Patent Document

FIELD 
       [0001]    This invention relates to the field of tank sprayers, and more particularly to a tank sprayer assembly including a tank component and a sprayer package subassembly. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Tank sprayer assemblies are often utilized to dispense low viscosity fluids. The assemblies typically include a tank component that is configured to hold a quantity of fluid to be sprayed. A hand pump is coupled to the tank component and is configured to introduce air into the tank component so as to pressurize the fluid therein. A hand sprayer is also coupled to the tank component and is utilized to disperse the pressurized fluid from the tank component. 
         [0003]    It is common to manufacture and package for sale a tank sprayer at a site in one country, such as China, and then ship the packaged tank sprayer to another site in a remote country, such as the United States, for sale in the remote country. One disadvantage with the above process exists due to the high cost of shipping the packaged tank sprayer from the site of tank sprayer manufacturing and packaging to the site of tank sprayer sales. The high shipping cost is due in large part to the bulky nature of the packaged tank sprayer. 
         [0004]    It would be desirable to provide a tank sprayer assembly and associated method that would facilitate manufacturing and packaging of a much smaller tank sprayer subassembly at a first site, which would then be shipped to a remote second site for assembly with a relatively large tank sprayer component at the remote site, the relatively large tank sprayer component being manufactured at or near the remote site. According to this tank sprayer assembly and associated method, the shipping cost would be significantly reduced while still benefiting from the ability to manufacture and package a substantial part of the tank sprayer assembly at the first site. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    In accordance with one embodiment, a tank sprayer assembly comprises a tank component defining a chamber configured to receive fluid. The tank component includes a neck that defines a first access opening configured to allow access to the chamber. The neck has an externally threaded portion. The tank sprayer assembly also includes a subassembly comprising a packaging container and a sprayer component. The packaging container has a plurality of walls that define a cavity. The plurality of walls include a lower wall that defines a second access opening configured to allow access to the cavity. The sprayer component includes (i) a cap that defines a cap space and has a skirt that includes an internally threaded portion facing the cap space, and (ii) a pump attached to the cap that includes a cylinder and a piston movably positioned within the cylinder. The tank sprayer is positionable in an assembled configuration and disassembled configuration. When the tank sprayer is positioned in the assembled configuration, (i) the internally threaded portion of the cap is aligned with the second access opening of the lower wall, (ii) the neck extends through the second access opening of the lower wall so as to be at least partially positioned within the cavity, and (iii) the externally threaded portion of the neck is meshingly engaged with the internally threaded portion of the skirt of the cap so as to secure said sprayer component to the tank component. When the tank sprayer is positioned in the disassembled configuration, the neck is spaced apart from the cavity of the packaging container. 
         [0006]    In another embodiment, a method of assembling a tank sprayer assembly comprises locating a sprayer component having a cap within a cavity of a packaging container so that (i) an internally threaded portion of the cap is aligned with a first access opening defined in a lower wall of the packaging component, and (ii) a subassembly is formed with the sprayer component and the packaging container. A neck of a tank component is then advanced through the first access opening and into the cavity of the packaging container. The tank component is then rotated in relation to the subassembly while the neck is located in the cavity so as to meshingly engage an externally threaded portion of the neck with the internally threaded portion of the cap so as to couple the subassembly to the tank component. 
         [0007]    In yet another embodiment, a subassembly of a tank sprayer assembly comprises a packaging container having a plurality of walls that define a cavity. The plurality of walls includes a first wall that defines an access opening configured to allow access to the cavity. A sprayer component includes (i) a cap defining a cap space and has a skirt that includes an internally threaded portion facing the cap space, and (ii) a pump attached to the cap that includes a cylinder and a piston movably secured to the cylinder. Both the cylinder and the piston extend through the cap space. The internally threaded portion is aligned with the access opening, and both the cylinder and the piston extend from the cavity of the packaging container through the access opening. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a tank sprayer assembly that includes a tank component and a sprayer package subassembly with the sprayer package subassembly assembled to the tank component. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the tank sprayer assembly of  FIG. 1  in a disassembled configuration showing the sprayer package subassembly spaced apart from the tank component. 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is an elevational view of a sprayer component of the sprayer package subassembly of  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is an elevational view of a package container of the sprayer package subassembly of  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of the sprayer package subassembly of  FIG. 1  taken along lines  5 - 5  of  FIG. 6 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is a top elevational view of the sprayer package subassembly of  FIG. 1  taken along lines  6 - 6  of  FIG. 5 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of the sprayer package subassembly of  FIG. 1  taken along lines  7 - 7  of  FIG. 6 . 
           [0015]      FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view of the tank sprayer assembly of  FIG. 1  showing the sprayer package subassembly assembled to the tank component. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
       [0016]    For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings and described in the following written specification. It is understood that no limitation to the scope of the invention is thereby intended. It is further understood that the present invention includes any alterations and modifications to the illustrated embodiments and includes further applications of the principles of the invention as would normally occur to one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. 
         [0017]    With reference to  FIG. 1 , a tank sprayer assembly  10  in accordance with the present disclosure comprises a tank component  14  and a sprayer package subassembly  18 . The sprayer package subassembly includes a package container  72  and sprayer component  30  (see, e.g.,  FIGS. 2 and 3 ) for use with the tank component  14 . As explained below, the package container  72  of the sprayer package subassembly  18  is configured to retain, support, and protect various parts and mechanisms of the sprayer component  30  in an assembled state to facilitate handling, shipping, and storing of the sprayer package subassembly  18  as a separate unit from the tank component  14 . The package container  72  also retains the sprayer package subassembly  18  in a manner that enables the sprayer package subassembly  18  to be readily assembled to the tank component  14 . For example, the sprayer package subassembly  18  is configured to be assembled to the tank component  14  without requiring removal of the sprayer component  30  from the package container  72 . (see, e.g.,  FIG. 2 ). 
         [0018]    The tank component  14  of the tank sprayer assembly  10  includes a main body  26  that defines a chamber  16  (see, e.g.,  FIG. 8 ) configured to retain a volume of fluid therein. In the exemplary embodiment, the main body  26  is generally cylindrically shaped and is formed of a molded plastic material. The chamber  16  defined by the main body  26  is sized to retain approximately one gallon of fluid within the tank component  14 . In other embodiments, the main body  26  and the chamber  16  may be provided in other sizes, shapes, and configurations depending on various factors, such as the intended application, desired level of portability, type of fluid to be retained, and the like. Also, the main body  26  may be made from materials other than a molded plastic, such as a metallic material. 
         [0019]    The main body  26  includes a generally flat base  27  with protuberances  29  that extend outwardly from the base  27 . This configuration enables the tank component  14  to stand upright on a generally flat surface, such as the ground. A neck  20  extends from a top portion of the main body  26 . The neck  20  is generally cylindrical in shape and is narrower than the main body  26  so that the main body defines a shoulder portion  24  that depends from the neck  20 . As best seen in  FIG. 8 , the neck  20  defines an access opening  22  through which fluid enters and leaves the chamber  16 . To enable the sprayer component  20  to be secured to the tank component  14 , the neck  20  includes an externally threaded surface  28  configured to mesh with an internally threaded surface  40  of a cap  32  of the sprayer component  30 . 
         [0020]    Referring now to  FIGS. 3-7 , a sprayer package subassembly  18  includes a cap  32 , a hand sprayer  50 , and a pump  60 . The cap  32  is configured complementary to the neck  20  of the tank component  14  to enable the sprayer component  20  to be releasably attached to the tank component  14 . In particular, the cap  32  defines a cap space  34  and includes a skirt portion  38  that defines the internally threaded surface  40  that faces the cap space  34 . The threaded surface  40  of the cap is configured to mesh with the threaded surface  28  of the neck  20  of the tank component to secure the sprayer component  30  (as well as the package container  72 ) to the tank component  14 . The cap  32 , as well as the other parts and portions of the sprayer component  30  are formed of a sturdy, lightweight material, such as plastic, although any suitable material or combination of materials may be used. 
         [0021]    As shown in  FIG. 5 , the cap  32  defines a fluid passage  42  through which fluid from the chamber  16  is advanced to the hand sprayer  50 . An uptake, or siphon, tube  44  is attached to the lower side of the cap  32  with one end portion  45  fluidly coupled to the cap proximate the fluid passage  42 . The body of the uptake tube  44  extends from the fluid passage  42  through the cap space  34 . So configured, the tube  44  can be inserted into the access opening  22  of the neck  20  and into the chamber  16  of the tank component  14  when the sprayer component  30  is being assembled to the tank component  14 . The tube  44  has a length such that, when the cap  32  is assembled with the tank component  14 , a second end portion  47  of the tube  44  is located a short distance from the base  27  of the tank component  14 , as depicted in  FIG. 8 . The sprayer component  30  also includes a delivery tube  48  configured to deliver or direct fluid from the fluid passage  42  to the hand sprayer  50 . The delivery tube  48  has one end portion  49  fluidly coupled to the fluid passage  42  of the cap  32  and a second end portion  51  fluidly coupled to a fluid passage  57  defined in the hand sprayer  50 . 
         [0022]    The hand sprayer  50  is configured to selectively enable fluid from the chamber  16  to be dispersed to a location outside of the chamber  16 . In one embodiment, the hand sprayer  50  comprises a grip portion  52  and a wand portion  54  that extends from the grip portion  52 , as best seen in  FIG. 6 . Fluid passages  57 ,  59  are defined in the grip portion  52  and the wand portion  54 , respectively, so that a continuous fluid channel extends from the end portion  51  of the delivery tube  48  to a distal end portion  53  of the wand portion  54 . The grip portion  52  includes a trigger  56  or other similar type of actuation mechanism that is configured to enable the flow of fluid through the passages  57 ,  59  to the distal end  53  of the wand  54 . The wand portion  54  includes a nozzle  55  located at the distal end  53  of the wand portion  54  to control the spray pattern for the hand sprayer  50 . 
         [0023]    The pump  60  includes a pump cylinder  64 , a piston  68 , and a handle portion  70  configured to introduce air into the chamber  16  to pressurize the chamber to cause fluid flow through the uptake tube  44  and delivery tube  48  to the hand sprayer  50 . As depicted in  FIGS. 3 and 5 , the pump cylinder  64  of the pump  60  comprises a hollow cylinder that is aligned with a second opening  43  defined in the cap  32  and that extends from a lower side of the cap  32  through the cap space  34 . During assembly of the tank sprayer assembly  10 , the pump cylinder  64  is advanced through the access opening  22  of the neck  20  and into the chamber  16  of the tank component  14 . Thereafter, coupling of the cap  32  to the neck  20  secures the sprayer component  30  to the tank component  14 , as depicted in  FIG. 8 . 
         [0024]    The piston  68  of the pump  60  is positioned in the pump cylinder  64  and is configured for axial movement with respect to the pump cylinder  64 . The piston  68  and the pump cylinder  64  cooperate to define a compression chamber  71 . The pump  60  includes check valves  66 ,  67  for controlling air flow into and out of the compression chamber  71  during movement of the piston  68  with respect to the compression chamber  71 . The handle portion  70  is attached to an end of the piston  68  that extends from the cylinder  64  on the upper side of the cap  32 . The handle portion  70  may be used in a known manner by an operator of the tank sprayer to axially move the piston  68  so as to introduce a positive pressure into the chamber  16  of the tank component  14 . For example, the handle portion  70  of the piston  68  is configured to move between a retracted position (see, e.g.,  FIG. 3 ) and an extended position (as shown in phantom in  FIG. 3 ). When the handle portion  70  is moved from the extended position to the retracted position, also referred to as a downstroke, the piston  68  forces air in the compression chamber  71  to move through the check valve  66  and into the chamber  16 . When the handle portion  70  is moved from the retracted position to the extended position, also referred to as an upstroke, the check valve  67  opens to allow air to flow into the compression chamber  71 . 
         [0025]      FIG. 4  depicts an embodiment of the package container  72  of the sprayer package subassembly  18 . As shown, the package container  72  comprises a plurality of walls that define that define a cavity  74  for receiving and retaining part of the sprayer component  30  (see, e.g.,  FIG. 5 ). The package container  72  is configured to retain other items within the cavity  74 . For example, an instruction booklet  114  for the tank sprayer assembly  10  is positioned and retained in the cavity  74  alongside the cap  32 . The plurality of walls includes a lower wall  76  that defines an access opening  78  for the cavity  74 , an upper wall  84  that is positioned opposite from the lower wall  76 , and sidewalls  102 ,  104 ,  106 ,  108  that extend between the upper and lower walls  84 ,  76 . The package container  72  is configured to retain an upper part of the sprayer component  30  in a fixed position in the cavity. Further, the package container  72  is configured to retain the cap  32  in alignment with the access opening  78  so that the neck  20  of the tank component  14  may be inserted through the access opening  78 . With the neck  20  inserted into through the access opening  78 , the threaded portion  28  of the neck  20  and the threaded portion  40  of the cap  32  may be readily threaded together or meshingly engaged to secure the sprayer component  30  to the tank component  14  while the cap  32  remains retained in positioned within the cavity  74 . 
         [0026]    To facilitate alignment of the cap  32  with the access opening  78 , the lower wall  76  includes a rim structure  80  that surrounds the access opening  78 . The rim structure  80  includes a recess or depression that defines a substantially horizontal surface  81 , also referred to as seating surface  81 , and a substantially vertical surface  83 , also referred to as boundary surface  83 . The seating surface  81  of the rim structure serves as a surface against which the skirt portion  38  of the cap  32  is placed when the cap  32  secured within the cavity  74 . The vertical surface  83  extends from the seating surface  81  to form a receptacle structure in which the lower end portion of the skirt portion  38  is received. The upper wall  84  forms a barrier on an opposite side of the cavity  74  from the lower wall  76 . The upper and lower walls  76 ,  84  trap the cap  32  therebetween. In particular, when the lower end portion of the skirt portion  38  is located within the receptacle defined by the surfaces  81 ,  83 , the cap  32  is prevented from travelling upwardly by contact between a top portion of the cap  32  and a bottom side of the upper wall  84 . 
         [0027]    The upper wall  84  is configured to be movable in relation to the other walls to enable the sprayer component  30  to be advanced into the cavity  74  and the skirt portion  38  of the cap  32  to be placed in engagement with the seating surface  81  of the rim structure  80 . Once the sprayer component  30  is positioned in the cavity  74 , the upper wall  84  is moved back to its position shown in  FIGS. 5-8  to secure the cap  32  within the cavity. When the cap  32  is positioned within the cavity  74  with the cap  32  aligned with the access opening  78 , the uptake tube  44  and the pump cylinder  64  extend through the access opening  78  to be located partially exterior to the cavity as depicted in  FIGS. 5 and 8 . As depicted in  FIG. 7 , the lower wall  76  of the package  72  also defines a wand opening  69 . The wand portion  54  extends through the wand opening  69  when the cap  32  is retained in the cavity. The wand opening  69  is laterally offset from the access opening  78  so that the wand portion  54  is located exterior to the neck  20  and chamber  16  of the tank component  14  when the sprayer package subassembly  18  is attached to the tank component  14 , as depicted in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0028]    The upper wall  84  also includes a retaining structure  110  that extends into the cavity  74  for interlocking with the handle  70  of the pump  60  to prevent lateral and/or rotational movement of the handle  70  with respect to the cavity  74 . The retaining structure  110  defines a retaining space  112  that is configured to receive and interlock with the handle  70  when the sprayer component is secured in the cavity  74 . The retaining structure  110  comprises a pair of posts that receive the handle  70  therebetween, as depicted in  FIG. 5 . In one embodiment, the piston  68  and handle portion  70  of the pump  60  may be configured to interlock with the cap  32  and/or the upper portion of the cylinder  64  to releasably secure the piston  68  and handle  70  in a retracted position with respect to the cap  32  and to prevent rotational movement of the handle  70  and piston  68  with respect to the cylinder  64 . In this embodiment, using the interlocking structure  110  to prevent rotational movement of the handle  70  with respect to the cavity  74  may also prevent rotational movement of the cap  32  with respect to the cavity  74 . 
         [0029]    The sprayer package subassembly  18  that results from securing the sprayer component  30  to the package container  72  as described above provides a unitary configuration that facilitates the handling, shipping, and storing of the sprayer package assembly  18  as a separate unit from the tank component  14 . The sprayer package subassembly also enables the sprayer component  30  to be easily assembled to the tank component  14  for subsequent distribution to retail centers and end users without requiring removal of the spray component  30  from the package container. For example, to secure the sprayer package subassembly  18  to the tank component  14  as depicted in  FIG. 8 , the neck  20  of the tank component  14  is aligned with the access opening  78  of the package container  72  and advanced so as to be partially positioned within the cavity  74  of the package container  72 . With the cap  32  aligned with the access opening  78  in the interior of the cavity, advancing the neck  20  into the cavity results in the threaded portion  28  of the neck  20  to be substantially aligned with the threaded portion  40  of the cap  32 . The tank component and the package container  72  may then be rotated with respect to each other with the neck  20  located at least partially in the cavity  74  to meshingly engage an externally threaded portion  28  of the neck  20  with the internally threaded portion  40  of the cap  32  so as to couple the subassembly  18  to the tank component  14 . 
         [0030]    The package container  72  is configured to engage the tank component  14  when the sprayer package subassembly  18  is coupled to the tank component to facilitate a stable and secure attachment to the tank component  14  and to resist unintentional rotation of the subassembly  18  with respect to the tank component  14 . More specifically, the lower wall  76  of the package container, and in particular, the rim structure  80  may be positioned to be pinched or squeezed between the skirt portion  38  of the cap  32  and a portion of the tank component  14 , such as the shoulder  24 , as best seen in  FIG. 8 . Squeezing the rim structure  80  between the skirt  38  of the cap  32  and the shoulder  24  of the tank component  14  provides a frictional coupling between the cap  32 , package container  72 , and tank component  14  to resist rotational movement of the cap  32 , package container  72 , and tank component  14  with respect to each other. 
         [0031]    The package container  72  also includes projections that extend below the lower wall of the container  72  toward the tank component  14 . The projections are configured to be urged against the tank component  14  when the subassembly  18  is assembled to the tank component  14 . For example, referring to  FIGS. 1 ,  2 , and  4 , the sidewalls  102 ,  104  of the package container  72  respectively include projections  116  that extends below the lower wall  76  of the package container  72  on opposing sides of the lower wall  76  so that when the subassembly  18  is assembled to the tank component  14 , the tank component  14  is interposed between the projections  116 . The projections  116  each have a concave terminal end  118  that is configured to contact the shoulder  24  of the tank component  14  to stabilize the subassembly  18  with respect to the tank component  14  when in the assembled configuration as depicted in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0032]    While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same should be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character. It is understood that only the preferred embodiments have been presented and that all changes, modifications and further applications that come within the spirit of the invention are desired to be protected.

Technology Category: 7