Patent Document

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   Not applicable 
   Statement Regarding Federally Sponsored Research/Development 
   Not applicable 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention relates to a device for detachably coupling tubes together, and more particularly for detachably coupling tubes for use as part of a handle and actuator system for a remote spray assembly. 
   Aerosol cans and similar pressurized spray canisters are most frequently actuated by a user directly pressing a button or other structure that activates the can&#39;s valve. Typically, this means that the user must directly hold the canister in his or her hand, and the surface to be sprayed must be no further away than can be reached by the spray pattern of the canister. 
   This will present problems for some applications. For example, except for some specialty sprays designed to project a narrow stream a long distance (such as certain conventional wasp sprayers), most common aerosol sprays tend to fan out quite quickly. Consequently, a user cannot apply the spray to a small, localized area such as a window sill, an area under a bush or other plant, or the like, unless the can (and therefore the user&#39;s hand) can be within inches of the target area. 
   In any event, many users would prefer to keep their distance from certain sprays, such as pesticides, regardless of the capability of the sprayer. Even when there is no danger in the proper use of the pesticide, they desire separation simply as a matter of aesthetic preference. 
   Because of these and other issues, devices for spraying a remote target or area have been developed, such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,663,307, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein. This patent describes a device for spraying pesticides, agricultural treatment chemicals, and/or other chemicals, the device having a housing configured to retain a spray canister, an actuator rod on the housing, a shaft connected to the housing, and a linkage to trigger the spray canister to effectuate remote spraying. 
   While this device is very useful for maintaining a distance between a user and the chemical being sprayed, the tube segments which make up the shaft were designed for permanent assembly. It could be somewhat difficult to disassemble the tubes for maintenance and/or other reasons (such as more compact storage between uses). 
   Other systems have been developed for linking tubes together, where the tubes are designed to house segments of axially movable rods. Examples are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,663,307 and 6,540,424. When these assemblies are shipped and stored for sale it is preferable that their storage carton be as small as possible (e.g. retailers are reluctant to provide extra space when shelf space is as scarce as it usually is). Thus, the tubes are packaged in disassembled form. In such cases, it is the consumer that will typically have to assemble the device. Where the assembly instructions are complex, it may take the consumer extra time to assemble the device, and in some cases the consumer may become frustrated before assembly is completed. 
   Hence, there is a continuing need for structures of this type where the assembly technique is simpler and more intuitive. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention provides a detachable tube assembly. It has a first tube having at least one of a radial aperture and a radial projection, and a second tube capable of telescoping into an end of the first tube. The second tube has at least one of a radial aperture and a radial projection along a portion of the second tube that is capable of telescoping into said end of the first tube such that a radial projection along one of the tubes can extend into a radial aperture along the other of the tubes. This can lock the two tubes together, in a releasable manner. 
   There is also a rod extendable along (preferably through) the second tube, the rod having a radial flexible barb adjacent a distal end of the rod. The flexible barb is sized and dimensioned to pass through the telescopable portion of the second tube while being flexed radially inwardly by the second tube, and then flex radially outwardly when the barb has passed through that telescopable portion, such that a portion (e.g. an end) of the second tube adjacent the telescopable portion thereof can limit return movement of the barb back through the second tube. There is also a guide linked to the rod to move therewith, which extends radially outwardly there from. 
   In a preferred form the second tube has a narrowed portion forming at least a part of its telescopable portion, the guide having a greater width than an inner diameter of the narrowed portion of the second tube. This prevents the rod from simply passing out the bottom of the second tube once the rod has been inserted in the top of the second tube. 
   In other preferred forms there are a plurality of such guides, and such plurality of guides may be in the form of disks that are integrally formed with the rod. When an end of the second tube is telescoped into an end of the first tube, the rod can be positioned inside both the first and second tubes so as to be axially movably received therein, albeit with a limited range of axial motion due to the barb and closest guide trapping the rod. 
   This invention has applicability to a wide range of devices in which tubes are telescoped together while housing an axially movable rod. However, the primary utility of this invention is in connection with remote sprayers. For example, an upper end of the rod can be linked to a triggering device that can cause the rod to move axially in the first and second tubes, and a lower end of the rod can be linked ultimately (e.g. through other connecting linkages) to a container (e.g. an aerosol container) for dispensing a chemical (e.g. an insecticide or cleaning chemical). 
   The present invention allows pre-assembly (e.g. at the factory) of one of the tubes and the movable rod. A consumer can then, in a highly conceptual manner, be instructed as to how to assemble that subassembly with further such subassemblies. Hence, the device is easier for a consumer to construct. Nevertheless, it is inexpensive to produce, easy to manufacture, and secure in its connection. 
   These and other advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description. In this description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof, and in which there is shown by way of illustration a preferred embodiment of the invention. Such embodiment and its particular advantages do not define the full scope of the invention. Thus, reference should be made to the claims for interpreting the full scope of the invention. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a left side elevational view of a sprayer device constructed in accordance with the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a vertical section view thereof; 
       FIG. 3  is an exploded sectional view of the  FIG. 2  structure; 
       FIG. 4  is a lower, left, rear perspective view of a trigger portion of the present assembly; 
       FIG. 5  is a left side elevational view of a central portion of the present assembly; 
       FIG. 6  is a fragmentary view of a junction between adjacent tubes, albeit with the actuator rod removed; and 
       FIG. 7  is a view analogous to  FIG. 6 , but of an alternative embodiment, and with one tube shown only in dotted lines. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Referring first to  FIG. 1 , a sprayer device is shown including a handle assembly (generally  10 ) for attachment to a canister assembly  13 . There is a canister housing  15  for receiving an aerosol can containing a pesticide, insecticide, agricultural chemical, or other chemical to be sprayed. The housing  15  includes a connecting portion  17  which is tubular in shape, and which is detachably connectable to the handle assembly  10 . As described below, the handle assembly can include a plurality of tubes  16 , 18 , and  19 . 
   Referring still to  FIG. 1  and now also to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , a trigger assembly  12  is coupled to an actuator rod formed of multiple segments such as  31 ,  22 , and  32 . Rod portion  31  is coupled to the trigger assembly  12  and at the opposing end is sized and dimensioned to contact the next rod  22 . Along the length of the rod  22  are positioned one or more disks  24 , each having a diameter sized and dimensioned to fit within the tubular segment  19  and to axially align the rod  22 . The actuator rod  22  extends axially through tube  19  such that the radially-extending flexible barbed end  26  extends beyond the end thereof. 
   Tube  18  has a narrowed end  25  sized and dimensioned to fit into tube segment  16  which has a similar narrowed end  20 . As shown in  FIG. 6 , narrowed end further includes a radial projection  28 . The radial projection  28  can be constructed of a flexible material, or can alternatively be constructed using springs or other elements which allow the projection  28  to retract. 
   Referring now also to  FIG. 5 , at a first end the tube segment  19  includes an aperture  30  sized and dimensioned to receive a projection  28  to lock the central tube segment  19  onto the trigger assembly. At the opposing end, the central tube segment  19  includes a narrowed end  25  which is sized and dimensioned to fit in tube segment  16 . A radial projection  48  is provided on the narrowed end  25  for receipt in the tube segment  16 . In the most preferred forms the distal end of one rod segment is slightly bowed outwardly and the adjacent end of the next rod segment is dished inwardly such that the rods easily mate when in contact. 
   Tube segment  16  includes a narrowed end  20  which is sized and dimensioned to be received in the tubular connector  17  of the canister housing  15  to provide a continuous shaft assembly  14  between the canister housing  15  and the trigger assembly  12 . The narrowed end  20  can include a projection  58  to be received in a mating aperture in the tubular connector  17  of the housing  15 . Again, the projection  58  can be flexible to allow the projection  58  to be snapped into the aperture  60  to lock the adjacent tube segments together. 
   A third axially moveable rod segment  32  is provided in the tube segment  16 , and preferably includes a depression at one end for receiving the distal end of the rod segment  22 , and a radially-extending flexible barbed end  56  at the opposing end. As described with reference to the axially moveable rod  22 , the rod  32  includes a plurality of disks  24  which can be formed integrally with the rod  32  or provided as separate washers. The disks  24  maintain the axially moveable rod  32  substantially centered within the tube segment  16 . The rod  32  is preferably longer than the tube segment  16 , such that the distal end of the rod  32  extends through the narrowed end  20  at the tube segment  16  and is positionable adjacent a spray actuator (not shown) adjacent the canister  15  to allow activation of the spray canister. 
   The spraying device is assembled by mounting the central tube segment  19  over the actuator rod  22  onto the narrow end  27  of the tube segment  18 , and the aperture  30  aligns with the projection  28  such that the projection  28  is snap fit into the aperture  30 . The narrow end  25  including projection  48  is positioned at the open end. As the central tube segment  19  is moved over the barbed end  26  of the rod  22 , the flexible barbs flex inward. When the tube  19  is in position, the flexible barbs  26  flex outwardly extending radially beyond the outer diameter of the narrow end  25  of the tube segment  19  adjacent the barbs  26 , and therefore limiting motion of the rod  22  back into the tube segment  19 . To aid in positioning the central tube segment  19  over the rod  22 , alignment marks such as an arrow  29  can be provided along the edges of the tubes  18  and  19 . 
   Similarly, the tube segment  16  is positioned over the rod  32 . As the tube segment  16  is moved over the barbs  26 , the barbs flex inwardly, and then flex outwardly as they exit the tube segment  16 . The outwardly flexed barbs are provided adjacent the narrow end  20 , and therefore they limit movement of the rod  32  back into the tube segment  19 . When the tube segment  16  is in position, the tube segment  16  is positioned onto the narrow end  25  of the central tube segment  19 , such that the projection  48  is aligned with the aperture  50  to couple the central tube segment  18  to the central tube segment  19 . 
   As assembled, the rod  32  is centrally aligned in the tube segment  16 , and the rod  22  in the tube segments  18  and  19 . To assemble the tube segment  16  onto the central tube segment  19 , the tube segment  16  is aligned with the central tube segment  19 , positioned over the narrow end  27  of the central tube segment  19 , and aligned such that the projection  58  aligns with the aperture  60 . The tube segment  16  can therefore be locked into position, and the rod  32  adjusted such that the distal end of the rod  22  extends into a mating depression in the rod  32 . The narrow end  20  of the tube segment  16  is then received in the tubular connector  17  in the canister  15 . When assembled, the rod  32  is adjacent a spray activator for activating the spray canister. 
   When the trigger assembly  12  is activated, the rod  22  is forced axially forward toward the canister housing  15 , causing the rod  32  to contact the spray activator to cause activation of the canister. Because the rods  22  and  32  are axially aligned in the tube segments  16 ,  18 , and  19  by the rings  24 , the rod assembly can repeatably and reliably activate the spray canister. Furthermore, the spray device can be disassembled during shipment or storage, and assembled when desired. 
   In  FIG. 6  the projection  28  is alternatively shown as flat at a first end  62  and rounded at a second end  64 . Extending from the flat end the projection is at a selected height up to an intermediate point  66  from which the projection tapers down toward the rounded end  14 . The mating aperture  30  also includes a flat end  68  and an opposing rounded end  70  for receiving the projection  28 . This makes the connection more solid. Referring now also to  FIG. 7  in this embodiment the projection  28  is as described above with reference to  FIG. 6 , albeit axial slits  38  are provided on opposing sides of the projection. 
   Various alternative mechanical methods for attaching the actuator rod segments  22  and  32  (e.g. threads) will be apparent to those of skill in the art. Additionally, while the invention has been described with reference to a spraying device, various other dispensers and cleaning apparatuses which require an internal rod and a tube could also be constructed using the described coupling device. Although the assembly has been described above to include three separate tube segments  16 ,  18 , and  19 , it will be apparent that various numbers of tube segments could be connected as described, and further that a fewer number of tube segments could also be used. For example, an assembly having only two tube segment can also be used. 
   Hence, various modifications of the above described embodiment may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the following claims. Thus, the claims should be looked to in order to assess the full scope of the invention. 
   INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 
   Disclosed are structures for detachably coupling two tubes while simultaneously aligning and guiding an axially movable rod extending therein, such devices being suited for use with remote sprayers.

Technology Category: 7