Patent Application
20080073237
Many types of liquid and liquid based substances, such as paint, insecticides, disinfectants and food products, are dispensed by spray devices. Such substances are oftentimes dispensed by a hose, tube or similar structure. A spray device may be used with accessories such as spraying or dispensing tips, filters or other components. When not in use, spraying devices require storage. Various systems and apparatuses for storing spray devices may increase the convenience and functionality of the spray devices and the retrieval of accessories used in connection with the spray devices.
As used herein, a “spray device” refers to any device that attaches to a hose and is capable of being used to dispense or spray a substantially liquid substance, viscous substance, slurry, paste or substance suspended in liquid. Examples for which the device can be used include the Graco contractor, Graco contractor 2, Wagner GXO7, and Spraytech 2finger G10XL.
For the purpose of promoting an understanding of the present invention, references are made in the text hereof to one exemplary embodiment of a spray device storage apparatus, one of which is depicted in the figures. It should nevertheless be understood that no limitations on the scope of the invention are thereby intended. One of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate that modifications such as those involving the number of components, positioning of the components relative to one another, materials from which the components are made, the size of the components, and the inclusion of additional elements do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Some of these possible modifications are mentioned in the following description. In addition, in the embodiments depicted herein, like reference numerals refer to identical structural elements in the various drawings. Therefore, specific details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but rather as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed system, structure, or manner.
Moreover, the term “substantially” or “approximately” as used herein may be applied to modify any quantitative representation that could permissibly vary without resulting in a change in the basic function to which it is related.
Referring now to the figures,
Positioned on top surface of first housing member 100 and second housing member 104 is handle formation 103. In the embodiment shown, handle formation 103 is a curved, generally semi-circular structure, with half of handle formation 103 being positioned on top surfaces 108 of first housing member 100 and half of handle formation 103 being positioned on top surface 109 of second housing member 104. In an alternate embodiment, handle formation 103 is positioned only on one of first housing member 100 (as can be seen in
One side surface 102 of first housing member 100 and one side surface 102 of second housing member 104 are joined by two (2) pivotal members 101 to form a hollow container or chamber. In the embodiment shown, pivotal members 101 are each a hinge. One of ordinary skill in the art should understand that an alternate number of pivotal members 101 could be used, including zero (0). In alternate embodiments of spray device container apparatus 50, pivotal members 101 include pins, screws, straps, bearings, rubber, wood, metal or molded plastic insertions anything commonly used in the art including combinations thereof.
Also visible in
In the embodiment shown, first housing member 100 and second housing member 104 are each formed of a single plastic molded piece. However, in other embodiments, first housing member 100 and second housing member 104 may be constructed from multiple parts and may be made of metal, wood. rubber, stainless steel, wood, Plexiglas, glass, resin, leather or any other natural or man-made material capable of being adapted to form housing members 100 and 104, including combinations thereof. In the embodiment shown, first housing member 100 is pivotally attached to second housing member 104 using pivotal members 103. In the embodiment shown, the pivotal members are hinges formed from the molded plastic. However, other embodiments may not contain pivotal members or which are attached separately to upper housing member 100 and lower housing member 104, or which consists of alternate structures such as pins, screws, straps, interlocking members or structures capable of achieving the same functional result of facilitating the joining and movement of one upper housing member 100 and lower housing member 104. In the embodiment shown, closure member 105 secures upper housing member 100 to lower housing member 104 in a closed position.
In the embodiment shown closure member 105 is created from molded plastic sections of upper housing member 100 and lower housing member 104 which protrude and fit together in such a manner as to permit closure member 105 to slide over them and secure upper housing member 100 and lower housing member 104 together in a closed position. Other embodiments may not include a closure member or may contain a closure member formed from alternative items as snaps, pins interlocking pieces or may be constructed by molding or shaping upper housing member 100 and lower housing member 104 to permit the interlocking of upper housing member 100 and lower housing member 104 without the use of closure member 105.
Hose aperture 107 permits spray hose or cord to protrude when spray device storage apparatus 50 is in a closed position so that the hose or cord does not have to be disconnected from the spray device. As used herein “closed position” means a position where first housing member 100 is in contact with second housing member 104 so that any items held within either first housing member 100 or second housing member 104 are enclosed within the chamber formed by first housing member 100 and second housing member 104.
In the embodiment shown, first support structure 201 and second support structure 202 are made from synthetic foam material affixed to inside surface 207 of first housing member 100 and inside surface 208 of second housing member 104 using an adhesive substance. However, other embodiments may not include upper support structure 201 and lower support structure 202 or upper support structure 201 and lower support structure 202 may be constructed from plastic, paper, foam, metal, wood, rubber, stainless steel, Plexiglas, rubber cloth or any other natural or man-made material capable of operating as a support structure and in which from which compartments 203 are capable of being formed. As used herein the term “support structure” means an element capable of supporting objects so as to restrict their movement within upper housing member 100 and lower housing member 104. Compartments may be of varying types, and used for specific functions. For example, as used herein, an “accessory compartment” is used to hold an accessory; a “spray device compartment” is used to hold a spray device and a “filter compartment” is used to hold a filter.
While spray device storage apparatus 50 has been shown and described with respect to several embodiments, it is to be understood that the same is not limited thereto, but is susceptible to numerous changes and modifications as known to a person skilled in the art, and it is intended that the present invention not be limited to the details shown and described herein, but rather cover all such changes and modifications obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art.
