1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is concerned with portable pressurized container assemblies such as aerosol spray can assemblies and in particular with such assemblies comprising a pressurized base unit connected by a tube to a remote, hand-held dispenser to which the base unit supplies a pressurized fluid. Such devices find use in industrial applications for a variety of cleaning or other uses involving the delivery of a controlled spray of a substance, such as a solvent, cleaner or antistatic substance, by a pressurized container such as a conventional aerosol spray can.
It is often convenient or necessary, because of space limitations and to reduce operator fatigue, to utilize a remote dispenser attached to the pressurized base unit or supply container when it is desired to deliver a spray of a substance in connection with, for example, cleaning and removing solder from defective circuit boards for recycle in a manufacturing process, in cleaning internal components of optical devices (cameras, projectors, telescopes, etc.), electronics equipment (tape recording heads, etc.) and in cleaning or lubricating internal gears, electric motors and controls and the like. In such cases the manipulation of a conventional pressurized container containing a pound (0.45 kg) or more of solvent cleaning agent or other material is often awkward or impossible in tight quarters. When a remote dispenser is utilized, however, manual control at the remote dispenser of the assembly is necessary in order to avoid wasting the pressurized gas and the substance dispensed by it. In addition, an "off" and "on" control at the pressurized supply container to override the trigger on the remote dispenser is desirable in order to provide a shut-off means at the source of supply when the assembly is not in use.
2. Description of the Related Art
Stephenson et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,650,438 shows a remote-release pressurized container assembly having a remote, manually-operated nozzle wand supplied from an aerosol container, the output supply of which is controlled by a twistable container cap means mounted on the aerosol supply container. The twistable container cap means permits manually opening and closing the spray nozzle of the aerosol supply container which spray nozzle is connected by flexible tubing to the remote wand. Stephenson et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,278,188 and 4,350,299 each discloses an assembly consisting of an aerosol can connected by flexible tubing to a wand-like remote delivery nozzle which is equipped with a brush at the end thereof, described as an applicator brush in the U.S. Pat No. 4,350,299.
There are some difficulties associated with the known prior art devices. The flexible tubing connecting the aerosol spray container to the remote wand or dispenser may be connected to the aerosol can by being secured to a cap assembly which is specifically designed to accomodate it, which increases manufacturing costs. On the other hand, the tube end may be simply inserted into the discharge bore of the spray nozzle on the supply can. However, for reasons of economy it is desirable to use off-the-shelf stock plastic tubing and stock aerosol spray can nozzles and manufacturing tolerances for such stock items are such that the inserted tubing may readily be accidentally disengaged from the spray discharge opening in the supply container during movement of the remote dispenser by the operator. This is particularly so if the remote dispenser has thereon a brush which is used to scrub the device being treated. Since the nozzle on the aerosol spray container must be locked in the open or discharge position in order to provide a steady supply of fluid for control by manipulation of the trigger of the remote dispenser, accidental disengagement of the flexible tubing from the aerosol spray container nozzle results in a wasteful and possibly hazardous continuous discharge from the base or supply container until its nozzle can be turned off or the delivery tube reinserted.
Another difficulty is encountered in environments where there are heating elements, such as the soldering irons used in the repair and recycling of circuit boards, or sharp edges of tools or equipment being treated. In such use environments thermoplastic flexible tubing may be burned through or severed thereby disabling the apparatus and possibly incurring a fire or other hazard by uncontrolled discharge of the pressurized fluid. Yet another difficulty with prior art devices which include on the remote dispenser a brush or other means used to impart a scrubbing action, is that in manipulating the remote dispenser the operator may exert a force on it which forcibly disengages or breaks a component of the valve or release means remote dispenser, which is usually made of relatively lightweight plastic parts.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds