Manual check valve for priming a collapsible fluid liner for a sprayer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10315787-B2
Application number	US-201715727973-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 9, 2017
Priority date	Mar 12, 2015
Publication date	Jun 11, 2019
Grant date	Jun 11, 2019

Abstract

A manual check valve for use when priming a fluid supply for a spray gun includes an orifice that opens from the fluid supply into a storage chamber, the storage chamber captures any fluid that is expelled from the fluid supply during priming, and the storage chamber is sealed with a closure. Sealing the storage chamber traps any expelled fluid in the storage chamber and prevents any of the expelled fluid from leaking onto another surface, which keeps the priming operation clean.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A fluid supply for a liquid sprayer, the fluid supply comprising:
a cup, the cup having at least one cut-out section through a wall of the cup;
a lid removably attached to the cup;
a collapsible liner disposed in the cup, wherein the collapsible liner is configured to hold a liquid, and wherein a portion of the collapsible liner is captured between the lid and the cup such that the connection of the lid and the cup secures the collapsible liner between the lid and the cup and seals an interior of the collapsible liner;
wherein the cut-out section is configured to provide access to the collapsible liner from the exterior of the cup;
a manual check valve attached to the lid, the manual check valve comprising:
a chamber for trapping fluid released from the collapsible liner comprising a floor, a sidewall extending from the floor, and an upper opening;
an orifice extending through the lid and the floor and between the collapsible liner and the chamber; and

a closure for sealing the upper opening of the chamber to prevent air from reentering the chamber.

2. The fluid supply of claim 1 , wherein the orifice is circular with a diameter of about 0.020 inches to about 0.070 inches or any shape with equivalent area.

3. The fluid supply of claim 2 , wherein the closure comprises a press-fit plug.

4. The fluid supply of claim 2 , wherein the closure comprises:
a circular top portion comprising an inner surface, an outer surface opposite the inner surface, and an edge;
a cylindrical attachment portion comprising a receiving wall having an inner portion and an outer portion, an upper opening, and a lower opening for receiving the sidewall of the chamber.

5. The fluid supply of claim 4 , wherein the attachment portion further comprises:
a first set of threads on the inner portion of the receiving wall; and
wherein the sidewall of the chamber further comprises a second set of threads on an outer surface of the sidewall for receiving the first set of threads.

6. The fluid supply of claim 4 , wherein the top portion is integral with an upper edge of the receiving wall.

7. The fluid supply of claim 4 , wherein the closure further comprises:
a first annular portion extending from the inner surface of the circular top portion;
a second annular portion extending from the edge of the circular top portion; and
an annular ridge extending from an edge of the upper opening of the attachment portion.

8. The fluid supply of claim 7 , wherein the closure further comprises:
a radial seal affixed to a free end of the second annular portion.

9. The fluid supply of claim 7 , wherein the top portion is hingedly connected to the attachment portion.

10. A sprayer comprising:
a spray gun; and
the fluid supply of claim 1 mounted to the spray gun and configured to hold liquid prior to spraying by the spray gun.

11. The sprayer of claim 10 , wherein the sprayer comprises a motorized handheld sprayer.

12. The sprayer of claim 11 , further comprising a pumping mechanism configured to draw the liquid from the collapsible liner and eject the liquid from a spray tip of the spray gun.

13. The sprayer of claim 12 , wherein the pumping mechanism is a piston pump.

14. A fluid supply for a liquid sprayer, the fluid supply comprising:
a container, the container having at least one cut-out section through a wall of the container;
a cap removably attached to the container;
a collapsible liner disposed in the container;
wherein the collapsible liner is configured to hold a liquid;
wherein a portion of the collapsible liner is captured between the cap and the cup such that the connection of the cap and the cup secures the collapsible liner between the cap and the cup and seals an interior of the collapsible liner; and
wherein the cut-out section is configured to provide access to the collapsible liner from the exterior of the cup such that the collapsible liner can be compressed to purge air from the collapsible liner;
a manual check valve attached to the cap, the manual check valve comprising a closure for sealing an upper opening of the manual check valve to prevent air from reentering the manual check valve.

15. The fluid supply of claim 14 , further comprising:
a liquid sprayer having a pump;
a flowpath extending through the cap into the collapsible liner, the flowpath configured to route fluid from the collapsible liner to an intake of the pump.

16. The fluid supply of claim 15 , wherein the liquid sprayer is a motorized handheld sprayer.

17. The fluid supply of claim 16 , wherein the pump is a piston pump.

18. The fluid supply of claim 14 , wherein the manual check valve further comprises:
a chamber for trapping fluid released from the collapsible liner comprising a floor, a sidewall extending from the floor, and the upper opening;
an orifice extending through the cap and the floor and between the collapsible liner and the chamber.

19. The fluid supply of claim 18 , wherein the orifice is sized such that liquid encounters resistance when flowing through the orifice.

Assignees

• Graco Minnesota Inc

Inventors

• Luczak Mariusz J

Classifications

• B05B15/14

  Arrangements for preventing or controlling structural damage to spraying apparatus or its outlets, e.g. for breaking at desired places; Arrangements for handling or replacing damaged parts · CPC title

• B05B3/006

  using induced currents; using magnetic means · CPC title

• B65B7/2821 Primary

  applying plugs or threadless stoppers (for bottles or jars B67B1/04) · CPC title

• B05B9/01 Primary

  Spray pistols, {discharge devices}(B05B9/03 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B05B7/2481

  with a flexible container for liquid or other fluent material · CPC title