Abstract:
A connector cap of a trigger sprayer is integrally formed with the sprayer housing of the trigger sprayer. The connector cap has a flexible cylindrical sidewall of varying thicknesses that enables the cap to be flexed and snap fit on a bayonet-type connector of a bottle neck by pressing the cap downwardly onto the bottle neck. The different thicknesses of the sidewall allow portions of the sidewall to flex, while maintaining a smooth, cylindrical exterior surface appearance of the sidewall.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     (1) Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention pertains to a connector for connecting a trigger sprayer to a bottle. In particular, the present invention pertains to a connector cap of a trigger sprayer that is integrally formed with the sprayer housing of the trigger sprayer. The connector cap has a flexible cylindrical sidewall of varying thicknesses that enables the cap to be flexed and snap fit on a bayonet-type connector of a bottle neck by pressing the cap downwardly onto the bottle neck.  
         [0003]     (2) Description of the Related Art  
         [0004]     Trigger sprayers are those types of sprayers that can be held in a single hand of the user and operated by the fingers of the user&#39;s hand to pump liquid from a bottle connected to the trigger sprayer. A trigger sprayer typically comprises a sprayer housing that contains a pump chamber, a liquid supply passage that communicates a liquid inlet opening on the sprayer housing with the pump chamber, and a liquid discharge passage that communicates the pump chamber with a liquid outlet opening on the sprayer housing.  
         [0005]     A dip tube is connected to the sprayer housing liquid inlet opening. The dip tube is extended through the neck of the bottle connected to the trigger sprayer, and into the liquid in the bottle. The dip tube communicates the liquid through the liquid supply passage of the sprayer housing, with the pump chamber of the sprayer housing.  
         [0006]     A nozzle assembly is connected to the sprayer housing at the liquid outlet opening. Various different types of nozzle assemblies are known. The typical nozzle assembly is adjustable to provide various different discharge patterns of the liquid dispensed from the trigger sprayer. For example, the liquid can be dispensed in a stream or spray pattern, or as a foam.  
         [0007]     A manually manipulated trigger is mounted on the sprayer housing for pivoting movement by the fingers of the user&#39;s hand. The trigger is operatively connected to the pump of the trigger sprayer. Manual manipulation of the trigger operates the pump, which draws liquid from the bottle connected to the trigger sprayer and dispenses the liquid from the trigger sprayer.  
         [0008]     Many trigger sprayers are attached to their bottles by an internally threaded cap. To firmly secure the trigger sprayer on the bottle neck, the cap is positioned on the bottle neck and rotated. Complementary screw threading provided on the interior of the cap and the exterior of the bottle neck securely attach the trigger sprayer to the bottle.  
         [0009]     Many trigger sprayers are also provided with bayonet-type connectors. Bayonet-type connectors firmly attach the trigger sprayer on the bottle neck by rotating the trigger sprayer connector cap relative to the bottle neck. However, with a bayonet-type connector, it is not necessary to rotate the trigger sprayer connector cap a full rotation to attach the trigger sprayer to the bottle. Trigger sprayers with bayonet-type connectors can be attached to complementary bottle necks by rotating the trigger sprayer connector a fraction of one complete revolution relative to the bottle neck. These types of connectors are advantageously used where a trigger sprayer is attached to a bottle neck by a machine in an assembly line.  
         [0010]     Both types of trigger sprayer connectors discussed above require that the connector cap of the trigger sprayer be rotated relative to the bottle neck in attaching the trigger sprayer to the bottle neck. Even the bayonet-type connector is required to be rotated relative to the bottle neck to attach the trigger sprayer to the bottle neck. These types of trigger sprayer connectors have two different movements to attach the connector on a bottle neck. The connector must be moved in a linear direction onto the bottle neck while also being rotated relative to the bottle neck.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0011]     The present invention overcomes disadvantages associated with prior art trigger sprayer connectors by providing a novel design for a trigger sprayer connector that can be securely attached to a bottle neck in one movement, without rotating the connector relative to the bottle neck.  
         [0012]     The bottle neck to which the connector of the invention is attached is designed for a bayonet-type connection. The bottle neck has horizontally oriented ridges that are spatially arranged around the bottle neck exterior surface. The horizontally oriented ridges secure the trigger sprayer connector of the invention to the bottle neck. The bottle neck is also provided with a plurality of vertically oriented ridges that prevent relative rotation between the trigger sprayer connector of the invention and the bottle neck.  
         [0013]     In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the trigger sprayer connector is formed integrally as one piece with the sprayer housing of the trigger sprayer. The connector has a cylindrical sidewall that is dimensioned to fit over the bottle neck. A plurality of lug assemblies are provided on the interior surface of the sidewall. The positioning of the lug assembly on the connector sidewall corresponds to the positioning of the horizontal ridges on the bottle neck. Each lug assembly is provided with at least a pair of spaced lugs that engage above and below a horizontal ridge of the bottle neck when attaching the connector to the bottle neck. A bottom lug of each pair is designed to cam over the horizontal ridge as the connector is pressed downwardly onto the bottle neck. As the lower lug passes over the horizontal ridge, the resilience of the connector cap sidewall snaps the lower lug inwardly beneath the horizontal ridge, securing the horizontal ridge between the pair of upper and lower lugs.  
         [0014]     The novel design of the connector of the invention includes a modified sidewall that allows the sidewall to easily flex as the lower lug of each lug assembly passes over a horizontal ridge of the bottle neck. The cylindrical sidewall is provided with thin areas that alternate with thick areas around the circumference of the sidewall. The thin areas of the sidewall have a greater resilience than the thick areas, and allow the sidewall to flex as the connector is pressed downwardly over the bottle neck. To provide a secure attachment of the trigger sprayer connector to the bottle neck, the lug assemblies are provided on the thick areas of the sidewall.  
         [0015]     The thin areas of the sidewall allow the thick areas of the sidewall with the lug assemblies to flex radially outwardly as the lower lug of each lug assembly passes over a horizontal ridge on the bottle neck. As the lower lug passes over the horizontal ridge, the resilience of the sidewall snaps the sidewall back to its original cylindrical configuration. This positions a lower lug of each lug assembly beneath a horizontal ridge on the bottle neck, and positions an upper lug of each lug assembly above a horizontal ridge on the bottle neck. This securely attaches the trigger sprayer to the bottle neck by simply pressing the trigger sprayer connector downwardly on the bottle neck, without rotating the connector relative to the bottle neck.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0016]     Further features of the present invention are set forth in the detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention and in the drawing figures wherein:  
         [0017]      FIG. 1  is a side elevation view, in section, of a trigger sprayer employing the connector apparatus of the present invention;  
         [0018]      FIG. 2  is a top perspective view of a bottle neck that employs the connector apparatus of the invention;  
         [0019]      FIG. 3  is a bottom perspective view of the trigger sprayer connector of the invention;  
         [0020]      FIG. 4  is a top plan view of the bottle neck of  FIG. 2 ; and,  
         [0021]      FIG. 5  is a bottom plan view of the trigger sprayer connector of  FIG. 3 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0022]      FIG. 1  shows an example of a trigger sprayer construction employing the connector apparatus of the present invention. It should be understood that the trigger sprayer construction shown in  FIG. 1  is only one example of a trigger sprayer that can employ the connector apparatus of the present invention. There are various other different designs of trigger sprayers that are equally well suited for use with the connector apparatus of the invention. Furthermore, the connector apparatus of the invention is shown in  FIG. 1  as one, integral piece with the sprayer housing of the trigger sprayer. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the connector apparatus is connected as a single piece with the sprayer housing. However, in alternate embodiments of the invention, the connector apparatus could be a separate piece from the trigger sprayer housing that is assembled to the trigger sprayer housing. Because the trigger sprayer shown in  FIG. 1  is only one example of a trigger sprayer construction that can employ the connector apparatus of the invention, the trigger sprayer will be described only generally herein.  
         [0023]     In the preferred embodiment of the connector apparatus shown, the connector apparatus includes a connector cap  12  that is formed in one piece with the sprayer housing  14  of the trigger sprayer. The sprayer housing  14  contains a cylindrical pump chamber  16 , a cylindrical vent chamber  18 , a liquid supply passage  22  that extends from a liquid inlet opening  24  in the sprayer housing to the pump chamber  16 , and a liquid discharge passage  26  that extends from the pump chamber  16  to a liquid outlet opening  28  in the sprayer housing.  
         [0024]     A dip tube connector  32  is inserted into the liquid inlet opening  24  of the sprayer housing. The dip tube connector  32  has a lower portion that connects a dip tube (not shown) with the sprayer housing  14 . The top of the dip tube connector  32  has a surface  36  that functions as an input valve seat in the liquid supply passage  22 .  
         [0025]     A two piece valve assembly  38  is inserted into the sprayer housing  14  above the dip tube connector  32 . The valve assembly  38  has a flexible disk valve  42  at its lower end that seats against the valve seat surface  36  of the dip tube connector  32 . The disk valve  42  controls the flow of liquid through the dip tube  34  and the dip tube connector  32  to the pump chamber  16 , and prevents the reverse flow of liquid. A flexible sleeve valve  44  projects upwardly from the valve assembly  38 . The sleeve valve  44  controls the flow of liquid from the pump chamber  16  through the liquid discharge passage  26  to the liquid outlet opening  28 , and prevents the reverse flow of liquid.  
         [0026]     A pump piston  46  is mounted in the pump chamber  16  for reciprocating movements between charge and discharge positions of the pump piston in the pump chamber. When moved forwardly to the charge position shown in  FIG. 1 , the pump piston  46  draws liquid into the pump chamber  16 . When moved rearwardly to the discharge position, the pump piston  46  pumps the liquid from the pump chamber  16 .  
         [0027]     A vent piston  48  is connected to the pump piston  46  for reciprocating movements with the pump piston. The vent piston  48  is mounted in the vent chamber  18  for reciprocating movements between vent open and vent closed positions. When the pump piston  46  is moved rearwardly in the pump chamber  16  toward the discharge position, the vent piston  48  is also moved in the rearward direction in the vent chamber  18  toward the vent open position. In the vent open position, the interior of the bottle connected to the trigger sprayer is vented through the vent chamber  18  to the exterior environment of the sprayer housing  14 . When the pump piston  46  is moved forwardly in the pump chamber  16  toward the charge position, the vent piston  48  is also moved forwardly in the vent chamber to the vent closed position.  
         [0028]     A coil spring (not shown) is positioned in the pump chamber  16  and engages against the pump piston  46 . The spring biases the pump piston in the forward direction toward the charge position of the piston relative to the pump chamber  16 . Thus, the spring also biases the vent piston  48  in the forward direction toward the vent closed position.  
         [0029]     A trigger  52  is mounted on the sprayer housing  14  for pivoting movement of the trigger relative to the sprayer housing. The trigger  52  is operatively connected to the pump piston  46  and the vent piston  48 . Movement of the trigger  52  on the sprayer housing  14  by the user&#39;s hand holding the trigger sprayer results in the reciprocating movements of the pump piston  46  and the vent piston  48  in the respective pump chamber  16  and vent chamber  18 .  
         [0030]     An indexing nozzle  54  is mounted on the sprayer housing  14  at the liquid outlet opening  28 . The nozzle  54  can be turned on the sprayer housing to selectively prevent and permit liquid discharge from the sprayer housing. In addition, the indexing nozzle  54  can be rotated to various positions of the nozzle relative to the sprayer housing  14  where the spray pattern of liquid discharged from the sprayer housing is changed between a spray, stream, and foam discharge pattern.  
         [0031]     The construction of the trigger sprayer set forth above is typical, and is only one example of the construction of the various known types of trigger sprayers. As stated earlier, the particular construction of the trigger sprayer described herein is intended to be illustrative only, and is not intended to limit the use of the novel connector apparatus of the invention to any one particular type of trigger sprayer construction.  
         [0032]     The connector cap  12  of the connector apparatus is formed as one monolithic piece with the sprayer housing  14 . The cap  12  has a circular top wall  58  and a cylindrical sidewall  62  having a center axis  64 . The center axis  64  defines mutually perpendicular axial and radial directions relative to the connector cap  12 . The cap side wall  62  extends axially downwardly from the peripheral edge of the cap top wall  58  to a circular bottom edge  68  of the side wall. The cap bottom edge  68  surrounds a bottom opening to the interior volume of the cap. The cap sidewall has a smooth, cylindrical exterior surface  72  that extends completely around the cap sidewall and is only interrupted by circumferentially spaced mold holes  74 .  
         [0033]     Each of the mold holes  74  are a result of the molding process employed in forming the connector cap  12 . The mold holes  74  are not essential to the functioning of the connector apparatus of the invention. The cap sidewall  62  could be formed with the lug assemblies without the mold holes  74  and the functioning of the connector cap  12  would be the same.  
         [0034]     The cap interior surface is cylindrical and is comprised of a plurality of thick areas  76  and a plurality of thin areas  78 . The thick areas  76  and thin areas  78  alternate around the circumference of the sidewall interior surface. The sidewall thick areas  76  have a first thickness dimension between the cap exterior surface  72  and the cap interior surface at the thick areas  76 . The sidewall thin areas  78  have a second thickness dimension between the cap exterior surface  72  and the cap interior surface at the thin areas  78 . The first thickness dimension is larger than the second thickness dimension. The cap thick areas  76  and thin areas  78  each have general rectangular configurations. The thin areas  78  extend the entire axial length of the sidewall interior surface from the cap top wall  58  to the cap bottom edge  68 . Likewise, the cap thick areas  76  extend the entire axial length of the cap interior surface from the cap top wall  58  to the cap bottom edge  68 . As seen in  FIG. 5 , the positioning of the thin areas  78  is symmetric on opposite sides of a center plane  82  that bisects the cap and the sprayer housing  14 . However, the positioning of the thin areas  78  is asymmetric on opposite sides of a perpendicular plane  84  that contains the cap center axis  64  and is perpendicular to the center plane  82 . Because the cap sidewall thick areas  78  have a thickness dimension that is larger than the thickness dimension of the cap sidewall thin areas  78 , the cap sidewall thin areas  78  are more flexible than the cap thick areas  76 .  
         [0035]     In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the thin areas  78  of the sidewall  62  are recessed into the interior surface of the sidewall. This provides the increased flexibility in the thin areas of the sidewall while presenting the more desirable appearance of the smooth exterior surface of the sidewall. Even with the thin areas  78  recessed into the sidewall interior surface, a majority of the sidewall circumference is made up of the thick areas  76  of the sidewall. Each thin area  78  of the sidewall interior surface occupies approximately 1/24 th  of the total circumferential dimension of the sidewall interior surface. Thus, the sidewall  62  remains substantially rigid and supports the trigger sprayer firmly on the bottle neck.  
         [0036]     Four lug assemblies are provided on the sidewall interior surface. The lug assemblies are each comprised of a pair of circumferentially spaced upper lugs  88 , and a single lower lug  92  that is axially spaced from the upper lugs. As seen in  FIG. 3 , the upper lugs  88  of each lug assembly are positioned on opposite sides of a mold hole  74 , and the lower lug  92  of each lug assembly is positioned directly below the mold hole. Each of the lower lugs  92  has cam surfaces  94  that angle radially outwardly as they extend axially downwardly. This tapered configuration of the lower lug cam surfaces  94  facilitates the attachment of the connector cap  12  on the container neck by snap fitting the cap on the neck, as will be explained.  
         [0037]     As seen in  FIG. 5 , pairs of the lug assemblies are positioned on opposite sides of the center plane  82  and on opposite sides of the perpendicular plane  84 . This positions the lug assemblies to securely hold the connector cap  12  to a bottle neck.  
         [0038]     Only the top of a bottle  96  designed for use with the connector cap  12  of the invention is shown in  FIGS. 2 and 4 . The bottle has an opening with a center axis  98  and a cylindrical neck  102  that extends around the opening. The bottle neck opening receives the dip tube  34  of the trigger sprayer when the connector cap  12  is attached to the bottle. An annular rim  104  extends radially outwardly from the bottom of the bottle neck  102 . The annular rim  104  is dimensioned to engage the interior surface of the cap sidewall  62  when the cap  12  is attached to the bottle neck  102  to stabilize the trigger sprayer on the bottle.  
         [0039]     Just above the annular rim  104 , the exterior surface  106  of the bottle neck is cylindrical and smooth except for four separate arcuate ridges  106  and two pairs of axial ridges  108 . The arcuate ridges  106  are circumferentially spaced around the bottle neck. The positions of the arcuate ridges  106  correspond to the circumferential spacing of the lug assemblies on the interior surface of the cap sidewall  62 . An arcuate spacing is provided between each of the arcuate ridges  106 . The arcuate spacing  112  between the adjacent arcuate ridges  106  is sufficiently large to enable the lower lugs  92  of the cap lug assemblies to pass through the spacing. Each of the arcuate ridges  106  has an axial width dimension that corresponds to the axial spacing between the lower lug  92  and the upper lugs  88  of each lug assembly. In alternate embodiments of the invention, the arcuate ridges  106  could be replaced by a single circular ridge that extends entirely around the circumference of the bottle neck  102 .  
         [0040]     Each of the axial ridges  108  projects radially outwardly from the bottle neck  102  to the same extent as the arcuate ridges  106 . The axial ridges  108  extend axially from the opposite ends of two of the four arcuate ridges  106 . The two arcuate ridges  106  are to the left in  FIG. 3 . The axial ridges  108  extend downwardly from the arcuate ridges  106  to the annular rim  104  around the bottle neck  102 . The circumferential spacing  114  between the pairs of axial ridges  108  is dimensioned to receive one of the lower lugs  92  of the lug assemblies. As seen in  FIG. 4 , the positioning of the bottle neck arcuate ridges  106  and axial ridges  108  is symmetric on opposite sides of a center plane  116  of the bottle neck.  
         [0041]     In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the connector cap  12  is attached to the bottle neck  102  by being pressed axially downwardly on the bottle neck without rotating the connector cap relative to the bottle neck. In attaching the connector cap  12  on the bottle neck  102 , the trigger sprayer is positioned relative to the bottle so that the connector cap center plane  82  is co-planar with the bottle neck center plane  116 . This aligns the lower lugs  92  of the lug assemblies with the arcuate ridges  106  on the bottle neck  102 . Continued axial downward movement of the connector cap  12  over the bottle neck  102  causes the cam surfaces  94  of the lower lugs  92  to engage with and slide over the arcuate ridges  106 . This causes the arcuate ridges  106  to push radially outwardly on the lower lugs  92 , and resiliently flexes the connector cap side wall  62  at the thin areas  78 . This allows the lower lugs  92  to move radially outwardly relative to the arcuate ridges  106  as they are pushed axially downwardly over the ridges. When the lower lugs  92  pass over the arcuate ridges  106 , they snap into position against the undersides of the arcuate ridges  106 . In addition, two of the lower lugs  92  snap into the spacing  114  between the pairs of axial ridges  108 . With the lower lugs  92  positioned beneath the arcuate ridges  106 , the upper lugs  88  engage against the top of the arcuate ridges  106 . This securely holds the connector cap  12  on the bottle neck  102  and prevents axial movement of the cap relative to the bottle neck. Furthermore, the engagement of two of the lower lugs  92  in the spacing  114  between the pairs of axial ridges  108  prevents the connector cap  12  from being rotated relative to the bottle neck  102 . Still further, the engagement of the bottle neck annular rim  104  with the interior surface of cap side wall  62  securely holds the cap  10  on the container neck  102  and prevents any relative movement or rocking of the cap on the container neck. In this manner, the container cap  12  of the invention is attached to the bottle neck  102  by only being pressed axially downwardly onto the bottle neck, and without rotating the connector cap  12  relative to the bottle neck  102 .  
         [0042]     Although the present invention has been described above by reference to a specific embodiment, it should be understood that modifications and variations of the invention may be constructed without departing from the scope of the invention defined in the following claims.