Claims
- 1. A handheld apparatus for spraying a fluid material, comprising:
a plurality of spray nozzles; a manifold supporting said spray nozzles; and a handle coupled to said manifold; said handle having a least a portion positioned at an offset angle in relation to a longitudinal axis through said manifold.
- 2. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said handle comprises a fluid feed tube.
- 3. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said handle includes an arcuate section.
- 4. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said offset angle is fixed.
- 5. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said offset angle is adjustable.
- 6. An apparatus as recited in claim 5, further comprising means for adjusting said offset angle.
- 7. An apparatus as recited in claim 6, further comprising an arcuate section of feed tubing said means for adjusting said offset angle and said manifold.
- 8. An apparatus as recited in claim 6 or 7, wherein said means for adjusting said offset angle comprises a swivel adapted for internal fluid flow through said swivel.
- 10. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising:
means fluidically coupled to at least one said nozzle for receiving a pressurized fluid, allowing said fluid to flow when the pressure of the fluid exceeds a bias level, and preventing fluid flow when the pressure of the fluid falls below the bias level.
- 11. An apparatus as recited in claim 10, wherein said means for receiving a pressurized fluid, allowing said fluid flow to flow when the pressure of the fluid exceeds a bias level, and preventing fluid flow when the pressure of the fluid falls below the bias level, comprises:
a valve body; said valve body having an intake port, a central channel and an output port; a valve seat disposed within said central channel; and a biased valve head; said valve head configured to allow fluid to flow between said intake port and said output port when the pressure of said fluid is sufficient to overcome the bias on said valve head; said valve head configured to engage said valve seat when the pressure of the flow of fluid drops to a level insufficient to overcome the bias on said valve head.
- 12. An apparatus as recited in claim 11, further comprising:
means for increasing and decreasing said bias level on said valve head.
- 13. An apparatus as recited in claim 12, wherein said means for increasing and decreasing the bias on said valve head comprises:
a spring configured to be adjustably compressed; and means for adjusting the compression of said spring.
- 14. An apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein said means for adjusting the compression of said spring comprises a rotatable member positioned in said valve body.
- 15. A handheld apparatus for spraying a fluid material, comprising:
a plurality of spray nozzles; a manifold supporting said spray nozzles; a handle coupled to said manifold; said handle having a least a portion positioned at an offset angle in relation to a longitudinal axis through said manifold; and means fluidically coupled to at least one said spray nozzle for receiving a pressurized fluid, allowing said fluid to flow when the pressure of the fluid exceeds a bias level, and preventing fluid flow when the pressure of the fluid falls below the bias level.
- 16. An apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein said means for receiving a pressurized fluid, allowing said fluid flow to flow when the pressure of the fluid exceeds a bias level, and preventing fluid flow when the pressure of the fluid falls below the bias level, comprises:
a valve body; said valve body having an intake port, a central channel and an output port; a valve seat disposed within said central channel; and a biased valve head; said valve head configured to allow fluid to flow between said intake port and said output port when the pressure of said fluid is sufficient to overcome the bias on said valve head; said valve head configured to engage said valve seat when the pressure of the flow of fluid drops to a level insufficient to overcome the bias on said valve head.
- 17. An apparatus as recited in claim 16, further comprising:
means for increasing and decreasing said bias level on said valve head.
- 18. An apparatus as recited in claim 17, wherein said means for increasing and decreasing the bias on said valve head comprises:
a spring configured to be adjustably compressed; and means for adjusting the compression of said spring.
- 19. An apparatus as recited in claim 18, wherein said means for adjusting the compression of said spring comprises a rotatable member positioned in said valve body.
- 20. An apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein said handle comprises a fluid feed tube.
- 21. An apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein said handle includes an arcuate section.
- 22. An apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein said offset angle is fixed.
- 23. An apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein said offset angle is adjustable.
- 24. An apparatus as recited in claim 23, further comprising means for adjusting said offset angle.
- 25. An apparatus as recited in claim 24, further comprising an arcuate section of feed tubing said means for adjusting said offset angle and said manifold.
- 26. An apparatus as recited in claim 24 or 25, wherein said means for adjusting said offset angle comprises a swivel adapted for internal fluid flow through said swivel.
- 27. A handheld apparatus for spraying a fluid material, comprising:
a plurality of spray nozzles; a manifold supporting said spray nozzles; a handle coupled to said manifold; said handle having a least a portion positioned at an offset angle in relation to a longitudinal axis through said manifold; and an anti-sputter flow control mechanism fluidically coupled to at least one said spray nozzle; said at least one anti-sputter flow control mechanism comprising
(i) a valve body having an intake port, a central channel and an output port, (ii) a valve seat disposed within said central channel, and (iii) a biased valve head configured to allow fluid to flow between said intake port and said output port when the pressure of said fluid is sufficient to overcome the bias on said valve head, and further configured to engage said valve seat when the pressure of the flow of fluid drops to a level insufficient to overcome the bias on said valve head.
- 28. An apparatus as recited in claim 27, further comprising:
means for increasing and decreasing said bias level on said valve head.
- 29. An apparatus as recited in claim 28, wherein said means for increasing and decreasing the bias on said valve head comprises:
a spring configured to be adjustably compressed; and means for adjusting the compression of said spring.
- 30. An apparatus as recited in claim 29, wherein said means for adjusting the compression of said spring comprises a rotatable member positioned in said valve body.
- 31. An apparatus as recited in claim 27, wherein said handle comprises a fluid feed tube.
- 32. An apparatus as recited in claim 27, wherein said handle includes an arcuate section.
- 33. An apparatus as recited in claim 27, wherein said offset angle is fixed.
- 34. An apparatus as recited in claim 27, wherein said offset angle is adjustable.
- 35. An apparatus as recited in claim 34, further comprising means for adjusting said offset angle.
- 36. An apparatus as recited in claim 35, further comprising an arcuate section of feed tubing said means for adjusting said offset angle and said manifold.
- 37. An apparatus as recited in claim 35 or 36, wherein said means for adjusting said offset angle comprises a swivel adapted for internal fluid flow through said swivel.
- 38. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, 15 or 27, further comprising means for coupling and decoupling said handle to a source of pressurized fluid.
- 39. An apparatus as recited in claim 38, wherein said means for coupling and decoupling said handle to a source of pressurized fluid comprises a separable union.
- 40. An apparatus as recited in claim 39, wherein said union comprises:
a base member having an axial bore; a seal having an axial bore; and a collar configured to reversibly couple with said base member to facilitate alignment of said bores and engagement of said seal and said base member.
- 41. An apparatus as recited in claim 40, wherein said seal has at least one frustoconical surface.
- 42. An apparatus as recited in claim 40, further comprising a filter positioned within said base member.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority from U.S. provisional application serial No. 60/437,365 filed on Dec. 31, 2002, incorporated herein by reference.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60437365 |
Dec 2002 |
US |