Rotatable Nozzle Cap for Trigger Sprayer Fan Spray
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing trigger sprayers lack the ability to dispense liquid in a flat, fan-shaped spray pattern, which is desirable in certain applications, and their nozzle assemblies are often complex and costly to manufacture.
Innovation Solution
A two-piece nozzle assembly comprising a nozzle housing and a rotatable nozzle cap that aligns with the housing's grooves to direct liquid flow through a slot-shaped orifice, allowing for horizontal or vertical fan spray patterns and preventing discharge when not aligned, constructed from affordable plastic materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a conventional nozzle assembly is used, then liquid can be discharged in standard patterns (conical, linear, foam), but the nozzle assembly becomes complex and costly to manufacture
Solution Approach 1:
The nozzle assembly is divided into two separate components: a nozzle body and a nozzle cap. This segmentation allows each component to be manufactured independently using simple, cost-effective processes while providing different functional capabilities. The nozzle body provides the basic discharge function, while the rotatable nozzle cap provides spray pattern control, separating manufacturing complexity from functional versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotatable nozzle cap serves multiple functions: it controls the spray pattern (fan, cone, stream), selects between horizontal and vertical discharge orientations, and provides an off position to stop discharge. This single component performs what would traditionally require multiple specialized nozzles, reducing overall system complexity and manufacturing cost while increasing versatility.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed nozzle design is used, then manufacturing is simple, but the spray pattern cannot be adjusted between vertical and horizontal orientations
Solution Approach 1:
The nozzle cap is designed to rotate relative to the nozzle body, transforming a static nozzle design into a dynamic one. This rotation allows the spray pattern and orientation to be adjusted between vertical fan, horizontal fan, conical, stream, and off positions. The dynamic adjustment mechanism is simple, requiring only a rotatable cap with aligned grooves that engage with corresponding features on the nozzle body.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a rotatable nozzle cap with multiple positions is implemented, then spray pattern versatility is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple spray pattern control functions are merged into a single rotatable nozzle cap component. The cap integrates the spray pattern selector, orientation controller, and flow on/off valve into one unified mechanism. This consolidation achieves high versatility (five different spray configurations) while minimizing device complexity, as the entire multi-functional system is contained within one cap that attaches to the nozzle body.
Data Source
AI summary
A trigger sprayer has a nozzle assembly that dispenses a spray of liquid in a fan pattern that is selectively oriented horizontally or vertically. The nozzle assembly includes a nozzle housing and nozzle cap mounted on the nozzle housing, where the nozzle cap is rotatable relative to the nozzle housing to direct a fan spray pattern of liquid from the nozzle cap in both a vertical and horizontal orientation, and prevent the discharge of liquid from the nozzle cap in cap positions between the horizontal and vertical orientations.