Patent Grant
6892960
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an airbrush, more particularly to a unitary hand-held airbrush for dispensing liquid particles onto a workpiece.
2. Background Art
Airbrushes are typically limited to a small market of users due to the high costs of equipment, the amount of equipment required and the difficulties of use. These limitations generally limit the use of airbrushes to skilled artisans, seasoned hobbyists or the like, and discourage random users or temporal hobbyists whom are unwilling to dedicate the funds and work required to procure and efficiently use a conventional airbrush.
Conventional airbrushes require a fair amount of equipment in order to effectively use the airbrush. This equipment comprises the airbrush itself, a hand-held tool which operates as an atomizer compressing air to spray a liquid onto a surface or workpiece. The airbrush typically introduces the liquid such as paint into the compressed air such that the liquid becomes entrained in an air stream as liquid particles which exit the airbrush as a mist. The compressed air is provided by an air compressor, aerosol cans or any apparatus or mechanism for releasing compressed air.
Air compressors are typically expensive and heavy in weight. Thus, the cost of a compressor requires a user to dedicate a substantial amount of funds in order to begin using the airbrush. Aerosol cans are limited to the volume of each can and require a user to periodically change cans in order to continuously use the airbrush. Further, aerosol cans require that the user stock a plurality of cans in order to perform continuous use.
The airbrush itself is a high cost unit, typically having many parts manufactured to tight specifications and formed of expensive materials. These airbrushes typically comprise an elongate handheld body having a trigger, a valve operated air inlet and a liquid paint feed. The outlet nozzle of the airbrush typically includes an internal needle for regulating the outlet flow of the air stream. Many of these components are typically machined of stainless steel or aluminum requiring high costs in materials and manufacturing. The paint feed may be a liquid paint reservoir attached to the airbrush, or an aerosol paint mixture introduced into the airbrush as the source of compressed air. Airbrushes of this type are typically hard to clean, requiring a user to disassemble many components and clean with solvent and/or water before use of a different color or after completion of use. Accordingly, use of various colors is both tedious and costly to the end user. Moreover, the quantity of features provided by a conventional airbrush are relatively matched in the cost and complexity of the airbrush.
The prior art teaches use of the above-described airbrush in combination with a paint pen or marker having a nib introduced into the air stream, after the air stream exits the outlet nozzle of the airbrush. This approach eliminates some of the difficulties of using liquid paint feeds introduced into the air stream as described above.
The market recognizes a need for conventional airbrushes for painting nails either in beauty salons or for at-home use. Accordingly, manufacturers typically retail a conventional airbrush kit including a simplified conventional airbrush and aerosol cans for providing the compressed air supply. Such conventional airbrushes, rather than including an enlarged liquid reservoir, typically have a small liquid reservoir or merely a recess for holding a relatively small amount of liquid to be sprayed by the airbrush. Furthermore, the relatively small airbrush is generally easier to clean than larger liquid sources or reservoirs. These kits typically include a plurality of liquid paint sources contained within a plurality of paint bottles having needle drop-style spouts for dispensing a relatively minimal amount of paint into the airbrush.
The prior art also offers a low end, competitively priced alternative to the high end airbrushes described above. The target audience, of which this product is marketed, is typically children. These low end products typically include a plurality of markers or pens as liquid sources, rather than use of a liquid reservoir, aerosol paint supply or the like. Further, the airbrush is typically comprised of low cost plastic components providing little or no adjustability in the spray pattern or flow of the air stream.
The source of compressed air for these low end airbrushes is typically manual. The airbrush may include a mouthpiece for an inlet orifice such that a user may create an air stream of pressurized air by exhaling into the mouthpiece. This method limits the flow of the airbrush to the individual breaths of the user. This method further requires that the airbrush is held proximate to the line of sight of the user, thus limiting the view and operation of the airbrush. Other sources of compressed air include a manual air pump or elastomeric bulb mounted to the inlet of the airbrush allowing a user to manually provide compressed air. Although the prior art teaches a low cost solution for providing compressed air to an airbrush, the manually supplied compressed air results in non-continuous airflow, thereby providing an intermittent spray and poorly or uneven painted surfaces.
Low end airbrushes are also provided with a manual compressor or air pump defined as a separate or stand alone unit connected to the airbrush by a hose, tube or the like. Accordingly, this additional equipment leads to increased costs and reduced flexibility and maneuverability of the airbrush.
Various techniques and designs have provided airbrushes for dispensing liquid particles onto a surface or workpiece. Although the prior art has improved the cost and maneuverability of airbrushes, the quality and adjustability of spray is compromised in light of high end airbrush products. Accordingly, it is the goal of the present invention to provide a simplified, low cost, unitary, handheld airbrush incorporating the advantages of an adjustable high end airbrush.
The airbrush of the present invention includes an elongate body, a DC electric motor, an air pump, a switch and a removable pen. The elongate body has an internal cavity and an external grip surface to be held in the hand of a user. The DC electric motor and air pump are oriented within the body internal cavity and the motor operatively drives the air pump. The switch is oriented on the elongate body external surface proximate to a finger of a user's hand. The removable pen further includes an internal liquid reservoir and a nib. The pen cooperates with the elongate body and at least partially extends into a portion of the elongate body which defines an air chamber having an outlet nozzle and an inlet coupled to the air pump. The user selectively actuates the switch such that the motor drives the pump to provide an air stream of pressurized air to the air chamber which flows about the nib of the removable pen to draw liquid particles from the nib and into the air stream. The liquid particles, entrained in the air stream, form a mist which is sprayed from an outlet orifice of the outlet nozzle.
a is an enlarged view of the partial section view of
a is a side elevational view of an alternative embodiment of a removable nozzle cooperable with the airbrush of
b is a section view of another alternative embodiment of a removable nozzle cooperable with the airbrush of
This pivotal connection may operate in a “break open” manner. This feature, as illustrated, allows the forward portion 12, to pivot with respect to the rearward portion 14 such that the user may readily interchange removable pens 16 and reconnect the elongate body while grasping the rearward portion 14.
The forward portion 12 and rearward portion 14 are each manufactured from a low cost, high strength material such as injection molded plastic. Preferably, each portion is formed of two separate half pieces which are oriented in a clamshell manner with respect to another and friction welded together. This manufacturing process effectively provides the elongate body having an external grip surface formed of the forward portion 12 and the rearward portion 14, and further including an internal cavity referenced generally as numeral 20 for the forward portion 12 and 20′ for the rearward portion 14. The internal cavity 20,20′ is illustrated in FIG. 5.
The airbrush further includes a DC electric motor 22 oriented within the internal cavity 20′. An air pump 24 is also oriented within the body internal cavity 20′ and is operatively driven by the motor 22. The motor 22 is illustrated having an output shaft 26 rotationally driven by the motor 22 and provided with an eccentric drive 28 cooperating with the air pump 24. The air pump 24 is illustrated as a bellows pump having one end fixed with respect to the rearward portion 14, and a diaphragm which is movable in a reciprocating direction as illustrated by the double arrow in FIG. 5. Accordingly, the eccentric drive 28 drives the bellows pump 24 in a manner such that the diaphragm reciprocates for forcing the air from the bellows pump 24 through tubing 30 within the internal cavity 20, 20′. The rearward portion 14 includes an air intake port 32, as illustrated in
The combination of the DC electric motor 22 and the air pump 24 provide a source of compressed air that is low cost in light of the components or equipment required, yet is sufficient to provide a continuous flow of air resulting in a steady air stream for dispensing liquid particles. Furthermore, the motor 22 and air pump 24 are relatively small in size and light in weight to efficiently and ergonomically orient within the airbrush 10 without adversely affecting the maneuverability of the airbrush 10 when in use.
A battery supply 34 is oriented within the internal cavity 20′ for providing a source of power to the motor 22. The motor 22 is controlled by a switch 36 oriented on the elongate body external surface proximate to a finger of the user's hand. The switch 36 is illustrated as a push switch oriented within the internal cavity 20 of the forward portion 12, and extending externally therefrom. The switch 36 closes the electronic circuit between the battery supply 34 and DC electric motor 22 for controlling the operation of the airbrush 10. The invention contemplates that the switch 36 may include a locked position to prevent a user from accidentally dispensing a spray pattern when not desired.
When the airbrush 10 is in the open orientation as illustrated in
Referring now to
The removable pen 16 comprises a liquid reservoir 48 and nib 50. The removable pen 16 cooperates with the forward portion 12 of the elongate body such that the removable pen 16 at least partially extends into the air chamber 42.
The user, grasping the elongate body of the airbrush 10, selectively actuates the switch 36 causing the motor 22 to drive the air pump 24, thus providing an air stream of pressurized air through the inlet 46 and into the air chamber 42. The air stream, illustrated as arrows located within the air chamber 42, flows about the nib 50 of the removable pen 16. The air stream consequently draws liquid particles from the nib 50 by the Bernoulli effect of the flow of air over the nib 50. As the air stream passes the nib 50, it forms a mist which is sprayed from an outlet orifice 52 of the outlet nozzle 44. The mist exiting the airbrush 10 is illustrated as arrows located downstream and externally of the air chamber 42.
The internal cavity 20 of the forward portion 12 and the air chamber 42 are separated by a rubber diaphragm 54. The diaphragm 54 forms a seal within the internal cavity 20 and the removable pen 16. The diaphragm 54 further includes an aperture through which the tubing 30 extends. Accordingly, the diaphragm 54 provides an air tight seal such that the only air that passes through the internal cavity 20 and the air chamber 42 is the compressed air through the tubing 30.
The outlet nozzle 44 is threadably engaged to the forward portion 12 such that the outlet nozzle 44 is adjustable relative to the elongate body. This feature permits a user to vary the proximity of the outlet orifice 52 to the nib 50 for adjusting the spray pattern. Similar to higher cost conventional airbrushes, the adjustable nozzle 44 provides a low cost solution for providing adjustability of the spray pattern. Further, if the airbrush needs to be cleaned after excessive use, or between pens 16 of varying color, the user may simply remove the nozzle 44 from the forward portion 12, clean the nozzle 44 with water, solvent or the like and reconnect the nozzle 44 to the forward portion 12.
The invention further contemplates that the outlet nozzle 44 is adjustable to a position such that the nib 50 extends out of the outlet orifice 52 as illustrated in
The nib 50 of the removable pen is preferably porous for enhancing the flow of liquid particles drawn from the nib 50 and into the airstream. Further, the porous nib 50 enhances the capillary action of the liquid within the removable pen 16. The removable pen 16 may be provided with either ink or paint within the liquid reservoir 48. The paint may be acrylic, oil-based, water-based or the like. Further, for more specialized users, the removable pen 16 may be refillable such that a user may mix his or her own colors and fill the removable pen 16 with the desired color. Accordingly, the nib 50 may be removable from the removable pen 16 in order to clean the nib 50 or replace it with a fresh nib 50. Removable pen 16 may be provided with nibs 50 of varying lengths, diameters, or geometries for providing further variations of spray, adjustability or patterns.
For providing further adjustment of the spray pattern of the airbrush 10, the removable pen 16 is axially adjustable relative to the elongate body to vary the proximity of the nib 50 to the outlet orifice 52 for adjusting the spray pattern. The axial adjustment is provided by the engagement of the removable pen 16 within the rubber diaphragm 54. Accordingly, the diaphragm 54 is sized to receive the outer diameter of the removable pen 16 such that no air passes therethrough. Concurrently, the diaphragm 54 is resilient enough to allow the pen 16 to pass therethrough yet retains the pen 16 at a user selected position. This range of axial translation is prescribed by a forward region of the removable pen having a constant outside diameter.
In order for the user to adjust the axial position of the pen 16 without requiring the user to open the airbrush 10, the forward portion 12 of the elongate body does not fully enclose the pen 16, providing access to the removable pen 16. This access is illustrated in
Referring now to
Referring now to
Referring now to
The airbrush 64 of
Another alternative embodiment airbrush 70 is illustrated in
The airbrush 70 includes an outlet nozzle 72 mounted to a forward portion of the airbrush 70, and at least a portion of the internal air chamber 42 is defined in the outlet orifice 52. Further, the nozzle 72 includes a pen support bracket 74 extending therefrom. The pen support bracket 74 retains and orients the removable pen 71 such that the nib 50 is externally downstream from, and proximate to the outlet orifice 52. Therefore, the air stream exiting the outlet orifice 52 flows about the nib 50 and collects liquid particles, entrained into the air stream for generating a mist.
The removable pen 71 further includes a series of configurations 76 formed about an external surface. These configurations 76 are illustrated as threads such that the removable pen 71 is threadably engaged with the pen support bracket 74. Accordingly, a user may adjust the axial position of the removable pen 71 relative to the pen support bracket 74 by rotating the removable pen 71. This feature provides adjustment of the orientation of the removable pen 71 and, consequently, selective adjustment of the airbrush 70 spray pattern. Furthermore, a user may easily interchange pens 71 of varying color by merely unscrewing one pen 71 and replacing it with another.
The invention contemplates that the airbrush 70 may be used in combination with any liquid reservoir other than a removable pen. Accordingly,
The paint cup 80 option allows a user to employ only a small amount of paint, as needed. The paint cup 80 is also relatively easy to clean. The user merely removes the outlet nozzle 78 from the airbrush 70 and cleans it with water, solvent, or the like. The outlet nozzle 78 may then be reattached to the airbrush 70 and compressed air may be driven therethrough to dry the outlet nozzle 78.
The paint cup 80 option is ideal for use when only a relatively small amount of paint is desired. Such applications include highlighting or shadowing a workpiece or surface. Other applications include painting a small workpiece such as fingernails or toenails.
Referring now to
The embodiments illustrated and described in
Referring now to
Due to the stacked orientation of the airbrush 86 components, a larger battery supply 34 is illustrated in comparison to prior embodiments. The larger battery supply 34 increases the time required between changing of batteries. The stacked design of the airbrush 86 also provides for a relatively larger elongate pen 88, also in comparison to the prior embodiments. The larger pen 88 includes a larger liquid reservoir such that the operational life of the individual pen 88 is increased for repetitive and continuous use.
The preferred embodiment airbrush 86 also permits a rearward end of the pen 88 to extend out of the housing, for providing access to the pen 88 such that the user may readily interchange pens 88. Unlike the “break open” airbrush embodiment pen, less components are required thus reducing the manufacturing and materials costs.
The airbrush 86 also includes a sleeve 90 connected to the housing and generally coaxial with the central axis 62. The sleeve 90 is sized to receive a portion of the pen 88 therein. The sleeve 90 is formed of a suitable material such that a desired amount of friction is provided against the external surface of the pen 88. The desired amount of friction may be sufficient to maintain the orientation of the pen 88 relative to the housing. However, this frictional engagement of the sleeve 90 and pen 88 is minimal such that a user may easily overcome the friction to axially translate the pen 88 for adjusting the spray pattern or interchanging pens 88. Accordingly, sleeve 90 may be formed of an elastomeric material.
With reference now to
When the followers 98 are oriented at the forward peaks of the cam track 102, as illustrated in
In summary, the present invention allows a user to experience the benefits, such as adjustability, quality of flow, portability and various color combinations, typically provided in a high end airbrush product, incorporated into a unitary low cost, ergonomically designed airbrush.
While embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it is not intended that these embodiments illustrate and describe all possible forms of the invention. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
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| Number | Date | Country | |
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| 20040069869 A1 | Apr 2004 | US |
