Patent Application
20200129035
The present disclosure generally relates to a disposable spray nozzle design used in a liquid spraying system.
Spray mops or cleaning solution dispensing mops have been used to clean various floor surfaces for many years. In some applications, a nozzle head may be used on a spray mop for maintaining fluid communication with a liquid source (e.g., a cleaning solution bottle) and distributing the liquid over an area through a spray opening. However, one of the most common and frustrating difficulties encountered during the use of this type mops is the tendency of the fluid conducting passages of the nozzle head, particularly the spray opening carrying and dispensing various concentrated chemical solutions, to become clogged. This condition may result from the build-up of particles of chemical solutions by corrosion of the passage walls of the nozzle head or an accretion or deposition of dirt, grime and particles of viscous chemical solutions within the passages. In many instances, regular cleaning and repair are difficult or unavailable due to the lack of access to these clogged portions of the nozzle head. As a result, partial blockages of passages of the nozzle head may result in an irregular and coarse spray of the spray mop, whereas full blockages may completely interrupt fluid flow rendering the spray mop inoperable. In fact, such blockages may occur in any liquid spraying system (e.g., a crop spraying system, fountain, humidifier, coating or paint spray) that uses a nozzle head for distributing liquid over an area through a spray opening.
Accordingly, there is a need for a nozzle head design used on a spraying system to accommodate the use of, e.g., more viscous or harsh chemical solutions and provide an easy and simple way for a user to replace a clogged nozzle head thereby improving the efficiency and extending the life of the spraying system.
The present disclosure discloses a disposable nozzle, comprising: a hollow cylindrical body having an inlet upstream end configured to receive a flow of liquid and an outlet downstream end for distributing the flow of liquid in a desired spray pattern; and attachment means configured to removably couple the disposable nozzle to an spraying system.
In one aspect, the attachment means may be configured to removably couple the disposable nozzle to the spraying system via a fluid passageway of the spraying system, wherein an outer diameter of the hollow cylindrical body is less than an inner diameter of the fluid passageway of the spraying system. The disposable nozzle may comprise a circular groove positioned near the inlet upstream end of the hollow cylindrical body for receiving an annular sealing member. The annular sealing member is configured to provide a tight seal engagement between the hollow cylindrical body and the fluid passageway of the spraying system and prevent liquid leakage downstream therefrom.
In another aspect, the attachment means may comprise a pair of radially extending and diametrically opposed stops positioned on a selected position on an outer surface of the hollow cylindrical body in a downstream direction of the annular sealing member. The fluid passageway of the spraying system may comprise a pair of diametrically spaced L-shaped slots, each L-shaped slot including a first portion that is substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the fluid passageway and a second portion implemented on a circumference of the fluid passageway. Further, the first portion of each L-shaped slot may comprise an opening for receiving each stop when the hollow cylindrical body of the disposable nozzle is inserted into the fluid passageway. The second portion of each L-shaped slot may comprise an end wall for locking and retaining each stop. A circumferential distance of the second portion of each L-shaped slot may be greater than or at least equal to that of each stop. A thickness of a cylindrical wall of the fluid passageway may progressively decrease from an upstream end towards a downstream end. A height of each stop of the hollow cylindrical body in a radial direction may be less than or equal to a thickness of the end wall of the second portion of a respective L-shaped slot.
In another aspect, the outlet downstream end of the hollow cylindrical body may comprise a nozzle opening for distributing the flow of liquid in the desired spray pattern. The outlet downstream end of the hollow cylindrical body may also comprise an outer cylindrical shell having a plurality of longitudinal ribs implemented thereon. The hollow cylindrical body of the disposable nozzle may be configured to have an internal diameter progressively decreasing from the inlet upstream end to the outlet downstream end.
The above simplified summary of example aspects serves to provide a basic understanding of the present disclosure. This summary is not an extensive overview of all contemplated aspects, and is intended to neither identify key or critical elements of all aspects nor delineate the scope of any or all aspects of the present disclosure. Its sole purpose is to present one or more aspects in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description of the disclosure that follows. To the accomplishment of the foregoing, the one or more aspects of the present disclosure include the features described and exemplary pointed out in the claims.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated into and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate one or more example aspects of the present disclosure and, together with the detailed description, serve to explain their principles and implementations.
Various aspects of the disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to promote a thorough understanding of one or more aspects of the disclosure. It may be evident in some or all instances, however, that any aspects described below can be practiced without adopting the specific design details described below.
Referring to
In one aspect, the bottle reservoir 110 on the lower pole section 106 may receive and retain a cleaning liquid bottle 202, as shown in
When a user clenches the spray trigger 104, cleaning liquid may be drawn out of the bottle 202. The spray trigger 104 may be pivotably mounted to the handle 116 with a proximal end where it attaches the handle 116 and a distal end on the opposite side. The trigger 104 and handle 116 may be arranged such that a user's palm can rest on the top of the handle 116 and one or more of the user's fingers can clench the trigger 104 to pivot the distal end in a direction toward the handle 116. The distal end is in contact with an internal shaft (not shown), which is disposed within the upper and lower pole sections 102 and 106. As the distal end pivots during actuation of the trigger 104, it may depress the internal shaft to move it in a downward direction to open a valve of the bottle adaptor. As a result, the cleaning liquid stored in the bottle 202 is drawn out, exits the nozzle 112, and is sprayed onto the floor surface in front of the mop 100. When the user releases the spray trigger 104, the internal shaft may be moved upward by a reload spring and air enters the bottle 202 above the level of the cleaning liquid contained therein, thereby preventing the cleaning liquid from dripping from the bottle 202. Through this process, a flow path may be created in the mop 100 that can repeatedly direct cleaning liquid to flow from the bottle 202 and exit the bottle reservoir 110 through the nozzle 112 in response to each actuation of the spray trigger 104.
As shown in
In accordance with aspects of the present disclosure, nozzle 112 may be configured to be disposable, changeable and removable in order to accommodate the use of more viscous fluids or chemicals through a spraying system and replace nozzle for multiple uses. For example, nozzle 112 may be removed from its associated spraying system (e.g., spray mop 100) and replaced with a new nozzle by a user without difficulties or professional assistance, thereby providing an easy and simple way for the user to troubleshoot the corresponding spraying system if a full or partial blockage of the nozzle 112 occurs.
Nozzle 112 may have any suitable shape and structure to emit a spray through a nozzle opening 502 with a desired fluid distribution pattern on a floor surface for cleaning. In one embodiment, as shown in
In accordance with aspects of the present application, nozzle 112 may include attachment means configured to allow nozzle 112 to be removably coupled to the underlying spraying system. For example, as shown in
To replace nozzle 112, a user may grip and rotate the outer cylindrical shell 512 of nozzle 112 to slide the pair of radially extending and diametrically opposed stops 518 out of respective L-shaped slots 520. The annular sealing member 516 may be removed out of the passageway 506 of water cover 402 as a unit with nozzle 112.
Configurations of nozzle 112 and the passageway 506 of water cover 402 described herein may comprise a series of portions with geometric features configured to accommodate the use of, e.g., more viscous or harsh chemical solutions and provide an easy and simple way for a user to replace a clogged nozzle head. It should be appreciated that nozzle 112 and the passageway 506 of water cover 402 may be releasably coupled with each other using any suitable coupling technique (e.g., snap-fit engagement). As a result, connecting portions of nozzle 112 and the passageway 506 may meet at an interface such that fluid flows from one portion to another. At some interfaces, fluid may undergo a rapid expansion or contraction where radii of connecting portions are different. At other interfaces, radii of connecting portions may be substantially equal, such that expansion or contraction of fluid flow may be gradual. In another embodiment, nozzle 112 and/or the passageway of water cover 402 may be configured to have an internal diameter that decreases as cleaning fluid approaches the nozzle opening 502. The decrease in internal diameter may increase the velocity of the fluid exiting the nozzle opening 502.
The above description of the disclosure is provided to enable a person skilled in the art to make or use the disclosure. Various modifications to the disclosure will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the common principles defined herein may be applied to other variations without departing from the spirit or scope of the disclosure.
Furthermore, although elements of the described aspects and/or embodiments may be described or claimed in the singular, the plural is contemplated unless limitation to the singular is explicitly stated. Additionally, all or a portion of any aspect and/or embodiment may be utilized with all or a portion of any other aspect and/or embodiment, unless stated otherwise. Thus, the disclosure is not to be limited to the examples and designs described herein but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.
