Abstract:
A portable spray misting device including an internally hollowed body capable of holding a volume of fluid to be dispensed. The body includes a flattened base capable of supporting the body upon a flat surface and a contoured upper body terminating in an upwardly extending and interiorly open neck which defines a first port having a first diameter. A spray applicating head for issuing a mist spray of the fluid is secured to the open neck by an integrally formed collar. An interiorly open and annular rim extends from a specified location of the contoured upper body and defines a second port with a diameter greater than the first diameter of the first port. A cap is provided for securing in a fluid-tight manner over the annular rim of the second collar and so as to provide a device which permits a user to more quickly refill a fluid reservoir within the body interior and to facilitate reception of larger sized ice cubes and the like.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to portable spray misting devices, both with and without fan assisting cooling and dispersion assemblies, and, more particularly, to a such a cooling device using fan-driven misting with a large fill and drinking port. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     It is well known in the art that a fine mist or spray of a liquid can cool the surrounding air by evaporation and that this principle has been used in personal cooling devices. Cooling occurs when mist droplets impinge upon a target and are evaporated into the surrounding air. Additional cooling takes place if the liquid itself is very cold relative to the surrounding air and if an air stream blows on the user so as to accelerate the evaporation of water from the skin and clothing. 
     In practice, mists are generated inexpensively by actuation of a plastic trigger or by push button actuated piston pumps when the liquid contained within the dispensing body is at or near an atmospheric pressure and with aerosol valve/actuator sets when the liquid reservoir is above atmospheric pressure. Plastic piston pump misters are commonly and inexpensively available which employ a screw collar for attaching to the top of a conventional fluid-carrying bottle with a threaded neck. 
     However, the shortcoming of conventional bottle neck designs is that they are of standard dimension to accommodate the screw cap of the misting device and therefore do not easily permit the insertion into the container of ice cubes as one would want to do if the liquid in the reservoir needs to be cooled. It is also standard practice to have the spray mister removed from the fluid reservoir to permit repeated refilling. As a seal or gasket is often utilized between the annular collar of the mist sprayer attachment and the open neck of the receptacle, repeated loosening and tightening tends to result in early failure of the seal. Furthermore, if the user desires to repeatedly drink the water out of the reservoir or to empty it, the relatively small sized opening of the neck results in slow emptying and the user further cannot continue misting while refilling the reservoir. 
     SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     The present invention is a portable spray misting device which is an improvement over prior art spray misters. The device includes an internally hollowed body capable of holding a volume of a fluid to be dispensed. The body has a substantially flattened base, a contoured upper body, and terminates in an upwardly extending and interiorly open neck which defines a first port having a first diameter. 
     A spray applicating head is provided for issuing a mist spray of fluid and, according to one preferred embodiment, is secured atop the open neck of the body by a threaded collar. In additional preferred embodiments, the collar is permanently secured to the open neck by adhesives, heat staking, welding or securably fashioning a split collar around the open neck so as to sandwich therebetween a downwardly facing flange portion of the spray head. 
     An interiorly open and annular rim extends from a specified location of the contoured upper body and defines a second port having a second diameter greater than the first diameter of the first port. A cap is provided and is capable of being resecured over the annular rim so as to provide access to the reservoir defined within the body interior at a second location, the second port defined within being of sufficient diameter to permit the insertion of ice cubes and further operable to permit the user to quickly empty or refill the reservoir, to refill while utilizing the spray mister. 
     The cap preferably also includes a spout and valve assembly which is actuable between a first closed position and a second open position and permits the user access to the fluid interior through the second port and without the need to disengage the cap from the annular rim. Additionally, a portable fan unit including a plurality of rotatable blades is capable of being releasably secured atop the spray misting head and so as to direct the spray mist into a path of the rotating blades so as to further cool and distribute the spray. 
     The fan unit further includes an elongated pedestal support portion rotatably secured to the body of the fan unit and rotatable from a first hidden position to a second engaged position, upon detachment of the fan unit, in which the fan unit is capable of setting upon a table top surface. Additional features of the present device may include an insulating jacket applied around the internally hollowed body for maintaining the temperature of the fluid contents, a lanyard loop portion secured to the body, a belt clip extending from the body, and a decorative covering material applied over the body, such as a stuffed plush toy animal shape or the like. The covering material over the sprayer may also be provided as a molded vinyl piece. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Reference will now be made to the attached drawings, when read in combination with the following specification, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views, and in which: 
     FIG. 1 is view of a portable spray misting device according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a front view of the portable spray misting device shown in FIG.  1  and further illustrating the second port with enclosure cap and spout and valve assembly for permitting access to the fluid receptacle according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a rear view of a portable spray misting device and further showing an insulating jacket applied thereto as well as lanyard loop according to the present invention; 
     FIGS. 4 a - 4   c  are respective front, top and side views of an attachment ring according to a first preferred variant which extend from the covering cap of the second port and which securable at an opposite around the upwardly extending neck of the body; 
     FIGS. 5 a  and  5   b  are respective friction fit and threaded engagement variations of the cap with the annular rim of the second port according to the present invention; 
     FIGS. 6 a - 6   c  are respective top, side and front views of a belt clip which extends from the internally hollowed body according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 7 is a view of an internally hollowed body of a spray misting device according to a further preferred embodiment and including a further variation of an attachment ring which is securable at an opposite end about the annular rim; 
     FIGS. 8 a - 8   c  are respective front, side and top views of the attachment ring shown in FIG. 7 according to the present invention; 
     FIGS. 9 a  and  9   b  are respective side cutaway sectional views of open threaded necks of the internally hollowed body and illustrate both screw mating of an annular collar integrally formed with the spray misting head and permanent adhesive securing of the collar to the open neck according to the present invention; 
     FIGS. 10 a  and  10   b  are respective top and side cutaway views of a collar of a spray misting head permanently secured to an open neck by ultrasonic welding; 
     FIGS. 11 a  and  11   b  are respective top and side cutaway views of a collar of a spray misting head permanently secured to an open neck by heat staking the collar to the neck; 
     FIGS. 12 a - 12   c  are respective top, first side and second side views of a split collar arrangement assembleable around the open neck and sandwiching therebetween a downwardly facing flange portion of the spray misting head according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 13 is an exploded view of the split collar illustrated in FIGS. 12 a - 12   c  and the manner of securing to the open neck to sandwich the spray misting head flange therebetween; 
     FIG. 14 is a view of a decorative covering material capable of being applied over the spray misting device according to a further preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 15 is a view of the portable spray misting device according to a further preferred embodiment and including a portable fan unit resecurably attachable atop the spray misting head according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 16 is a view of the portable spray misting device, similar in respects to that shown in FIG. 15, and according to a still further preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 17 is a front view of the portable spray misting device as shown in FIG. 16; 
     FIG. 18 is a top view of the portable fan unit as shown in FIGS. 15 and 17 and capable of being disengaged from the spray misting unit; 
     FIG. 19 is a side cutaway view of the portable fan unit as shown in FIG.  18  and illustrating in phantom the elongate pedestal support portion; 
     FIG. 20 is a bottom view of the fan unit shown in FIGS. 18 and 19 and further illustrating in extra detail the elongate pedestal support portion; and 
     FIG. 21 is a side view in solid which is largely identical to that shown in FIG.  19  and illustrating the pedestal support portion of the fan unit in a downwardly rotated and engaged position. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, a portable spray misting device is illustrated at  10  according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention. The spray misting device  10  includes an internally hollowed body which includes a substantially flattened base  12 , a contoured upper body  14  and an upwardly extending and open neck  16  which defines a first port having a first established diameter. The misting device body is preferably constructed of a plasticized material, but may also be glass or any other suitable material. 
     The view of the internally hollowed body in FIG. 1 is partially cutaway an illustrates the internal fluid carrying reservoir formed within the body and which is defined by fluid level  18  and a surrounding wall thickness  20 . A spray applicating head is shown at  22  and includes a nozzle  24  which is operable through a squeeze trigger  26  to issue a spray mist  28 . An annular collar  30  is integrally formed with a base  32  of the spray head  22  and further includes an elongate and downwardly extending stem  34 . The stem  34  terminates in an enlarged end containing a filtration portion  36 , such portion being particularly suited for filtering out precipitated minerals (see within fluid level  18  at  38 ) resulting from melted ice cubes (at  40 ) which are capable of being deposited within the body interior as will be subsequently described. 
     Referring again to FIGS. 1 and 2, an annular rim  42  extends from a specified location of the contoured upper body  14  and defines a second port having a second diameter which is greater than the first diameter of the first port (or open neck  16 ). The annular rim  42  is preferably formed at an upper location relative to a top or side of the body and, in the present embodiment, is established in a generally upwardly and forwardly facing fashion relative to a front of the body as best shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. 
     A cap  44  is provided and which is capable of being resecurably attached over the annular rim  42  in secure and fluid sealing fashion. The cap  44  may include a tab  46  extending from a forward and lower edge thereof which is capable of being grasped to remove the cap  44  from the annular rim  42 . The diameter of the second port defined by the annular rim  42  is again some value greater than the first port defined by the open neck of the bottle or internally hollowed body and is preferably at least 1.25 inches or greater in dimension for the purpose of easy emptying and refilling and to permit larger solid objects, such as ice cubes  40 , to be inserted within the hollowed interior of the body. 
     Referring again to FIGS. 1 and 2, and particularly further to FIGS. 4 a - 4   c , an attachment ring assembly  48  is illustrated which includes the cap  44  and a connecting strap  50  extending therefrom which terminates in a further opposite ring  52  with a hollow center  54  for securing over the open neck  16  of the internally hollowed body. A slotted opening  56  is formed through a rear edge of the opposite ring  52  and accepts a lanyard loop  58  with adjustable strap portion  59  (see again FIGS. 1 and 3) for providing a convenient carrying strap arrangement to the present device. A spout and valve assembly  60  is also provided in the cap  44  covering the second port and includes an upwardly/downwardly and centrally hollowed actuable ring  62  which is configured so that, when pulled in the upward direction, reveals an open annular channel established with a central button  64  to permit fluid from the container to be emptied in a stream (see particularly the internal channel shown in phantom at  66  in FIG. 1 for providing fluid access). 
     Referring to FIG. 5 a , a sectional side view is illustrated at  68  in cutaway of the engagement between the annular rim  42  of the second port and the releasably affixable cap  44  according to a primary preferred embodiment. The cap  44  includes an inwardly facing surface annular surface  70  which defines an interference or friction fit with a contoured and outwardly facing surface  72  of the annular rim  42 . A circular gasket  74  is also arrayed between the annular surfaces  70  and  72  and the cap  44  may further include a coaxially spaced inner annular wall  76  for pinching the contoured surface  72  of the rim  42  therebetween. 
     Referring to FIG. 5 b , a further variant  78  of the engagement between an annular rim  42 ′ and a releasably affixable cap  44 ′ is illustrated and includes a plurality of inwardly facing screw threads  80  which extend from the annular cap  44 ′ and which rotatably interengage with exterior threads  82  extending from the annular rim  42 ′. A central through aperture for a spout and valve assembly  60 ′ is likewise illustrated. 
     Referring again to FIGS. 1-3 and also to FIGS. 6 a - 6   c , a belt clip  84  is illustrated which includes a substantially “L” shaped and angular body with a reinforcing bracket portion  85  and a circular mounting portion  86  capable of being secured to the open neck  16  bottle. Referring to FIG. 3, an insulating jacket  88  is provided which is constructed of an appropriate insulating material which is also flexible to a degree and which is configured for insertingly receiving the body of the spray misting device  10 . A zipper  90  is provided running substantially vertically along a rear side of the device  10  and for resealably closing the insulating jacket  88  around the device body, however it is understood that other alternative sealing means may also be employed such as Velcro™ attachments, loop fasteners and the like. 
     As is again shown in FIG. 1, the configuration of the second port is such that ice cubes  40  may be inserted within the internally hollowed body. This is of particular advantage since the diameter of the first port (or open neck  16 ) is typically such as to prevent passage of normal sized ice cubes and further since that repeated opening and closing of the annular collar  80  will over time cause damage to or failure of the gasket or seal (again at  74  in FIGS. 5 a  and  5   b ). 
     Referring to FIG. 7, a further variation  92  of a internally hollowed base for receiving a spray applicating head is illustrated and differs substantially only in the manner in which a cap  94  and attachment ring assembly  96  is secured to the body and second port. Specifically, and also viewing FIGS. 8 a - 8   c , the attachment ring assembly includes a connecting strap  98  which secures at one end to the cap  94  and also to an opposite ring  100 . The connecting strap  98  is much smaller in length than its counterpart at  50  in the embodiment of FIGS. 4 a - 4   c  and the corresponding opposite ring  100  with hollow center  102  is larger in diameter than its counterpart  52  at  54 . The purpose of the opposite ring  100  of the attachment ring assembly  96  is to secure around annular rim  104  (again FIG. 7) and to provide a retaining means for the cap  94  when it is disengaged from the annular rim  104  in a fashion such as has been previously described with reference to FIGS. 5 a  or  5   b . This is alternative once again to the embodiment of FIGS. 1-6 in which the opposite ring  52  secures about the open neck  16  of the internally hollowed body. The embodiment of FIG. 7 is otherwise substantially identical to that previously described and such that additional explanation is unnecessary. 
     Referring now to FIG. 9 a , a side view in cutaway is illustrated of a first further preferred variant  106  for securing an annular collar  108  to an open neck  110  of a spray misting bottle. Specifically, FIG. 9 a  illustrates a conventional screw thread arrangement for securing the collar  108  and which includes internal threads  112  formed within the annular collar  108  which rotatably interengage with corresponding external threads  114  formed in the open neck. 
     Referring now to FIG. 9 b , an alternate variation is further illustrated at  116  and includes an adhesive  118  applied to mating surfaces of an annular collar  120  and open neck  122  for the purpose of securably and permanently fixing the annular collar  120  atop the spray misting bottle. As was previously stated, a purpose for permanently affixing the collar and spray applicating head atop the misting bottle is to provide the ability to continuously utilize the misting feature and also to protect against wear and tear of a seal or gasket  124  existing between the annular collar  120  and open neck  122 . 
     Referring now to FIGS. 10 a  and  10   b , a further variation  126  of attaching an annular collar  128  is illustrated and includes annular arrayed and ultrasonic welds  130  applied between the collar  128  and open neck  132  for the purpose of permanently affixing the collar  128  to the misting bottle. The ultrasonic welds function to cause friction between two pieces of plastic rubbing together to generate heat, melting one or both of the opposing surfaces. The melted plastic bonds the two parts when the melted interface cools. The welds  130  may be applied in any conventional fashion by tools known in the art and are preferably drawn from a heated and viscous polymer material which will bond integrally with the preferable polymer construction of the annular collar  128 . Referring to FIGS. 11 a  and  11   b , a yet further variation  134  for securing an annular collar  136  atop an open neck  138  of a spray bottle in secure and permanent fashion is provided by a heat staking process which involves applying heat to annular inner surfaces  140  of the annular collar  136  which in turn cause the collar to bond intimately with the corresponding outwardly facing annular surfaces of the open neck  138  in a process somewhat similar to the application of an external welding material such as in FIGS. 10 a  and  10   b.    
     Referring further to FIGS. 12 a - 12   c  and also to FIG. 13, a still further variation  142  is illustrated of an annular collar attachment means for permanently securing a spray applicating head atop a misting bottle. Specifically, the annular collar is provided in an assembleable and clamping arrangement and includes a first half  144  and a second half  146 . The halves  144  and  146  are to be secured together by applied adhesives or ultrasonic welding as previously described. As is also shown in FIG. 13, a spray applicating head includes a lower body  148  and terminates in a downwardly facing flange portion  150 . An internally hollowed body  152  includes an open neck  154  upon which are configured outwardly flared portions  156 . A gasket or seal  158  is also illustrated in the exploded view of FIG.  13  and is sandwiched between the downwardly facing flange portion  150  of the spray applicating head  148  and the upwardly facing surface of the open neck  154  upon application of the first and second halves  144  and  146  annular collar. 
     The first half  144  includes an inner annular contour, as illustrated by phantom lines  160 , and which are matched by corresponding phantom lines  162  for providing a like inner annular contour in the second half  146  as best shown in FIG.  13 . Alignment pins  164  extending from the first half  144  engage within corresponding recesses  166  in the second half  146  to secure the collar in mating fashion about the open neck  154  and sandwiching the downwardly facing flange  150 . Referring once again to FIG. 12 c , the first and second halves may also be assembled together through the use of pins  168  which recess within like configured apertures in the collar halves. 
     Referring now to FIG. 14, a further embodiment  170  is disclosed of a spray misting device of the present invention and includes a decorative covering material  172  applied over the spray misting device. The device includes in one preferred variant an internally hollowed body (substantially hidden from view), a spray applicating head  174  camouflaged within a decorative head  176  of similar material to that of the covering material  172  and affixed over the spray applicating head  174 , and a second port assembly  178  which is identical in construction to that previously described. The decorative covering material may consist of any animal design or the like and is intended to be an attractive addition to the portable spray misting device of the invention. Alternatively, the bottle itself may be constructed as the decorative design without departing from the scope of the invention. 
     Referring now to FIG. 15, a portable spray misting device is illustrated at  180  according to a yet further preferred embodiment of the present invention. The device  180  again includes an internally hollowed misting bottle  182  with first port  184  and second larger fill port  186  and also with a spray applicating head  188  which is secured by an annular collar  190  to the first port  184 . The device  180  differs in that it also discloses a portable fan unit  192  having a body  194  and a plurality of blades  196  which are rotatably connected to the body  194  of the unit. The fan unit  192  is releasably secured atop the spray applicating head  193  such as through the use of downwardly extending engaging tabs (forward at  193  and rearward at  195 ) which are contoured for gripping corresponding locations of the spray applicating head. Upon issuance of a mist spray directed into a path of the rotating fan blades  196 , the mist contacts the blades and is cooled and distributed further, such as through evaporation into the surrounding air. The construction and operation of the spray misting device  180  is further substantially identical to that disclosed in the earlier preferred embodiments, particularly FIGS. 1-6, such that a repetitive explanation is unnecessary. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 16 and 17, side and front views are shown respectively of a portable spray misting device  198  according to a further preferred variant. The misting device  198  is similar in most regards to that illustrated at  180  in FIG. 15 in that it includes an internally hollowed body  200  with an upper neck  202  defining a first port and a cap  204  affixable in a fashion previously described over a configured annular rim  206  to define a second port. The embodiment of FIGS. 15 and 16 include a spray applicating head assembly  208  which is substantially integrally formed with the upwardly extending upper neck  202 . 
     A portable fan unit  210  having a body  212  and rotatable blades  214  secured to the body  212  is illustrated secured atop the spray applicating head assembly  208 . The fan unit  210  is capable of being secured by gripping tabs such as was previously described with reference to the embodiment of FIG. 15 or may be secured by other means such a sliding track arrangement existing between an underside of the fan unit body and the corresponding mounting surface extending from the top of the spray applicating head. As is best illustrated with reference to FIGS. 18-21 in succession, the fan unit  210  is dismountable from atop the spray applicating head and is capable of being separately utilized. 
     Specifically, referring to FIG. 19, a cutaway view is shown of the fan unit  210  which includes one or more batteries  214  contained within the unit body  212  and a small electric motor  216  which is operatively powered by the battery to drive the fan blades  214  via a drive shaft  218 . Referring also to FIG. 18, an on/off switch  220  is provided for selectively activating and deactivating the fan unit  210 . 
     Referring again to FIG. 19, and also to FIGS. 20 and 21, an elongate pedestal support portion  222  is provided which is recessed in a first folded position (see phantom lines in FIG. 19) within a compartment  224  of the fan unit body. The pedestal support portion  222  includes (as best illustrated from the detached and underside view of FIG. 20) a laterally extending foot portion  226  which permits the pedestal support portion  222 , upon it being rotated from the first hidden position to a second engaged position as also shown again in FIGS. 19 and 21, to engage a table top surface (not shown) and to support the fan unit in an upwardly angled and operative condition apart from its use with the spray misting device. 
     Having described my invention, it will become apparent that it discloses a novel and useful cooling device using fan-driven misting with a large fill or drinking port which is a non-obvious improvement over prior art devices. Having described my invention, additional preferred embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which it pertains without deviating from the scope of the appended claims.