Abstract:
A weighted bob adapted for being attached proximate a distal or intake end of a dispensing tube of a handheld dispenser of liquid. The bob can be provided separately for use with prior art dispensers, or the bob can be provided with the dispenser. As the dispenser is tilted to different angles, gravity acting on the weighted bob causes the intake end of the tube to remain submerged in liquid held inside a vessel&#39;s void within the dispenser.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    Not applicable. 
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Not applicable. 
       REFERENCE TO COMPACT DISC(S) 
       [0003]    Not applicable. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0005]    The present invention relates, in general, to dispensers for liquid, and, in particular, to hand-held liquid dispensers. 
         [0006]    2. Information Disclosure Statement 
         [0007]    Hand-held sprayers and liquid dispensers are well known, and typically have a body or vessel having a void thereinside filled with a liquid, such as, for example, a cleaning compound, to be dispensed. A pump or actuator is typically provided atop a neck of the vessel, and a tube extends from the pump or actuator, into the vessel&#39;s void and into the liquid inside the vessel&#39;s void. A problem with prior art dispensers is that, while they work well if held perfectly upright, when the dispenser is tilted in order to reach hard-to-access places, such as when a cleaner is sprayed under a shelf or into a corner, the distal end of the tube no longer remains submerged within the liquid as the liquid moves within the vessel in response to the tilting of the dispenser. When the distal end of the tube is no longer submerged in the liquid, the dispenser becomes ineffective. 
         [0008]    It is therefore desirable to have an improved hand-held dispenser for liquid that can be used at various angles of orientation. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    The present invention is a weighted bob adapted for being attached proximate a distal or intake end of a dispensing tube of a handheld dispenser of liquid. The bob can be provided separately for use with prior art dispensers, or the bob can be provided with the dispenser. As the dispenser is tilted to different angles, gravity acting on the weighted bob causes the intake end of the tube to remain submerged in liquid held inside a vessel&#39;s void within the dispenser. 
         [0010]    It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved hand-held dispenser for liquid that can be used at various angles of orientation. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a perspective partial sectional view of the weighted bob of the present invention attached to an end of a tube of a handheld liquid spray dispenser, which is shown in a substantially upright orientation. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a perspective partial sectional view of the weighted bob of the present invention attached to an end of a tube of a handheld liquid spray dispenser, similar to  FIG. 1  but showing the dispenser in an angled spraying orientation for spraying in an upward direction. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a transverse sectional view of the weighted bob of the present invention attached to a tube, taken substantially along the line  3 - 3  shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a side view showing two weighted bobs of the present invention attached to a tube of a dispenser, showing an alternate attachment of the bob using a brad or pin. 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a side view of the weighted bob of the present invention attached to a tube using a bead of glue or welding. 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is a sectional view of the weighted bob of the present invention shown received within the passageway of a tube. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0017]    Referring to the drawing figures, the present invention is a weighted bob  20  in combination with a handheld dispenser  22 . Dispenser  22  is well known and includes a body or vessel  24  having a void  26  thereinside. Contained within void  26  is a liquid  28  that is dispensed by dispenser  22 , with liquid  28  having a first specific gravity. 
         [0018]    Dispenser  22  includes a well-known dispensing head  30 , such as a well-known spray head including a nozzle  32  and an actuator or lever  34  pivotally mounted to dispensing head  30  such that actuation of lever  34  dispensingly pumps liquid  28  out of nozzle  32  in a manner well known to those skilled in the art. It should be understood that the present invention may be used equally well when the dispensing head  30 , rather than having a manual pump, may have an electric motor to pumpingly dispense liquid  28 . 
         [0019]    Dispenser  22  further includes a well-known flexible tube  36 , with tube  36  having a first end  38  in communication with dispensing head  30  and having a second or intake end  40  extending within void  26  and in submerged communication with liquid  28 . Liquid  28  is understood to pass through tube  36  from second end  40  to the dispensing head  30  in a manner well known to those skilled in the art. 
         [0020]    Weighted bob  20  is attached to tube  36  remote from first end  38  and preferably proximate second end  40  of tube  36 . Bob  20  has a bore  42  therethrough, with a portion  43  of tube  36  preferably being frictionally received through close-fitting bore  42  and with bob  20  being frictionally retained on tube  36  as by the frictional forces between tube  36  and bore  42 . Alternatively, bob  20  may be welded or glued to tube  36 , as by providing a bead  44  of melted plastic or glue as shown in  FIG. 5 , or providing a transverse pin or brad  46  through bob  20  and tube  36  as shown in  FIG. 4 , so as to retain bob  20  on tube  36 , and the end  48  of the pin may be bent as shown in  FIG. 4  to retain the pin through the bob  20 . Alternatively, it should be understood that bob  20  may be integrally molded with tube  36  so as to be a part of tube  36  proximate second end  40 . 
         [0021]    Vessel  24  typically has a neck  50 , with neck  50  having a constricted inner neck diameter  52  and with dispensing head  30  being joined to vessel  24  atop neck  50  as by a well-known screw-on fitting  54 . Bob  20  preferably has an outer bob diameter  56  that is smaller than inner neck diameter  52  so that bob  20  may pass easily into void  26  through neck  50  as dispensing head  30  is received onto vessel  24  and attached thereto by fitting  54 . 
         [0022]    Bob  20  has a second specific gravity that is substantially greater than the first specific gravity of liquid  28 . If tube  36  is not highly flexible, it shall be understood that the weight of bob  20  may be increased to provide additional force on the second end  40  of tube  36  due to gravity acting on bob  20  so as to keep the end  40  submerged in the liquid  28  when dispenser  22  is tilted, as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0023]    To enable prior art dispensers  22  to be used with the bob  20  of the present invention, bob  20  may be provided separately from dispenser  22  and then be frictionally received onto second end  40  of tube  36  as shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 , and  3 , or frictionally received within the passageway  58  of tube  36  as shown in  FIG. 6 . 
         [0024]    It should be understood that a plurality of bobs, such as bobs  20  and  20 ′ as shown in  FIG. 4 , may be provided so as to increase the weighting provided on tube  36  without increasing the outer bob diameter, also allowing for a single bob to be used in situations where lesser weighting may be needed. 
         [0025]    Referring to  FIG. 6 , an alternate manner of attaching bob  20  to tube  36  is shown. Rather than having tube  36  being received through bore  42 , instead bob  20  may be frictionally received within the passageway  58  of tube  36 , with tube  36  being stretched to retain bob  20  therewithin, and, in such a combination, the liquid  28  will pass upwardly into the tube  36  through bore  42  that is through bob  20 . 
         [0026]    Bob  20  may be made of a variety of materials suitable for immersion in liquid  28 . For example, bob  20  may be made of lead or ceramic clay, and, if desired, bob  20  may be provided with a shell or covering  60  such as plastic so that the weighed core  62  is not exposed to the liquid  28  within dispenser  22 . It has been experimentally found that a bob weight of approximately 0.5 ounce (14 grams) is a satisfactory weight for use with a standard flexible tube  36  that is 10 inches (25 cm.) long as often found in spray dispensers for glass cleaning preparations. 
         [0027]    To adapt a prior art dispenser  22  to use the weighted bob  20  of the present invention, the tube  36  is removed from within the dispenser  22  as by unscrewing fitting  54 . The bob  20  is then fitted onto the second end  40  of tube  36  and the fitted bob  20  is then inserted through the neck  50  of the vessel and down into the liquid  28 , and the dispensing head  30  is again secured onto fitting  54 . As the dispenser  22  becomes tilted during use, the weighted bob  20  will cause tube  30  to flex and second end  40  will tend to remain submerged in the liquid  28 . 
       INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 
       [0028]    The bob of the present invention permits a handheld dispenser for dispensing liquid to be used in a variety of angles and orientations, and keeps the intake end of a flexible tube within, and in communication with, liquid inside a void within the dispenser. 
         [0029]    Although the present invention has been described and illustrated with respect to a preferred embodiment and a preferred use therefor, it is not to be so limited since modifications and changes can be made therein which are within the full intended scope of the invention.