Patent Grant
8794546
Watering nozzles known as water breakers are a favorite for gardening enthusiast and professionals for quickly watering potted or bedded plants. Water breakers deliver a large amount of water in a soft shower pattern. The typical water breaker is adequate if the user is close enough to reach the plants. However, to water plants with the same soft shower pattern from a further distance the user must get closer to the plant or change nozzles. In either case it is inconvenient and inefficient way to water a large area. Furthermore, nozzles designed to reach a further distance will disrupt the soil, especially if used up close, thereby defeating the purpose of a water breaker type sprayer.
Accordingly, there is a need for an adjustable sprayer capable of delivering the same soft volume of water that a normal water breaker delivers yet can adjust to deliver that spray further to reach plants that would normally require repositioning or changing the nozzle to a different style.
Provided herein is an adjustable sprayer capable of delivering the same soft volume of water that a normal water breaker delivers yet can adjust to deliver that spray further to reach plants that would normally require repositioning or changing the nozzle to a different style. According to an embodiment, the adjustable sprayer comprises a fitting that includes a connector portion, an elongate cylindrical portion extending from the connector portion, and a bore formed longitudinally through the fitting. The connector portion includes threads mateable with a garden hose. The sprayer includes a nozzle connected to the fitting.
The nozzle includes a sleeve portion configured to receive the fitting's cylindrical portion whereby the nozzle is moveable, longitudinally, along the cylindrical portion between first and second spray positions. In an embodiment, the nozzle is rotatably disposed on the cylindrical portion. The sprayer includes an o-ring seal disposed inside the sleeve portion and operative to provide a seal between the cylindrical portion and the sleeve portion. The nozzle includes a primary outlet and at least one secondary outlet radially spaced from the primary outlet. The cylindrical portion is in fluid communication with only the primary outlet when the nozzle is in the first spray position, and the cylindrical portion is in fluid communication with both the primary and secondary outlets when the nozzle is in the second spray position.
The cylindrical portion of the fitting is adapted to seal with the cylindrical ring when the nozzle is in the first spray position. An o-ring seal may be disposed inside the cylindrical ring. Alternatively, the cylindrical portion and the cylindrical ring include mating frustoconical sealing surfaces.
In an embodiment, the primary outlet and the at least one secondary outlets are concentric with each other. The nozzle includes a surrounding sidewall extending from the sleeve portion defining an interior region. The surrounding sidewall may diverge from the sleeve portion. The primary outlet comprises a cylindrical ring supported in the interior region. In an embodiment, the cylindrical ring is supported in the interior region by a plurality of radially extending stanchions. The secondary outlet comprises the area between the surrounding sidewall and the cylindrical ring. The sprayer also includes a perforated screen disposed adjacent to the primary and secondary outlets.
The adjustable sprayer may also include a retaining ring disposed in the sleeve portion, and wherein the cylindrical portion includes a plurality of longitudinally spaced detent grooves adapted to receive the retaining ring. The detent grooves adapted to receive the retaining ring and corresponding to the first and second spray positions respectively.
These and other aspects of the adjustable sprayer will be apparent after consideration of the Detailed Description and Figures herein.
Non-limiting and non-exhaustive embodiments of the adjustable sprayer, including the preferred embodiment, are described with reference to the following figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various views unless otherwise specified.
a is a cross-sectional side view of the adjustable sprayer shown in
b is a cross-sectional side view of the adjustable sprayer shown in
a is a side view in cross-section of the adjustable sprayer shown in
b is a cross-sectional side view of the adjustable sprayer shown in
Embodiments are described more fully below with reference to the accompanying figures, which form a part hereof and show, by way of illustration, specific exemplary embodiments. These embodiments are disclosed in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. However, embodiments may be implemented in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense.
The adjustable sprayer 5, shown in
Nozzle 40 includes a sleeve portion 42 that is configured to receive the cylindrical portion 14 whereby the nozzle is moveable longitudinally along the cylindrical portion between first and second spray positions. Nozzle 40 also includes a surrounding sidewall 44 and a cylindrical ring 52 supported in the interior 50 of the surrounding sidewall 44. Surrounding side wall 44 extends from sleeve portion 42. In this case, surrounding side wall 44 diverges away from the sleeve portion. In this embodiment, cylindrical ring 52 is supported in the interior 50 of surrounding sidewall 44 by a plurality of radially extending stanchions 74. Thus, nozzle 40 includes a primary outlet 60 and at least one secondary outlet 62 radially spaced from the primary outlet. Primary outlet 60 is defined by the interior of ring 52, whereas the secondary outlet is defined by the inner surface 70 of surrounding sidewall 44 and the outer surface 72 of cylindrical ring 52 (see
Perforated screen 32 includes a plurality of holes 34 through which water is sprayed. With reference to
Sleeve portion 42 includes a retaining ring groove 46 in which resides a retaining ring 56. In this case, retaining ring 56 may be a snap ring of metal construction. Sleeve portion 42 also includes an O-ring groove or seal groove 48 within which is disposed an O-ring 58. Accordingly, the elongate cylindrical portion 14 of fitting 10 is sealed against the O-ring 58 when inserted into the sleeve portion 42. Retaining ring 56 is operative to engage detent grooves 22, 24 formed around the outside of the elongate cylindrical portion. It should be understood that the nozzle 40 may rotate about the cylindrical portion.
Referring to
The nozzle 40, as shown in
The fitting 10, as shown in
An adjustable sprayer 105 according to a second exemplary embodiment is shown in
Fitting 110 of adjustable sprayer 105 is similar to that as described above, in that it includes a connector portion 112 from which extends a cylindrical portion 114. In this case, however, fitting 110 includes a frustoconical end portion 113 which is adapted to mate with a mating frustoconical surface 176 formed in inner ring 152. With further reference to
The adjustable sprayers described herein may be comprised of various materials as one of ordinary skill in the art can appreciate. For example, the fitting 10, 110 may be comprised of metal such as brass, aluminum, or steel. Alternatively, fitting 10 may be comprised of molded plastic such as ABS. Nozzle 40, 140 may be comprised of brass, aluminum, or steel such as in the case of the fitting. Also, the nozzle may be comprised of plastic such as ABS. The nozzle cover 141 may be comprised of a suitable material which may be either molded onto nozzle 140 or forcibly installed over the nozzle. Accordingly, nozzle cover 141 may be comprised of a hard rubber or other suitably flexible material. The components described herein may be molded or machined, for example.
Also contemplated herein are methods of varying the spray from a nozzle. The methods thus encompass the steps inherent in the above described structures and operation thereof. Although the technology and methods of using and/or applying the same have been described in language that is specific to certain structures, materials, and methodological steps, it is to be understood that the invention defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific structures, materials, and/or steps described. Rather, the specific aspects and steps are described as forms of implementing the claimed invention. Since many embodiments of the invention can be practiced without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, the invention resides in the claims hereinafter appended. Unless otherwise indicated, all numbers or expressions, such as those expressing dimensions, physical characteristics, etc. used in the specification (other than the claims) are understood as modified in all instances by the term “approximately.” At the very least, and not as an attempt to limit the application of the doctrine of equivalents to the claims, each numerical parameter recited in the specification or claims which is modified by the term “approximately” should at least be construed in light of the number of recited significant digits and by applying ordinary rounding techniques. Moreover, all ranges disclosed herein are to be understood to encompass and provide support for claims that recite any and all subranges or any and all individual values subsumed therein. For example, a stated range of 1 to 10 should be considered to include and provide support for claims that recite any and all subranges or individual values that are between and/or inclusive of the minimum value of 1 and the maximum value of 10; that is, all subranges beginning with a minimum value of 1 or more and ending with a maximum value of 10 or less (e.g., 5.5 to 10, 2.34 to 3.56, and so forth) or any values from 1 to 10 (ex., 3, 5.8, 9.9994, and so forth).
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 582051 | Fuerbringer | May 1897 | A |
| 2944743 | Kachergis | Jul 1960 | A |
| 3058670 | Marotto et al. | Oct 1962 | A |
| 3514042 | Freed | May 1970 | A |
| 3784112 | Collignon | Jan 1974 | A |
| 4095747 | Anderson | Jun 1978 | A |
| 4714200 | Sayama | Dec 1987 | A |
| 5242116 | Bonezzi | Sep 1993 | A |
| 6481643 | Chen | Nov 2002 | B1 |
| 7543762 | Cheng | Jun 2009 | B1 |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20130168474 A1 | Jul 2013 | US |
