Sprayer Wand Storage and Fluid Control Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current lawn and garden sprayers with battery-powered wands are cumbersome due to separate storage and reattachment of the wand and hose, and have complex designs with separate valve bodies and motor housings, leading to operational inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
A sprayer system with a wand housing that securely engages a lug on the container for storage, a hose coupler that creates a fluid circuit with a spring-loaded plunger for air and fluid passageways, and an integrated valve body within the motor housing in the wand handle, allowing for simplified operation and attachment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the wand and hose are stored separately in a holster with tabs and knobs for reattachment, then the sprayer can be packaged and stored, but the reattachment process becomes cumbersome and the wand is not held securely
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the wand storage and reattachment functions into an integrated mechanism where the wand attaches directly to the container body through a simplified interface, eliminating the separate holster with tabs and knobs. This merging of functions reduces the number of components and simplifies the reattachment process while maintaining secure storage capability.
2Productivity
If the spout is rotated from horizontal to vertical position to open fluid circuit, then fluid flow is enabled, but the operation becomes more complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the spout rotation mechanism from the container cap design and replaces it with a direct-push or valve-actuated system that opens the fluid circuit without requiring rotational movement. This eliminates the complex multi-position spout mechanism while maintaining the ability to control fluid flow to the wand.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the valve body is separate from the motor housing in the wand handle, then the fluid control can be independent, but the design complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the valve body directly into the motor housing of the wand handle, creating a unified component assembly. This merging eliminates the need for separate valve and motor housings, reducing the number of parts and assembly steps while maintaining independent fluid control capability through the integrated valve mechanism actuated by the trigger.
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
Enhances ease of operation and functional efficiency by providing secure storage, simplified assembly, and integrated components that reduce complexity and improve fluid flow control.
Implementation Method 1
a spring extending along the longitudinal axis and positioned in biased relation to said plunger, whereby the spring is compressed when the coupler is attached to the container and biases the plunger out of sealing relationship with the air and fluid passageways
Data Source
AI summary
A lawn and garden sprayer system having a container and a spray wand fluidly connected to the container is provided. The spray wand includes a wand housing that has a slot formed in one side thereof that is configured to engage a lug formed on one side of the container for purposes of stowing the wand during shipping and when not in use. A communications card assembly is detachably connected between the container and spray wand during shipment and prior to its first use. The hose includes a coupler end that engaged a cap on the container and facilitates creation of a fluid circuit between the fluid contents in the container and the wand.