Patent Application
20130264361
The present invention is generally related to aerosol or liquid sprayers or spray cans such as air fresheners, deodorizers, etc., and more particular to an electrical valve control device for application to such an aerosol or liquid sprayer.
The engagement of a conventional automatic sprayer e, as shown in
After the motor is activated and through the first and second transmission gears b and c, the fan-shaped gear d swings downward and the extension d1 pushes the nozzle e1. As such, the content inside the sprayer e is sprayed through the nozzle e1. After the motor stops, the nozzle e1 restores itself and raises the fan-shaped gear d, so as to wait for its next engagement. Alternatively, the motor is reversed by a control circuit so that the fan-shaped gear d is restored to its original position.
The above design can indeed achieve the engagement of the sprayer. However, the design cannot control how much is sprayed from the sprayer. Usually this is achieved by a valve beneath the nozzle e1 that will be closed when a certain amount of spray is reached. Then, even though the nozzle e1 is still pressed, no more spray is delivered. The disadvantage is that the cost of the valve has to be bore by the sprayer manufacturer.
Therefore, a major objective of the present invention is to provide a novel electrical valve control device for a sprayer that is easy to assembly, convenient to use, and inexpensive to manufacture.
To achieve the objective, the electrical valve control device contains a cover member and a base member that are matched and joined together. A motor is joined to the outer surface of the cover member. The motor's axle is configured with an axial gear and threads through the cover member. A transmission gear having a track around its axle engages the axial gear. A valve assembly has a nozzle and a plug tube pointing at opposite directions. The valve assembly further has a channel perpendicular to and connected to the plug tube at one end. The other end of the channel is an open end and is in the same space as the nozzle. A cover piece is positioned in front of the open end of the channel. The cover piece is joined to a first end of a shaft threading through a helical spring. A second end of the shaft is connected to a first end of a lever. A pin is extended from the second end of the lever and is embedded in the transmission gear's track. As such, the transmission gear drives the lever which in turn engages the shaft so that the cover piece is moved away from the channel.
Preferably, the track on the transmission gear is a spiral track.
Preferably, a ring is configured at the second end of the lever that surrounds the axle of the transmission gear.
Preferably, a fastening ring is plugged into the plug tube, and the plug tube and the fastening ring are altogether threaded into a joining tube.
Preferably, two positioning beams are extended from an outer surface of the cover member, each positioning beam has a hook at a top end, and the two positioning beams jointly fasten the motor to the outer surface of the cover member.
Preferably, a pin is configured on an inner surface of the cover member for the axially mounting of the transmission gear.
Preferably, two openings are configured on the cover and base members at corresponding locations, respectively, so as to allow the nozzle and the joining tube of the valve assembly to thread through.
Preferably, an L-shaped tube is configured on the nozzle so as to alter the direction of spray.
The advantages of the present invention over the prior art are as follows.
First, the amount of spray is controlled by the duration of the cover piece's opening the channel, which is in turn controlled by the up and down movement of the lever's ring as the motor's axial gear drives the transmission gear as well as the spiral track.
Secondly, with an L-shaped tube mounted on the nozzle, the spray direction can be altered and adjusted.
The foregoing objectives and summary provide only a brief introduction to the present invention. To fully appreciate these and other objects of the present invention as well as the invention itself, all of which will become apparent to those skilled in the art, the following detailed description of the invention and the claims should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Throughout the specification and drawings identical reference numerals refer to identical or similar parts.
Many other advantages and features of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example.
The following descriptions are exemplary embodiments only, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the following description provides a convenient illustration for implementing exemplary embodiments of the invention. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made in the function and arrangement of the elements described without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.
As shown in
As shown in
Furthermore, the nozzle 186 can be plugged into an L-shaped tube 188 so as to alter the direction of the aerosol released.
While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claim, it is not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.
