parts and the details of construction of the trigger sprayer shown in  FIG. 1  are common to trigger sprayers of the prior art. Therefore, these will only be described generally. The novel venting system of the invention will be described in more detail. As is typical in the construction of trigger sprayers, most of the component parts are constructed of a plastic material. 
     The trigger sprayer comprises a sprayer housing  12  that is molded with many of the component parts of the trigger sprayer. The bottom of the sprayer housing  12  is formed with a circular disk  14 . An opening passes through the disk  14  and a liquid supply passage  18  extends upwardly through the sprayer housing from the disk. A pump chamber  22  is formed on the sprayer housing  12  and communicates through a pump port  24  with the liquid supply passage  18 . 
     The pump chamber  22  is defined by a cylindrical side wall  26  of the chamber. The chamber also has a circular end wall  28 . The pump port  24  passes through the end wall  28 . The pump chamber side wall  26  extends from the end wall  28  to a distal end  32  of the side wall. The side wall distal end  32  surrounds a circular opening into the interior of the pump chamber. The side wall  26  has a cylindrical interior surface  34  that defines a center axis  36  of the pump chamber  22 . 
     A liquid discharge passage  42  is also formed in the sprayer housing  12 . The liquid discharge passage  42  has a length with a proximal end  44  that communicates with the liquid supply passage  18 , and an opposite distal end  46 . 
     A check valve  52  is mounted in the sprayer housing  12  adjacent the proximal end  44  of the liquid discharge passage  42 . The check valve  52  permits liquid flow from the pump chamber  22  to the passage proximal end  44  and to the passage distal end  46 , and prevents the reverse flow. 
     As is conventional, a nozzle assembly  54  is mounted to the distal end  46  of the liquid discharge passage  42 . 
     Although particular constructions of the check valve  52  and nozzle assembly  54  are shown in the drawing figures, other equivalent types of valves and nozzle assemblies may be employed with the trigger sprayer of the invention. 
     A connector cap  62  is formed integrally with the circular disk  14  of the sprayer housing  12 . The cap  62  is used in removably attaching the sprayer housing  12  to a separate liquid container. The cap  62  shown has a bayonet fitment for attachment to the liquid container. However, other equivalent types of connectors may be employed with the trigger sprayer of the invention. 
     A dip tube connector  64  extends upwardly through the cap  62  and through the opening in the bottom disk  14  of the sprayer housing  12 . The dip tube connector  64  forms a portion of the liquid supply passage  18  that leads to the interior of the pump chamber  22 . A valve seat assembly  66  is provided on the upper end of the dip tube connection  64  as viewed in  FIG. 1 . A disk valve  68  is positioned on the seat assembly  66 . The disk valve  68  controls the flow of liquid through the liquid supply passage  18  to the pump chamber  22 . The valve permits the flow of liquid through the supply passage  18  to the interior of the pump chamber  22 , and prevents the reverse flow of liquid. 
     A cylindrical pump piston  72  is mounted in the interior of the pump chamber  22  for reciprocating movements in the pump chamber. The pump piston  72  is moveable in the pump chamber  22  between a first position of the piston shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , and a second position of the piston shown in  FIG. 3 . A coil spring (not shown) engages between the piston  72  and the end wall  28  of the pump chamber, as is conventional. The spring biases the pump piston  72  to its first position. The pump piston  72  is formed integrally with a piston rod  76  that extends outwardly from the pump piston and engages with a trigger  82  of the trigger sprayer. 
     The trigger  82  has a length with opposite proximal  84  and distal  86  ends. The trigger proximal end  84  mounts the trigger  82  to the sprayer housing  12  for movement of the trigger relative to the sprayer housing. Preferably, the trigger  82  pivots relative to the sprayer housing  12 . The operative connection of the trigger  82  to the piston rod  76  and the pump piston  72  causes the reciprocating movement of the pump piston in the pump chamber  22  in response to movements of the trigger. 
     A shroud  92  covers over much of the exterior of the sprayer housing  12 . The shroud  92  gives an aesthetically pleasing appearance to the trigger sprayer. 
     Much of the construction of the trigger sprayer described to this point is conventional. The novel venting system of the trigger sprayer is provided by a vent chamber  94  and a vent piston  96 . 
     The vent chamber  94  is comprised of a cylindrical side wall  98  and a annular end wall  100 . The end wall  100  is coplanar with and an extension of the pump chamber end wall  28 . The vent chamber side wall  98  extends around and is coaxial with the pump chamber side wall  26 . A vent opening  102  passes through the vent chamber side wall  98  and communicates an interior volume of the vent chamber  94  with the interior of the liquid container (not shown) attached to the trigger sprayer cap  62 . The vent chamber side wall  98  has a cylindrical interior surface that defines a center axis of the vent chamber. The vent chamber center axis is coaxial with the pump chamber center axis  36 . The vent chamber interior surface has a first surface section  104  that is adjacent a forward end opening  106  to the vent chamber, and a second interior surface section  108  that is adjacent the pump chamber  22 . As seen in the drawing figures, the vent chamber first interior surface section  104  has a smaller interior diameter dimension than the vent chamber second interior surface section  108 . The axial length of the vent chamber first interior surface section  104  is shorter than the axial length of the vent chamber second interior surface section  108 . There is a gradual transition between the smaller diameter of the vent chamber first interior surface section  104  to the larger interior diameter of the second interior surface section  108 . The second interior surface section  108  has a substantially constant interior surface diameter dimension between the first interior surface section  104  and the vent chamber annular end wall  100 . A vent passage  112  extends through the vent chamber side wall  96  in the second interior surface section  108  of the vent chamber. 
     The vent piston  96  is an integral part of the pump piston  72  and the piston rod  76 . The vent piston  96  is cylindrical and extends around the pump piston  72 . Thus, the vent piston  96  and pump piston  72  have the same center axis. As seen in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the pump piston  72  is spaced axially and radially inwardly from the vent piston  96 . The vent piston  96  extends radially outwardly from the piston rod  76  to a resilient peripheral end portion  114  of the vent piston. This peripheral end portion  114  of the vent piston engages in a sliding, sealing engagement with the interior surfaces  104 ,  108  of the vent chamber  94 . As seen in  FIG. 1 , the vent piston end portion  114  tapers slightly radially away from the remainder of the vent piston  94  as it extends to the distal end of the vent piston. This provides for a resilient sealing engagement of the vent piston peripheral end portion  114  with both the first interior surface section  104  and the second interior surface section  108  of the vent chamber interior surface. 
     Because the vent chamber first interior surface section  104  has a smaller interior diameter dimension than the vent chamber second interior surface section  108 , the vent piston peripheral edge portion  114  exerts a greater force against the vent chamber first interior surface section  104  than the vent chamber second interior surface section  108 . This assures a sealing engagement between the vent piston peripheral end portion  114  and the vent chamber first interior surface section  104  when the trigger sprayer is not in use. Thus, this ensures against the unintended leakage from the trigger sprayer attached to a liquid container if the sprayer and container should be positioned in an orientation that would cause liquid to exit the top of the container and pass through the vent opening  102  into the vent chamber  94 . 
     When the trigger sprayer is operated, the vent piston peripheral end portion  114  moves from engagement with the vent chamber first interior surface section  104  to engage with the vent chamber second interior surface section  108 . Although the engagement of the vent piston peripheral edge portion  114  in both the vent chamber first interior surface section  104  and second interior surface section  108  provides a sealing engagement that prevents the leakage of liquid through the vent chamber open end  106 , the engagement force of the vent piston peripheral end portion  114  in the vent chamber second interior surface section  108  is less than that in the vent chamber first interior surface section  104 . This reduces the drag or friction force exerted on the vent piston peripheral end portion  114  in the vent chamber second interior surface section  108 . This reduced drag or friction force on the vent piston peripheral end portion eliminates the concern of swelling of the vent piston peripheral end portion  114  or swelling of the vent chamber sidewall  98 , which could increase the force of engagement of the vent piston against the interior surface of the vent chamber and result in binding of the vent piston in the vent chamber. 
     On operation of the trigger sprayer, as the trigger  82  is squeezed to the second position shown in  FIG. 3 , the vent piston  96  moves to its second position relative to the vent chamber  94 . In the second position of the vent piston  96 , the piston is moved through the vent chamber second interior surface section  108 . The drag or friction force exerted on the vent piston peripheral edge  114  is reduced due to the increased diameter dimension of the vent chamber second interior surface section  108 . The vent piston moves until the peripheral surface portion  114  passes over the vent chamber opening  102  that communicates through a vent passage  112  with the container interior. In the second position of the vent piston  94  shown in  FIG. 3 , the peripheral surface portion  114  of the vent piston has moved across the vent opening  102 . This provides a flow path of venting air from the exterior environment of the trigger sprayer through the vent chamber  94  between the vent piston  96  and the vent chamber side wall  98 , and through the vent chamber opening  102  to the interior of the liquid container connected to the trigger sprayer. In this manner, on operation of the liquid pump of the trigger sprayer, the interior of the liquid container connected to the trigger sprayer is vented. 
     On release of the trigger  82 , the coil spring (not shown) returns both the pump piston  72  and vent piston  96  to their positions shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . In the position of the vent piston  96  shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the peripheral surface portion  114  of the vent piston again engages in sealing engagement with the first interior surface section  104  of the vent chamber side wall  98 , thus sealing the interior of the vent chamber  94  from the exterior environment of the sprayer. 
     With the novel construction of the venting system of the invention described above, the trigger sprayer of the invention overcomes disadvantages commonly associated with prior art trigger sprayer venting systems. 
     Although the trigger sprayer of the invention has been described above with reference to a specific embodiment of the sprayer, it should be understood that other variations of the sprayer may be arrived at without departing from the invention&#39;s scope of protection provided by the following claims.