Patent Publication Number: US-8967434-B2

Title: Self-adjusting handle for spray bottles

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/357,988, filed Jun. 24, 2010. The patent application identified above is incorporated here by reference in its entirety to provide continuity of disclosure. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to the spray bottles, more particularly, a self-adjusting spray nozzle handle for spray bottles that allows a user to use the spray bottle at any angle while maintaining constant contact between the supply tube and the liquid contained within the spray bottle. 
     Conventional spray bottles are commonly used for a variety of applications. Conventional spray bottles often comprise a head that screws onto a bottle or reservoir. The spray-bottle head comprises a trigger lever that activates a small pump. The pump is attached to a supply tube that draws fluid from the bottom of the reservoir. The pump forces this liquid up through the supply tube, through a narrow barrel and out a nozzle. A problem arises with conventional spray bottles when the spray bottle is used at different angles. For example, if a user is spraying a horizontal surface, such as a floor, then the spray bottle must be placed in an angled or horizontal position. This causes the liquid within the reservoir to shift away from the end of the supply tube, thereby causing the tube to suck in only air. 
     Therefore, a need exists for a spray bottle having a head that allows the spray bottle to be used at any angle. 
     The relevant prior art includes the following patent references: 
     
       
         
           
               
               
               
             
               
                   
               
               
                 Patent/Ser. No. 
                   
                   
               
               
                 (U.S. unless stated otherwise) 
                 Inventor 
                 Issue/Publication Date 
               
               
                   
               
             
            
               
                 CN101474606 
                 Li et al. 
                 Jul. 08, 2009 
               
               
                 2008/0245824 
                 Lyles 
                 Oct. 09, 2008 
               
               
                 7,316,362 
                 Miyauchi 
                 Jan. 08, 2008 
               
               
                 2006/0237485 
                 An 
                 Oct. 26, 2006 
               
               
                 6,732,958 
                 Norville et al. 
                 May 11, 2004 
               
               
                 6,592,057 
                 Ericksen et al. 
                 Jul. 15, 2003 
               
               
                 6,508,415 
                 Wang 
                 Jan. 21, 2003 
               
               
                 6,409,103 
                 Norville et al. 
                 Jun. 25, 2002 
               
               
                 GB2353828 
                 Ridehalgh et al. 
                 Mar. 07, 2001 
               
               
                 6,027,041 
                 Evans 
                 Feb. 22, 2000 
               
               
                 JP9192554 
                 Michio 
                 Jul. 29, 1997 
               
               
                 5,195,664 
                 Rhea 
                 Mar. 23, 1993 
               
               
                 5,149,146 
                 Simoni 
                 Sep. 22, 1992 
               
               
                 5,072,884 
                 Ellison et al. 
                 Dec. 17, 1991 
               
               
                 4,035,004 
                 Hengesbach 
                 Jul. 12, 1977 
               
               
                 2,647,796 
                 Ziherl 
                 Aug. 04, 1953 
               
               
                 2,456,182 
                 Goble 
                 Dec. 14, 1948 
               
               
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The primary object of the present invention is to provide a self-adjusting handle for spray bottles that allows the spray bottle to be used at any angle of spraying. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a self-adjusting handle for spray bottles that allows a user to spray liquid from the spray bottle when it is less than full or near empty. 
     The present invention fulfills the above and other objects by providing a spray bottle comprising a head having a threaded portion that screws onto a reservoir having a corresponding threaded portion. The spray bottle head comprises a trigger lever that activates a small pump. The pump is attached to a supply tube that draws fluid from the bottom of the reservoir. The pump forces this liquid up through the supply tube, through a narrow barrel and out a nozzle. A special coupling means, such as a pivot joint, a ball joint, a universal joint, etc., located on the lower portion of the head allows a user to tilt the head while the reservoir remains in a vertical position, thereby ensuring that the bottom of the supply tube maintains constant contact with the liquid in the reservoir. 
     The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention should become even more readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description in conjunction with the drawings wherein there is shown and described illustrative embodiments of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In the following detailed description, reference will be made to the attached drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a side view of a spray bottle having a self-adjusting handle of the present invention in which the adjusting means is a pivot point; 
         FIG. 2  is a rear view of a spray bottle having a self-adjusting handle of the present invention in which the adjusting means is a pivot point; 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of a spray bottle having a self-adjusting handle of the present invention in which the adjusting means is a ball joint; 
         FIG. 4  is a rear view of a spray bottle having a self-adjusting handle of the present invention in which the adjusting means is a ball joint; 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-section view along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 4  showing a ball joint of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a side view of a spray bottle having a self-adjusting handle of the present invention in which the adjusting means is a universal joint; 
         FIG. 7  is a rear view of a spray bottle having a self-adjusting handle of the present invention in which the adjusting means is a universal joint; and 
         FIG. 8  is a cross-section view along line  8 - 8  of  FIG. 7  showing a universal joint of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     For purposes of describing the preferred embodiment, the terminology used in reference to the numbered components in the drawings is as follows: 
     
       
         
           
               
               
             
               
                   
               
             
            
               
                 1. 
                 spray bottle 
               
               
                 2. 
                 self-adjusting handle 
               
               
                 3. 
                 adjusting means 
               
               
                 4. 
                 pivot point 
               
               
                 5. 
                 head 
               
               
                 6. 
                 cap 
               
               
                 7. 
                 reservoir 
               
               
                 8. 
                 trigger lever 
               
               
                 9. 
                 pump 
               
               
                 10. 
                 supply tube 
               
               
                 11. 
                 barrel 
               
               
                 12. 
                 nozzle 
               
               
                 13. 
                 threaded portion of cap 
               
               
                 14. 
                 tab 
               
               
                 15. 
                 ball joint 
               
               
                 16. 
                 ball 
               
               
                 17. 
                 socket 
               
               
                 18. 
                 partition 
               
               
                 19. 
                 aperture 
               
               
                 20. 
                 universal joint 
               
               
                 21. 
                 spacer 
               
               
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
     With reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a front view and a rear view of a spray bottle  1  having a self-adjusting handle  2  of the present invention in which the adjusting means  3  is a pivot point  4 , respectively, are shown. The spray bottle  1  comprises a head  5  extending from the handle  2  that is attached to a cap  6  via the adjusting means  3 . The cap is attached to a reservoir  7  having a threaded portion that screws into a threaded portion  13  of the cap  6 , as shown in  FIG. 5 . A trigger lever  8  located on the head  5  activates a pump  9 . The pump  9  is attached to a supply tube  10  that draws fluid from the reservoir  7 . The pump  9  forces this liquid up through the supply tube  10 , through a barrel  11  and out a nozzle  12 . The adjusting means  3  allows a user to pivot the head forward or backward while the reservoir  7  remains in an upright position. As shown here, the adjusting means  3  comprises pivot points  4  that attach the handle  2  having tabs  14  extending downward from the handle  2  to tabs  14  extending up from the cap  6 . The pivot points  4  extent through the tabs  14  extending downward from the handle  2  and through the tabs  14  extending up from the cap  6 . 
     With reference to  FIGS. 3 ,  4  and  5 , a side view, a rear view and a cross-section view of a spray bottle  1  having a self-adjusting handle  2  of the present invention in which the adjusting means  3  is a ball joint  15 , respectively, are shown. The spray bottle  1  comprises a head  5  extending from the handle  2  that is attached to a cap  6  via the adjusting means  3 . The cap is attached to a reservoir  7  having a threaded portion that screws into a threaded portion  13  of the cap  6 . A trigger lever  8  located on the head  5  activates a pump  9 . The pump  9  is attached to a supply tube  10  that draws fluid from the reservoir  7 . The pump  9  forces this liquid up through the supply tube  10 , through a barrel  11  and out a nozzle  12 . The adjusting means  3  allows a user to pivot the head forward, backward or side to side while the reservoir  7  remains in an upright position. As shown here, the adjusting means  3  is a ball joint  15  comprising a ball  16  extending downward from the handle  2  and located within a socket  17  extending upward from the cap  6 . The socket  17  is separated from the threaded portion  13  of the cap  6  by a partition  18 . The supply tube  10  passes through apertures  19  located in the partition  18  and in the ball  16 . 
     Finally with reference to  FIGS. 6 ,  7  and  8 , a side view, a rear view and a cross-section view of a spray bottle  1  having a self-adjusting handle  2  of the present invention in which the adjusting means  3  is a universal joint  20 , respectively, are shown. The spray bottle  1  comprises a head  5  extending from the handle  2  that is attached to a cap  6  via the adjusting means  3 . The cap is attached to a reservoir  7  having a threaded portion that screws into a threaded portion  13  of the cap  6 , as shown in  FIG. 5 . A trigger lever  8  located on the head  5  activates a pump  9 . The pump  9  is attached to a supply tube  10  that draws fluid from the reservoir  7 . The pump  9  forces this liquid up through the supply tube  10 , through a barrel  11  and out a nozzle  12 . The adjusting means  3  allows a user to pivot the head forward, backward or side to side while the reservoir  7  remains in an upright position. As shown here, the adjusting means  3  is a universal joint  20  comprising tabs  14  extending downward from the handle  2  and tabs  14  extending upward from the cap  6 . The tabs  14  are connected to a spacer  21  by pivot points  4 . The supply tube  10  passes through an aperture  19  located in the spacer  21 . 
     It is to be understood that while a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated, it is not to be limited to the specific form or arrangement of parts or use herein described and shown. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention and the invention is considered not to be limited to what is shown and described in the specification and drawings.