Abstract:
Detachable tube assemblies, such as those useful in remote spraying devices, are disclosed. The assemblies use a U-shaped coupling device having a base with a central aperture, flexible arms, and radial extensions. The radial extensions interfit with alignable radial holes on tubes to be coupled together. The central aperture guides and aligns an actuator rod. The rod can be used to remotely actuate a spray.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   Not applicable 
   STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH/DEVELOPMENT 
   Not applicable 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention relates to a device for detachably coupling tubes together, and more particularly for detachably coupling tubes for use as part of a handle and actuator system for a remote spray assembly. 
   Common aerosol cans and similar pressurized spray canisters are most frequently actuated by a user directly pressing a button or other structure that activates the can&#39;s valve. Typically, this means that the user must directly hold the canister in his or her hand, and the surface to be sprayed must be no further away than can be reached by the spray pattern of the canister. 
   This will present problems for some applications. For example, except for some specialty sprays designed to project a narrow stream a long distance (such as certain conventional wasp sprayers), most common aerosol sprays tend to fan out quite quickly. Consequently, a user cannot apply the spray to a small, localized area such as a window sill, an area under a bush or other plant, or the like, unless the can (and therefore the user&#39;s hand) can be within inches of the target area. 
   In any event, many users would prefer to keep their distance from certain sprays, such as pesticides, regardless of the capability of the sprayer. Even when there is no danger in the proper use of the pesticide, they desire separation simply as a matter of aesthetic preference. 
   Because of these and other issues, devices for spraying a remote target or area have been developed, such as those described in U.S. Patent Application Publication US 2003/0053846, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein. This application describes a device for spraying pesticides, agricultural treatment chemicals, and/or other chemicals, the device having a housing configured to retain a spray canister, an actuator rod on the housing, a shaft connected to the housing, and a linkage to trigger the spray canister to effectuate remote spraying. 
   While this device is very useful for maintaining a distance between a user and the chemical being sprayed, the tube segments which make up the shaft were designed for permanent assembly. Thus, it can be difficult to disassemble the tubes for maintenance and/or other reasons such as more compact storage between uses. 
   Some devices for providing a detachable connection between tubes in a tubular shaft are known in the art. One common method for locking two tubes together is shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 2,815,522. Here, a resilient pin is directly affixed to the inside of one tube and springs outward through a hole in that tube, and then, upon assembly, through a hole in the next tube. However, the installation of the pin can be somewhat costly, and can be somewhat difficult to manufacture in a consistently reliable manner. 
   Another device with coupling features was disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,791,624. There, a flexible coupler was used for detachably coupling adjacent tubes. The coupler had a pair of outwardly directed flexible prongs which can be compressed and then detachably inserted into corresponding holes on an adjacent piece of a multi-segment cleaning member. While this device did serve a coupling purpose, there were no means provided for aligning, retaining, and guiding an axially movable member, as required for triggering a spray canister remotely. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 6,155,741 showed a coupling device having outward projections for detachably coupling to a rectangular rail which included a central bore for retaining an axial member. Here, however, the coupling device was coupled only to a single rail, and is therefore not useful for coupling a pair of tubes or rails together. 
   Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 6,213,677 illustrated a coupling device in which prongs radially extend through a single tubular member. 
   Thus, a need still exists for an improved detachable tube assembly, particularly one useful in a remote sprayer. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention provides a detachable tube assembly. The assembly has first and second tubes, the first tube having at least one radial aperture which is alignable with a radial aperture of the second tube when the first and second tubes are telescoped together. There is also a coupler having a base portion with a central aperture suitable for receiving and guiding a rod therein, at least one flexible arm coupled to the base portion, and a first radial extension extending outwardly from the arm, the extension being sized and dimensioned to be received in aligned radial apertures of both the first and second tubes to thereby couple the tubes together. 
   In preferred forms the coupler has two such flexible arms/extensions, and an actuator rod is movably positioned in the central aperture. The rod includes a radial barb for limiting the extent of axial movement of the rod in the central aperture and extends through the first and second tubes. The barb also is configured to facilitate assembling the rod with the coupler by movement of the rod in one axial direction relative to the central aperture. The rod may also have a washer mounted thereon to facilitate centralization of the rod along a central axis of one of the tubes. 
   In another aspect the invention provides a coupler for detachably connecting first and second tubes, the first tube having at least one radial aperture which is alignable with a radial aperture of the second tube when the first and second tubes are telescoped together. The coupler has a base including a central aperture suitable for receiving and guiding a rod therein, at least one flexible arm coupled to the base, and a radial extension extending outwardly from the arm. 
   In yet another aspect the invention provides a spraying device which has a trigger assembly, a first tube having two radial holes, and a second tube having two radial holes. The first and second tubes are telescoped into one another with the radial holes of the first tube being in alignment with the radial holes of the second tube. 
   The spraying device also has an actuator rod assembly coupled to the trigger assembly and extending through the first and second tubes in an axially movable fashion. There is also a spray canister assembly linked to the second tube and adapted to be activated by the actuator rod, and a coupling device positioned in a tube adjacent a junction between the first and second tubes. 
   Most preferably, the coupling device has a base section having a central aperture, first and second flexible arms extending from the base section, and first and second radial extensions extending from the first and second flexible arms, respectively. The actuator rod also extends through the central aperture in axially movable fashion and the radial extensions extend into the two radial holes of the first tube and the two radial holes of the second tube. 
   As will be appreciated from the following description, the coupler of the present invention serves multiple functions. First, it serves to align and guide the central actuator rod, yet do so in a manner where the rod&#39;s axial movement is limited to a defined range. Further, the device self-assembles to the rod within which it is inserted. Finally, the coupler also simultaneously links to the second tube, thereby providing a coupling function between the first and second tubes. 
   The coupler is extremely low cost to produce, easy to install, and easily conceptually understood by consumers who will use it. Further, it insures that the connection between the tubes is not a permanent one if disassembly is desired. 
   These and other advantages of the invention will appear from the following description. In this description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which there is shown by way of illustration, a preferred embodiment of the invention. Such embodiment and its particular advantages do not define the full scope of the invention. Thus, reference should be made to the claims for interpreting the full scope of the invention. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a front, right, bottom perspective view of a sprayer device constructed in accordance with the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a left side view of a top portion of the  FIG. 1  sprayer device; 
       FIG. 3  is a partial exploded view of a portion of the  FIG. 2  structure, with particular focus on the junction between tube segments; 
       FIG. 4  is a partial sectional view of the assembled  FIG. 3  parts; 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the coupler shown in  FIG. 4 ; 
       FIG. 6  is a sectional view taken along the line  6 — 6  of  FIG. 4 ; and 
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a portion of the shaft assembly, illustrating how multiple coupling members can be used. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   Referring first to  FIG. 1 , a sprayer device is shown including a handle assembly  10  for attachment to a canister assembly  13 . There is a canister housing  15  for receiving an aerosol can containing a pesticide, insecticide, agricultural chemical, or other chemical to be sprayed. The housing  15  includes a connecting portion  17  which is tubular in shape, and which is detachably connectable to the handle assembly  10 , as described below. 
   Referring next to  FIG. 2 , the handle assembly  10  includes a trigger assembly  12  for actuating an actuator rod  22 , and a shaft assembly  14 . The shaft assembly  14  is constructed of an upper tube segment  16  and a lower tube segment  18  which are detachably coupled together with a coupling device  20 . The tubular connector portion  17  of the housing  15  ( FIG. 1 ) is similarly detachably coupled to the lower tube segment  18  with a second coupling device  60 . 
   The actuator rod  22  is provided within the shaft assembly  14  and is activated by the trigger assembly  12  to actuate the spray canister  13  ( FIG. 1 ) for dispensing the chemical as described in U.S. Patent Application Publication 2003/0053846. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 3 , upper tube segment  16  includes a tapered portion  30  in which first and second radial holes  26  and  28  are provided on opposing sides of the tube. An actuator rod segment  23 , which links to the trigger assembly  12  for triggering and activating the spray canister  13 , is provided in the upper tube  16 , and includes a tapered end  25  for receipt in the next actuator rod segment  22 . The actuator rod segment  23  includes a one-way barb  36  which extends radially from the rod and is triangular in shape such that the coupling device can be moved over the barb in one direction, but not easily moved back. 
   The actuator rod segment  23  also includes one or more integral washer portions  38  sized and dimensioned to maintain the actuator rod segment  23  in an axial centered position within the upper tube segment  16 . The washer segment  38  can alternatively be a separate element slideably received on or coupled to the actuator rod segment  23 . 
   Similarly, the lower tube segment  18  also includes first and second radial holes  40  and  42  provided on opposing sides of the tube  18  and adjacent an end of the tube  18  intended to be coupled to the tube  12 . The radial holes  26 ,  28 ,  40 , and  42  are all sized and dimensioned to receive radial extensions  32  and  34  extending from the coupling device  20 . The actuator rod segment  22  provided in the lower tube segment  18  includes a contact surface  21  ( FIG. 7 ) for receiving the tapered end  25  of the actuator rod segment  23 , and can also include one or more washer  39 . 
   Referring now also to  FIG. 5 , the coupling device  20  is substantially U-shaped in front view, and includes a base section  45  from which first and second flexible arms  44  and  46  extend. Radial extensions  32  and  34 , which, as shown, can be cylindrical in shape, extend outwardly from each of the flexible arms  44  and  46  and are sized and dimensioned to be received in the radial apertures  26 ,  28 ,  40 , and  42  in the tubes  16  and  18 . A center aperture  48  is provided in the base section  45 , and is sized and dimensioned to receive the actuator rod segments  22  and  23 , and to align the actuator rods  22  and  23  in the tubes  16  and  18 . The coupling device  20  is constructed of a material such as a plastic which allows the arms  44  and  46  to flex. 
   Referring next to  FIG. 3 , to assemble the tubes  16  and  18  onto the coupling device  20 , the coupling device  20  is initially inserted into the tapered portion  30  of the upper tube segment  16  and the flexible arms  44  and  46  are flexed inward and released when the radial extensions  32  and  34  are aligned with the radial holes  26  and  28 , respectively. The coupling device  20  is positioned on the actuator rod segment  23  such that the one-way barb  36  is positioned between the coupling device  20  and the end of the tube  16 , with the barb  36  directed such that the vertical edge of the ramped barb faces the base  45  of the coupling device  20  so that the one-way barb thereafter prevents the coupling device  20  from being pulled off of the actuator rod segment  23 . 
   One may first position the coupling device  20  on the actuator rod segment  23  and then insert that subassembly into a tube segment such as the upper tube segment  16  until the radial extensions  32  and  34  align with and become engaged in the radial holes  26  and  28 . Alternatively, the coupling device  20  may first be positioned within the tube segment  16 , with the radial extensions  32  and  34  engaged in the radial holes  26  and  28 , the actuator rod segment  23  then being inserted within the tube segment to at the end remote from the coupling device to pass through the center aperture  48 . 
   After the coupling device  20  is received in the upper tube segment  16 , the lower tube segment  18  is aligned over the upper tube segment  16 , the flexible arms  44  and  46  are flexed inward to allow the lower tube segment  18  to be moved over the tapered portion  30  of the upper tube segment  16  and, when the radial holes  40  and  42  in the lower tube segment are aligned with the radial extensions  32  and  34  in the coupling device  20 , the flexible arms  44  and  46  are released, wherein the radial extensions  32  and  34  move into the radial holes  40  and  42  coupling the upper tube segment  16 , the lower tube segment  18 , and the coupling device  20  together. 
   To maintain the actuator rod segments  22  and  23  in a centered position within the upper tube segment  16  and the lower tube segment  18 , the actuator rod segments  22  and  23  can include one or more washer  38  and  39 , where the washers  38  and  39  are sized and dimensioned with a radius slightly smaller than the diameter of the tubes  16  and  18  to maintain the actuator rod  22  at an axial center of the tube segments  16  and  18 , and therefore aligned between the trigger assembly  12  and the canister  13 . 
   Referring next to  FIG. 6 , actuator rod segment  22  is provided through the center aperture  48  of the coupling device  20  and that the radial extensions  32  and  34  extend through pairs of aligned apertures  28  and  42  and  26  and  40 , respectively, coupling the upper tube  16  to the lower tube  18 . The one-way barb  36  prevents the coupling device  20  from moving along the actuator rod segment  23  and therefore maintains the coupling device  20  within the tube segment  16 . The actuator rod segment  22  is aligned with and mated to the actuator rod segment  23  which, as described above, provides a linkage between the trigger assembly  12  and canister  13 . 
   The coupling device  20  serves a number of purposes. The coupling device  20  releasably attaches the upper and lower tubes  16  and  18 , and the associated actuator rod segments  22  and  23 , maintains the actuator rod segments  22  and  23  in position, and further centers the actuator rod segments  22  and  23  in the tubes  16  and  18  and aligns the actuator rod segment  23  with the rod segment  22  to provide an appropriate linkage. The coupling device  20  nevertheless allows the handle assembly  10  to be disassembled into a more compact form if desired for storage or maintenance. 
   Referring next to  FIG. 7 , and also to  FIG. 2 , it can be seen that more than one coupling device  20  and  60  can be used to connect multiple tubes and components together. Here, as described above with reference to  FIG. 2 , the upper and lower tube assembly  16  and  18  are coupled together with a first coupling device  20 , while a tubular connector portion  17  is connected to a lower end of the lower tube  18  with a second coupling device  60 . As described above, the tubular connector portion  17  can be part of a housing  15  for a spray canister  13 . However, other types of spray activated devices and cleaning devices could also be attached to the handle assembly  12  as described. 
   Various alternative mechanical methods for attaching the actuator rod segments  22  and  23  (e.g. threads) will be apparent to those of skill in the art. Additionally, while the invention has been described with reference to a spraying device, various other dispensers and cleaning apparatuses which require an internal rod or tube either for dispensing a fluid or actuating a canister could also be constructed using the described coupling device. 
   Hence, it should be appreciated that various modifications of the above described embodiment may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the following claims. Thus, the claims should be looked to in order to assess the full scope of the invention. 
   INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 
   Disclosed are improved coupling devices for detachably coupling two tubes while simultaneously aligning and guiding an axially movable rod extending therein, such devices being particularly desirable for use with remote sprayers.