Adapter device for bombs with remote dispenser

Technical field

The present patent application generally refers to the field of adapters for bombs employed for various uses, and more particularly the invention regards a device capable of adapting common bombs so as to obtain the diffusion point of the contained product well removed from the user.

Prior art

Sprays and aerosols have become common names for indicating products that can be sprayed in the form of a fine dispersion from a common bomb containing a gas or pressurized propellant product. When it is desired to insert a substance in the air, such as an insecticide, a parasiticide, a cleaning product, a cosmetic product, hair spray, deodorant, solvent, lubricant, disinfectant and so on, it is much easier to use bombs - millions of which are sold each year in every country. Since their first appearance on the market at the start of the 1950s, said bombs have been made of tin-plated band or resistant plastic. With products which must be conserved under high pressures, aluminum is now increasingly used.

As is known, at the top of the bomb, a plastic valve is present for controlling the exit of the fluid, while a small flexible suction tube, connected to the valve itself, draws the contents inside the bomb. The bomb is filled with the product which must be sprayed together with a propellant, such as a liquefied petroleum gas (propane, butane, isobutane) inserted under pressure or any other product in liquid state. Normally, the valve is held closed by the pressure present in the bomb and by a spiral spring placed directly under the valve stem. When the diffusion button is pressed, this presses the valve stem downward, thus freeing the small hole through which the product contained in the bomb flows, pushed by the pressurized propellant gas. In other words, it is the pressure of the gas which pushes the product through the valve, into the valve stem and finally into the diffusion button, from which the expulsion of the product occurs in powder, aerosol or jet form according to the contents in the bomb and the shape of the bomb itself. While numerous benefits arise from employing bombs, it should be remembered that there are also well-known use limits.

In particular, the prior art shows several limits which appear if the bomb must be conveyed into a well-defined position, or into a position that is impossible to reach due to the bulk of the bomb and the diffusion button. Although suitable dispenser buttons are provided around the opening, so to be inserted into the appropriate circular groove capable of engaging said small tube extension, such expedient has technical problems regarding the reduced portion of said small tube which enters into the circular groove of the diffusion button. Such reduced contact surface area often causes undesired ballistic expulsions of the aforesaid small tube extension, together with the jet of dispensed product.

Another characteristic which limits the prior art are the chemical risks connected with the use of products by means of common spray bombs. Frequently, such products regard chemical substances that are rather harmful for human health. Such products include, in addition to the aforesaid gases or propellant products of the spray bombs, all of the harmful substances contained therein, such as the insecticides and parasiticides, glues, detergents, repellents, dyes and paints, paint thinners, oils etc. Generally, the reduced distance between the emission point of the jet from the bomb and the bomb user is quite short, such to trigger a real risk of toxic/harmful action, both local and systemic, towards the oblivious user. The present invention generally tends to limit and some cases annul said undesired effects which derive from the spray dispensers of the prior art.

A more particular object is that of providing a device capable of being adapted to most of the currently available spray bombs, and hence obtaining an increase of the distance, which can vary as required, between the potentially harmful jet expelled from the bomb and the user. Moreover, the present invention allows easily reaching those areas which would otherwise not be reachable by the spray jet.

Other advantages of the invention will be clearer from the detailed description of an exemplifying and non-limiting embodiment, illustrated below.

Description of the invention

The innovative concept underlying the present invention consists of describing a telescopic dispenser adapter capable of housing the most common bombs present on the market and the most common dispensers of liquid state products. The invention, object of the present patent application, consists of an ergonomic extension 1 composed of a plurality of segments that can be telescopically extracted from each other, at whose distal end a common cylindrical bomb 20 or a common liquid product dispenser is fastened. When totally extended, said telescopic extension 1 has, naturally, two ends. A proximal end 3, of greater diameter, on which a practical ergonomic grip is present; and a distal end, of smaller diameter, at the end of which the articulated joint 6 is present to which the rotatable quick coupling system 2 is fastened; such system 2 is adapted for any type of cylindrical bomb 20 or common liquid product dispenser. Said rotatable quick coupler 2 allows, due to the fitting of the ball 6 into the hollow hemisphere 2, the free rotation of the cylindrical bomb 20 with respect to the telescopic projection 1. Said free rotation occurs, however, by overcoming the resistance exerted by the joint of the two spherical bodies, so as to render any position assumed by the cylindrical bomb 20 stable with respect to the telescopic 1. Said apparatus allows removing and directing the expulsion point of the spray jet or liquid product with respect to a simple bomb, and thus with respect to the user of the same, so as to allow the dispensing of the product contained in the bomb in very specific sites, even those far away from the user or in any case difficult to access with common bombs. The system that is the object of the present invention allows obtaining the aforesaid positive effects due to the fact that most of the bombs present on the market can be coupled, by means of the all-purpose quick coupling 5 and used even at a considerable distance. The present finding allows diffusing the substance contained in the cylindrical bomb 20 in the environment without said substance coming into direct or indirect contact with the user. Greatly advantageous with regard to practical use and safety, the main objective of the present invention is to propose a telescopic dispenser capable of considerably removing the expulsion point of the contents of a common cylindrical bomb 20 or a common liquid product dispenser from the user, maintaining however a direct control on the direction and exit of the gas or product. The present invention therefore solves all the problems regarding the bombs of the prior art, in particular the harmfulness correlated with the chemical risk due to the user's inhalation of the aerosol, as well as allowing easy, precise dispensing of the product in very specific points, which are in any case hard to access with the common bombs given the considerable distance from the ground. The versatility and universality of the inventive dispenser, object of the present invention, is explained in its defining technical characteristics, particularly the capacity to be used, due to the adjustable quick-coupling system 5 with which it is equipped, with all of the existing bombs currently on the market so long as they are equipped with a cylindrical body. The activation system of the dispenser button 8 is activated by a command button 4 placed on the ergonomic grip 3 of the proximal segment of the telescopic extension 1 of said system. By means of a common electrical, mechanical or electromechanical mechanism, by operating on the switch 4 placed on said ergonomic grip 3, the electrical pulse is sent which activates a common electromagnet 8 or a common mechanical system which allows opening the cylindrical bomb 20, thus making the exact quantity of desired gas or liquid product exit outward. Inside each single segment of the telescopic arm 1, at least one groove 14 is present, coated with conductor material, adapted to allow the transmission of the activation pulse from the button 4 placed on the ergonomic grip 3 to the electromechanical actuator 8 placed near the diffuser. The single telescopic elements which compose the telescopic arm 1 , when completely extracted and locked in maximum extension position (which occurs by extending and rotating each single telescopic segment in clockwise sense with respect to the underlying segment), give rise to the mutual shutting of such segments and to the correct alignment of said conductor-material groove 14 between the various segments composing the arm of said telescopic extension 1. Said shutting occurs due to the simple screwing of the external face of the lower portion of each segment with the upper internal end of the underlying segment. By completing said shutting, a perfect alignment is also obtained of the conductor-material groove 14. Said conductor material, whether metal or metal alloy, allows giving continuity to the electrical connection; i.e., it allows creating an electrical line from the activation button 4 to the distal top of said telescopic extension 1. The electrical connection 14 terminates distally with the external conductor wire 15, which in turn terminates in connection with a common electric valve 8 capable of opening and closing the outlet of the cylindrical bomb 20. Said electrical activation system is power supplied by a common battery placed inside the ergonomic grip 3. Alternatively, the entire activation system of the gas or liquid product outlet actuator 8 can be of mechanical type, i.e. it can be activated by means of a common sheathed cable 7, free to slide inside or outside said telescopic extension. Pressing the activation button 4 placed on the ergonomic grip allows, by means of a common mechanical kinematic mechanism, the opening of the outlet actuator 8 of the cylindrical bomb 20. Another characteristic which implements the concept of versatility of the present invention regards the fact that the bombs usable with the dispenser adapter, object of the present invention, can contain not only the substances diffusible in the form of solid and/or liquid micro-particle aerosols, but also all of the other existing substances currently contained in common bombs and including those in the form of liquids, powders and semisolid substances.

Regarding the materials composing said inventive telescopic dispenser, these will be of standard type and easily found on the market, and can be selected by the man skilled in the art so as to satisfy the technical characteristics in this particular sector, including solidity, strength, anti-corrosion and lightness; nevertheless, said materials can comprise those of metal type, preferably steel and/or aluminum and/or polymers of rigid and/or semi-rigid plastic type.

Regarding the dimensions of said inventive telescopic dispenser, it is necessary to specify that these are merely indicative and non-limiting of the invention; nevertheless, they can be expressed and summarized overall, with regard to the dimensions of the adjustable coupling system of the bomb, with a diameter in the range of 10 mm to 120 mm and more preferably 50 mm. With regard to the dimensions of the telescopic extension when completely extended, this varies from a length in the range of 50 cm to 1200 cm and more preferably 300 cm.

Near the distal end of the telescopic arm 1 of the present dispenser, an all-purpose coupling system 5 is present that is adaptable to any cylindrical bomb 20. Said all- purpose coupling system 5 is fixed, via a 360° articulated joint, to the final distal segment of the telescopic arm 1. Said articulated joint is composed of the jointed fitting between connection ball joint 6, fixed to the distal end of the last telescopic segment, and the hollow hemisphere 2, integral with the all-purpose coupling system 5. The all-purpose coupling structure 5 is adjustable in width due to the presence of the hinge 13 which together with the adjustable closure system 12 is capable of being engaged on the corresponding threaded seat 9. A portion of the coupling system 5 can be made of elastic material.

Other characteristics of the present invention are described in the following detailed description of one or more specific embodiments, protected by the various dependent claims.

Brief description of the drawings

The preceding advantages, as well as other advantages and characteristics of the present invention, will be illustrated with reference to the attached drawings, which are to be considered merely illustrative and non-limiting or binding with regard to the present patent application, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a front view of the telescopic dispenser, totally extended according to the present invention with a common cylindrical bomb 20 inserted at its distal end and equipped with a mechanical activation system due to the sheathed cable 7 which slides inside the telescopic segments 1 ;

FIGURE 2 is a section view of the distal end of the coupling system of the bomb in which the following are noted: the final element of the telescopic support 1, the articulated connection ball joint 6 and the adjustable coupling structure 5 of the bomb characterized by the presence of the hinge 13 and the adjustable closure system 12 capable of being shut on the corresponding seat 9;

FIGURE 3 is a side view of the telescopic dispenser with the following visible: the electrical system 14 of transmission of the electrical pulse activated by the switch 4 placed on the ergonomic grip 3 and connected by means of the system 14 and the electrical cable 15 to the actuator 8 which opens and closes the diffuser of the gas or liquid product.

It should be underlined that the embodiments of the invention illustrated above, as exemplifying and non-limiting, provide several of the possible embodiments of the present invention - others can be described based on the particular identified technical solutions. A further aspect, in addition to all the technical solutions described up to now, is that an alternative embodiment of the present invention provides that said activation button 4 can be composed of an automatic button with timed trigger, activatable by a small programmable electromechanical device placed at its interior and power supplied by a common battery which is also internally housed in the ergonomic grip 3, capable of carrying out product jets at pre-established time intervals and in absolute autonomy. Without wishing to limit the range of the invention, such alternative embodiment can remotely dispense the product contained in the bomb by means of a small tube extension placed on the actuator 8. In such case, the distance would be further increased, along with the release directionality of the gas or liquid product. The present invention could also be easily employed as a timed greaser of mechanical apparatuses and/or particular devices that common bombs have a hard time reaching. On the gas or liquid product outlet point from the cylindrical bomb 20, it is possible to insert a small tube for further distancing and/or directing the flow of said gas or liquid product. The activation button 4 can be composed of a common automatic button with timed trigger, activatable by a common programmable electromechanical device placed at its interior and power supplied by a common battery which is also internally housed in the proximal segment, capable of activating product jets at pre-established time intervals and in absolute autonomy. The present invention was described as illustrative but non-limiting according to several preferred embodiments, but it is clear that possible variations and/or modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the related protected scope, as defined by the following dependent claims.