It is customary for gardeners, both professional and amateur, to apply various types of fertilizers, insecticides, pesticides and herbicides by spray applicators. Typically these spray applicators include a tank which contains the liquid to be sprayed. Often liquid is provided in concentrated form and is mixed with water and then poured into the tank. The tank may be of varying capacity from a gallon or two to one having a much larger volume. The contents of the tank may be pressurized either by a hand pump and in some cases may be pressurized using an air source such as an air compressor. A flexible hose is attached to the tank and is then connected to a feed tube which depends within the tank. A tubular wand at the end of the flexible hose is attached to a spray nozzle which is often adjustable to regulate the spray from a fan-shaped spray to a more concentrated stream. A valve having a lever is manually operably to control the flow from the nozzle.
Because of wind conditions, or improper use of the spray device due to inattentiveness or carelessness, the spray may drift onto the user. This may be a particularly serious problem, especially when chemicals such as herbicides or other chemicals potentially harmful to humans are being applied. Therefore, even if the users of such equipment are extremely careful, unintended harm can result when spraying, particularly when using lawn, garden and agricultural chemicals.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,679,438 discloses a spray shield that attaches to a sprayer wand and directs spray from a sprayer away from the operator. Since the spray shield projects from the slender wand, it may be awkward to store the sprayer and wand when not in use. Further, there may be occasions when the operator does not desire to use the shield when operating the sprayer. However, the prior art does not disclose a way to conveniently and efficiently store the spray shield when it is not being used.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a sprayer having a spray shield that can be efficiently and conveniently stored when not in use.
A sprayer embodying the present invention can comprise a body; a hose operably attached to the body, the hose having a spray end; a nozzle operably attached to the hose; and a spray shield; the spray shield, the hose and the body being configured so that the spray shield is removably attached to the body and configured for attachment to the hose proximate to the nozzle.
The body can have a shield retainer to which the spray shield is removably attached. The spray shield preferably is contoured to the body.
The sprayer can further comprise a wand and the spray shield can be configured for attachment to the wand proximate to the nozzle.
These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following descriptions, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where:
Referring now to
The shield 15 preferably is attached to the sprayer 10 via a shield retainer 20. As seen best in
The spray shield 15 in
The retaining portion 34 and shield retainer 20 are configured so that the retaining portion can be releasably attached to the shield retainer via friction. The operator can easily push the retaining portion 34 on the shield retainer 20 until the retaining portion “snaps” into place. The retaining portion 34 will remain attached to the sprayer 10, as depicted in
When the operator wishes to utilize the spray shield, the operator can attach the spray shield to the wand in a similar manner. The operator can push the retaining portion onto the wand proximate to the nozzle until the retaining portion “snaps” into place, as shown in
When the operator wishes to store the shield 72, the operator can fold the hinged portion 73 via the hinge 71 over the cut-out portion 74, as shown in
When the operator wishes to utilize the spray shield 72, the operator can unfold the retaining portion 70, as seen in
Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred versions thereof, other versions are possible. For example, the shield retainer can be comprised of an adhesive or fastener, such as a Velcro® fastener. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred version contained herein.
All features disclosed in the specification, including the claims, abstract, and drawings, and all the steps in any method or process disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive. Each feature disclosed in the specification, including the claims, abstract, and drawings, can be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.
Any element in a claim that does not explicitly state “means for” performing a specified function or “step for” performing a specified function should not be interpreted as “means for” or “steps for” clause as specified in 35 U.S.C. § 112.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional application 60/474,069 filed on May 29, 2003, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference in it entirety for any and all purposes.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
1875992 | Clifford | Sep 1932 | A |
3993245 | Smith | Nov 1976 | A |
4135669 | Bridges et al. | Jan 1979 | A |
4192464 | Chow | Mar 1980 | A |
4761850 | Romeo et al. | Aug 1988 | A |
4787560 | DeYoreo | Nov 1988 | A |
4930664 | Ellison | Jun 1990 | A |
5186391 | Roueche et al. | Feb 1993 | A |
5307995 | Jackson et al. | May 1994 | A |
5414353 | Weischedel | May 1995 | A |
5544443 | Steglich | Aug 1996 | A |
5911520 | Kenney | Jun 1999 | A |
5984199 | Restive | Nov 1999 | A |
6135361 | Grassi | Oct 2000 | A |
6155497 | Hudson et al. | Dec 2000 | A |
6179224 | Huesken | Jan 2001 | B1 |
6679438 | Didlo | Jan 2004 | B1 |
6695228 | Odessa | Feb 2004 | B1 |
D490140 | Byron | May 2004 | S |
D490877 | Byron | Jun 2004 | S |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
463740 | Aug 1975 | AU |
225060 | Nov 1924 | GB |
1 513 711 | Jun 1978 | GB |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20040262427 A1 | Dec 2004 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
60474069 | May 2003 | US |