Patent Application
20180326437
The present disclosure is generally related to pumping devices and more particularly is related to an on-demand, inline, adjustable PSI commercial grade battery-powered fluid pump apparatus with manual pump option.
Fluid chemicals are used as pesticides, fungicides, insecticides, and related items to exterminate and prevent the presence of pests in various environments. Frequently, fluid chemicals are contained in tanks or containers having integrated pumping devices, such as manually-operated pumping devices like plunger handles, or automated pumping devices such as motorized pumping devices. For example, a pump tank holding chemical pesticides is commonly used for the industrial or commercial pest control industry, as well as larger termite rigs or grander landscaping tanks. These integrated pumping devices operate by pressurizing the air contained within the tank which creates a pressurized force on the fluid chemical within the tank. When an outlet of the tank is opened, the pressurized air forces the fluid chemical out of the outlet.
This type of system, however, has numerous shortcomings. For one, pressurizing the air within a tank requires a great deal of energy due to the large volume of space within the tank, which only increase as fluid chemical is expelled from the tank. Thus, the integrated pumping device must often operate on a continual basis as the fluid is expelled, which is inefficient from a power consumption standpoint, and can require significant physical effort for users to continually pump the manually-operated pressurization devices. Additionally, as soon as the fluid chemical is expelled from the tank, the air pressure within the tank decreases due to the relationship between the quantity of fluid expelled and the resulting increase in volume within the tank. As a result, the pressure level at which the fluid is expelled is difficult to regulate and maintain. This difficulty is not trivial, as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has guidelines which dictate the pressure level (PSI) at which certain chemical fluid pesticides should be sprayed in various settings. For example, when spraying indoors, many chemical pesticides must be sprayed at 20 PSI which is difficult to achieve and maintain with air-pressurization pumping systems.
Thus, a heretofore unaddressed need exists in the industry to address the aforementioned deficiencies and inadequacies.
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide an automated chemical fluid applicator apparatus and related systems and methods. Briefly described, in architecture, one embodiment of the apparatus, among others, can be implemented as follows. A container holds a quantity of fluid chemical. The container has an integrated pressurization device for pressurizing the quantity of fluid chemical at a first pressure level, and an outlet for releasing at least a portion of the quantity of fluid chemical. A portable, battery-powered fluid pumping apparatus is retrofitable to the container. The portable, battery-powered fluid pumping apparatus has a housing having at least one fluid inlet port and at least one fluid outlet port, wherein the at least one fluid inlet port is connectable to the outlet of the container. A liquid diaphragm pump is positioned within the housing. A battery is removably connectable to a battery terminal connector formed on the housing, wherein the battery powers the liquid diaphragm pump. A control switch is positioned on the housing, wherein activation of the control switch engages the liquid diaphragm pump to expel the quantity of fluid chemical in the first pressure level received from the at least one fluid inlet port through the at least one fluid outlet port at a second pressure level, wherein the second pressure level is greater than the first pressure level.
The present disclosure can also be viewed as providing a portable, battery-powered fluid pumping apparatus. Briefly described, in architecture, one embodiment of the apparatus, among others, can be implemented as follows. A housing has at least one fluid inlet port and at least one fluid outlet port. A liquid diaphragm pump is positioned within the housing. A battery is removably connectable to a battery terminal connector formed on the housing, wherein the battery powers the liquid diaphragm pump. A control switch is positioned on the housing, wherein activation of the control switch engages the liquid diaphragm pump to expel a quantity of fluid received from the at least one fluid inlet port through the at least one fluid outlet port in a pressurized state.
The present disclosure can also be viewed as providing a method of applying fluid chemical in a pressurized state to a surrounding environment. In this regard, one embodiment of such a method, among others, can be broadly summarized by the following steps: providing a container holding a quantity of fluid chemical, the container having an integrated pressurization device for pressurizing the quantity of fluid chemical, and an outlet for releasing at least a portion of the quantity of fluid chemical; and retrofitting a portable, battery-powered fluid pumping apparatus to the container, the portable, battery-powered fluid pumping apparatus having: a housing having at least one fluid inlet port and at least one fluid outlet port, wherein the at least one fluid inlet port is connectable to the outlet of the container; a liquid diaphragm pump positioned within the housing; a battery removably connectable to a battery terminal connector formed on the housing, wherein the battery powers the liquid diaphragm pump; and a control switch positioned on the housing; and expelling the quantity of fluid chemical within the container from at least one outlet port of the portable, battery-powered fluid pumping apparatus in a pressurized state, wherein the pressurized state is created by any of: the integrated pressurization device alone; the liquid diaphragm pump alone; and a combination of the integrated pressurization device and the liquid diaphragm pump.
Other systems, methods, features, and advantages of the present disclosure will be or become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following drawings and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features, and advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of the present disclosure, and be protected by the accompanying claims.
Many aspects of the disclosure can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present disclosure. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.
The apparatus 10 overcomes the shortcomings of the conventional devices described in the Background by allowing the fluid chemical 12 to be expelled at an accurate and consistent pressure level, which meets the regulations put forth by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other oversight organizations pertaining to the application of fluid chemicals in pesticide operations. Furthermore, the use of a battery-powered device over that of a hardwired, plugged-in, or manually operated device allows the apparatus 10 to be transported to virtually any location without limitation, and allows for proper application of the fluid chemical 12 without significant manual effort, such as that required by manually-operated devices. Additionally, the apparatus 10 can function to pressurize the chemical fluid 12 under various constraints, such as loss of battery power. For example, the chemical fluid 12 can be pressurized with just the integrated pressurization device 22, or with just the liquid diaphragm pump 50, or with a combination of the integrated pressurization device 22 and the liquid diaphragm pump 50. Thus, a user can rely on the integrated pressurization device 22 when the battery 60 experiences a power depletion or the user can rely on the liquid diaphragm pump 50 operated by the battery 60 to sidestep the use of a manually-pumped integrated pressurization device 22, as shown in
As shown in
The portable, battery-powered fluid pumping apparatus 30 may include a housing 40 that is manufactured from durable materials such as plastics and metals, such that the housing 40 provides protection to the internal components of the portable, battery-powered fluid pumping apparatus 30. The liquid diaphragm pump 50 may be positioned fully or partially within the housing 40, and in most cases will have at least a portion thereof positioned external of the housing 40 to allow for proper ventilation and cooling of the liquid diaphragm pump 50. Any number of outlet ports 44 may be located on the housing 40, including an upper outlet port 44 located on a top side of the housing 40 and a lower outlet port 44 located on a bottom side of the housing 40. The inlet and outlet ports 42, 44 may include any type of fluid tubing or piping connection, such as threaded connections, press-on or snap-fit connections, or other mechanical connections to allow for various tubing, pipes, and hoses to be secured thereto.
The housing 40 of the portable, battery-powered fluid pumping apparatus 30 may further include an integrated battery terminal connector 62 which may be molded into the body of the housing 40 or otherwise attached to the housing 40. The battery terminal connector 62, as further discussed relative to
Once the chemical fluid 12 has achieved the desired pressure level within the portable, battery-powered fluid pumping apparatus 30, whether from the integrated pressurization device 22, the liquid diaphragm pump 50, or a combination thereof, the chemical fluid 12 may be expelled through a hose 80 attached to the outlet port 44 of the portable, battery-powered fluid pumping apparatus 30. The hose 80 may be connected to a spraying handle 82 which the user can hold to direct the location of spraying the chemical fluid 12. The spraying handle 82 may include various controls and switches, such as a handle with integrated trigger for releasing the chemical fluid 12 from the end nozzle of the spraying handle 82. Other types of spraying devices may also be used, all of which are included within the scope of the subject disclosure.
With reference to
As shown in
In this design, the apparatus 10 may function the same way as described relative to
Based on the disclosure of the apparatus 10 of
Moreover, the use of the apparatus 10 offers the technician the ability to meet an exact or near exact pressure level. The EPA has guidelines per state for what PSI to spray chemicals indoors and this PSI requirement, which is normally 20 PSI is written on chemical labels. These chemicals may include a variety of different types, including insecticides, herbicides, pesticides, fungicides, germicides, or others. The apparatus 10 can be equipped with a multi speed selector allowing for legal indoor spraying per EPA and Government standards but also allowing technicians to reach difficult settings, such as bee nest(s) located high above the ground, such as in trees, rooflines, or in large warehouses without having to pump the manual pump tank, since the technician can simply increase the PSI level with the control switch/selector.
Another benefit of the apparatus 10 is that the technician does not have to wait for tank air to pressurize in order to pressurize the liquid. Rather, the on demand PSI pump pumps immediately at the designated pressure setting. However, if while the technician is using the apparatus 10, the battery were to be depleted of power, the technician still has the ability to use the apparatus 10 under the power of the integrated pressurization device, e.g., by manually pressurizing the tank air. Thus, if the technician has almost completed a job and the battery dies, he or she can still finish the job without interruption. To this end, it is noted that the technician could also replace the battery with a spare, fully charged battery and continue the job.
As previously described, the apparatus 10 may be equipped with at least one liquid entry point and at least one liquid exit point. The liquid entering can be non-pressurized, allowing the technician to pump the pressure as normal with a manual pump. Or, if the apparatus 10 is activated, the technician can enjoy use of the apparatus 10 without pumping the liquid. In this case, the liquid would be non-pressurized on entry and then correctly pressurized upon exit by the selected PSI regulator. The apparatus 10 can be mounted on any existing pump tank or non-pump tank, and it can be mounted anywhere in line between the tank and the liquid nozzle. The apparatus may further include two outlets in the pump. One outlet will be normally open and one outlet will be normally closed. The one outlet which is open stays open allowing liquid to enter. The second, normally closed outlet will open under pressure either by the battery pump creating the pressure or pressure being created by the manual pump.
It is further noted that the tank or container used in the apparatus 10 does not have to be pressurized, and does not even need a cap to work, e.g., the container does not need to be capable of being pressurized. An advancement of the apparatus 10 within the industry is that it allows for the ability to be mounted onto professional industry pump tanks and also as part of it design allows for the pump tank to work as a normal pump tank with the unit attached inline when the unit fails to perform due to a dead battery or no battery present. The function of the pump tank will operate as usual without disconnecting the invention from the pump tank. This feature is a designed feature which incorporates a check valve into the front port of the liquid pump allowing the liquid to pass through the liquid pump when the pump is not operating if and when the liquid is pressurized from the source of the professional pump tank.
As is shown by block 102, a container holding a quantity of fluid chemical is provided, where the container has an integrated pressurization device for pressurizing the quantity of fluid chemical, and an outlet for releasing at least a portion of the quantity of fluid chemical. A portable, battery-powered fluid pumping apparatus is retrofitted to the container (block 104). The portable, battery-powered fluid pumping apparatus has housing having at least one fluid inlet port and at least one fluid outlet port, wherein the at least one fluid inlet port is connectable to the outlet of the container (block 106). A liquid diaphragm is pump positioned within the housing (block 108). A battery is removably connectable to a battery terminal connector formed on the housing, wherein the battery powers the liquid diaphragm pump (block 110). A control switch is positioned on the housing (block 112). The quantity of fluid chemical within the container is expelled from at least one outlet port of the portable, battery-powered fluid pumping apparatus in a pressurized state (block 114). The pressurized state is created by any of: the integrated pressurization device alone; the liquid diaphragm pump alone; and a combination of the integrated pressurization device and the liquid diaphragm pump (block 116).
The method may further include any of the steps, features, or functions disclosed or described relative to
It should be emphasized that the above-described embodiments of the present disclosure, particularly, any “preferred” embodiments, are merely possible examples of implementations, merely set forth for a clear understanding of the principles of the disclosure. Many variations and modifications may be made to the above-described embodiment(s) of the disclosure without departing substantially from the spirit and principles of the disclosure. All such modifications and variations are intended to be included herein within the scope of this disclosure and the present disclosure and protected by the following claims.
