Patent Publication Number: US-6902120-B1

Title: Sprinkler provided with a built-in mechanism for dispensing detergent

Description:
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
   Not applicable. 
   RELATED U.S. APPLICATIONS 
   Not applicable. 
   REFERENCE TO MICROFICHE APPENDIX 
   Not applicable. 
   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates generally to a sprinkler, and more particularly to a sprinkler which is provided with a built-in mechanism for dispensing detergent. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The conventional sprinkler is provided with a long barrel to facilitate the washing of a car, wall, window, or the like. The conventional sprinkler is devoid of a built-in mechanism for dispensing detergent and is therefore inefficient. As a result, a separate means is often provided to dispense detergent along with the conventional sprinkler at work. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a sprinkler with a built-in mechanism by which detergent is mixed with water so as to enhance the washing efficiency of the sprinkler. 
   The sprinkler of the present invention comprises a handle, a barrel, a nozzle, and a detergent-dispensing mechanism disposed between the handle and the barrel. The mechanism comprises a detergent holder and a control switch. The detergent holder is provided with a water inlet and a detergent outlet. The control switch is used to regulate communication between the water inlet and the detergent outlet. The detergent can be thus mixed with water at any time in the midst of operation of the sprinkler. 
   The features and the advantages of the present invention will be more readily understood upon a thoughtful deliberation of the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  shows an exploded perspective view of a detergent dispensing mechanism of the present invention. 
       FIG. 3  shows an exploded longitudinal sectional view of the detergent dispensing mechanism of the present invention. 
       FIG. 4  shows a longitudinal sectional view of the detergent dispensing mechanism of the present invention. 
       FIGS. 5 ,  6 , and  7  are cross-sectional views of the detergent dispensing mechanism of the present invention in action. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   As shown in  FIGS. 1–4 , a sprinkler  10  embodied in the present invention comprises a handle  11 , a barrel  12 , a nozzle  13 , a detergent holding portion  20 , and a detergent control switch  30 . 
   The handle  11  is provided with a hose connector  14  and a water control knob  15 . The barrel  12  has a length, and a water duct  120  extending through both longitudinal ends of the barrel  12 . The nozzle  13  is fastened with one longitudinal end of the barrel  12 . 
   The detergent holding portion  20  is transparent and disposed around the periphery of the barrel  12  contiguous to the handle  11 . The detergent holding portion  20  is formed of a casing and a space  21  circumvented by the casing. The space  21  is used to contain a detergent W 1  which is introduced thereinto via an opening  22  of the detergent holding portion  20 . The opening  22  is provided with a cap  23 . The detergent holding portion  20  is provided with a water hole  01  and a detergent hole  02 , which are in communication with the water duct  120  of the barrel  12 , as shown in  FIG. 4 , and are opposite in location to each other. 
   The detergent control switch  30  is used to open or close the water hole  01  and the detergent hole  02  of the detergent holding portion  20 . The detergent control switch  30  is formed of a fastening seat  31 , a control knob  32 , and a guide seat  33 . The guide seat  33  has a lower segment  331  and an upper segment  332 . The lower segment  331  is provided with a water guide slot  03  and a detergent guide slot  04 . The lower segment  331  is inserted into the space  21  of the detergent holding portion  20  via an opening  24  of the top of the detergent holding portion  20  such that the bottom end of the water guide slot  03  and the bottom end of the detergent guide slot  04  are in communication with the space  21  of the detergent holding portion  20 . The lower segment  331  is secured by the fastening seat  31 . The upper segment  332  is fastened with the control knob  32 . As the control knob  32  is turned, the lower segment  331  of the guide seat  33  is actuated to turn in such a way that the top end of the water guide slot  03  is in communication with the water hole  01  of the detergent holding portion  20 , and that the top end of the detergent guide slot  04  is in communication with the detergent hole  02  of the detergent holding portion  20 . 
   The control knob  32  is provided with a plurality of retaining slots  34 , while the fastening seat  31  is provided with a plurality of retaining projections  35 . The control knob  32  is engaged with the fastening seat  31  such that the retaining projections  35  are retained in the retaining slots  34 . 
   In operation, the control knob  32  is so turned that the water hole  01  of the detergent holding portion  20  is in communication with the water guide slot  03  of the lower segment  331  of the guide seat  33 , as shown in  FIG. 6 . Thereafter, the control knob  32  is further turned in such a way that the detergent hole  02  of the detergent holding portion  20  is in communication with the detergent guide slot  04  of the lower segment  331  of the guide seat  33 , as shown in  FIG. 7 . By turning the control knob  32  in such a manner as described above, the water W 2  is first introduced into the space  21  of the detergent holding portion  20 , so as to increase pressure of the detergent W 1  which is contained in the space  21 . As a result, when the water hole  01  of the detergent holding portion  20  is in alignment with the water guide slot  03  of the guide seat  33 , the detergent W 1  can be effectively forced out of the detergent hole  02  of the detergent holding portion  20  into the water duct  120  of the barrel  12 . 
   The embodiment of the present invention described above is to be regarded in all respects as being illustrative and nonrestrictive. Accordingly, the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without deviating from the spirit thereof. The present invention is therefore to be limited only by the scope of the following claims.