Background and Summary of the Disclosure

The present invention relates generally to adapters for use with a dual compartment container that stores two different fluids, and more particularly, to an adapter that receives the two separate fluids and combines the two fluids into a single fluid stream for delivery to a spray head dispenser for application of the combined fluids to a surface.

The present disclosure provides for an adapter having a manifold that allows for the combination of two different fluids, packaged separately in a dual compartment container, to be drawn into and combined into a single channel and dispensed from the container into a single stream for application in the form of a spray by a standard spray head dispenser.

There is a need for an adapter that easily combines two different fluids in a manner having accuracy of mixing and that does not require consumers to mix the fluids, thereby saving them time. For example, the different fluids may be fluids that are incompatible when formulated together due to chemically reactivity. Alternatively, the fluids could be fluids that can be compatibly stored together where it is beneficial to mix the fluids only immediately before use.

While there are several examples in the prior art of devices that allow multiple solutions to be combined into one stream, most of these devices are multi-component and cumbersome in design. There is a need for an adapter that comprises a single piece, thereby reducing the complication of assembly. There is a further need for an adapter having a simple single piece design that is efficient to manufacture through injection molding technology. The present disclosure provides an adapter having a manifold for receiving two separate fluids from a container having two separate fluid compartments and for combining the fluids into a single fluid stream for delivery to a spray fluid dispenser. The adapter comprises a single housing with a manifold formed therein having two separate first conduits and a second conduit. Each of the first conduits receives one of the two respective fluids from the container. The first conduits connect to the second conduit for receiving and combining the two fluids. The second conduit leads to a spray dispenser which can apply the combined fluids to a surface. In an illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided an adapter for receiving two separate fluids from a container having two separate fluid compartments and for combining the fluids into a single mixed fluid stream for delivery to a spray head dispenser. The adapter comprises a unitary housing having a first end for fluid connection to the container and a second end for fluid connection to the spray head dispenser. The housing defines a manifold forming a fluid passageway therein between the first end and the second end. The manifold includes two separate substantially straight first conduits formed at the first end. Each of the substantially straight first conduits is connectable to a respective one of the fluid compartments for receiving fluid therefrom. The manifold further includes a second conduit in fluid communication with the second end for delivery of the combined fluids to the spray head dispenser. The first conduits each are in fluid communication with the second conduit.

In a further illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided an adapter for receiving two separate fluids from a container having two separate fluid compartments and for combining the fluids into a single mixed fluid stream for delivery to a spray head dispenser. The adapter comprises a unitary housing having a first end for fluid connection to the container and a second end for fluid connection to said spray head dispenser. The housing defines a manifold forming a fluid passageway therein between the first end and the second end. The manifold includes two separate first conduits formed at the first end. Each of the first conduits is connectable to a respective one of the fluid compartments for receiving fluid therefrom. The manifold further includes a second conduit in fluid communication with the second end for delivery of the combined fluids to the spray head dispenser. The first conduits are each in fluid communication with the second conduit. According to another illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided an assembly for combining and dispensing two separate fluids. The assembly comprises a container comprising a first compartment for storing a first fluid and a separate second compartment for storing a second fluid; a spray head dispenser; and an adapter comprising a housing defining a manifold for receiving the first and second fluids from the container and for combining the fluids into a single fluid stream for delivery to the spray head dispenser. The housing has a first end connected to the container and a second end connected to said spray head dispenser. The manifold forms a fluid passageway between the first end and the second end. The manifold includes two separate substantially straight first conduits formed at the first end. Each of the substantially straight first conduits is fluidly connected to a respective one of the fluid compartments of the container. The manifold further includes a second conduit being connected to the second end for delivery of the combined fluids to the spray head dispenser. The first conduits each are in fluid communication with the second conduit.

Additional features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of the illustrative embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the invention as presently perceived.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The detailed description of the drawings particularly refers to the accompanying figures in which:

FIG. 1 is a bottom perspective view of an illustrative adapter;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the adapter of FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 3 a cross-sectional view of the adapter of FIG. 1 showing an alternate embodiment of the adapter of the present disclosure; FIG. 4 a cross-sectional view of the adapter of FIG. 1 showing a second alternate embodiment of the adapter of the present disclosure;

FIG. 5 is a side view of an assembly of the present disclosure;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the assembly of FIG 5; and

FIG 7 is an exploded view of the assembly of the present disclosure.

Detailed Description of the Drawings

The embodiments of the invention described herein are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to precise forms disclosed. Rather, the embodiments elected for description have been chosen to enable one skilled in the art to practice the invention.

With reference initially to Figure 1, an illustrative adapter 2 according to the present disclosure is shown as including a housing 4. The housing 4 has a first end 10 for connection to a container 26 as shown in Figures 5 and 6. The first end 10 of the housing 4 is attachable to a collar 6 as shown in Figures 5, 6 and 7 for attachment to a neck 40 of a container 26 as shown in Figure 6. The adapter 2 has a second end 12 for attachment to a conventional spray head dispenser 32 as shown in Figures 5, 6 and 7. The adapter 2 preferably includes fins 8. The adapter 2 includes a lip 7 around an outer circumference of the adapter 2 at the first end 10 of the housing 4 in order to force greater compression on a gasket 62 as shown in Figure 7 to ensure a better seal with the container 26. The adapter 2 includes openings 64 in communication with first conduits 16 to receive dip tubes 20, 22 as shown in Figures 5, 6 and 7.

In the illustrative embodiment shown in Figure 2, the housing defines a manifold 14 therein. The manifold 14 forms a fluid passageway between the first end 10 and the second end 12 of the adapter 2. The manifold 14 comprises two separate substantially straight first conduits 16. Each of the first conduits 16 communicates with an opening 64 for receiving fluid through the first end 10 of the housing 4. The manifold 14 further comprises a second conduit 18 in fluid communication with the second end 12 for delivery of fluids through an opening in the second end 12. The first conduits 16 are each in fluid communication with the second conduit 18. The first conduits 16 each have an opening (not shown) at a point of contact between each respective first conduit 16 and the second conduit 18. Similarly, the second conduit 18 has openings (not shown) at the points of contact with each of the respective first conduits 16. In the illustrative embodiment shown in Figure 2, the respective first conduits 16 are substantially straight and angled relative to each other. In addition, the first conduits 16 are angled relative to the second conduit 18. Preferably, the angle between the two first conduits is in the range of about 15 degrees and about 35 degrees. Most preferably, the angle between the two first conduits is about 21 degrees. The first conduits 16 each have a lower portion 48 and an upper portion 50. The lower portions 48 are offset from the upper portions 50 to create separation between the two first conduits in order to accommodate the thickness of a division in the dual compartment container. The center of each of the first conduits 16 is offset by approximately 5.5 mm from the center of the second conduit 18 as shown in Figure 2. There is preferably a gasket 62, as shown in figure 7, on the bottom of the adapter 2. The gasket preferably provides a seal between a division of the dual compartment container and the area between the two angled first conduits 16 that prevents the two liquids from mixing together.

The second conduit 18 forms a step 52 where the second conduit 18 connects to the first conduits 16. The step 52 is a difference in diameter between a portion of the second conduit 18 that leads to the spray dispenser and the part of the second conduit where the second conduit 18 meets the first conduits 16. The step 52 is beneficial so that a trigger tube, when inserted, will stop at a point that does not block the angled first conduits 16. In the illustrative embodiment shown in Figure 2, the angled first and second conduits eliminate any undercut areas below the conduits which is beneficial for injection molding processes for manufacturing the adapter. The housing of the illustrative embodiment shown in Figure 2 also preferably does not include any hollow areas. This feature also provides for efficiency in manufacturing through injection molding processes. The housing 4 has fins 8 that improve cycle time in manufacturing through injection molding procedures. Preferably, the height of the adapter of the embodiment shown in Figure 2 is in the range of from about 23 mm to about 33 mm. Most preferably, the height of the adapter is 32.46 mm. The collar 6 is preferably in the range of from about 17.8 mm to about 25.5 mm in diameter. The diameter of the openings 64 is preferably about 4.4mm.

In the illustrative embodiment shown in Figure 3, the housing 4 defines a manifold 14 therein. The manifold 14 forms a fluid passageway between the first end 10 and the second end 12. The manifold 14 comprises two separate substantially straight first conduits 16. Each of the first conduits 16 have open ends communicating with an opening 64 as shown in Figure 1 for receiving fluid through the first end 10 of the housing 4. The manifold 14 further comprises a second conduit 18 in fluid

communication with the second end 12 for delivery of fluids through the second end 12. The first conduits 16 are each in fluid communication with the second conduit 18. The first conduits 16 each have an opening (not shown) at a point of contact between each respective first conduit 16 and the second conduit 18. Similarly, the second conduit 18 has openings (not shown) at the points of contact with each of the respective first conduits 16. In this illustrative embodiment, the respective first conduits 16 are substantially parallel to each other. In addition, the first conduits 16 are substantially parallel to the second conduit 18.

In the illustrative embodiment shown in Figure 4, the housing 4 defines a manifold 14 therein. The manifold 14 forms a fluid passageway between the first end 10 and the second end 12. The manifold 14 comprises two separate first conduits 16. The first conduits 16 each have a curved portion and join to form a U-shape. Each of the first conduits 16 have open ends communicating with an opening 64 as shown in Figure 1 for receiving fluid through the first open end 10 of the housing 4. The manifold 14 further comprises a second conduit 18 in fluid communication with the second end 12 for delivering fluids through an opening in the second end 12. The first conduits 16 join to form a junction 36. The first conduits 16 join with the second conduit 18 at junction 36. In the illustrative embodiment shown in Figures 5, 6 and 7, the adapter 2 is shown as part of an assembly comprising the adapter 2 as connected to the container 26 having a separate first compartment 28 and second compartment 30, and a standard spray nozzle 32 which functions as a spray head dispenser. The adapter 2 is shown in Figure 6 as having the first conduits 16 and the second conduit 18 angled relative to each other as shown in Figure 2. However other embodiments of the adapter 2 can be used as part of the assembly 1 including the embodiments shown in Figure 3 and Figure 4. The adapter 2 is fluidly connected to the container 26 at the first end 10. The first end 10 is attached to a neck 40 of the container 26. The collar 6 secures the first end 10 to the neck 40. A first dip tube 20 is received in one of the first conduits 16 as shown in Figures 5 and 6. A second dip tube 22 is received in the other of the first conduits 16 as shown in Figures 5 and 6. The first dip tube 20 extends from the first conduit 16 into the first compartment 28. The second dip tube 22 extends from the other first conduit 16 into the second compartment 30.

The second end 12 of the housing 4 of the adapter 2 is fluidly connected to the spray dispenser 32. The housing 4 is attachable to a collar 42 of the spray nozzle 32 for securing the adapter 2 to the spray nozzle 32. A third tube 24 extends from the second conduit 18 into the spray nozzle 32 as shown in Figure 6 and Figure 7.

As illustrated in Figure 6, in operation, the dual compartment container 26 stores two liquids separately. A first liquid is stored in a first compartment 28 and a second liquid is stored in a second compartment 30. The two liquids may be chemically reactive liquids which cannot be stored after mixing due to chemical degradation. Alternatively, the two liquids could be liquids that could be stored together without degradation where it is nevertheless preferable to mix the liquids only immediately before use. It is necessary to combine these liquids only immediately before application to surface with a spray head dispenser. The adapter 2 fluidly connects the dual compartment container 26 to a standard spray nozzle 32 and combines the two fluids into a single fluid stream prior to delivery of the fluid stream to spray nozzle 32 for application of the combined fluid stream to a surface. The actuation of the spray nozzle 32 is accomplished by pulling a lever 44 which generates suction through the third tube 24 which in turn generates suction through the first dip tube 20 and the second dip tube 22. The suction applied draws fluid from the first compartment 28 into the first dip tube 20. Likewise, the suction applied draws fluid from the second compartment 30 into the second dip tube 22. The fluid from the first dip tube 20 then flows into the first conduit 16. Likewise, the fluid from the second dip tube 22 then flows into the other first conduit 16. The fluids from the first conduits 16 both flow into the second conduit 18 by virtue of the fluid connection between the first conduits 16 and the second conduit 18. The two fluid streams from the first

compartment 28 and second compartment 30 are therefore combined in the second conduit 18.

The suction generated by the spray nozzle 32 causes the combined fluid stream from the second conduit 18 to flow into the third tube 24. The fluid from the third tube 24 then enters the spray nozzle 32 and is dispensed onto a surface.

The design of the adapter of the present disclosure permits for efficient manufacturing of the adapter through injection molding techniques or by additive manufacturing processes including 3D printing.

Although the invention has been described in detail with reference to certain preferred embodiments, variations and modifications exist within the spirit and scope of the invention as described and defined in the following claims.