Portable Pressurized Sprayer With Electric Pump and Pressure Relief
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional home and garden sprayers require manual pumping to build air pressure, which is physically exhausting and impractical, and there is a risk of over-pressurizing the tank, potentially leading to rupture.
Innovation Solution
A portable pressurized sprayer with a detachable electric pumping module and a manual backup pump, featuring a quick disconnect connector and integrated pressure relief valve to prevent over-pressurization, allowing for efficient and safe liquid spraying.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual pumping is used to build air pressure, then the sprayer can be simple and portable, but the user experiences physical exhaustion and the operation becomes impractical
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical pumping system with an electric pump system. The electric pump is powered by a battery pack, eliminating the need for manual pumping operations. This substitution resolves the contradiction by improving ease of operation (no more user fatigue from manual pumping) while accepting increased device complexity (adding electric motor, battery, and control circuitry).
Solution Approach 2:
The electric pump system operates autonomously once activated, automatically building pressure without requiring continuous user intervention. The system serves itself by using electrical energy to perform the pumping function that previously required manual mechanical effort, thereby eliminating user fatigue while maintaining portability through battery power.
2Productivity
If continuous pumping is used to maintain spray pressure, then the spray output is consistent, but the user must continuously operate the pump which is physically exhausting
Solution Approach 1:
The electric pump replaces the manual pumping mechanism, providing consistent spray output through automated operation. The electric motor drives the pump continuously or intermittently based on pressure sensor feedback, maintaining consistent spray pressure without requiring continuous manual pumping effort from the user.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates a pressure sensor that continuously monitors the pressure in the spray chamber and provides feedback to the control system. When pressure drops below a threshold, the controller activates the electric pump to restore pressure. This feedback mechanism ensures consistent spray output while eliminating the need for continuous manual pumping, as the system automatically regulates pressure based on real-time conditions.
3Stress or pressure
If high pressure is built in the tank for effective spraying, then the spray reach and coverage improve, but the risk of tank rupture increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a pressure sensor to continuously monitor tank pressure and provide feedback to the control system. When the pressure reaches a predetermined safe threshold, the controller automatically stops the electric pump from pumping air into the tank. This feedback-controlled pressure regulation allows the system to build high pressure for effective spraying while preventing over-pressurization and tank rupture, thereby resolving the contradiction between achieving high spray pressure and preventing harmful over-pressurization.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system is programmed with knowledge of the tank's maximum safe pressure capacity. Before dangerous over-pressurization can occur, the system takes preliminary anti-action by automatically stopping the pump when the pressure approaches the safe threshold. This preventive measure counteracts the potential harmful effect of over-pressurization before it can manifest, allowing high pressure operation while preventing tank rupture.
4Device complexity
If a fixed pump assembly is integrated into the sprayer, then the structure is simplified, but the pump may fail or battery may deplete requiring replacement of the entire assembly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the sprayer system into separable modules: the spray tank assembly and the pump assembly are connected through a quick-release coupling mechanism. This segmentation allows the pump assembly (including battery) to be independently removed and replaced without affecting the spray tank. If the pump or battery fails, only the pump assembly needs to be replaced, not the entire sprayer, thereby improving ease of repair while maintaining relatively simple overall structure through the modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The quick-release coupling mechanism provides dynamic connectivity between the pump assembly and spray tank. The connection can be quickly made or broken as needed, transforming from a fixed rigid structure to a flexible modular configuration. This dynamic design enables easy replacement of the pump assembly for repair or maintenance while keeping the overall device structure simple and manageable.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution reduces user fatigue by eliminating manual pumping and ensures safety through automatic pressure regulation, preventing tank rupture and extending the life of components.
Implementation Method 1
The portable pump assembly directs gas through the check valve into the connector to increase the gas pressure in the tank
Implementation Method 2
forces the liquid in the tank to flow through the feed line and out the spray nozzle
Data Source
AI summary
A tank holding a quantity of liquid releasably connects to a portable pump assembly through a connector to provide a portable sprayer. The tank connects to a feed line that supplies spray nozzle with the liquid. The connector combines a quick disconnect connector with a pressure relief valve. The portable pump assembly includes an electric pump, a switch assembly, and a check valve. The portable pump assembly directs gas through the check valve into the connector to increase the gas pressure in the tank and force the liquid in the tank to flow through the feed line and out the spray nozzle. The switch assembly turns off the electric pump when the gas pressure in the tank exceeds a predetermined limit while maintaining the flow of liquid through the spray nozzle.