Fluid applicator device with fluid control mechanism

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10953428-B2
Application number	US-201815860321-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 2, 2018
Priority date	Jan 6, 2017
Publication date	Mar 23, 2021
Grant date	Mar 23, 2021

Abstract

An example fluid applicator device includes an applicator assembly, and a reservoir assembly configured to store a fluid and is rotatable, relative to the applicator assembly, to control a valve mechanism that controls a flow of the fluid from the reservoir assembly to the applicator assembly, wherein the applicator assembly is configured to apply the fluid to a surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fluid applicator device comprising:
an applicator assembly configured to apply a fluid to a surface;
a reservoir assembly comprising a reservoir configured to store the fluid and a flow regulator configured to control a flow of the fluid to the applicator assembly, the reservoir assembly being rotatably coupled to the applicator assembly by a helical coupling, wherein the reservoir assembly is rotatable about an axis of rotation, relative to the applicator assembly, in a first direction along the helical coupling, away from the applicator assembly to increase the flow of the fluid to the applicator assembly, and in a second direction along the helical coupling, toward the applicator assembly, to decrease the flow of fluid to the applicator assembly;
a handle removably coupled to and extending from the reservoir assembly; and
a locking mechanism configured to selectively couple the applicator assembly to the reservoir assembly, the locking mechanism comprising a protrusion and a slot configured to receive the protrusion, wherein the protrusion protrudes in a direction away from the axis of rotation and is movable within the slot as the reservoir assembly is rotated in the first direction and the second direction relative to the applicator assembly.

2. The fluid applicator device of claim 1 , wherein the reservoir assembly is rotatable in the first direction to increase the flow of the fluid through a valve mechanism, and rotatable in the second direction to decrease the flow of the fluid through the valve mechanism.

3. The fluid applicator device of claim 2 , and further comprising:
a flow channel configured to fluidically couple the applicator assembly to the reservoir assembly.

4. The fluid applicator device of claim 3 , wherein the reservoir assembly is rotatable in the first direction to open the valve mechanism and permit the flow of the fluid through the flow channel, and rotatable in the second direction to close the valve mechanism and prevent the flow of the fluid through the flow channel.

5. The fluid applicator device of claim 1 , wherein the applicator assembly comprises:
an applicator pad configured to contact the surface and is movable across the surface to dispense the fluid to the surface.

6. The fluid applicator device of claim 1 , wherein the reservoir assembly is rotatable in the second direction to move the reservoir assembly, along the helical coupling, towards the applicator assembly to close a valve mechanism.

7. The fluid applicator device of claim 6 , wherein the flow regulator is configured to engage a portion of the applicator assembly to close the valve mechanism and disengage the portion of the applicator assembly to open the valve mechanism.

8. The fluid applicator device of claim 7 , wherein the flow of fluid to the applicator assembly is based on the spacing between the flow regulator and the portion of the applicator assembly.

9. The fluid applicator device of claim 1 , wherein the protrusion protrudes radially relative to the axis of rotation.

10. The fluid applicator device of claim 1 , wherein the protrusion comprises a screw.

11. The fluid applicator device of claim 1 , wherein the slot defines a first rotational stop and a second rotational stop of the protrusion as the reservoir assembly is rotated in the first direction and the second direction.

12. The fluid applicator device of claim 1 , wherein the slot is formed in a surface of the applicator assembly.

13. A fluid applicator device comprising:
an applicator assembly configured to apply a fluid to a surface;
a valve mechanism configured to control a flow of the fluid to the applicator assembly;
a reservoir assembly rotatably coupled to the applicator assembly by a helical coupling and configured to store the fluid, the reservoir assembly rotatable about an axis of rotation, relative to the applicator assembly, in a first direction along the helical coupling away from the applicator assembly to an open position of the valve mechanism, and in a second direction along the helical coupling toward the applicator assembly to a closed position of the valve mechanism; and
a locking mechanism configured to selectively couple the applicator assembly to the reservoir assembly, the locking mechanism comprising a protrusion and a slot configured to receive the protrusion, wherein the protrusion protrudes in a direction away from the axis of rotation and is movable within the slot as the reservoir assembly is rotated in the first direction and the second direction.

14. The fluid applicator device of claim 13 , wherein the valve mechanism is configured to:
permit the flow of the fluid, from the reservoir assembly to the applicator assembly, when the valve mechanism is in the open position, and
prevent the flow of the fluid, from the reservoir assembly to the applicator assembly, when the valve mechanism is in the closed position.

15. The fluid applicator device of claim 13 , wherein the reservoir assembly comprises a stem portion that is rotatable about the axis of rotation.

16. The fluid applicator device of claim 15 , wherein the applicator assembly comprises a portion configured to be engaged by the stem portion.

17. The fluid applicator device of claim 16 , wherein the reservoir assembly is rotatable to correspondingly rotate the stem portion in the first direction, about the axis of rotation, and wherein the fluid applicator device is configured to:
based on rotation of the stem portion in the first direction, move the stem portion away from the portion of the applicator assembly such that the stem portion disengages the portion of the applicator assembly and opens the valve mechanism.

18. The fluid applicator device of claim 16 , wherein the reservoir assembly is rotatable to correspondingly rotate the stem portion in the second direction, about the axis of rotation, and wherein the fluid applicator device is configured to:
based on rotation of the stem portion in the second direction, move the stem portion towards the portion of the applicator assembly such that the stem portion engages the portion of the applicator assembly and closes the valve mechanism.

19. A fluid applicator device comprising:
an applicator assembly configured to apply a fluid to a surface;
a reservoir assembly comprising a reservoir configured to store the fluid and a flow regulator configured to control a flow of the fluid to the applicator assembly, the reservoir assembly being rotatably coupled to the applicator assembly by a helical coupling, wherein the reservoir assembly is rotatable about an axis of rotation, relative to the applicator assembly, in a first direction along the helical coupling, away from the applicator assembly to increase the flow of the fluid to the applicator assembly, and in a second direction along the helical coupling, toward the applicator assembly, to decrease the flow of the fluid to the applicator assembly;
a handle removably coupled to and extending from the reservoir assembly;
a locking mechanism configured to selectively couple the applicator assembly to the reservoir assembly, the locking mechanism comprising a protrusion and a slot configured to receive the protrusion, wherein the protrusion protrudes in a direction away from the axis of rotation and is movable within the slot as the reservoir assembly is rotated in the first direction and the second direction relative to the applicator assembly; and
wherein the helical coupling comprises a first helical coupling, and the handle is removably coupled to the

Assignees

• Wagner Spray Tech Corp

Inventors

• Pozanc Doug Paul
• Rossner Ross

Classifications

• B05C17/00513 Primary

  of the thread type · CPC title

• B05C17/003

  with means for filling or refilling the hand tool container · CPC title

• B05C5/0258

  flow controlled, e.g. by a valve (B05C5/0262, B05C5/0266 take precedence) · CPC title

• B05C17/002

  with feed system for supplying material from an external source; Supply controls therefor (B05C17/02 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B05C17/00516

  Shape or geometry of the outlet orifice or the outlet element · CPC title