HOSE END SPRAY HEAD

Abstract

A hose end spray head apparatus includes a spread head body and a hose coupling. The spray head body includes a mixing body and a spray outlet arm formed as a unitary construction. The spray outlet arm extends outwardly from the mixing body and includes a spray bore to discharge a mixed fluid. The spray bore communicates with atmosphere via a first radial sidewall bore and a first offset top surface bore. An axial bottom surface bore extends from the bottom surface to the spray bore and is draws product from a 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 is secured to the mixing body and mounts to a fluid supply to form the mixed fluid which is discharged through the spray bore.

Claims

1. A hose end spray head apparatus configured for use with a container holding a product to be sprayed, the hose end spray head apparatus comprising: a) a spray head body comprising: i) a mixing body having a top surface, a bottom surface and a sidewall extending therebetween, wherein said bottom surface is adapted to mount onto the container; ii) a spray outlet arm extending outwardly from said mixing body, said mixing body and said spray outlet arm being a unitary construction, wherein: a) a transverse longitudinal spray bore extends through said spray outlet arm and said mixing body, wherein a first end of said spray bore is configured to discharge a mixed fluid therefrom and wherein a second end of said spray bore define a first set of threads; b) a first radial sidewall bore extends from said sidewall to said spray bore; c) a first offset top surface bore extends from said top surface to said first radial sidewall bore, wherein the spray head body further includes a plug in sealing engagement within said first radial sidewall bore between said first offset top surface bore and said sidewall, whereby said spray bore communicates with atmosphere via said first radial sidewall bore and said first offset top surface bore; d) an axial bottom surface bore extends from said bottom surface to said spray bore, wherein said axial bottom surface bore is configured to draw the product from the container so as to inject the product into said spray bore; and e) a second radial sidewall bore is configured to communicate an open interior of the container with atmosphere; and b) a hose coupling having a first end engaged with said first set of threads of said second end of said spray bore to secure said hose coupling to said mixing body, wherein said hose coupling defines a transverse longitudinal inlet bore in fluid communication with said spray bore, and wherein a second end of said hose coupling is configured to mount to a fluid supply.

2. The hose end spray head apparatus of claim 1 further including a rotary dial rotatably mounted onto said top surface of said mixing body and having a plurality of circumferentially spaced holes extending therethrough, wherein successive holes of said plurality of circumferentially spaces holes have an increasing hole diameter, and wherein only a single selected hole of said plurality of circumferentially spaces holes aligns with said first offset top surface bore at a time whereby said plurality of circumferentially spaced holes selectively varies an amount of air drawn into said spray bore through said first offset top surface bore.

3. The hose end spray head apparatus of claim 2 wherein said rotary dial defines a plurality of circumferentially spaced recesses within a bottom face of said rotary dial with a respective recess of said plurality of circumferentially spaced recesses coinciding with a respective hole of said plurality of circumferentially spaced holes, and wherein said mixing body further defines a second offset top surface bore and wherein said hose end spray head apparatus further includes a detent mounted within said second offset top surface bore, wherein said detent engages a selected recess of said plurality of circumferentially spaced recesses when said single selected hole of said plurality of circumferentially spaces holes aligns with said first offset top surface bore.

4. The hose end spray head apparatus of claim 3 wherein said detent includes a spring loaded bearing wherein said bearing is yieldingly retained with said selected recess of said plurality of circumferentially spaced recesses.

5. The hose end spray head apparatus of claim 1 wherein said axial bottom surface bore is defined by a first inner diameter and a second inner diameter smaller than said first inner diameter, wherein said second inner diameter couples said first inner diameter with said spray bore.

6. The hose end spray head apparatus of claim 5 further including an adapter proportioned to be received within said axial bottom surface bore and defining a longitudinal adapter bore therethrough having a third inner diameter smaller than said second inner diameter of said axial bottom surface bore.

7. The hose end spray head apparatus of claim 1 wherein said second end of said hose coupling is configured to mount to a conventional garden hose nozzle.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] FIG. 1 is a cross section view of a prior art hose end spray head;

[0016] FIG. 2 is an exploded side view of the sprayer system including a hose end spray head;

[0017] FIG. 3 is a side perspective section view of a hose end spray head in accordance with an aspect of the present invention;

[0018] FIG. 4 is a top e view of the hose end spray head shown in FIG. 3;

[0019] FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the hose end spray head shown in FIG. 3;

[0020] FIG. 6 is a radial cross section view of the hose end spray head shown in FIG. 3;

[0021] FIG. 7 is a longitudinal cross section view of the hose end spray head shown in FIG. 3, with the low flow insert in a stored position; and

[0022] FIG. 8 is a longitudinal cross section view of the hose end spray head shown in FIG. 3, with the low flow insert positioned within hose end spray head.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0023] Referring now to the drawings, and with particular reference to FIGS. 3-5, in accordance with an aspect of the present invention, a hose end spray head apparatus 100 may generally comprise a spray head body 112 and a hose coupling 114 configured to threadably engage spray head body 112. A connecting nut 116 and sleeve 118 may be mounted on hose coupling 114 so as to enable selective removable attachment of hose end spray head apparatus 100 to a water supply, such as hose nozzle 2. Spray head body 112 may also carry a deflector 120 to aid distribution of the mixed fluid being sprayed from hose end spray head apparatus 100. A bottle cap 122 may be used to couple spray head body 112 to container 8 whereby liquid concentrate 6 may be injected into the water stream within hose end spray head apparatus 100 so as to form a mixed fluid, as will be discussed in greater detail below.

[0024] With additional reference to FIGS. 6 and 7, spray head body 112 includes a generally cylinder-shaped mixing body portion 124 having a top surface 126, bottom surface 128 and a sidewall 130 extending therebetween. Sidewall 130 proximate bottom surface 128 is adapted to receive bottle cap 122 thereon so as to permit mounting of spray head body 112 (and hose end spray head apparatus 100) to container 8. A spray outlet arm 132 extends outwardly from mixing body portion 124. In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, spray outlet arm 132 and mixing body portion 124 are fabricated from a single piece of material such that spray head body 112 is formed as a unitary construction. While any suitable material may be used to create spray head body 112, such as but not limited to a polymer, a composite or a metal, one non-limiting example of a fabrication material is brass.

[0025] As shown most clearly in FIG. 7, a transverse longitudinal spray bore 134 extends through spray outlet arm 132 and mixing body portion 124. First end 134a of spray bore 134 is configured to couple to deflector 120. The opposing second end 134b is configured to enable hose coupling 114 to be coupled to mixing body portion 124. By way of example, second end 134b may define a first set of threads, such as female threads 134b′, which is adapted to threadably engage a second set of threads, such as corresponding male threads 114b′, defined on first end 114b of hose coupling 114. Hose coupling 114 may, in turn, define a transverse longitudinal inlet bore 136 that is configured to be arranged in fluid communication with spray bore 134 when hose coupling 114 is coupled to spray head body 112. Transverse longitudinal inlet bore 136 has a diameter D′ which is less than diameter D″ of spray bore 134 such that a sloped or stepped junction 135 is formed between first end 136a of transverse longitudinal inlet bore 136 and second end 134b of spray bore 134. Similar to sloped region 20 described above, as pressurized water passes into the expanded volume following stepped junction 135, it experiences a reduction in pressure, which induces a localized vacuum to form immediately following stepped junction 135.

[0026] With reference to FIG. 6, a first radial sidewall bore 138 is defined within mixing body portion 124 and extends from sidewall 130 to spray bore 134 proximate second end 134b and stepped junction 135. A first offset top surface bore 140 is then defined within mixing body portion 124 and extends from top surface 126 to first radial sidewall bore 138. A plug 142 is seated within first radial sidewall bore 138 to create an air-tight seal between mixing body portion 124 and a portion of first radial sidewall bore 138 proximate the outer surface of sidewall 130. In this manner, spray bore 134 communicates with atmosphere solely via first radial sidewall bore 138 and first offset top surface bore 140.

[0027] With continued reference to FIGS. 6 and 7, an axial bottom surface bore 144 is defined within mixing body portion 124 and extends from bottom surface 128 to spray bore 134 in coplanar relation with first radial sidewall bore 138. Axial bottom surface bore 144 is configured to draw liquid concentrate 6 from container 8, such as via mounting of first end 4a of tube 4 around or within axial bottom surface bore 144. As will be discussed in greater detail below, liquid concentrate 6 may be drawn from container 8 and flow through axial bottom surface bore 144 into spray bore 134, where liquid concentrate 6 will mix with water flowing through spray bore 134 to generate the mixed solution, which is then sprayed out of first end 134a of spray bore 134. A second radial sidewall bore 146 may be defined within mixing body portion 124 to enable the open interior 6a of container 8 to communicate with atmosphere. Thus, as liquid concentrate 6 is drawn into spray bore 134 through tube 4, air is drawn into container 8 through second radial sidewall bore 146 so as to maintain ambient pressure within container 8 and prevent its collapsing under reduced pressure.

[0028] 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′.

[0029] 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.

[0030] In a further aspect of the present invention, with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8, axial bottom surface bore 144 may define a first bore portion 144a having an inner diameter and a second bore portion 144b having an inner diameter which is smaller than the inner diameter of first bore portion 144a. Second bore portion 144b is positioned so as to provide communication between first bore portion 144a and spray bore 134. Hose end spray head apparatus 100 may also include an adapter 164 which is proportioned to be received within axial bottom surface bore 144 (FIG. 8). Adapter 164 may define a longitudinal adapter bore 166 therethrough, wherein a least a portion of adapter bore 166 defines an adapter bore portion 166a having an inner diameter which is smaller than the inner diameter of second bore portion 144b of axial bottom surface bore 144. By way of example and without limitation thereto, second bore portion 144b by define an inner diameter whereby liquid concentrate 6 may be injected within spray bore 134 generally on the scale of tablespoons per minute, whereas the reduced diameter of adapter bore portion 166a may inject liquid concentrate 6 on the scale of teaspoons per minute. Bolt 149a may include a threaded recess 149a′ which is configured to receive a threaded end 164′ of adapter 164 so as to provide convenient storage of adapter 164 when adapter 164 is not received within axial bottom surface bore 144.

[0031] 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.