Patent Publication Number: US-2023158524-A1

Title: Mix on Exit Sprayer

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     The present application relates and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/281,933, filed Nov. 22, 2021, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     GOVERNMENT FUNDING 
     N/A 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present disclosure is directed generally to sprayers and more particularly to as a type of sprayer referred to as a mix on exit sprayer which mixes a chemical concentrate with water within the sprayer unit prior to the mixture being expelled from the sprayer. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Sprayers are used to dispense a mixture of water and chemicals for a variety of purposes, such as herbicide, pesticide, fertilize and insecticide treatments. Some sprayers contain a tank in which a pre-mixture of water and chemicals are stored and from which the mixture is pumped through a spray wand. Other sprayers may provide a fluid pathway for water and a separate pathway for the chemical and have the them mix together just before expelling them through a spray wand; these are referred to as mix on exit sprayers. 
     An advantage of mix on exit sprayers is that a user can simply buy replacement chemical cartridges that attach to the sprayer (or a hose) rather than having to purchase the pre-mixed chemicals each time one is finished. Another advantage is that some mix on exit sprayers allow for metering of the amount of chemical added into the water stream, thereby having the capability to expel a chemical mixture of varying strengths. 
     One potential disadvantage of the mix on exit sprayers is the user handling of the chemicals, potentially exposing them to a hazardous substance. In addition, the metering mechanisms are sometimes not properly calibrated or become uncalibrated over time, leading to inaccurate treatments. 
     Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a mix on exit sprayer that minimizes user contact with the chemicals, as well as one that minimizes the risks of inaccurate dosing. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present disclosure is directed to a mix on exit sprayer. 
     According to an aspect is a mix on exit sprayer, comprising a tank in which water is adapted to be stored; a cavity in which a chemical filled cartridge is adapted to be removably positioned; a mixing compartment adapted to receive and mix the chemicals from the cartridge with the water from the tank and creating a chemical and water mixture; a first fluid pathway extending from the tank in which the water is adapted to be stored to the mixing compartment; a mechanism for moving chemicals from the cartridge into the mixing compartment; a spray wand attached to the tank; a second fluid pathway extending from the mixing compartment to the spray wand; and a pump for moving the chemical mixture from the mixing compartment through the second fluid pathway and into the spray want. 
     According to an embodiment, the mix on exit sprayer further comprises a power source attached to the pump. 
     According to an embodiment, the mechanism is a piston adapted to linearly move into the cartridge at a predetermined rate of speed. 
     According to an embodiment, the mix on exit sprayer further comprises an electric motor powered by a power source and operably connected to the pump. 
     According to an embodiment, the electric motor connects to provides power to the piston. 
     These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent from the embodiments described below. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will be more fully understood and appreciated by reading the following Detailed Description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIGS.  1 A and  1 B  are perspective views of a mix on exit sprayer, in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIGS.  2 A and  2 B  are perspective views of a mix on exit sprayer, in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  2 C  is a perspective view of a chemical cartridge for use with a mix on exit sprayer, in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  3    is a perspective views of a mix on exit sprayer, in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  4    is a perspective view of a mix on exit sprayer, in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  5    is a cross-sectional view of a mix on exit sprayer taken along section line  5 - 5  of  FIG.  4   , in accordance with an embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     The present disclosure describes a mix on exit sprayer  10 . 
     Referring to  FIG.  1   , in one embodiment, mix on exit sprayer  10  generally comprises a water tank  12  having a manually accessible fill opening  14 , a body  16  attached to (or integral with) tank  12  and having a handle  18  formed along the top edge thereof, and a spray wand  20  attached to body  16  in proximity to the forward region thereof. A chemical cartridge receiving cavity  22  is formed in the back side of body  16 , and a cartridge fill gauge  24  in the form of a viewing window is formed in the body&#39;s side surface extending along the length of the cavity  22 . A hinged door  26  covers the cavity  22  when in use and is able to be moved to open it to remove a spent cartridge and/or insert a new cartridge. In use a chemical cartridge  28  is inserted into cavity  22  and, as will be described hereinafter, the chemical contents of the cartridge  28  will be mixed with water prior to the mixed stream being expelled from the sprayer via wand  20 . In the disclosed embodiment, cavity  22  and cartridge  28  are cylindrical, but other shapes could also be employed. 
     In the disclosed embodiment, tank  12  and body  16  are shown as two separate pieces of the assembly. Body  16  includes a ridge  30  on its lower edge that is shaped to securely engage with a groove  32  formed in tank  12  allowing the two pieces to fit together and form a unitary sprayer. All of the mechanical/electrical elements of sprayer are contained within body  16 . The two pieces can be assembled at the time of manufacture without the user having the ability to disassemble; alternatively, the two pieces could be made to permit manual assembly/disassembly. 
     Referring to  FIG.  5   , the mechanical and electrical components that facilitate operation of sprayer  10  can be seen. With regard to one part of the fluid circuit, a dip tube  34  extends through body  16  and to the bottom of tank  12 . A pump  36  electrically powered via a power source  38 , such as a battery, contained within body  16  provides the pumping action necessary to pull water from tank  12  through dip tube  34 . Dip tube  34  extends through body  16  and into a mixing chamber  40  (shown schematically in  FIG.  5   ) where water pulled from tank  12  exits the tube  34 . 
     A cartridge frame  44  is contained within body  16  and defines cavity  22  providing rigidity to the supporting structure around cartridge  28 . A slot  46  is cut out from frame  44  to provide the gauge viewing window  24 . In the disclosed embodiment, cartridge frame  44  extends along a longitudinal axis that is parallel to the longitudinal axis of sprayer  10 , X-X. It is possible, however, for the cartridge to be disposed at a different angle within sprayer  10 . 
     To facilitate movement of chemical concentrate from cartridge  28 , a piston  48  is driven along the length of the cartridge  28  by an electric motor  50  and pushes the concentrate out of cartridge  28  and into mixing chamber  40  where it mixes with water from tank  12 . A venturi style mixing element  52  comprises part of mixing chamber  40  to conduct the mixing. Once the concentrate and water mix, a tube  54  which forms part of the fluid circuit with tube  34  extends from mixing chamber  40  to wand  20 . 
     To achieve the desired mixing ratio of concentrate to water, each cartridge  28  that is selected has a predetermined amount of concentrate contained therein. The piston  48  moves at the same rate of speed regardless of the cartridge  28  inserted. Thus, for a lower mix ratio, a cartridge  28  with less concentrate would be used. To vary the amount of concentrate in each cartridge, the inner diameter of the cartridge can be varied (so, for example, a smaller inner diameter will have less concentrate than a cartridge with a larger inner diameter). Thus, for example: 
     
       
         
           
               
               
               
             
               
                   
               
               
                 Cartridge concentrate quantity 
                 Mix ratio 
                 Piston Speed 
               
               
                   
               
             
            
               
                 Quantity 1/Inner diameter of cartridge 1 
                 Mix ratio 1 
                 1 
               
               
                 Quantity 2/Inner diameter of cartridge 2 
                 Mix ratio 2 
                 1 
               
               
                 Quantity 3/Inner diameter of cartridge 3 
                 Mix ratio 3 
                 1 
               
               
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
     Alternatively, each cartridge  28  could contain the same amount of concentrate and the piston  48  could be driven at variable rates of speed to push more or less concentrate out while using sprayer  10 . Thus, for a lower mix ratio, a slower piston speed would be selected. Thus, for example: 
     
       
         
           
               
               
               
               
             
               
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 Cartridge concentrate quantity 
                 Mix ratio 
                 Piston Speed 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
            
               
                   
                 Quantity 1 
                 Mix ratio 1 
                 1 
               
               
                   
                 Quantity 1 
                 Mix ratio 2 
                 2 
               
               
                   
                 Quantity 1 
                 Mix ratio 3 
                 3 
               
               
                   
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
     A switch  56  electrically connected to the electric motor  50  permits the user to manually activate sprayer  10 . When switch  46  is turned to its on position, motor  50  starts pumping the water and piston, thereby creating the necessary pressure for the chemical mixture to be expelled from wand  20 . 
     While various embodiments have been described and illustrated herein, those of ordinary skill in the art will readily envision a variety of other means and/or structures for performing the function and/or obtaining the results and/or one or more of the advantages described herein, and each of such variations and/or modifications is deemed to be within the scope of the embodiments described herein. More generally, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that all parameters, dimensions, materials, and configurations described herein are meant to be exemplary and that the actual parameters, dimensions, materials, and/or configurations will depend upon the specific application or applications for which the teachings is/are used. Those skilled in the art will recognize, or be able to ascertain using no more than routine experimentation, many equivalents to the specific embodiments described herein. It is, therefore, to be understood that the foregoing embodiments are presented by way of example only and that, within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereto, embodiments may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described and claimed. Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to each individual feature, system, article, material, kit, and/or method described herein. In addition, any combination of two or more such features, systems, articles, materials, kits, and/or methods, if such features, systems, articles, materials, kits, and/or methods are not mutually inconsistent, is included within the scope of the present disclosure. 
     The above-described embodiments of the described subject matter can be implemented in any of numerous ways. For example, some embodiments may be implemented using hardware, software or a combination thereof. When any aspect of an embodiment is implemented at least in part in software, the software code can be executed on any suitable processor or collection of processors, whether provided in a single device or computer or distributed among multiple devices/computers.