United States Patent [191
`Battegazzore
`
`US005147074A
`[11]
`Patent Number:
`[45] Date of Patent:
`
`5,147,074
`Sep. 15, 1992
`
`[S4] DEVICE FOR RELEASABLY CONNECTING
`A SPRAYER HAVING A PUMP OPERATED
`THROUGH A TRIGGER'TYPE LEVER To
`THE NECK PORTION OF A HAND'HELD
`CONTAINER
`[75] Inventor:
`Piero Battegazzore, Alessandria,
`Italy
`_
`_
`[73] Asslgnee: Guala S'P'A" Alessandna, Italy
`[2]] Appl' No_; 669,901
`_
`Mar‘ 15’ 1991
`[22] Flled:
`[30]
`Foreign Application Priority Data
`Mar. 27, 1990 [IT]
`Italy . . . . . .
`. . . .. 19327 A/9O
`
`....
`Int. Cl.5 ........................ ..
`[52] US. Cl. .................................. .. 222/383; 215/318;
`_
`239/333
`[58] Field Of Search .............. .. 239/333; 215/216, 318,
`215/319; 222/204’ 321’ 383* 385’ 341
`References Cited
`
`[56]
`
`US. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`Molyneaux et al. .............. n
`3,094,250
`3,770,206 11/1973 Tada .................. ..
`222/385 x
`3,780,951 12/1973 Powers ...... ..
`239/333
`4,340,158 7/1982 Ford etal. .... ..
`222/321
`4,345,691 8/1982 Burke ............ ..
`215/216
`4,375,266 3/1933 Magers .......... ..
`222/321
`4,434,917 3/1984 Salto et al. .................... .. 222/383
`
`4,949,075 8/1990 Lundb'ack ..................... .. 222/207 X
`4,955,511 9/1990 Blake ............................. .. 222/383 X
`Primary Examiner-Andres Kashnikow
`Assistant Examiner-Kenneth Bomberg
`Attorney, Agent, or Firm—-Notaro & Michalos
`[57]
`ABSTRACT
`
`A device for releasably connecting a generic liquid
`sprayer, eg for detergents and the like, of the type
`including a pump operated through a trigger-type lever,
`to the neck portion of a container of the hand-held type.
`The device has a tubular element provided with a
`threadway on its inner surface which is releasably en
`gaged’ 3,5 by theading?own» by ‘l Sleeve whOse inner
`surface 1s provided w1th snap-action members of en
`gagement
`countepmembers provided on the con
`miner neck portion to provide a nonqeleasame axial
`coupling. The sleeve enables initial assembly of the
`device by axial ?tting over the Container neck portion
`and recovery of the device by threading out of the
`sleeve, for later re-use on a re-?ll container provided, in
`turn, with a sleeve, once the original conatiner has been
`depleted of its contents. In addition, the device enables
`the delivery nozzle and trigger-type lever of the Sprayer
`to be properly positioned relatively to the container
`to
`n. 1 r1 wh th 1 n h
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`1
`6°“ “r’pa ‘°“a.y
`ere e a at as?“ am 0mm
`type OfCOI‘?EUYaF‘OYI
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`7 Claims, 2 Drawing Sheets
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`PETITIONER - THE CLOROX COMPANY - EXHIBIT 1010 - Page 1
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`

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`US. Patent
`
`Sep.15,1992
`
`Sheet 1 of 2
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`5,147,074
`
`X _
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`FIG.1
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`PETITIONER - THE CLOROX COMPANY - EXHIBIT 1010 - Page 2
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`

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`US. Patent
`
`sgp. 15, 1992
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`Sheet 2 of 2
`
`5,147,074
`
`. FIG.2
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`PETITIONER - THE CLOROX COMPANY - EXHIBIT 1010 - Page 3
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`

`
`1
`
`DEVICE FOR RELEASABLY CONNECTING A
`SPRAYER HAVING A PUMP OPERATED
`THROUGH A TRIGGER-TYPE LEVER TO THE
`NECK PORTION OF A HAND-HELD CONTAINER
`
`5
`
`5,147,074
`2
`trated, by way of non-limitative example in the accom
`panying drawings, where:
`FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a device according
`to the invention; and
`FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the neck
`portion of a re-?ll container for use with the inven
`tive device.
`
`FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE
`INVENTION
`This invention relates to a device for releasably con
`necting a generic liquid sprayer of the type operated
`through a trigger-type lever to the neck portion of a
`hand-held container, which comprises a base body car
`rying the pump and members for actuating it, and a
`tubular element formed with a threadway on its inner
`surface, being associated with said base body and open
`at its end adjacent to the container neck portion for
`connection to the latter.
`Sprayer devices of this type have been known in the
`related art, and one example is illustrated in US. Pat.
`No. 4,361,256.
`According to that prior art, sprayer devices of the
`type mentioned above are secured on the neck portion
`of the container by threadably engaging the threaded
`tubular element therewith which ?ts rotatably on the
`pump-carrying base body for this purpose.
`Thus, for attaching the device to the container, it
`becomes necessary to either provide a manual proce
`dure or automated equipment incorporating arrange
`ments for driving said tubular element rotationally so as
`to have it threaded down tightly, such arrangements
`having the disadvantage of being relatively compli
`cated, and therefore expensive.
`In addition, prior devices of the type illustrated in the
`above-mentioned US. patent, for example, have an
`other disadvantage in that, each time that they must be
`transferred to a re-?ll container after removal from a
`depleted container, they allow of no quick and straight
`forward alignment of the delivery nozzle and trigger
`type lever to the container body where the latter is
`fashioned with an anatomical contour and intended for
`holding in a set position with one hand whereto the
`positions of the trigger-type lever and spray nozzle
`should also be related.
`Since to provide a sealed connection between the
`sprayer device and the container the collar requires to
`be threaded down tightly, it frequently happens, in fact,
`that the device setting in this tightened state fails to
`correspond to that required for a proper grip on the
`container.
`
`DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED
`EMBODIMENT
`With reference to the drawing ?gures, indicated at 1
`is the neck portion of a container 2 adapted to be ?lled
`with a liquid, such as detergent, disinfectant and the like
`solutions, for delivery in spray form.
`The container is, in particular, anatomically con
`toured as indicated by the outline 3, for a more comfort
`able grip and operation of the trigger-type lever 4.
`The spray of liquid is delivered by means of a pump,
`not shown because conventional, and through a nozzle
`5 provided at the end of a conduit 6 which lies on the
`same plane where the angular movement path of the
`trigger-type lever 4 lies and perpendicularly to the axis
`X—X of the container 2.
`A removable cap 7, which is tailored to the container
`2, encloses the pump and trigger-type lever mechanisms
`carried on the base body 8.
`According to the invention, the latter is provided
`with a tubular element 9 made unitary therewith.
`The inner surface of the element 9 is formed with a
`threadway 10 which engages with a mating threadway
`11 formed on the outer surface of a sleeve 12.
`This sleeve is accommodated inside the tubular ele
`ment 9 and engages the outer surface of the neck por
`tion 1 of the container 2 through snap-action means
`which, while providing for an axial ?t, prevent subse
`quent removal.
`Such means comprise an annular ridge 13 having a
`preferably trapezoidal cross-sectional shape and being
`formed on the inner surface of the sleeve 12, and a
`groove 14 of mating shape formed in the outer surface
`of the neck 1.
`These means are completed by a frusto-conical ?are
`15 extending between said groove 14 and the ori?ce 16
`of the container, with the small diameter next to said
`ori?ce.
`Also according to the invention, the inner surface of
`the sleeve 12 is provided with a plurality of radially
`extending ribs 17 which will interfere, at their ends,
`with corresponding'counter-ribs 18 formed on the outer
`surface of the neck 1.
`The ribs 17 and counter-ribs 18 lie at an angle to the
`surface from which they stand proud in opposite cir
`cumferential directions, thereby they extend substan
`tially parallel to one another.
`' It follows that the sleeve 12 can be shifted angularly
`along the direction permitted by the rib inclination, but
`not in the opposite direction except, at most, through
`the gap between contiguous ribs.
`The screwing direction afforded by the threadways
`10 and 11 corresponds to the direction in which the
`sleeve 12 can be moved relatively to the neck 1.
`It may be appreciated from the foregoing that, on the
`occasion of the original installation of the sprayer on the
`container at the ?lling station, with the sleeve 12 in
`serted into the tubular element 9, a mere approaching
`movement to the container axis X—X is all that is re
`quired, which movement can be readily and economi
`cally implemented on automatically operated equip
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`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`Accordingly, it is the object of this invention to obvi
`ate the drawbacks of convention sprayers by providing
`a device for connection to the container which can be
`?tted initially through automatizable, cost-efficient op
`erations, and later transferred to re-?ll containers, even
`anatomically contoured ones, without losing its de
`signed operational setting and ability to provide a hy
`draulically tight closure.
`This object is achieved by a device as indicated for
`releasably connecting sprayers to their containers,
`being characterized as in the appended claims.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`The invention will be now described in greater detail
`with reference to a practical embodiment thereof illus
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`PETITIONER - THE CLOROX COMPANY - EXHIBIT 1010 - Page 4
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`ment, with considerable economical bene?ts for the
`user and the end consumer alike.
`On the occasion of a possible re-use of the sprayer on
`a re-?ll container, by having the latter provided with a
`sleeve 12 over its neck portion, the user will be able to
`screw the tubular element 9 onto the sleeve, after re
`moving a small protective closure cap not shown, of the
`re-?ll container and tighten it down to prevent leakouts
`of liquid without having to concern himself with
`whether the trigger-like lever 4 and ori?ce 5 are cor
`rectly set with respect to the anatomical contour 3 of
`the container.
`Should this setting fail to coincide with the fully
`tightened setting, the proper setting can be still
`achieved by a further angular movement of the element
`8 in the tightening direction, to entrain the sleeve 12 and
`overcome the frictional resistance between inclined ribs
`17 and 18.
`Threading out the tubular element 9, to further re
`cover the sprayer and re-use it, is instead allowed by the
`antagonism provided in the opposite direction by these
`same ribs 17 and 18 on the sleeve 12.
`The dimensions and materials may be any ones con
`tingent on individual demands without departing from
`the true scope of the invention as described hereinabove
`and claimed hereinafter.
`What I claim is:
`1. A device for releasably connecting a sprayer oper
`ated through a trigger-lever, to a neck portion of a
`hand-held container, the neck portion having an ori?ce,
`the device comprising: a base body carrying the
`sprayer; a tubular element formed with an inside thread
`way on an inner surface, and open at an end adjacent to
`the container neck portion for connection to a sleeve,
`said tubular element being attached rigidly to the base
`body; and the sleeve located inside said tubular element,
`an outer surface of said sleeve being threadably and
`releasably engaged with said inside threadway of the
`tubular element, said sleeve having an inner surface
`provided with a snap-action engagement means engag
`ing with a counter-means provided on the container
`neck portion forming an unreleasable axial coupling.
`2. A device according to claim 1, wherein said sleeve
`includes, formed on its inner surface, a plurality of ra
`dial ribs interfering with radial counter-ribs formed on
`the outer surface of the container neck portion, said ribs
`and counter-ribs being inclined relatively to the surface
`from which they stand proud in opposite circumferen
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`5,147,074
`4
`tial directions such that they are substantially parallel to
`one another and allow an angular movement of the
`sleeve in one direction relatively to the neck portion
`and prevent it in the opposite direction.
`3. A device according to claim 1, wherein said snap
`action engagement means provided on the inner surface
`of said sleeve comprise an annular ridge having a sub
`stantially'trapezoidal cross-sectional shape.
`4. A device according to claim 1, wherein said coun
`ter-means provided on the container neck portion and
`producing, with said snap-action engagement means on
`the sleeve, an unreleasable axial coupling, comprise a
`ridge in said sleeve and an annular groove whose cross
`sectional shape mates with that of the ridge in the
`sleeve, and a frusto-conical ?are extending from the
`ori?ce of the neck portion to said groove, a small diame
`ter of said frusto-conical ?are being located close-to the
`ori?ce.
`5. A sprayer incorporating the device for releasable
`connection to the container according to claim 1.
`6. A re-?ll container for sprayers, comprising a neck
`portion and a sleeve coaxially mounted on and around
`said neck portion, a threadway on an outer surface of
`said sleeve, snap~action means on an inner surface of
`said sleeve for engagement with counter-means pro
`vided on the container neck portion into an unreleasable
`axial coupling, a plurality of radial ribs formed on the
`inner surface of said sleeve, a plurality of radial counter
`ribs formed on an outer surface of said neck portion,
`said ribs and counter-ribs interfering with each other
`and being inclined relatively to the surface from which
`they stand proud in opposite circumferential direction,
`whereby they are substantially parallel to one another,
`allow an angular movement of the sleeve in one direc
`tion relatively to the neck portion and prevent it in the
`opposite direction.
`7. A re-?ll container for sprayers according to claim
`6, wherein said snap-action means provided on the inner
`surface of said sleeve comprise an annular ridge having
`a substantially trapezoidal cross-sectional shape and
`said counter-means, provided on the container neck
`portion, comprise an annular groove whose cross-sec
`tional shape mates with that of the ridge on said sleeve
`and a frusto-conical ?are extending from an ori?ce of
`said neck portion to said groove, the small diameter of
`said frusto-conical ‘?are being located close to the ori
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`PETITIONER - THE CLOROX COMPANY - EXHIBIT 1010 - Page 5