Patent ID: 12214370

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

The present disclosure describes a double tentacle pump system for a liquid sprayer.

Referring toFIG.3, in one embodiment, a sprayer100provides a compact ready-to-use handheld sprayer. As shown inFIGS.4and5, this sprayer100comprises a system of two tentacle pumps102,104and related components configured in series placement as a means to enable and further enhance the dispensing and spraying of liquids of various viscosities with few moving parts and minimum energy.

As illustrated inFIG.4, a battery/ies106provides power to a single dual-drive electric motor108that is configured/connected to simultaneously drive on one end the primary tentacle pump102and, at the opposite end, the secondary tentacle pump104. In this embodiment, primary tentacle pump102includes a single primary tentacle and secondary tentacle pump104includes a single secondary tentacle; as in the prior filed application, it is understood that multiple tentacles may be employed for one or both pumps.

In operation, the motor-driven primary tentacle pump102conveys the liquid from the container200to the handheld sprayer100via the inlet hose114. The liquid, then continuing in a flow path115that extends between container200and an outlet nozzle126to flow past the open shutoff valve116, interacts with the serially configured motor-driven secondary tentacle pump104.

With its serial placement within the flow path, this second tentacle pump104provides additional, downstream conveyance to the liquid flow and thus further enhances the ability of the sprayer100to dispense and spray liquids of various viscosities with few moving parts and minimum energy.

FIG.5Ashows a profile view of the disclosed sprayer100.FIG.5Bshows a partial profile section view of the disclosed sprayer100, with shutoff lever118depressed.FIG.5Cshows a detail partial profile section view of the disclosed sprayer100that illustrates the flow of the conveyed liquid.

FIGS.5C and5Dshow the means by which the spring-loaded shutoff valve116and two serially-configured tentacle pumps102,104control the flow of liquid through the sprayer100.

With the shutoff lever118depressed, as shown inFIG.5C, an electrical contact switch122connects power from the battery106to the dual drive electric motor108that, in turn, spins both the primary tentacle pump102and the secondary tentacle pump104, which then establishes the flow of liquid from the container200, through the flow path115and ultimately out of sprayer100through nozzle outlet126.

With continued reference toFIG.5C, the depressed shutoff lever118positions the spring-loaded shutoff valve116such that, as shown, an open flow path is established that enables the conveyed liquid to travel across the valve and then interact serially with the secondary tentacle pump104.

The secondary tentacle pump104enhances the flow provided by the primary tentacle pump102. In effect, the primary tentacle pump102pulls the liquid from the container along and into the handheld sprayer100, and the secondary tentacle pump104, in enhanced serial fashion, then pushes the liquid outward through the outlet nozzle126.

FIG.5Dshows the means by which the spring-loaded shutoff valve116stops the flow of liquid through the sprayer100. With the spring-loaded shutoff lever118now released, the shutoff valve116becomes positioned such that the flow path across the valve is blocked. Simultaneously, contact switch122disconnects power to the dual-drive electric motor108, and flow from the liquid container to the sprayer100is stopped.

This system of two tentacle pumps, beneficially configured to enable serial liquid flow and driven by a dual-drive electric motor, provides for a compact, electrically powered ready-to-use handheld sprayer uniquely configured to provide for the dispensing and spraying of liquids of various viscosities with few moving parts and minimum energy.

With this embodiment herein disclosed, additional configurations are now presented as further means to achieve the effectiveness of this sprayer system.

One embodiment contemplated is for the second tentacle pump104to be driven separately by a second electric motor (not shown), rather than driven by the application of a single dual-drive electric motor, such that the system is not limited to a single electric motor.

Also contemplated for the system are multiple tentacle pumps that may be configured for either series or parallel flow, with each pair of pumps either driven by a dual-drive electric motor, or each single pump separately driven by the application of a single electric motor.

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.