Patent Publication Number: US-6702198-B2

Title: Reversible airless spray tip assembly

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of Provisional No. 60/185,647 filed on Feb. 29, 2000. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Reversible airless spray tips are well known as shown by U.S. Pat. No. 4,165,836 as well as U.S. Pat. No. 4,484,707, and its progeny. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is always an object of an invention in this area to improve on the performance of such tips, particularly in the areas of sealing and adhesive use. Towards that end, a one-piece solvent resistant rubber step seal is provided with a 316 stainless steel powder metal saddle which provides an interference fit between the step of the seal of approximately 0.006 inches. This holds both parts together and forms effectively a one-piece design. 
     The solvent resistant rubber step seal works like a face seal under fluid pressure and the spring to hold the tip in place and the guard when no fluid pressure is present. As the result the tip can be installed or removed from the guard without using any tool to loosen the nut and independent from how tight the nut is tightened as long as the guard is tightened metal-to-metal with the gun. A 0.16 inch OD with a 0.096 inch protrusion is machined on the tip cylinder whereby the tip cylinder may be used to insert the one piece seal by placing it on the protrusion and inserting it into the housing. The arrow point on the handle may be used to push the one-piece seal from the front of the guard for removal. 
     These and other objects and advantages of the invention will appear more fully from the following description made in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to the same or similar parts throughout the several views. 
    
    
     A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 shows a partially cutaway view of the tip assembly of the instant invention. 
     FIG. 2 shows a front view of the seal/saddle assembly. 
     FIG. 3 is a sectional view of FIG. 2 taken along line  3 — 3 . 
     FIG. 4 is a partially cutaway exploded view showing the tip assembly being assembled. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     FIG. 1 shows a partially cutaway view of the tip assembly  10  which is comprised generally of a housing  12  having a tip cylinder  14  inserted therein with an airless tip  16  located inside cylinder  14 . A tip guard  18  extends divergently from the front thereof and tip cylinder  14  is provided with a handle  20 . Cylinder  14  has at the other end thereof a protrusion  22 , the purpose of which will be discussed more fully hereinafter. A saddle member  24  is ideally formed of 316 stainless steel powdered metal and provides a slight interference fit (0.006 inch) in the rear thereof for a seal  26 . 
     As can be seen more fully in FIG. 3, saddle member  24  is provided with a cylinder sealing surface  24   a  and a rear cavity  24   b  into which step  26   a  of seal  26  may be inserted. Seal  26  has a through passage  26   b  therein. 
     As can be seen in FIG. 4, the protrusion  22  on the end of cylinder  14  is inserted into passage  26   b  of seal saddle assembly  24 / 26  and is then inserted into housing  12 . Removal may be accomplished by pressing rearwardly using the tip  20   a  of arrow  20  to do so. 
     It is contemplated that various changes and modifications may be made to the tip assembly without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.