Abstract:
A spray head and a device for delivery of a liquid which enables the liquid to be delivered from a container to which the spray is connected both as a spray mist and as a jet. A first feature is that the delivery tube is shorter than the container diameter or the inside diameter of a protective cap for the container. A second feature is that the spray head—especially with the delivery tube which is and/or is not connected to the nozzle—does not project laterally beyond the perimeter of the container and/or fits under the protective cap. A third feature is that the delivery tube can be pivoted up away from the nozzle. A fourth feature is that the spray head has a groove-shaped top recess for holding the delivery tube. These features are usable singly or in combination.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    This invention relates to a spray head for delivery of a liquid and a device with a spray head, in which a delivery tube can be alternatively mounted in front of the nozzle of the spray head. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    The term “liquid” here means especially also suspensions and fluids, optionally with gas phases. For example, it can be cleaning agents or lubricants or other liquids, for example, air fresheners, and especially also other technical liquids and fluids such as rust looseners, or the like. 
         [0005]    A device with a spray head for delivery of a liquid is already known from practice, the spray head having a nozzle for atomization of the liquid into a spray mist. If necessary, a long delivery tube (the length corresponds especially essentially to the height of the longish container with the liquid) can be attached in front of the nozzle by insertion into the spray head in order to be able to deliver the liquid as a jet. The disadvantage is that the long delivery tube can be lost very easily, since it can be completely separated from the spray head. 
         [0006]    Furthermore, a similar device is known in which the spray head projects laterally over the container and the long delivery tube can be folded onto the container or can be folded up to in front of the nozzle for delivery of the liquid as the jet. In this device, the problem is not that the delivery tube can be lost, but the disadvantage is that the laterally projecting spray head requires special mounting which cannot be carried out with the conventional mounting devices, that the delivery tube which hangs down laterally on the container can be damaged during improper transport or even torn off, that the delivery tube which hangs down laterally on the container can be perceived as disruptive to the user when the container is gripped and that a conventional covering or protective cap for covering the spray head does not fit on the container. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    A primary object of this invention is to devise a spray head and a device for delivery of a liquid which enable alternative delivery of the liquid as a spray mist and jet, a compact structure and simple mounting being enabled and/or a conventional protective cap fitting on the spray head or the device or a container which contains a liquid. 
         [0008]    A first aspect of this invention is that the delivery tube is shorter than the container diameter or the inside diameter of the protective cap. 
         [0009]    A second aspect of this invention is that the spray head—especially with the delivery tube which is and/or is not connected to the nozzle—does not project laterally beyond the perimeter of the container and/or fits under the protective cap. 
         [0010]    A third aspect of this invention is that the delivery tube can be folded up away from the nozzle. 
         [0011]    A fourth aspect of this invention is that the spray head has a preferably groove-shaped and/or top recess for holding the delivery tube. 
         [0012]    The aforementioned aspects enable individually and/or in combination an especially compact and simple structure, simple, intuitive operation being enabled, the delivery tube disrupting use as little as possible, and a conventional protective cap can be used, a lateral overhang of the spray head over the container not being not necessary, the danger of injury by the delivery tube being minimized, since it preferably does not project laterally over the container, and/or the delivery tube hanging down laterally on the container being avoided. 
         [0013]    Other advantages features, properties and aspects of this invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment with reference to the accompany drawings. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0014]      FIG. 1  is a schematic sectional view of the top part of a device in accordance with the invention for delivery of a liquid with the delivery tube folded in; 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the top part of a device shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  is a schematic sectional view of the top part of the device corresponding to  FIG. 1  with the delivery tube folded out; and 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  is a perspective of the top part of the device as shown in  FIG. 3 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0018]    The same reference numbers are used for the same or similar parts in the figures, the corresponding or comparable properties and advantages being achieved even if a repeated description is omitted. 
         [0019]      FIG. 1  shows a schematic section of the device  1  in accordance with the invention, especially a spray nozzle, for delivery of a liquid  2  in the initially mentioned sense. 
         [0020]    The device  1  has a preferably longish and/or cylindrical and/or rigid container  3  with, especially, a metallic nozzle for discharging of the liquid  2  and a valve  4  which is located preferably on the front of the container  3 . 
         [0021]    The liquid  2  in the container  3  can either be pressurized or is under pressure. In particular, the container  3  or the liquid  2  contains a suitable propellant, preferably a volatile and/or flammable propellant, compressed gas and/or carbon dioxide. 
         [0022]    A spray head  5  is attached to the container  3  or valve  4 , especially after filling the container  3  with the liquid  2 . In the illustrated embodiment, the spray head  5  is slipped on. However, it can, if necessary, also be detachably attached in some other suitable manner. 
         [0023]    The spray head  5 , on the dispensing side, has a nozzle  6  for atomization and delivery of the liquid  2 . In the illustrated embodiment, the nozzle  6  is made as a separate part, and for example, is inserted subsequently into the spray head  5 . However, the nozzle  6  can also be made integrally with the spray head  5 , especially can be formed directly as part of it. 
         [0024]    The spray head  5  is preferably produced by injection molding from a suitable plastic, and preferably, is made in one piece, optionally, with the exception of the nozzle  6 . 
         [0025]    When the valve  4  is actuated—in the illustrated embodiment by pressing down the spray head  5 —the valve opens  4 . The pressurized liquid  2  can flow especially via the ascending line  7  and through the valve  4  and can be delivered via the spray head  5 , the liquid  2  emerging through the nozzle  6  and especially being atomized as a spray mist N, as is indicated in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0026]    The spray head  5  is preferably made essentially cylindrical or rotationally symmetrical, especially preferably essentially in the shape of the truncated cone. 
         [0027]    The spray head  5  is located preferably on the front and/or in the middle on the container  3 , especially preferably adjacent to the cover  8  which closes the container  3 . Especially preferably, the spray head  5  extends essentially in the axial direction with respect to the lengthwise axis of the container  3 . 
         [0028]    The cover  8  is conventionally connected to the container  3 —especially in the region of one edge  9 —for example, by crimping. The cover  8  carries or holds the valve  4  which for its part bears or holds the spray head  5 , in the illustrated embodiment. 
         [0029]    To actuate the spray head  5 , especially to press it down, the spray head  5  is preferably provided with an actuating surface  10  which is made essentially flat or even or smooth and/or is located on the free end of the spray head  5  and/or is tilted slightly to the direction of actuation or the container axis. Especially preferably, the main direction of delivery of the nozzle  6 —in the illustrated embodiment in  FIG. 1  essentially horizontal—is inclined only slightly relative to the main plane of the actuating surface  10 , in the illustrated embodiment, preferably less than 20 degrees. 
         [0030]    It is noted that the diameter of the spray head  5  is preferably less than 50%, especially less than 40%, especially essentially 35%, of the diameter of the container  3  or the container edge  9 . 
         [0031]    The spray head  5  in accordance with the invention has a delivery tube  11  which can be connected alternately on the outlet side to the nozzle  6 , especially can be folded to in front of the nozzle  6 . By means of the delivery tube  11  the liquid  2  can be delivered alternately as a spray mist N (without a delivery tube  11  directly, compare  FIG. 2 ) or as a jet S (through the delivery tube  11 , compare  FIG. 4 ). 
         [0032]      FIGS. 1 &amp; 2  show the device  1  in accordance with the invention with the spray head  5  in accordance with the invention with the delivery tube  11  pivoted up into a storage position in which it is received in a notch in the top of the spray head  5 .  FIGS. 3 &amp; 4  show the spray head  5  with the delivery tube  11  swung down into its operative position. 
         [0033]      FIG. 2  additional shows schematically how the liquid  2  is delivered directly from the nozzle  6  as the spray nozzle N.  FIG. 4  schematically shows how the liquid  2  is delivered via the nozzle  6  and the adjoining delivery tube  11  as the spray jet S. 
         [0034]      FIGS. 1 and 3  schematically show (broken line) an optional protective cap  12  which is used as a cover of the spray head  5  and can be especially clamped onto the container  3  or container edge  9 , especially, can be slipped on it. In particular, the protective cap  12  is placed on the container  3  axially or on the front. The protective cap  12  is manually removed for use. 
         [0035]    The delivery tube  11  is preferably shorter than the container diameter or the inside diameter of the protective cap  12 . 
         [0036]    Preferably it is provided that the spray head  5 —especially with the delivery tube  1  connected and/or not connected to the nozzle  6 —does not project laterally beyond the periphery of the container  3  or container edge  9  and/or fits under the protective cap  12 . In particular, the protective cap  12  can therefore always be placed on the container independently of the pivoted position of the delivery tube  11 . 
         [0037]    Preferably, the delivery tube  11  can be folded up away from the nozzle  6 . Especially preferably, the delivery tube  11  can be pivoted or folded around an axis  18  which runs in front of and/or above the nozzle  6 . 
         [0038]    Especially preferably, the spray head  5  has a preferably groove-shaped top recess  13  for holding the delivery tube  11 . The recess  13  is formed especially in the actuating surface  10  of the spray head  5 . Especially preferably, the recess  13  and the delivery tube  11  are matched to one another and/or the spray head  5  is made such that the delivery tube  11  can be held in the recess  13 , without its projecting above the actuating surface  10 . However, this does not preclude the delivery tube  11 , in the storage position held in the recess  13 , from projecting laterally beyond the spray head  5  or the actuating surface  10 , as is indicated in  FIGS. 1 &amp; 2 . 
         [0039]    Preferably, the recess  13  and the delivery tube  11  are matched to one another such that the delivery tube  11 , in the swung-up storage state in the recess  13  is held by clamping or catching in the recess  13 . 
         [0040]    The delivery tube  11  preferably cannot be detached from the spray head  5 . However, the delivery tube  11 , in a simplified version, can also be detachable from the spray head  5 . Preferably, the delivery tube  11 , in this case, can then be held by the recess  13 , especially can be clamped into it. Alternatively, the recess  13  can also be made, for example, as a hole into which the delivery tube  11  can be inserted. In this case, the hole can run, for example, also transversely to the main delivery direction and/or axially or in the actuation direction of the spray head  5 . 
         [0041]    The delivery tube  11  is preferably straight and/or rigid. The length of the delivery tube  11  corresponds preferably is equal to the diameter of the spray head  5 , but can exceed it by as much as 30%. 
         [0042]    Preferably, the delivery tube  11  has a connecting section  14  and can be connected to a seal  15  of the nozzle  6 , especially can be inserted into it. In the illustrated embodiment, the seal  15  is especially made annular or hollow-cylindrical and is located especially in front of the nozzle  6 , for example, is held in a corresponding recess of the spray head  5 . 
         [0043]    The delivery tube  11  is provided especially preferably with an adapter  16 , especially is held by it and/or inserted into it. In the illustrated embodiment, the adapter  16  forms the connecting section  14 . Preferably, the adapter  16  is supported to be able to pivot on the spray head  16 . 
         [0044]    Especially preferably, the spray head  5  has at least one, preferably two holding devices  17 , which are located laterally next to and/or above the nozzle  6  for pivotably supporting the delivery tube  11  or the adapter  16 . 
         [0045]    Especially preferably, the adapter  16  has lateral bearing projections  18  which form the pivot axis of the adapter and are which are clipped into the holding devices  17  or is pivotally connected to the spray head in some other way. 
         [0046]    Preferably, the delivery tube  11  is held or can be fixed by clamping and/or catching in the swung-out active position in front of the nozzle  6 .