U.S. patent application number 12/742542 was filed with the patent office on 2010-12-23 for automatic dual-spray dispenser device.
This patent application is currently assigned to ZOBELE HOLDING S.P.A.. Invention is credited to Stefano Baldessari, Joan Gusi Hidalgo, Livio Sordo.
Application Number | 20100320239 12/742542 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39410498 |
Filed Date | 2010-12-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100320239 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Sordo; Livio ; et
al. |
December 23, 2010 |
AUTOMATIC DUAL-SPRAY DISPENSER DEVICE
Abstract
The present invention refers to an automatic dispenser for
periodically spraying an amount of liquid from two aerosol
containers. (A, B) Preferably the two aerosol containers (A. B)
contain liquid of different nature, such as different perfume or
active substance composition, so that the same device is capable of
dispensing alternatively two or more different substances.
Inventors: |
Sordo; Livio; (Trento,
IT) ; Baldessari; Stefano; (Trento, IT) ; Gusi
Hidalgo; Joan; (Barcelona, ES) |
Correspondence
Address: |
CANTOR COLBURN LLP
20 Church Street, 22nd Floor
Hartford
CT
06103
US
|
Assignee: |
ZOBELE HOLDING S.P.A.
Trento
IT
|
Family ID: |
39410498 |
Appl. No.: |
12/742542 |
Filed: |
November 15, 2007 |
PCT Filed: |
November 15, 2007 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP2007/062384 |
371 Date: |
September 3, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
222/645 ;
222/135; 222/649 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 83/262 20130101;
B65D 83/68 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
222/642 ;
222/645 |
International
Class: |
B65D 83/26 20060101
B65D083/26 |
Claims
1. Automatic dual spray dispensing device for periodically spraying
liquids, comprising: a first spray valve for spraying a first
liquid; a cam element pivotally mounted in the device and arranged
to move from a rest position to a first activation position in
which the cam activates said first spray valve, an electric motor
having a drive shaft operatively engaged with said cam element for
operating said cam element; an electronic timer associated with
said electric motor to command the motor's operation; and a second
spray valve; wherein the cam element is configured to selectively
activate said first and second spray valves, operated by said
motor, in such a manner that the activation of the motor in one
direction causes the cam element to move to said first activation
position in which one of the spray valves is activated, and wherein
the activation of the motor in the another direction causes the cam
element to move to a second activation position in which the other
spray valve is activated.
2. Device according to claim 1, further comprising electronic means
connected to terminals of the electric motor for alternatively
changing a rotation direction of the drive shaft.
3. Device according to claim 1, wherein the cam element has a
T-shaped configuration, having a left arm, a right arm and a
central arm, and wherein the cam element is pivotally mounted in
the device at a pivot point located in a longitudinal axis of the
central arm.
4. Device according to claim 3, wherein the drive shaft of the
motor is operatively engaged with the central arm of the cam
element by means of speed reduction gears.
5. Device according to claim 4, wherein a free end of the central
arm has a toothed configuration and one of said reduction gear is
meshed with said free end.
6. Device according to claim 1, wherein the motor, the central arm
of the cam element, and the speed reduction gears are located in
between a space provided in the device for receiving
containers.
7. Device according to claim 6, wherein said spray valves are
coupled to containers for containing liquid.
8. Device according to claim 7, wherein the liquids inside said
containers have a different nature.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The disclosure refers to an automatic dispenser for
periodically spraying an amount of liquid from at least two aerosol
containers.
[0002] In one embodiment, the two aerosol containers contain
liquids of different nature, such as different perfume or active
substance composition, so that the same device is capable of
dispensing alternatively two or more different substances.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Automatic spray dispensing devices for periodically spraying
liquids, are very well, known in the state of the art. Typically
these devices comprise one aerosol nozzle for spraying a first
liquid, which is activated by a cam or level element in turn
operated by a DC electric motor.
[0004] An electronic timer is associated to said electric motor to
activate the spray valve at predeterminated periods of time.
[0005] Some examples of prior art aerosol dispensers are described
in the followings patents: U.S. Pat. No. 4,483,466, U.S. Pat. No.
3,739,944 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,249,718.
[0006] It has been detected the need for more sophisticated
devices, which offer to the consumers more options to perfume or
treat an environment, but at the same time can be manufactured at a
very low cost.
BRIEF SUMMARY
[0007] The disclosure refers to an automatic spray dispensing
device comprising a first spray valve for spraying a liquid, and a
cam element pivotally mounted in the device and arranged to move
from a rest position in which the valve is not activated to a first
activation position in which it activates said first spray valve by
pushing it down.
[0008] The operation of a spray valve is very well known for the
skilled person in the art, thus it is not necessary to explain it
in detail for the comprehension of the invention.
[0009] The cam element is operated by an electric engine, and an
electronic timer is associated with said electric engine to command
its operation.
[0010] The device is characterised in that it is provided with a
second spray valve, and the cam element is configured to
selectively activate said first and second spray valves by means of
the action of said engine.
[0011] For that purpose, the engine is operated by electronic means
to change the direction of rotation of the same, in such a manner
that when the shaft of the engine turns in one direction, the cam
element activates one of the spray valves, and when the shaft turns
in the other direction the other spray valve is activated by the
cam element.
[0012] The spray dispensing device of the invention is therefore
capable of alternatively spraying two different liquids at selected
periods of time, for that only one electric motor is advantageously
used in order to maintain a low manufacturing cost.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] To complement the description being made and to aid towards
a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, in
accordance with a preferred example of embodiment thereof, a set of
drawings is attached as an integral part of said description,
wherein the following has been represented, with an illustrative,
non-limiting character:
[0014] FIG. 1.--shows a rear perspective view of the device with
the cam element in a rest position, and part of the housing
removed.
[0015] FIG. 2.--shows another perspective view similar to FIG. 1,
wherein all parts of the housing have been removed for the shake of
clarity of the figure.
[0016] FIG. 3.--shows a front perspective view of the device
wherein all parts of the housing have been removed.
[0017] FIG. 4.--shows another perspective view similar to FIG. 3,
showing the internal components of the device.
[0018] FIG. 5.--shows a perspective view of the device with the
housing closed.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0019] FIG. 1 shows a preferred embodiment of the invention, in
which the spray dispensing device comprises a housing (1) inside
which are mounted two spray valves (not shown) associated
respectively to a first and a second pressurized containers (A,
B).
[0020] Said first and second pressurized containers (A, B), are
held in place by means of dome-shaped members (15, 16) of the
housing (1), as shown in the attached figures. A first and a second
levels (11, 12) are pivotally arranged in said dome-shaped members
(15, 16) for actuating respectively on the spray valves for
spraying an amount of atomized liquid thorough the aerosol nozzles
(13, 14).
[0021] A cam element (5) is pivotally mounted in a cylindrical
finger (23) protruding from an inner face of one of the parts of
the housing (1). The cam element (2) has a T-shaped configuration,
formed by a left arm (4), a right arm (3) and a central arm
(5).
[0022] The cam element (2) is pivotally mounted in the cylindrical
finger (23), which defines a pivot point located in the
longitudinal axis of the central arm (5).
[0023] Furthermore, the cam element (2) is shaped and dimensioned
so as to activate the spray valve of the container (A) or the spray
valve of the container (B).
[0024] A DC electric engine (6) having a driven shaft (7), is
operatively engaged with said cam element for operating said cam
element, so that the rotation of the shaft (7) in a clock-wise
direction as observed in FIG. 1, would cause the can element (2) to
pivot to the right and the activation of the second level (22). The
rotation of the shaft (7) in anti-clock wise direction, would cause
the cam element to pivot to the left and the activation of the
first level (21).
[0025] For the activation of the spray valves, the free ends of the
arms (3, 4) contact respectively with the levels (11, 12) which in
turn press down the spray valves. The levels (11, 12) convert
respectively the rotational movement of the arms (2, 3), into a
longitudinal movement which is applied to the spray valves, for
that the damage of the valves is avoided.
[0026] The levels (11, 12) are dimensioned for reaching the spray
valves inside the dome-shaped members (15, 16).
[0027] The drive shaft (7) of the engine (6) is operatively engaged
with the central arm (5) of the cam element (2) by means of speed
reduction gears (8, 9, 10) in a known manner. For that purpose, the
free end (17) of the central arm (5) has a toothed configuration
and one of said reduction gear is meshed with said free end as
shown in FIG. 3.
[0028] The device of the invention further comprises an electronic
circuit (19), which includes and electronic timer, for example
implemented by programmable electronic means, which are associated
to the electric engine (6) to command its operation. The device
also comprises electronic means connected to the terminals of the
electric motor for changing the rotation direction of the drive
shaft.
[0029] In an automatic operation of the device, said electronic
means will operate the electric engine at predetermined periods of
time set by a program, and in such a manner that the shaft of the
engine will rotate in the required direction in order to activate a
selected spray valve according to a programmed sequence.
[0030] In a preferred embodiment, the two spray valves are operated
alternatively in order to spray two different perfumes in a
room.
[0031] Different programs can be stored in the electronic means,
which can be selected by the users. Also, the user can manually
command the activation of one of the spray valves as desired.
[0032] Due to the T-shaped configuration of the cam element, the
speed reduction gears and the engine can be located in between the
space provided in the device for receiving said containers, for
that the use of the volume inside the casing is optimized obtaining
a compact device.
[0033] Additionally, due to the T-shaped configuration of the cam
element, the torque applied by the reduction gears can be increased
without stressing the teeth of the gears.
[0034] In a preferred embodiment, the spray valves are metered
valves that liberates a determined amount of volatile substance
independently of the duration of the activation of the valve by the
cam element.
* * * * *