Electrostatic handheld sprayer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11738358-B2
Application number	US-202117178630-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 18, 2021
Priority date	Jun 25, 2020
Publication date	Aug 29, 2023
Grant date	Aug 29, 2023

Abstract

A fluid sprayer includes a pump and an electrostatic module configured to provide an electrostatic charge to spray fluid. The electrostatic module is electrically connected to a conductive component of the fluid sprayer, such as a fluid displacement member, fitting, cylinder, or spray tip, to charge the spray fluid via the conductive component. The fluid is electrostatically charged prior to exiting the fluid sprayer.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of electrostatic spraying comprising:
pumping a spray fluid with a moving fluid displacement member of a pump, the fluid displacement member formed as a piston configured to reciprocate within an inner cylinder disposed within a pump body of the pump, wherein the piston is formed from a material that is electrically conductive such that a fluid contacting surface of the piston is formed from the electrically conductive material and an outer portion of the piston contacting the inner cylinder is formed from the electrically conductive material;
generating an electrostatic charge with an electrostatic module;
providing the electrostatic charge to the electrically conductive material forming the piston such that the electrostatic charge is transmitted through the electrically conductive material forming the piston;
charging the spray fluid with the electrically conductive material forming the fluid displacement member while the electrically conductive material forming the fluid displacement member moves to pump the fluid;
emitting electrostatically charged spray fluid from a nozzle of a sprayer due to pressure from the movement of the fluid displacement member; and,
further comprising reciprocating the fluid displacement member by a drive to generate the pressure and pump the fluid through the nozzle; charging the fluid displacement member by a conductive path formed through the drive; and converting, by the drive, a rotational output from a motor to a linear reciprocating input to the piston forming the fluid displacement member.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein charging the spray fluid with the electrically conductive material of the fluid displacement member further comprises:
generating the electrostatic charge such that the electrically conductive material of the fluid displacement member is the only component of the sprayer providing electrostatic charge to the fluid.

3. A method of electrostatic spraying with a portable fluid sprayer, the method comprising:
pumping a spray fluid with a moving fluid displacement member disposed within a sprayer body of the portable fluid sprayer, the portable fluid sprayer having a handle extending from the sprayer body, the fluid displacement member comprising a material that is electrically conductive, wherein pumping the spray fluid includes:
drawing the spray fluid from a reservoir disposed upstream of the fluid displacement member by the movement of the fluid displacement member; and
driving the spray fluid downstream from the fluid displacement member to a nozzle supported by the sprayer body by the movement of the fluid displacement member;

generating an electrostatic charge with an electrostatic module;
providing the electrostatic charge to the electrically conductive material of the fluid displacement member;
charging the spray fluid with the electrically conductive material of the fluid displacement member while the electrically conductive material of the fluid displacement member moves to pump the fluid; and
emitting electrostatically charged spray fluid from the nozzle of the portable fluid sprayer due to pressure from the movement of the fluid displacement member.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein a fluid contacting surface of the fluid displacement member is fully formed from the electrically conductive material.

5. A method of electrostatic spraying comprising:
depressing a trigger to activate an electric motor disposed within a sprayer body of a portable fluid sprayer;
providing a rotational output from the electric motor to a drive disposed within the sprayer body;
drawing a spray fluid from a reservoir disposed upstream of a pump of the portable fluid sprayer by reciprocating a fluid displacement member of the pump by the drive to move the fluid displacement member through a suction stroke and a pressure stroke to pressurize and pump the spray fluid, the fluid displacement member comprising a material that is electrically conductive;
generating an electrostatic charge with an electrostatic module;
providing the electrostatic charge to the electrically conductive material of the fluid displacement member;
charging the spray fluid with the electrically conductive material of the fluid displacement member while the electrically conductive material of the fluid displacement member moves through the suction stroke and through the pressure stroke to pump the fluid; and
emitting electrostatically charged spray fluid from a nozzle of the portable fluid sprayer due to the pressure generated by the reciprocation of the fluid displacement member.

Assignees

• Graco Minnesota Inc

Inventors

• Kinne Robert W
• Ulrich Mark E
• Olson Diane L

Classifications

• B05B5/1691 Primary

  Apparatus to be carried on or by a person or with a container fixed to the discharge device · CPC title

• B05B5/043

  using induction-charging · CPC title

• B05B5/1675

  the supply means comprising a piston, e.g. a piston pump · CPC title

• B05B9/0861 Primary

  the motor being electric · CPC title

• B05B5/0533

  Electrodes specially adapted therefor; Arrangements of electrodes · CPC title