Patent Application
20080031677
a and 3b are respectively a front and a side view of an applicator assembly according to at least one embodiment of the invention;
Detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale, some figures may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for the claims and/or as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention.
Referring to the drawings,
The user may carry a packback 32 with a tank 34 which holds a liquid 36. The tank 34 may be constructed from a variety of materials and processes such as blow molded plastic, injection molded and welded plastic, thermoformed plastic, welded formed sheet metal or any other suitable material and process known by those skilled in the art. The liquid 36 may be a wax, soap, cleaner, finish, shampoo, water or mixture thereof, high solids mixture, stain, paint, dye, adhesive, sealant, or any other suitable liquid for flooring. The user 14 may carry the backpack 32 on his back via straps 38 which may be attached to the backpack 32. The packback may be constructed of any material suitable for carrying and supporting the load of the tank 34 filled with the liquid 36. The liquid 36 may be delivered from the tank 34 to the floor surface 12 via a liquid feed conduit 40. Additionally, the user 14 may have viewable contact of the proximate floor surface 12 including the top surface of the head 30 comprising a structural base 42.
Referring to
The mop layer 44 may be viewed broadly and include both non-absorbing and absorbing materials that offer some level of liquid displacement capability. Some examples of mop layer materials may be cotton, synthetic or natural fabric, microfiber pads, rubber, laminated construction, foam, synthetic and/or natural fiber or any other suitable material known by those skilled in the art. The mop layer 44 may also be constructed out of a compressible flexible material, while in some applications, a stiffer less compressible material may be desired. Additionally, the mop layer 44 may be removably attached to the structural base 42 by a mechanical means, tacky adhesive or Velcro 58 disposed between the mop layer 44 and the structural base 42. Other suitable removable attachment means known by those skilled in the art may also be employed.
The head 30 has a head opening 46 that extends through the top surface and the bottom surface. The head has a forward edge 48 and a rearward edge 50. The head opening 46 is disposed between the forward edge 48 and a rearward edge 50. A nozzle 52, capable of dispensing the liquid 36, is disposed adjacent to the head 30 and aligned with the head opening 46 such that the nozzle 52 is viewable from the top surface of the head 30 and dispenses the liquid 36 through the head opening 46 onto the floor surface 12. In at least one embodiment, the nozzle 52 may be connected to a manifold 54, proximate to the head opening 46 and include a plurality of nozzles 52 spaced apart and capable of dispensing the liquid 36. At least one of the nozzles 52, is viewable from the top surface of the head 30 and the plurality of nozzles 52 dispenses the liquid 36 through the head opening 46 onto the floor 12. The head opening 46 may be elongated and possibly matched with an elongated head 30. This elongated design may allow for more efficient packaging of the manifold 54, dispensing of the liquid 36 onto the floor surface 12 and subsequent spreading of the liquid 36 on the floor surface 12. In at least one embodiment, a generally planar head 30 is provided where the head opening 46 and the head 30 are elongated in a substantially parallel direction and the ratio of the elongated dimension of the head opening 46 to the head 30 is greater than 0.7 and the ratio in the perpendicular direction of the head opening 46 to the head 30 is less than 0.3. The manifold 54 may also include a clear tube which further allows viewing of the liquid 36 from the top surface of the head 30 so that the user 14 may be visually aware of the dispensing liquid 36.
The elongated handle 20 may be attached to the head 30 by a pivotal connection 56. The pivotal connection 56 may allow added freedom in maneuvering the head on the floor surface 12, as for example, in tightly crowded working spaces. Other fixed and pivotal attachments known by those skilled in the art may also be used to connect the elongated handle 20 to any suitable position on the head 30.
Referring to
The applicator assembly 10 further comprises a regulating valve 70, shown in this embodiment as a plunger device 70, but may include other valve configurations known by those skilled in the art. The plunger device 70 is shown in more detail as a sectional view in
Referring to
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.
