Abstract: A pump sprayer having a lock slidably mounted on the plunger head for locking the pump sprayer against reciprocation within a sleeve on a closure provided for mounting the sprayer to a container. The lock has a body with a rear portion, a cap portion, a pair of arms with flanges and a stop projection. The arms define springs in one embodiment for engaging a portion of the pump sprayer and providing a restoring force that enables the locking mechanism to be self-resetting to a locked position. The body is capable of being moved by the operator of the pump sprayer within the peripheral outline of the plunger head. When in a forward position, the lower edge of the rear portion of the lock is disengaged from an upper edge of the sleeve placing the pump sprayer in an unlocked position.

Abstract: A nasal pump sprayer having a folding actuator that can be used as a dust cover, finger grip and shipping clip. The folding actuator has a pair of wings that are hingedly connected to the pump body of the nasal pump sprayer and which can be locked in a closed position and used as a cover and shipping stop. The wings may also be opened to a lateral position and used as finger grips for actuating the nasal pump sprayer. Each wing has a locking means at one end for snap-locking the wings together and a hollow interior that is complementary in shape to the nozzle of the sprayer. An immobilizing means extends from the connected end of each wing and engages a confronting edge of the pump body thus locking the plunger head of the nasal pump sprayer against reciprocation for storage and shipping.

Abstract: An anti-clog pump sprayer has a cover mounted for independent reciprocation on a plunger head, the cover having a cupped spring biased portion covering the discharge orifice on the head to avoid clogging on product drying, and being lifted off the orifice during the relative shift for uncovering the orifice in readiness for spraying. The sprayer may also have a product retraction device on the plunger head in communication with the discharge orifice, a projection on the underside of the cover top wall for actuating the device at the commencement of the plunger return stroke for creating a slight sub-atmospheric pressure for suctioning any residual product inwardly of the orifice to thereby avoid clogging.

Abstract: A trigger actuated pump sprayer has a discharge valve assembly located in the discharge barrel of the pump body which includes a filler for reducing the volume of the discharge barrel thereby displacing the air therein whereupon the strokes-to-prime ratio of the pump required during initial pumping for discharging pressurized liquid along the barrel and through the orifice at a nozzle end thereof, is improved. Also the discharge valve assembly may be shiftable along the length of the discharge barrel in response to pressure and return strokes during pumping, a downstream end of the assembly engaging a spin mechanics element at the nozzle end to therewith define a variable volume suction chamber in communication with the discharge orifice for withdrawing product therefrom during each pumping suction stroke.

Abstract: A trigger actuated pump sprayer has a nozzle cap rotatable on the sprayer nozzle into one of four on and off positions. The cap is of a rectangular section having opposing pairs of flat walls which are grasped by the operator to facilitate cap rotation.Ridges or flutes are provided along the adjoining edges of the walls to avoid slippage of the hand from the nozzle during rotation in either direction about its central axis. The nozzle is positively set in each of its on and off positions by a snap detent/cavity engagement between the pump body and the cap, or a protuberance/notch engagement between the cap and the pump body.

Abstract: A trigger actuated pump sprayer has a reduced number of parts to render it low cost without compromising any pump function. A combined inlet/discharge valve unit is located in a liquid passageway leading from the inlet end of the pump body. The unit has a pair of axially spaced apart frusto-conical valve skirts diverging outwardly from the common stem on which the valve skirts are provided. The valve skirts straddle a pump chamber port, and the unit may be mounted in place by a dip tube retainer or the retainer may be eliminated with the unit coupled to the pump body itself, fixed in the passageway directly by the dip tube, or made integral with the unit. The trigger actuator has an integral piston return spring, the actuator being fixed to the pump body, and the trigger lever of the actuator being coupled to the pump piston.

Abstract: A manually actuated dispensing pump has a pump housing for mounting with a closure cap at an upper end of a container for fluent product, the housing having a pump cylinder open at its outer end to atmosphere and providing at its inner end area a pump chamber for a manually reciprocable piston having a resilient piston seal, the cylinder having in its lower area at least one vent port positioned outwardly of the chamber, the piston having a vent seal for closing communication between the open end of the cylinder and the vent port, the piston forming a sub-assembly with the housing upon insertion into the cylinder through the open outer end thereof, and one or more ramps or tapered ribs being provided adjacent the vent port for spacing the piston seal from an inner edge of the vent port permitting the piston seal to by-pass the vent port to avoid any damage of the piston seal upon assembly into the cylinder.

Abstract: A precompression pump sprayer has a variable volume suck-back chamber in communication with the discharge orifice for inwardly suctioning any residual liquid away from the orifice and the spin mechanics to avoid clogging as a result of dried accumulated product. In one embodiment a cover on the plunger head is spring loaded and therewith defines the suck-back chamber. In another embodiment the plunger head is spring loaded on the piston stem, such that in both embodiments a top end wall of the suck-back chamber is shiftable relative to the piston stem independently of piston reciprocation. The biasing spring has a spring force permitting a shifting of the end wall to reduce the volume of the suck-back chamber at a peak pressure reached in the pump chamber beyond the threshold pressure required to open the discharge valve, at which time the spring is compressed. The restoring force of the spring causes the top end wall to shift to expand the volume of the suck-back chamber.

Abstract: A trigger actuated pump dispenser includes a housing mounted on a container of gas/vapor producing liquid product capable of generating a superatmospheric pressure in the container, the housing including a piston/cylinder unit and a container air vent which includes a vent chamber and a vent port establishing communication between the vent chamber and the interior of the container. The air vent has a pressure vent outboard of the vent seal connected to the piston for releasing pressure from the container via the vent port and the vent chamber upon outboard movement of the piston to such outboard location in response to the superatmospheric pressure in the container.

Abstract: A manually actuated liquid pump sprayer is capable of use in both upright and inverted positions without leakage through the vent port by the provision of a first slider valve which covers an inlet port in the upright position and which uncovers that port when the pump is inverted. A second slider valve located within the pump body is provided for uncovering the vent port in the upright position of spray, and for covering that vent port in the inverted position to avoid leakage.

Abstract: A manually actuated pump dispenser has a water seal for maintaining the container vent ports sealed closed during pumping until at or near the end of the pressure stroke whereupon a vent path through which only air is permitted travel into the container, is open as the path is shielded against water entering the vent path when pumping in a wet environment as when dispensing hair shampoo or hair conditioner. In a plunger lock-down position of shipping and storage, leakage of product through the vent ports is substantially avoided during a superatmospheric condition within the container.