Patent Publication Number: US-2004046049-A1

Title: Apparatus for containing spray

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001] The invention relates generally to an apparatus for applying a spray to an object. More particularly, the invention relates to a chamber for limiting the dispersion of the spray during application of the spray to the object.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0002] Fishing enthusiasts experiment with various lures and baits in order to increase the likelihood of catching fish. Because many fish respond to odor, one technique that is often successful includes applying a strongly scented liquid to the fishing lure. The applied liquid can include the scent of garlic, crawfish, menhaden, crab, shrimp, among others, or any other odor that attracts fish. Scented liquids are typically concentrated to improve the effectiveness of the technique. For example, the scented liquid may be an oil-based formulation. Scented liquids are commercially available in aerosol spray applicators that can be used to spray the lure and then stored for later use.  
       [0003] Fishermen frequently use several lures during a fishing expedition for a variety of reasons. For instance, a lure can be lost from the fishing line or the fisherman desires to change from one lure to another in the belief that the new lure is more likely to attract fish. Consequently, the fisherman sprays the new lure to improve its effectiveness. Environmental conditions, especially wind, present a problem for this process. Often the fisherman is in a moving boat, surfcasting, or in a location where wind disperses the scented spray. As a result the spray can coat the boat, clothing or even the exposed skin of the fisherman or a nearby person. Overspray can occur without the presence of wind. Due to the particulate size and the type of liquid (e.g., an oil-based liquid) used to carry the scent, the resulting stains and odor may be difficult to remove even with repeated cleaning attempts.  
       [0004] One technique to limit the dispersion of excess spray, or overspray, involves placing the lure in a large flexible and disposable wrapper such as a commercially available plastic sandwich bag. The fisherman places the lure inside the bag and then reaches into the bag with a spray applicator to coat the lure with the scented spray. The bag opening is large and permits a portion of the overspray to escape. Also, the bag and the spray applicator are unwieldy to handle, requiring the fisherman to use one hand to hold the bag and lure and the other hand to apply the spray. Furthermore the fisherman can come in contact with the spray residue inside the bag when reaching in to retrieve the lure.  
       [0005] Therefore, there remains a need for a spray containment apparatus that is simple to use and avoids the aforementioned problems.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0006] In one aspect, the invention features an apparatus for containing a spray released from the nozzle of a spray applicator and directed at an object. The apparatus includes a chamber having a sidewall and a spray end at which the object is situated. The sidewall has an opening shaped for receiving the spray applicator and for accessing the nozzle when the spray applicator is disposed in the opening. The spray end is positioned relative to the opening to receive an overspray from the nozzle. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes an overspray absorber disposed adjacent to the spray end. In another embodiment, the apparatus includes the spray applicator.  
       [0007] In another aspect, the invention features an apparatus for containing a spray released from a nozzle of a spray applicator and directed at an object. The apparatus includes a chamber having a sidewall and a spray end at which the object is situated. The sidewall has a first opening shaped to receive the spray applicator and a second opening for accessing the nozzle when the spray applicator is disposed in the first opening. The spray end is positioned relative to the first opening to receive an overspray from the nozzle. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes an overspray absorber disposed adjacent to the spray end. In another embodiment, the apparatus includes the spray applicator. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0008] The above and further advantages of this invention may be better understood by referring to the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals indicate like structural elements and features in various figures. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention.  
     [0009]FIG. 1 is an illustration of an embodiment of a spray containment apparatus in accordance with the present invention.  
     [0010]FIG. 2A is an exploded view of the spray containment apparatus of FIG. 1.  
     [0011]FIG. 2B is an exploded view of another embodiment of a spray containment apparatus in accordance with the present invention.  
     [0012]FIG. 3A is an illustration of another embodiment of a spray containment apparatus in accordance with the present invention.  
     [0013]FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view of the extended tubular section of the spray containment apparatus of FIG. 3A.  
     [0014]FIG. 3C is an illustration of another embodiment of a spray containment apparatus in accordance with the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
     [0015]FIG. 1 is an illustration of an embodiment of an apparatus for containing the spray released from a spray applicator constructed in accordance with the present invention. The apparatus  10  includes a chamber defined by a sidewall  18  and an endcap  22 . The sidewall includes a first opening  26  to accept a spray applicator  30  and a second opening  34  (called an access opening) at one end of the chamber to permit the user to insert one or more fingers into the chamber and access the nozzle  38  of the spray applicator  30 . Because the apparatus  10  is constructed from lightweight materials, a person can use the apparatus  10  to quickly spray a wide variety of objects with ease, provided the apparatus  10  is appropriately sized for the particular object being sprayed. Examples of objects include, but are not limited to, fishing lures, brake calipers, jewelry, and Easter eggs.  
     [0016] The apparatus  10  accommodates aerosol spray cans and other pressurized applicators that can be introduced into the chamber through the applicator opening  26 . Thus the apparatus  10  is useful for applying a wide range of substances such as, but not limited to, scented oils (e.g., bait sprays, perfumes), paint, cleaning fluids, solvents, and spray adhesives, while significantly limiting the dispersion of any overspray.  
     [0017] The endcap  22  covers an opening at the spray end of the chamber (i.e., the end opposite the access opening  34 ). The object  42  to be sprayed (e.g., a fishing lure) is positioned at the spray end of the chamber adjacent the endcap  22 . In one embodiment, the object  42  rests on a spray shelf  44  that is positioned in the path of the nozzle  38 . The spray shelf  44  can extend from an interior surface of the endcap  22  or from an interior surface of the sidewall  18 . Overspray, that is, the portion of the spray  14  that is not deposited on the object  42 , is collected by an absorber (not shown) disposed in the endcap  22 .  
     [0018] In one embodiment, the endcap  22  has a flat outer surface that permits the user to stand the apparatus  10  on end. Thus, the user can set the apparatus  10  down on a flat surface after finishing spraying. The spray applicator  30  can remain inserted in the opening  26  because the opening  26  is sized to closely receive the spray applicator  30 . Subsequently, the user can pick the apparatus  10  up by the spray applicator  30  to perform another spraying.  
     [0019] Optionally, the sidewall  18  includes a third opening  36  through which the user can insert the object  42  into the chamber at the spray end. In embodiments with a spray shelf  44 , the third opening  36  is positioned above the spray shelf  42  so that the user can lower the object  42  directly onto the spray shelf  44 . If the object  42  is a fishing lure at the end of fishing line, the third opening  36  simplifies use of the apparatus by providing a means of inserting the object  42  into the chamber without putting kinks in the fishing line, wrapping the fishing line around the exterior of the sidewall  18 , or interfering with the user&#39;s access to the nozzle  38 , which may occur if the user inserts the object  42  through an opening at the spray end made by removing the endcap, through the opening  26  for the spray applicator  30 , or through the access opening  34 .  
     [0020] Use of the apparatus  10  is particularly advantageous in the presence of wind or in poorly ventilated or unventilated areas. To use the apparatus  10 , a person places the object  42  to be sprayed inside the chamber near the endcap  22  through any of the openings  26 ,  34 ,  36  described above. The spray applicator  30  is inserted through the applicator opening  26  in the sidewall  18  so that the nozzle  38  is situated in the chamber approximately on the axis  46  of the sidewall  18 . The spray applicator  30  is rotated so that the spray from the nozzle  38  is directed towards the object  42  and the endcap  22 . To spray the object  42 , the user reaches through the access opening  34  and depresses the nozzle  38 . After spraying is completed, the spray applicator  30  is removed from the chamber. The user then retrieves the object  42  from the chamber through the access opening  34 . If, for example, the sprayed object  42  is a fishing lure attached to a fishing line, the user removes the lure by pulling on the fishing line remaining outside the chamber. In this way the user does not come in contact with the sprayed lure. In one embodiment the endcap  22  is removable thus the user can load the object  42  into the chamber and/or remove the object  42  from the chamber through the opening at the spray end of the chamber.  
     [0021] Another way to use the apparatus  10  is to stand the apparatus  10  on end or to position the apparatus  10  so that that the opening  26  is facing upwards, insert the object  42  into the chamber, and then pour the “spray” onto the object  42 . The apparatus  10  can then be left for a prolonged period to allow the object  42  to soak in the spray.  
     [0022]FIG. 2A shows an exploded view of the spray containment apparatus  10  of FIG. 1. The apparatus  10  includes the endcap  22 , an overspray absorber  48  and the sidewall  18 . The sidewall  18  and endcap  22  are fabricated, for example, from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) which can be obtained in unfinished form from plumbing supply vendors. The resulting light weight of the apparatus  10  permits the user to use the apparatus  10  with only one hand (typically by the spray applicator). The endcap  22  includes a recessed region  50  of diameter Deap that is slightly larger than the outer diameter D SW  of the sidewall  18 . In one embodiment the endcap  22  is removably attached to the sidewall  18  by a pressure fit. In another embodiment, the endcap  22  is permanently secured to the sidewall  18  with the use of an adhesive. In an alternative embodiment, (not shown) the inner wall  54  of the endcap  22  and a portion of the sidewall  18  are threaded. The endcap  22  thus is easily unscrewed from the sidewall  18  to provide additional access to the chamber.  
     [0023] Excess spray that does not coat or is not absorbed by the object  42  is usually deposited on the endcap  22  or sidewall  18  of the chamber. The overspray can accumulate as excess fluid within the chamber and potentially contact the user during subsequent use of the apparatus  10 . The overspray absorber  48  provides a convenient means to absorb the excess spray and reduce or eliminate the excess fluid. The absorber  48  is replaced after each spraying or after it is saturated. If the sprayed object is a fishing lure, the absorber  48  can be used many times before replacement is necessary because a scant amount of spray is needed to adequately scent the lure. In the illustrated embodiment the overspray absorber  48  is a disk of absorbent material. The diameter D abs  of the disk is approximately equal to the outer diameter D SW  of the sidewall  18 . In one embodiment the overspray absorber  48  is fabricated from an inexpensive porous material such as a sponge and is press fit into a recessed region  50  of the endcap  22 .  
     [0024] The diameter D app  of the sidewall opening  26  for the spray applicator  30  is slightly larger than the cylindrical diameter of the spray applicator  30  (see FIG. 1) to minimize any gap through which excess spray can escape. In one embodiment the sidewall  18  includes a gasket or flexible member secured to the opening  26  to reduce or eliminate this gap.  
     [0025] It should be recognized by those of skill in the art that the geometry of the chamber is not limited to a tubular configuration defined by the sidewall  18  of the illustrated embodiment described above. For example, the chamber can be defined by a cylinder having a bore along its longitudinal axis. One end of the chamber is closed and the other end is open (opening  62 ). In this configuration there is no need for an endcap  22 . More generally, the chamber can have any arbitrary shape that has one or more openings that permit introduction of the spray applicator  30  into the chamber and access to the spray nozzle  38 .  
     [0026] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2B, the spray containment apparatus  10 ′ includes a sidewall  18 ′ with the single opening  62  sized to receive the spray applicator  30  and provide access for the user. The opening  62  tapers near the end pointed to by the arrow  62 . At the tapered end, the opening  62  is narrower than the diameter of the spray applicator  30 . The tapering limits the extent to which the spray applicator  30  can move laterally within the opening  62  after being inserted from below into the chamber because the spray applicator  30  is unable to slide through the tapered end. The spray containment apparatus  10 ′ can be set on a flat surface, with an edge of the endcap  22  and an edge of the spray applicator  30  resting on the surface, without the spray applicator  30  coming out of the opening  62  and becoming separated from the apparatus  10 ′.  
     [0027]FIG. 3A shows another embodiment of an apparatus  10 ″ for containing the spray  14  released from a spray applicator  30 . The apparatus  10 ″ includes the general features of the embodiment of FIG. 1, however, no endcap is required because the sidewall  18 ″ forms a closed end at the spray end of the chamber. Also, the applicator opening  26  is modified to serve as an applicator attachment port for securing the spray applicator  30  to the sidewall  18 ″. This allows the user the convenience of operating the apparatus  10 ″ with one hand and the ability to rest the combined applicator  30  and apparatus  10 ″ on a flat surface when not in use. In the illustrated embodiment the applicator attachment port is fabricated in the sidewall  18 ″ as an extended tubular section  66  oriented perpendicular to the sidewall axis  46 . Many commercially available spray applicators  30  (e.g., aerosol cans) have general cylindrical shapes and include one or more circumferential ridges  68  near the nozzle  38  for securing a cap onto the applicator  30 . For example, commercially available spray applicators of varying diameters have a “universal ring” (ring  86  in FIG. 3A) with a standardized diameter (e.g., 1¼ inches). This ridge or ridges  68  or universal ring  86  can be used to secure the applicator  30  in the extended tubular section  66 .  
     [0028] Referring also to FIG. 3B, a cross-sectional view of the extended tubular section  66  shows a set of circumferentially configured tabs  70  along its inner wall  74 . The tabs  70  define a circular shape  78  of diameter D tab  that is slightly smaller than the diameter D sa  of the circumferential ridge  68  of the spray applicator  30 . The extended tubular section  66  has sufficient flexibility so that the spray applicator  30  is “locked” into the proper position for spraying when the applicator  30  is inserted so that its circumferential ridge  68  “snaps” past the tabs  70 . In one embodiment the extended tubular section  66  includes a second set of circumferentially distributed tabs  70  along the inner wall  74 . The spray applicator  30  is secured in place when the circumferential ridge  68  is positioned between the two sets of tabs  70 . In another embodiment (not shown) the applicator  30  is screwed into the extended tubular section  66 . In this embodiment the inner wall  74  of the extended tubular section  66  is threaded to accept the circumferential ridge  68 .  
     [0029] Many other designs are possible for the applicator attachment port. For example, if the sidewall is sufficiently thick, tabs or other features can be integrated directly into the sidewall opening without the need for the extended tubular section  66 . One of ordinary skill will recognize that various other mechanical designs to secure the spray applicator  30  to the sidewall  18 ″ of the chamber without departing from the scope of the present invention.  
     [0030]FIG. 3C illustrates another embodiment of a spray containment apparatus  10 ′″. The apparatus  10 ′″ includes the general features illustrated in the embodiment of FIGS. 3A and 3B, however, there is no large access opening in the sidewall  18 ′″. Instead, the sidewall  18 ′″ is in the form of a cap (hereafter, cap  18 ′″) that snaps onto to the ridge  68  or the universal ring  86  of the spray applicator  30 , as described above. The cap is an integral unit, that is, the cap is made of a single piece of material, for example, plastic. A user can remove any cap that comes originally with the spray applicator  30  and substitute the cap  18 ′″ of the invention. This substitution is facilitated by sizing the cap  18 ′″ to attach to the standardized universal ring  86  or to the ridge  68  with a particular diameter. Alternatively, a distributor of the spray applicator  30  can provide spray applicators  30  with the cap  18 ′″ already attached.  
     [0031] Access to the chamber is provided through a small opening  82  at or near the top of the cap  18 ′″ above the nozzle  38 . The user loads and unloads the object  42  to be sprayed by removing the cap  18 ′″ and loading the object  42  through the applicator opening (not shown). The small opening  82  is sized to allow a finger to reach into the chamber and depress the nozzle  38 . In this configuration the spray escaping the chamber is further reduced. In an alternative embodiment, the size of the opening  82  is increased so that the object  42  can be loaded through the opening  82  when the cap  18 ′″ is attached to the applicator  30 .  
     [0032] In another embodiment, the cap  18 ′″ includes another opening (not shown), near the spray end, at the top or in one side of the cap  18 ′″, for inserting the object  42 . During the spraying of the object  42 , a hinged flap can partially or completely close the opening after insertion of the object  42  into the chamber to lessen the amount of overspray that escapes the chamber.  
     [0033] While the invention has been shown and described with reference to specific preferred embodiments, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.