Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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TITLE OF THE INVENTION
System and Method for Dispensing a Fluid to a Liquid Spraying Device.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to the dispensing of fluids.
More specifically, the present invention is concerned with a system and method
for dispensing a fluid to a liquid spraying device.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] A common tool used in the painting industry is a spray gun.
A spray gun typically uses compressed air to eject paint contained in a
reservoir towards a surface to paint. Many spray guns include a reservoir that
feeds the paint into the gun through gravity. Accordingly, the reservoir is
located on an upper portion of the spray gun.
[0003] A painter typically needs to mix paint components, including
for example pigments of different colors and paint additives, to obtain a
paint
having suitable characteristics. To that effect, in an existing system, the
painter
uses a disposable paint mixing cup to combine different paint components in
appropriate proportions. The paint mixing cup includes marks typically printed
on an outside wall of the cup, each of the marks indicating an appropriate
filling
level to arrive at a proper mixture proportion. The paint mixing cup has a
flat
bottom, which is necessary for ensuring the different paint components are
mixed properly.
[0004] Once all the paint components are mixed, the resulting paint
is then poured from the paint mixing cup into a paint gun cup that is
subsequently sealed with a lid. The bottom of the paint gun cup is typically
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funnel-shaped and therefore allows paint to flow easily into the gun, even if
the
gun is not maintained so that the paint gun cup is not completely vertical.
[0005] Once painting is terminated, it is required that the gun and
the paint gun cup be cleaned with an appropriate solvent. Such solvents are
typically relatively expensive and also damaging to the environment. Also,
these solvents are sometimes hazardous to human health.
[0006] Since the mixing cup is disposable, there is an additional cost
to be incurred by the painter each time a new paint is mixed. Furthermore,
cleaning the gun and the paint gun cup, along with the lid, is time consuming
[0007] Many devices have been invented to try to circumvent the
above-mentioned disadvantages. For example, such devices are found in
European Patent 987,060 filed by Camilleri and published March 22, 2000,
U.S. Patents 6,636,687 issued to Navis et al. March 25, 2003, and 6,695,441
issued to Petrie et al. July 22, 2003, and in U.S. Patent Application
Publications
2002/0134861 filed by Petrie et al. and published September 26, 2002,
2003/0006311 filed by Rothrum et al. and published January 9, 2003, and
2004/0016825 filed by Petri et al. and published January 29, 2004. In these
documents, there is a description of many types of reservoirs used to mix the
paint and to subsequently contain the paint when painting with the spray gun.
These reservoirs replace the paint gun cup.
[0008] Since there is a requirement to have a flat, rigid bottom for
mixing and a funnel-shaped portion for pouring paint into the gun, such
reservoirs typically include a funnel-shaped lid that is placed on top of the
reservoir after the paint has been mixed. Therefore, paint flows into the
spray
gun through the lid. Such lids represent a substantial portion of the costs
incurred in manufacturing these reservoirs. Also, such lids require that
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adaptors be used to adapt the lid to the spray paint gun.
[0009] In other systems, such as the systems described in US
Patents Serial Number 4,951,875 issued to Devey on August 8, 1990;
6,588,681 issued to Rothrum et al. on July 8, 2003 and 5,582,350 issued to
Kosmyna et al. on December 16, 1996, a liner is used inside to protect the
interior of a paint container. The systems described in these Patents have a
disadvantage of requiring the use of a paint mixing cup, which either needs to
be cleaned or disposed of after use.
[0010] Furthermore, in the system described in US Patent
5,582,350, it is relatively inconvenient to store unused paint that might be
left
after painting. Also, it is likely that a small amount of paint drips into the
cup
when the liner is removed, which requires that the cup be cleaned.
[0011] Against this background, there exists a need in the industry to
provide an improved reservoir for containing fluid, and a system for using the
same.
[0012] The present description refers to a number of documents, the
content of which is herein incorporated by reference in their entirety.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
[0013] An object of the present invention is therefore to provide an
improved system and method for dispensing a fluid to a liquid spraying device.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0014] In a first broad aspect, the invention provides a bag for
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containing a fluid and dispensing the fluid into an article, the article
defining a
fluid receiving aperture. The bag includes:
[0015] a. a substantially deformable body, the body defining a cavity
for containing the fluid;
[0016] b. a substantially rigid dispensing portion, the dispensing
portion including an inlet, an outlet and a passageway extending therebetween,
the inlet being in fluid communication with the cavity; and
[0017] c. a closing portion extending across the dispensing portion
for blocking the latter, the closing portion being puncturable by the article
to
allow the fluid to flow from the cavity to the fluid receiving aperture
through the
inlet, the passageway and the outlet.
[0018] Advantageously, the bag is relatively inexpensive to
manufacture and reduces an amount of cleaning solvent required to clean the
liquid spraying device after its use. In addition, the bag allows to reduce
costs
as it eliminated the need for a disposable paint mixing cup. Also, the bag
allows
storing unused paint relatively easily and relatively inexpensively.
[0019] In another broad aspect, the invention provides a system for
dispensing a fluid to a liquid spraying device, the liquid spraying device
defining
a fluid receiving aperture. The system includes:
[0020] a. a substantially flexible bag for containing the fluid to
dispense, the bag including a dispensing portion having an outlet for
dispensing
the fluid; and
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(0021] b. a frame for receiving the bag, the frame being connectable
to the liquid spraying device, the frame including a frame aperture for
allowing a
user to connect the bag to the liquid spraying device upon the bag being
filled
with the fluid to dispense.
[0022] Advantageously, the system is relatively easy to use and
allows preparing a bag of fluid to spray, such as for example paint, prior to
attaching the bag to the liquid spraying device. Also, the system is
relatively
inexpensive to manufacture. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the system
had all the advantages of the above-described bag as such a bag is part of the
system.
[0023] In yet another broad aspect, the invention provides a method
for providing a fluid to a liquid spraying device, the method including the
steps
of:
[0024] a. providing a substantially deformable bag containing the
fluid;
[0025] b. providing a liquid spraying device having a fluid admission
portion defining a fluid receiving aperture;
[0026] c. securing the bag to the liquid spraying device;
[0027] d. piercing the bag with the fluid admission portion; and
[0028] e. securing the fluid admission portion to the bag for allowing
the fluid contained therein to flow through the fluid receiving aperture.
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[0029] In yet another broad aspect, the invention provides a system
far dispensing a fluid to a liquid spraying device defining a fluid receiving
aperture, the system including:
[0030] a. a flexible bag for containing the fluid to dispense, the bag
including a dispensing portion having an outlet for dispensing the fluid, the
dispensing portion being connectable to the fluid receiving aperture; and
[0031] b. a frame for receiving the bag, the frame being connectable
to the liquid spraying device.
[0032] Other objects, advantages and features of the present
invention will become more apparent upon reading of the following non-
restrictive description of preferred embodiments thereof, given by way of
example only with reference to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0033] In the appended drawings:
[0034] Figure 1 is a schematic view of a system for dispensing a
fluid including a frame receiving a bag and an adapter;
[0035] Figure 2 is a schematic view of the system of Figure 1 with
the bag removed from the frame;
[0036] Figure 3 is a schematic view of the frame and adapter of
Figure 1;
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[0037] Figure 4 is a schematic view of the bag of Figure 1 with a clip
attachable thereto;
[0038] Figure 5 is a schematic view of a cup and a base thereof for
receiving the bag of Figure 1; and
[0039] Figure 6 is a schematic view of the cup and base of Figure 5
receiving the bag of Figure 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0040] Figures 1 and 2 illustrate a system 10 for dispensing a fluid to
a liquid spraying device 12. An example of a liquid spraying device is a spray
paint gun. However, the reader skilled in the art will readily appreciate that
any
suitable liquid spraying device is usable in conjunction with the invention.
The
liquid spraying device 12 defines a fluid receiving aperture 14. The fluid
receiving aperture 14 receives the fluid from the system 10.
[0041] The system 10 includes a substantially flexible bag 16 for
containing the fluid to dispense. The bag 16 includes a dispensing portion 20
having an outlet 22 for dispensing the fluid.
[0042] The system 10 further includes a frame 18 for receiving the
bag 16. The frame 18 is connectable to the liquid spraying device 12. The
frame 18 includes a frame aperture 24 for allowing an intended user to connect
the bag 16 to the liquid spraying device 12 further to the bag having 16 been
filled with the fluid to dispense.
[0043] As better seen in Figure 2 wherein the bag 16 is omitted, the
system 10 further includes an adaptor 26 for securing the frame 18 to the
liquid
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spraying device 12. In some embodiments, the system 10 further includes a
plug 17 (shown in cross-section in Figure 1) for blocking the outlet 22 of the
bag 16 upon the bag 16 being disconnected from the adaptor 26. Furthermore,
in some embodiments of the invention, the system 10 further includes a clip
30,
shown in Figure 4, the clip 30 being for pinching the bag 16 in proximity to
the
dispensing portion 20 thereof so as to prevent a flow of liquid through the
outlet
22. In addition, the clip 30 helps in mixing the fluid by preventing the fluid
from
being stuck within the dispensing portion 20.
[0044] As shown in Figures 5 and 6, in some embodiments of the
invention, the system 10 further includes a cup 32 defining a cup aperture 34
through which a dispensing portion of the bag 16 is insertable. The cup 32 is
for receiving the bag 16 and thereafter allowing measuring predetermined
quantities of fluid components to mix to form the fluid to dispense. In some
embodiments, the system 10 further includes a cup stand 36 for supporting the
measuring cup 32. However, in alternative embodiments of the invention, the
system 10 does not include a cup or does not include a cup and a cup stand.
[0045] Figure 4 illustrates in more detail, the bag 16. As mentioned
hereinabove, the bag 16 contains a fluid and dispenses the fluid into an
article,
such as the liquid spraying device 12, the liquid spraying device 12 defining
the
fluid receiving aperture 14. In alternative embodiments of the invention, the
bag 16 dispenses the fluid into any other suitable article. A non-limitative
example of such an article is an adaptor, such as the adaptor 26.
(0046] The bag 16 includes a substantially deformable body 38, the
substantially rigid dispensing portion 20 extending from the body 38 and a
closing portion 42 blocking the outlet 22 defined in the fluid dispensing
portion
20. The dispensing portion 20 includes an inlet 46, the outlet 22 and a
passageway 48 extending therebetween. In alternative embodiments of the
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invention, a closing portion blocks any other part of the dispensing portion
20,
such as the inlet 46 or the passageway 48.
[0047] In some embodiments of the invention, the dispensing portion
20 is substantially cylindrical and includes a substantially cylindrical tube
54
inserted within a substantially cylindrical extension 55 extending from the
body
38. However, it is within the scope of the invention to have bags including
any
other suitable dispensing portion.
[0048] The body 38 defines a cavity 39 for containing the fluid. The
inlet 46 is in fluid communication with the cavity 39. The closing portion 42
is
puncturable by the article to allow the fluid to flow from the cavity 39 to
the fluid
receiving aperture 14 through the inlet 46, the passageway 48 and the outlet
44.
[0049] In some embodiments of the invention, a bag similar to the
bag 16 is filled with the fluid and then permanently sealed at the factory.
This
embodiment is not illustrated in the drawings, but the reader skilled in the
art
will readily appreciate how to manufacture such a bag
[0050] However, the bag 16 shown in the drawings defines a fluid
admission aperture 54 allowing to fill the bag 16 with the fluid. The fluid
admission aperture 54 is provided substantially opposite to the dispensing
portion 40. In addition, the bag 16 includes a closing device 56 for
reversibly
closing the fluid admission aperture 54. In some embodiments of the invention,
however, the closing device does not reversibly close the fluid admission
aperture but instead permanently closes the fluid admission aperture 54.
[0051] In some embodiments of the invention, the body 38 is
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substantially tapered towards the fluid dispensing portion 40. More
specifically,
the body 38 includes a first tapered portion 50 that is substantially adjacent
to
the dispensing portion 20 and a second tapered portion 52 substantially
adjacent to the first tapered portion 50. The first and second tapered
portions
50 and 52 are tapered towards the dispensing portion 20. In alternative
embodiments of the invention, the second tapered portion 52 is replaced by a
portion of substantially uniform cross-section.
[0052] The first and second tapered portions 50 and 52 are formed
by first and second substantially opposed walls, only one of which, wall 51,
is
shown in the drawings. The two walls are connected at two wall junctions 57
and 59. The wall junctions 57 and 59 extend from the dispensing portion 40 to
the fluid admission aperture 54.
[0053] Within the first tapered portion 50, the wall junctions 57 and
59 are substantially curved and define a concave portion 61 within the cavity
39. Within the second tapered portion 52, the wall junctions 57 and 59 are
substantially straight
(0054] In specific embodiments of the invention, the bag 16 is
manufactured from high density polyethylene. Among other advantages, having
the bag formed of a flexible material, such as high density polyethylene,
allows
having a closing portion 42 that is relatively easy to pierce by a suitably
shaped
article.
(0055] The closing device 56 includes first and second closing
device sections and formed in the body 16. The first and second closing device
sections and close the fluid admission aperture 56 through the first closing
device section frictionally engaging the second closing device section. The
first
closing device section is formed in the first wall 51 and the second closing
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device section is formed in the second wall (not shown in the drawings).
[0056] The first and second closing device sections are of a type
well known in the art, wherein the first closing device section includes a
ridge
and the second closing device section includes a groove. Engagement of the
ridge within the groove closes the fluid admission aperture. This type of
device
is used in bags commonly known under the name "ZipIocT""".
(0057] Referring to Figure 3, the frame 18 includes a substantially
cylindrically shaped body 70 and a frame attachment portion 72 extending from
the body 70. The frame attachment portion 72 is securable to the liquid
spraying device 12 through the adaptor 26. The frame attachment portion 72
defines the frame aperture 24.
[0058] The frame attachment portion 72 is substantially U-shaped
and includes first and second legs 74 and 76 each extending from the body 70,
and an intermediate section 77 connecting the first leg 74 to the second leg
76.
The frame attachment portion 72, and more specifically the intermediate
portion
77 defines an attachment aperture 78 for receiving the adaptor 26.
[0059] The adaptor 26 includes a hollow bolt 80 and a nut 82. The
bolt 80 is provided with a bolt aperture 84 extending therethrough. The bolt
80
is insertable within the attachment aperture 78 and the nut 82 is threadable
onto the bolt 80 upon the bolt being inserted within the attachment aperture
78.
The bolt aperture 84 includes a threaded end 86 for securing the adaptor 86 to
the liquid spraying device 12. In addition, the bolt 80 includes a sharpened
end
88 opposite the threaded end 86, the sharpened end 88 being for piercing the
closing portion 42.
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[0060] The body 70 includes first and second substantially opposed
ends 90 and 92, the first and second legs extending from the first end 90 and
the second end 92 defining a substantially longitudinally oriented notch 94
(shown in Figures 1 and 2) for receiving the bag 16. In some embodiments of
the invention, as shown in the drawings, more than one notch 94 are defined by
the second end 92.
[0061] The body 70 includes a longitudinally oriented body aperture
96 extending from the first end 90 to the second end 92. As seen in Figure 1,
the body aperture 96 allows monitoring an amount of fluid left within the bag
16
when using the system 10.
[0062] In other words, the system 10 is for dispensing a fluid to the
liquid spraying device 12 which defines a fluid receiving aperture. The system
includes a flexible bag 16 for containing the fluid to dispense, the bag
including a dispensing portion 20 having an outlet 22 for dispensing the
fluid,
the dispensing portion 20 being connectable to the fluid receiving aperture.
The system 10 further includes the frame 18 for receiving the bag 16. The
frame is connectable to the liquid spraying device 12.
[0063] In some embodiments of the invention, as shown in Figure 5,
the system 10 includes a graduated measuring cup 32 along with the cup
support 36. The measuring cup 32 includes a substantially frustoconical
peripheral wall 96 and a bottom wall 98 extending substantially inwardly from
the peripheral wall 96. The bottom wall 98 defines a cup aperture 54.
[0064] In some embodiments of the invention, graduation marks and
other indicia are written directly onto the cup 32. In other embodiments of
the
invention, a detachable graduation sheet 100 is inserted onto the cup 32 when
measurements are made. Cups 32 and measurement sheets 100 are well
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known in the art and will therefore not be described in further details. In
yet
other embodiments of the invention, the cup 32 is not graduated.
(0065] The support 36 is any suitable support, such as a cylindrical
piece of material having a diameter suitable for receiving the bottom wall 98
and adjacent portions of the peripheral wall 96.
[0066] Referring to Figure 6, the clip 30 is substantially U-shaped
and includes two legs 104 and 106 connected by a curved portion 108. The two
legs 104 and 106 are substantially parallel. In some embodiments of the
invention, the two legs 104 and 106 are spaced apart by a distance
substantially smaller than a thickness of the two walls 51 and (not shown). In
other embodiments of the invention, the two legs 104 and 106 contact each
other when the clip 30 is not attached to the bag 16. The clip 30 is
sufficiently
resilient that the two legs 104 and 106 are spaced apart without damaging the
clip 30 when attaching the clip 30 to the bag 16. To facilitate an attachment
of
the clip 30 to the bag 16, the legs 104 and 106 each include a respective
pointed extremity 110 and 112.
[0067] Briefly, in use, the system 10 allows to perform a method for
providing a fluid to the liquid spraying device 12. The method includes steps
of
providing a substantially deformable bag 16 containing the fluid, providing a
liquid spraying device 12 having a fluid admission portion defining a fluid
receiving aperture 24; securing the bag 16 to the liquid spraying device 12;
piercing the bag 16 with the fluid admission portion; and securing the fluid
admission portion to the bag 16 to allow the fluid contained therein to flow
through the fluid receiving aperture 24.
(0068] The reader skilled in the art will readily appreciate that this
method for providing a fluid is applicable to any suitable system, device and
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implement through which a fluid is supplied. Therefore, this method is not
restricted to the above described system 10 and the components thereof.
[0069] Referring now more specifically to the system 10, the use
thereof is described in further details hereinbelow. The description
hereinbelow
refers mainly to the use of the system 10 to mix paint and to supply the paint
to
a spray gun for painting a surface. However, it is within the scope of the
invention to use a system 10 in any other suitable application.
[0070] Also, for the purpose of this description, the term paint
includes all suitable materials intended for use with a spray gun. These
materials include, non-limitatively, colored paints, primers, base coats,
finishing
coats, clear coats, lacquers, varnishes, adhesives and powdered paints, among
others.
[0071] First, the bolt 80 is threaded onto the paint gun 12. Then, the
frame 18 is inserted onto the bolt 80 through the frame aperture 78 and the
nut
84 is threaded onto the bolt 80.
[0072] Then, the paint is mixed. To that effect, the clip 30 is inserted
onto the bag 16 in proximity to the inlet 22 of the dispensing portion 20. If
the
paint is measured using a scale, it is sufficient to support the bag 16 in an
appropriate manner, for example by putting the bag 16 inside the cup 32 and
putting the cup 32 onto a scale. Then, the paint is weighed in a manner that
is
well known in the art.
[0073] If the paint is mixed using volume measurements, the paint is
either measured and mixed using a standard mixing cup with the mixed paint
being poured into the bag 16. Alternatively, the required amounts of paint
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components are measured with the bag 16 in place within a graduated cup 32
and thereafter mixed.
[0074] Then, the bag is closed and attached to the frame 18 through
the notches 74 and the closing portion 42 is pierced using the sharpened end
84 of the bolt 80. Subsequently, the clip 30 is detached from the bag 16,
thereby allowing paint to flow into the gun 12.
[0075] Once painting is finished, the bag 16 is removed from the
frame 18. Then, the plug 17 is usable to seal the bag 17.
[0076] Although the present invention has been described
hereinabove by way of preferred embodiments thereof, it can be modified,
without departing from the spirit and nature of the subject invention as
defined
in the appended claims.
