The present invention generally relates to sprayers, and more particularly to a hose end sprayer, and still more particularly to a hose end sprayer having accurate mixing ratios while requiring no press fit parts.
Fluid injection systems, such as sprayers, may suffer from a number of drawbacks. First, current systems may fail to accurately inject product at a desired rate and concentration. For instance, some systems require continuous dilution of the product within the container prior to spraying of the mixture. As a result, the concentration of product being dispensed decreases over time. These and other systems are also unable to inject small, continuous quantities of product into the feeder fluid so as to produce a diluted product at low concentration. Instead, such systems periodically inject discrete aliquots of product into the fluid stream. Alternative systems divert a portion of the feeder fluid from the fluid path and use this portion to push product out of the container and into the fluid stream. However, such systems require multiple components making adjustment of the feed rate and resultant dilution difficult and timely.
Prior art hose end spray heads, such as that generally indicated by reference numeral 10 in
Pressurized fluid, such as water received from a garden hose and hose nozzle 2 (see
To compensate for fluctuations in the water pressure of the water being received at inlet end 22 from the garden hose, inlet end 22 may include a tapered counterbore (countersink) 30 which receives a flow restriction element, such as insert 32 therein. Insert 32 defines a restriction passage 34 therethrough and is mounted within counterbore 30 through an interference fit such that an expanded zone 36 is defined between insert 32, counterbore 30 and the reduced diameter of first longitudinal bore 16. Insert 32 (restriction passage 34), in conjunction with expanded zone 36, may then compensate for pressure fluctuations without a resultant change in flow velocity of the water being injected into hose end spray head 10. As is known in the art, the size and spatial relationships of restriction passage 34, expanded zone 36 and first longitudinal bore 16 are critical for proper fluctuation compensation. That is, if insert 32 is too close to intersection 30a, expanded zone 36 does not provide sufficient volume or time to dissipate the increased pressure of the water to the desired near-steady-state pressure, and instead inlets water into sloped region 20 at fluctuating pressures/flow rates. Conversely, if insert 32 is too far away from intersection 30a, water pressure may increase within expanded zone 36 which, again, inlets water into sloped region 20 at fluctuating pressures/flow rates.
As shown in
With reference to the above description, it should be noted that prior art hose end spray head 10 is susceptible to a number of drawbacks. By way of example and without limitation thereto, one such drawback is the difficulty in properly aligning narrow bore portion 28a of second radial bore 28 with first radial bore 26 and sloped region 20. That is, second radial bore 28 is not drilled and reamed until after flow tube 12 is fitted within sprayer body 14. As described above, first longitudinal bore 16, second longitudinal bore 18 and sloped region 20 have already been drilled and reamed within flow tube 12. Again, the intersection of narrow bore portion 28a with respect to sloped region 20 is critical in forming the vacuum which operates to draw liquid concentrate 6 through narrow bore portion 28a. Thus, the location of sloped region 20 within the undrilled sprayer body 14 must be carefully monitored as flow tube 12 is being fitted with sprayer body 14. If narrow bore portion 28a is improperly aligned with sloped region 20, injection of liquid concentrate will be inefficient, if not prevented altogether.
As a further drawback, insert 32 and injection insert 38 are both interference fit (e.g., through a pressure fit) within their respective counterbores 30, 28b. As a result, one or both inserts may be misaligned or mislocated should the insert shift during fitting or should pressure be applied unequally across the fitting. As described above, the location and orientation of insert 32 is to critical to the proper performance of inlet end 22, particularly when subjected to fluctuations in fluid pressure, while the location and orientation of injection insert 38 determines, in part, the injection (and thus concentration) of the liquid concentrate within the fluid outflow. Thus, any misalignment or mislocation may severely (and negatively) impact the performance of the hose end spray head.
Thus, there remains a need for a hose end spray head having no pressure fit components that also provides improved accuracy and repeatability of solution mixing ratios. The present invention satisfies these, as well as other, needs.
In view of the above and in accordance with an aspect of the present invention, the present invention is generally directed to a hose end spray head apparatus configured for use with a container holding a product to be sprayed while the hose end spray head apparatus is mounted onto a hose nozzle. The hose end spray head apparatus comprises a spread head body and a hose coupling. The spray head body comprises a mixing body and a spray outlet arm formed as a unitary construction. The mixing body has a top surface, a bottom surface and a sidewall extending therebetween with the bottom surface being adapted to mount onto the container. The spray outlet arm extends outwardly from the mixing body and includes a transverse longitudinal spray bore extending through the spray outlet arm and the mixing body. A first end of the spray bore is configured to discharge a mixed fluid therefrom and a second end of the spray bore defines a first set of threads. A first radial sidewall bore extends from the sidewall to the spray bore while a first offset top surface bore extends from the top surface to the first radial sidewall bore. The spray head body further includes a plug in sealing engagement within the first radial sidewall bore between the first offset top surface bore and the sidewall. The spray bore communicates with atmosphere via the first radial sidewall bore and the first offset top surface bore.
An axial bottom surface bore extends from the bottom surface to the spray bore and is configured to draw the product from the container so as to inject the product into the spray bore. A second radial sidewall bore is configured to communicate an open interior of the container with atmosphere. The hose coupling has a first end engaged with the first set of threads of the second end of the spray bore within the mixing body to secure the hose coupling to the mixing body. The hose coupling also defines a transverse longitudinal inlet bore in fluid communication with the spray bore. A second end of the hose coupling is configured to mount to a fluid supply whereby a fluid is communicated to the spray bore and mixed with the product injected from the container through the axial bottom surface bore to form the mixed fluid which is discharged through the first end of the spray bore. Additionally, the second end of the hose coupling is configured to mount to a conventional garden hose.
In a further aspect of the present invention, the hose end spray head apparatus further includes a rotary dial rotatably mounted onto the top surface of the mixing body. The rotary dial has a plurality of circumferentially spaced holes extending therethrough, wherein successive holes of the plurality of circumferentially spaces holes have an increasing hole diameter. A single selected hole of the plurality of circumferentially spaces holes aligns with the first offset top surface bore at a time. The plurality of circumferentially spaced holes selectively varies an amount of air drawn into the spray bore through the first offset top surface bore. The rotary dial may also define a plurality of circumferentially spaced recesses within a bottom face of the rotary dial, with a respective recess of the plurality of circumferentially spaced recesses coinciding with a respective hole of the plurality of circumferentially spaced holes. The mixing body may then further define a second offset top surface bore and the hose end spray head apparatus may further include a detent mounted within the second offset top surface bore. The detent engages a selected recess of the plurality of circumferentially spaced recesses when the single selected hole of the plurality of circumferentially spaces holes aligns with the first offset top surface bore. The detent may include a spring loaded bearing wherein the bearing is yieldingly retained with the selected recess of the plurality of circumferentially spaced recesses.
In another aspect of the present invention, the axial bottom surface bore is defined by a first inner diameter and a second inner diameter smaller than the first inner diameter, wherein the second inner diameter couples the first inner diameter with the spray bore. The hose end spray head apparatus may further include an adapter proportioned to be received within the axial bottom surface bore and defining a longitudinal adapter bore therethrough having a third inner diameter smaller than the second inner diameter of the axial bottom surface bore.
Additional objects, advantages and novel aspects of the present invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and will in part become apparent to those in the practice of the invention, when considered with the attached figures.
Referring now to the drawings, and with particular reference to
With additional reference to
As shown most clearly in
With reference to
With continued reference to
To selectively meter the amount of air drawn into spray bore 134 via first offset top surface bore 140, mixing body portion 124 may further include a rotary dial 148 rotatably mounted onto top surface 126 of mixing body portion 124, such as via a bolt 149a and wave spring 149b. Rotary dial 148 defines a plurality of circumferentially spaced holes 150 extending therethrough. Each successive hole of the plurality of circumferentially spaced holes 150 has an increasing hole diameter. When rotary dial 148 is properly mounted onto top surface 126, only a single selected hole 150a of the plurality of circumferentially spaced holes 150 aligns with first offset top surface bore 140 at a time. Thus, by selectively positioning rotary dial 148 to place the desired selected hole 150a in alignment, the volume of air drawn into spray bore 134 through first offset top surface bore 140 is regulated, which in turn changes the magnitude of the induced vacuum created within spray bore 134 proximate stepped junction 135, which in turn changes the amount of liquid concentrate 6 drawn through tube 4 into spray bore 134, which results in a mixed solution having a user-selected dilution factor. An O-ring seal 151 may be placed between rotary dial 148 and top surface 126 to prevent air leakage therebetween. Rotary dial 148 may include a plurality of indicia 152 wherein a respective indicia 152′ corresponds to a respective hole 150′.
In a further aspect of the present invention, rotary dial 148 may further define a plurality of circumferentially spaced recesses 154 defined within a bottom face 148a of rotary dial 148. Each respective recess of the plurality of circumferentially spaced recesses 154 coincides with a respective hole of said plurality of circumferentially spaced holes 150. Mixing body portion 124 may then further define a second offset top surface bore 156. A detent 158 may be mounted within second offset top surface bore 156 such that detent 158 engages a selected recess 154a of the plurality of circumferentially spaced recesses 154 when the single selected hole 150a aligns with first offset top surface bore 140, as described above. In one non-limiting example detent 158 may include a spring 160 loaded bearing 162, with bearing 162 being yieldingly retained within selected recess 154a.
In a further aspect of the present invention, with reference to
The foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of the invention has been presented for the purpose of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive nor is it intended to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the disclosed embodiments may be modified in light of the above teachings. The embodiments described are chosen to provide an illustration of principles of the invention and its practical application to enable thereby one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. Therefore, the foregoing description is to be considered exemplary, rather than limiting, and the true scope of the invention is that described in the following claims.
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Entry |
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All4UGood, LLC; “Coil gun, hose nozzle sprayer, 2 qt.”, www.all4ugood.com/Coil-gun-hose-nozzle-sprayer-2-qt-_p_15403.html (Accessed Dec. 2, 2019). |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20210245183 A1 | Aug 2021 | US |