Pocket Supportable Atomizer Device

Abstract

A pocket supportable atomizer device for dispensing a predetermined quantity of liquid as a spray by actuation of a plunger that forms a part of the device, and the device in appearance simulating that of a conventional fountain pen.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1 Field of the Invention

A pocket supportable atomizer device that may be actuated to dispense a predetermined quantity of liquid therefrom.

2. Description of the Prior Art

In the past numerous atomizer devices have been devised and used, but these devices being of a type that when not in use are normally supported on a fixed surface, such as a dresser, dressing table, or the like, and are not adapted to be supported from the garment of the user for instant use when required. In recent years, cosmetic preparations have been used increasingly by men, but to date no atomizer has been available that could be conveniently carried in a man's pocket, and used for dispensing liquids such as cologne or the like.

Although the present atomizer is primarily adapted for the above-described use, it may be employed equally well by women for dispensing perfume, cologne, as well as any other liquid that the user may find to be desirable. The major purpose in devising the present invention is to overcome the operational disadvantages of prior art devices of this nature.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A lightweight, portable, pocket supportable atomizer device that in appearance simulates that of a conventional fountain pen, with the device including first and second elongate members that are axially connected one to the other, and with the first of these members defining a first liquid reservoir. An elongate tubular member is supported by said second member and projects into the first reservoir, with the elongate member defining a second liquid reservoir.

A plunger as slidably supported with the confines of the first member and the elongate tubular member in such a manner that when the plunger is moved longitudinally by the user towards the second member, liquid in the second reservoir is forced upwardly through the plunger as a spray. The spray discharges transversely from the device through an aperture formed in the plunger and an opening defined in the second member. Flow of the liquid from the first to the second reservoir is controlled by two ball check valves mounted in second ends of the elongate tubular member and the tubular plunger. The first and second members, as well as the tubular member, are removably connected together by thread means to permit the atomizer to be readily taken apart should such be necessary in any maintenance work that is performed thereon.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the device;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the device;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal cross section view of an end portion of the device showing the position of the plunger when it has been moved from a first to a second position to dispense atomized liquid from the device;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the device showing the liquid spray opening formed in the first member, and illustrating the spray discharge aperture in an aligned liquid dispensing position therewith; and

FIG. 5 is a combined transverse cross-sectional and top plan view of the device taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The atomizer device A as may best be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2 includes a first elongate hollow member B that serve to define a first liquid reservoir 10, which member is longitudinally aligned with and connected to a second elongate member C as shown in FIG. 2. An elongate tubular member D extends downwardly from a position within the interior of second member C to a position within the confines of the first reservoir 10. The tubular member D serves to define a second liquid reservoir 12. A tubular plunger E is provided that is slidably movable within the confines of the second member C and tubular member D, and when actuated to move longitudinally relative to the second member C, causes atomized liquid to discharge upwardly in the tubular plunger E. The atomized liquid discharge transversely from an aperture 14 in plunger E to the ambient atmosphere through a transverse opening 16 formed in the second member C.

The first member B, which may be formed of a plastic or other rigid material, is defined by a tubular shell 18 that has a first externally threaded end 20 in which a first longitudinally extending bore 22 is defined. The shell 18 also has a closed second end 24 as shown in FIG. 2. From the standpoint of a pleasing appearance shell 18 preferably tapers inwardly slightly from the first end 20 to the second end 24.

The second member C as best seen in FIG. 2 is axially aligned with the first member B, with the second member having a second longitudinal bore 26 therein that extend from a first end portion 28 of the second member to communicate with a first tapped bore 30 formed in a second end portion 32 of the second member. The first tapped bore 30 is in communication with a second tapped bore 34 of larger diameter that is formed in the second member as shown in FIG. 2. An outer portion 26a of second bore 26 is of smaller transverse cross section than the balance of the second bore, with the portion 26a and the bore 26 at their juncture defining a circumferentially extending body shoulder 36, the purpose of which will later be explained.

The second tapped bore 34 has a sealing ring 38 disposed therein that is engaged by the free end portion of the first end 20 of first member B when the first end is in threaded engagement with the second tapped bore as shown in FIG. 2.

The elongate tubular member D has a first threaded end 40 that is in threaded engagement with the first tapped bore 30, and serves to support the tubular member D to extend longitudinally through the first end 20 into the second reservoir 10 to a position adjacent to the second end 24 of the first member B. The first threaded end 40 is in sealing engagement with a resilient ring 42 that is disposed in the upper portion of first tapped bore 30 and seals against a body shoulder formed at the junction of the second bore 26 and first tapped bore 30. Tubular member D has a first port 44 formed in the lower portion thereof that is removably sealed by a ball 46 that is of greater density than the liquid that will be dispensed from the atomizing device A. An interior portion of the tubular member D above the ball 46 provides a second reservoir 48.

The tubular plunger E is slidably supported in the second bore 26 and includes a first closed end 50 and a second end 52 in which a second port 54 is formed. The port 54 is removably closed by a second ball 56. The plunger E has an elongate handle 58 that projects outwardly from the first end 50 and is slidably movable in the bore portion 26a. The handle 58 and first closed end 50 at their junction define a ring-shaped surface 60 that normally is in engagement with the body shoulder 36 as shown in FIG. 2.

A helical spring 62 is situated within the confines of the tubular member D, with one end of the spring being in abutting contact with the second closed end 52 of the plunger E, and a second end of the spring contacting the interior of the end of tubular member D in which first port 44 is defined. The spring 62 is at all times in compression and tends to maintain the plunger E in the first position shown in FIG. 2 where the surface 60 of the plunger is in abutting contact with the body shoulder 36. Body shoulder 36 limits the degree of outward movement of the plunger E relative to the second member C.

The plunger E has a transverse aperture 64 formed therein adjacent to the first closed end 50, with the aperture normally being sealed due to being situated within the confines of the first end 28 of second member C. However, when the handle 58 is pressed downwardly the plunger E is moved to a position as shown in FIG. 3, where the aperture 64 is in transverse alignment with an opening 66 formed in the second member C.

The closed end 50 has at least one rib 68 extending longitudinally therefrom that is slidably engaged in a longitudinal slot 70 formed in the second member D to prevent rotation of the plunger E relative to the second member C. The rib 68 and slot 70 are best seen in FIG. 5. The second member C has a spring clip 72 secured thereto to permit the atomizing device A to be carried in the manner of a fountain pen in a man's coat pocket (not shown). The resilient ring 42 as may best be seen in FIG. 2 sealingly engages the exterior surface of the plunger E to prevent liquid in the first reservoir 10 flowing between the plunger E and the second bore 26 to discharge from opening 66.

In operation the first reservoir 10 is filled with the liquid to be dispensed by separating the second member C, tubular member D, and plunger E from the first member as an integral unit, and then pouring the liquid through the bore 22 into the first reservoir 10. The components above described are reassembled to define the combination shown in FIG. 2. The handle 58 is now reciprocated upwardly and downwardly a few times. Each reciprocation of the plunger creates a negative pressure in the second reservoir 12 to cause fluid to flow therein from the first reservoir 10. The negative pressure created in the second reservoir 12 is sufficient to cause the inflowing liquid to momentarily lift the ball 46 from a closed position with first port 44.

After the second reservoir 12 has been filled with liquid as above described, the next downwardly stroke of the plunger E will cause the liquid to gush therefrom through the second port 54 into the interior of the tubular plunger E, and in so doing being atomized into a fine spray by contact with a second ball 56. The atomized liquid (not shown) in the interior of the tubular plunger E discharges through the aperture 64, during the time that the aperture is in transverse alignment with the opening 66 as shown in FIG. 3. When the pressure is released from the handle 58, the spring 62 forces the plunger E upwardly to the position shown in FIG. 2, where communication between the aperture 64 and opening 66 in terminated as is discharge of atomized liquid from the device.

Claims

I claim:

1. A lightweight portable pocket supportable atomizer device for a liquid that in appearance simulates that of a fountain pen, said atomizer comprising:

a. a first elongate hollow member that has a first externally threaded end in which a first longitudinal bore is defined, with the interior of said first member serving as a first reservoir for said liquid;

b. a second elongate member axially aligned with said first member, said second member having a second longitudinal bore therein that extends from a first end portion thereof to communicate with first and second internally tapped openings defined in a second end portion of said second member, said first end of said first member threadedly engaging said first tapped opening, and said second member having a transverse opening in said first end portion in communication with said second bore;

c. an elongate tubular member that extends through said first bore into said first reservoir, said tubular member including a first threaded end that engages said second tapped opening, and a second end of said tubular member disposed adjacent to a second end of said first member, with said second end of said tubular member being disposed adjacent to a second end of said second end thereof in which a first liquid inlet port is formed, and with the interior of said tubular member defining a second liquid reservoir;

d. a tubular plunger having a first closed end and a second end in which a second liquid inlet port is formed, which plunger is slidably supported in said first bore and the interior of said tubular member, with said plunger also having a transverse aperture formed therein adjacent to said first closed end, which aperture is in communication with the interior of said plunger;

e. first and second balls of greater density than the liquid dispensed from said atomizer, which first and second balls are in said tubular member and plunger, respectively, and removably seal said first and second ports respectively;

f. spring means that all times tend to move said first member to a first position where said aperture is in sealing contact with a part of said first end portion of said second member outwardly from said transverse opening;

g. stop means for preventing said spring means from moving said plunger beyond said first position;

h. an elongate handle extending outwardly from said closed end of said plunger and longitudinally aligned therewith, with the length of said handle determining the length of the stroke said plunger may make relative to said tubular member, which handle when initially reciprocated causes liquid to flow from said first reservoir to said second reservoir to fill the latter, with each reciprocation of said handle after said second reservoir is filled, causing liquid to gush past said second ball as an atomized spray into said tubular plunger and discharge the same from said device when said opening and aperture are transversely aligned, and said first ball sealing said first port during the first part of a stroke by said handle to prevent liquid in said second reservoir flowing therefrom through said first port to said first reservoir; and

i. first means for preventing said plunger from rotating relative to said second member.

2. An atomizer device as defined in claim 1 wherein said spring means comprises a compressed helical spring in said tubular member that at all times presses against the end of said plunger in which said second port is formed.

3. An atomizer device as defined in claim 1 wherein said stop means comprises a projecting surface on said plunger that contacts a body shoulder defined in the interior of said second member.

4. An atomizer device as defined in claim 1 which further includes:

j. a spring clip secured to said second body to engage a portion of a user's garment to removably hold said atomizer device at a fixed position relative thereto.

5. An atomizer device as defined in claim 1 wherein said first means comprises a longitudinal rib on said plunger that slidably engages a slot in said second body.