TWIST-OPEN STAIN APPLICATOR DISPENSER METHOD OF USE

Abstract

The device of the disclosure comprises a fluid applicator which keeps liquid inside a sealed bottle until a user rotates a head assembly relative to the bottle, thereby piercing a seal at the neck of the bottle. Further, the head assembly is provided an eccentric fluid valve which permits fluid flow from the bottle through an applicator pad in its ON configuration, but not when the head assembly is rotated 180 degrees into an OFF configuration. When in its OFF configuration, the device's pad may be washed while remaining on the disclosed device, and the fluid within the bottle remains sealed there within.

Description

CLAIM OF PRIORITY

Applicants claim priority to the provisional application dated 15 Jul. 2007 entitled “Twist-Open Stain Applicator Dispenser Method of Use”, U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/______ filed by Kurt Koptis and David Richmond.

BACKGROUND

Wood stain or other fluids may be messy to apply using a hand held applicator or brush, and the materials used for applying the stain or fluid may be messy to store. The application process itself can be difficult if a user is not careful to avoid inadvertently dripping or pooling the fluid or stain during application. Some fluids, for example wood stain, have traditionally been sold in cans. Such fluids are typically applied, like paint, by using a hand-held brush or a handled sponge. Fluids are prone to drip from the applicator during applications. Depending on the nature of the fluid, such drips may cause staining or permanent marring of whichever surface they land upon.

Unused fluid, such as stain, is typically either sealed and stored in its can for later use, or is thrown away and wasted. The used fluid applicator must be either separately cleaned and stored, or discarded after only one use and similarly wasted.

Alternatively, a user may purchase fluid or stain sold in an bottle having an attached applicator dispensing end, similar to dispensers used for liquid shoe polish. Typically, accumulated fluid or stain will stiffen and clog the applicator and prevent future satisfactory fluid or stain application, even though additional fluid or stain is left in the bottle. Further, such applicators have not typically prevented fluid or stain dripping from the applicator unintentionally.

The device according to the disclosure provide an easy to use, no mess fluid or stain applicator that allows a user to clean the applicator after use, store the applicator and the fluid contained therein between uses, and prevent or minimize fluid or stain dripping therefrom during application. The device also provides a foil-sealed container, which foil seal is punctured for use without either removing the cap assembly or the user touching the foil. If the fluid within the container is unpleasant or messy to touch, this provides added benefit, as well as convenience for use. It also permits a user to clean the applicator without adding water to the fluid in the container, all without removing the applicator from the container.

DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a device of the disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a an exploded perspective of a device of the disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an element of a device of the disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a side sectional elevation of a device of the disclosure;

FIG. 5 is a side elevation of a device and method of use of the disclosure;

FIG. 6 is a side sectional elevation of three configurations of a device of the disclosure;

FIG. 7 is a rear sectional elevation of one configuration of a device of the disclosure;

FIG. 8 is a rear sectional elevation of one configuration of a device of the disclosure;

FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of three configurations of a device of the disclosure; and

FIG. 10 is a side elevational view of a device and method of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With reference to FIG. 1, there is generally shown an embodiment of a device of the disclosure 1 comprising a fluid-containing bottle 10, a spacer 20, and a head assembly 30. Referring to FIG. 2, the bottle 10 may comprise a blow molded fluid-containing chamber 110, but any bottle or container capable of being hand held by a user and being squeezed to expel fluid or being inverted to use gravity to drain or expel fluid from the bottle will work. The bottle 10 defines a neck 120 comprising an external cylindrical surface comprising a thread 130 and an essentially circular mouth 140. Either an external or an internal thread is acceptable.

Still with reference to FIG. 2, the mouth 140 defined by the neck 120 of the bottle 10 further comprises a seal 150. This seal 150 may comprise a foil induction seal, a plastic seal, or any material sealed over the mouth 140 of the bottle as commonly practiced in the art. The purpose of the seal 150 is to prevent leakage of the contained fluid until the seal 150 is purposefully punctured, releasing the contained fluid for application and use. The head assembly 30 is itself comprised of at least a pivot valve 310 adapted to envelop the neck 120 and mouth 140 of the bottle 10, a brush head body 320, a brush head 330, a brush pad 340 and a vented cap 350.

With reference now to FIGS. 2 and 3, the spacer 20 of the device 1 is removably positioned between the bottle 10 and the head assembly 30 about the neck 120 of the bottle 10. The spacer 20 is adapted to position the bottle 10 apart from the head assembly 30. The distance that these components 10, 30 are positioned apart is at least the height of a seal cutter 319, which seal cutter 319 is positioned within the head assembly 30, opposite the seal 150 but apart therefrom.

With reference to FIG. 3, the pivot valve 310 comprises at least an aperture 312 through its top portion 314 positioned so that, when assembled, it will lie adjacent the bottle mouth 140 but eccentric to the center thereof, and a cylindrical portion 316 substantially parallel to cylindrical walls of the neck 120. The cylindrical portion 316 comprises a thread 318 adapted to screwingly mate with the bottle's neck 120. The top of the pivot valve 310 also comprises at least a seal cutter 319. While FIG. 3(b) discloses a cutting cam as a seal cutter 319, any device capable of piercing, rupturing or cutting a seal when the pivot valve 310 is fully screwed down upon the bottle's neck 120 and brought to bear on the seal 150 would suffice.

Please refer to FIG. 4. The spacer 20 is adapted to be removed by an end user of a device of the disclosure 1, which user may grasp the tab 22 of the spacer 20 and pull the spacer 20 from between the head assembly 30 and the bottle 10.

Before providing additional disclosure concerning removal of the spacer 20, please refer to FIGS. 3 and 4. These Figures illustrate a head assembly 30 comprising a pivot valve 310 which is adapted to envelop the mouth 140 and neck 120 of the bottle 10. Accordingly, the pivot valve 310 comprises a thread 318 adapted to mate with the bottle neck's thread 130, but the valve's thread 318 runs only the same as the length of the neck 120 of the bottle 10. When the spacer 20 lies between the pivot valve 310 and the bottle 10, the valve 310 and bottle 10 cannot be completely screwingly mated.

Referring now to FIGS. 5 and 6, when a user removes the spacer 20 according to the method of the disclosure, and then rotates the head assembly 30 360 degrees so that it fully screwingly mates with the bottle's neck 120, the seal cutter 319, extending downwardly from the pivot valve 310, cuts the seal 150.

The device and method of the disclosure comprise another functional feature of the rotation of the head assembly 30 relative to the bottle 10, namely the storage of fluid within the chamber 110, and the ability of a user to wash the device of the disclosure 1 without removing the head assembly 30 or diluting any liquid within the chamber 110. Discussion follows.

With reference now to FIG. 4, the disclosure provides at least a brush head 330 comprising a cylinder portion 322 that, when the device 1 is assembled, lies adjacent the pivot valve 310 and rotates about it, using the pivot valve 310 as an axis. The cylinder portion 322 is adapted to pivot about the pivot valve 310 through an angle of at least 180 degrees. The brush head body 320 is retained about the pivot valve 310 by any means commonly used in the art, such as snap fit means. The brush head body 320 further defines a fluid channel 324 adapted to conduct fluid leaving the pivot valve aperture 312. At the end of the channel 324 opposite the pivot valve aperture 312, the channel 324 defines a channel aperture 326.

As shown in FIG. 1, the brush head 330 is attached to the brush head body 320. The brush head body 320 is adapted to support a brush head 330. The head 330 comprises at least a fluid well 332 and a fluid trough 334, both of which are able to fluidly communicate with fluid dispensed from the aperture 326.

A brush pad 340 adpated to be attached to the brush head 330 is attached thereto. This pad 340 is adapted to convey and distribute fluid from the fluid trough evenly throughout the width of the brush pad 340.

The head assembly 30 may still further comprise at least a pair of substantially 180 degree rotational stops (not shown) which stop the rotation of the brush head body 320 relative to the pivot valve 310 at 180 degrees when the spacer 20 is removed and the head assembly 30 is fully mated with the bottle 10. No rotation of the brush head body 320 relative to the pivot valve 310 is possible before spacer 20 removal, thereby ensuring that the seal 150 remains intact and the fluid inside the container 110 before a user decides to break the seal 150 and apply the contained fluid using the device of the disclosure 1.

Reffering to FIG. 9, the device of the disclosure 1 has at least two configurations, namely an ON configuration [FIG. 9(a) and an OFF configuration [FIG. 9(b)]. The ON configuration [FIG. 9(a)] permits fluid to flow from the bottle 10 through its neck 120, the pivot valve aperture 312, the brush head body aperture 326 and channel 324, and therethrough onto the brush pad 340 and a target surface for application by a user.

While any position except one permitting fluid flow could be considered an “off” position, such as the configuration illustrated as FIG. 9(b), the primary OFF configuration is illustrated at FIG. 9(c). This is in contrast to when the device 1 is in the ON configuration, as illustrated in FIG. 9(a). In either its ON or its OFF configurations, the brush head body 320 “clicks” into place. As illustrated in FIG. 10, illustrating one portion of a method disclosed here in, a user may hold the device of the disclosure 1 under running water and wash excess fluid from the brush pad 340. Such pad 340 is adapted to be washable. Such washing, or tilting or storing of contained fluid may be done without allowing fluid from within the bottle 10 to leak out, or allowing water to dilute fluid inside the bottle 10.

After washing the pad 340, a user may affix a vented cap 350 over the pad 340, thereby permitting the pad 340 to dry while the disclosed device 1 is stored in its OFF configuration. This OFF configuration ensures safe storage and containment of the fluid inside the bottle 10 without either the hazard of spilling the bottle's contents or of seeping fluid through the pad 340.

Although the present has been described with reference to a particular embodiment, it is to be appreciated that various adaptations and modifications may be made and the disclosure is only to be limited by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a. a bottle, a spacer, and a head assembly;

b. the bottle comprising a fluid-containing chamber, the chamber defining a neck, the neck comprising an external cylindrical surface defining a screw thread and defining a circular mouth, the mouth comprising a puncturable seal;

c. the spacer positioned between the head assembly and the bottle and adapted to be manually removed from therebetween by a user, the spacer further adapted to space the bottle apart from the head assembly by at least the height of a seal cutter positioned within the head assembly; and

d. the head assembly comprising at least i. a cap shaped pivot valve comprising a top and a cylindrical wall, which wall is adapted to screwingly mate with the bottle's neck and which top defines an aperture eccentrically positioned relative to the bottle neck's mouth, the top further comprising a seal-cutter extending downwardly therefrom, which seal-cutter is dimensioned and disposed to pierce the bottle neck's seal when the spacer is removed and the bottle and the head assembly are completely screwingly mated by a user, ii. a brush head body defining a cylinder positioned adjacent the pivot valve and adapted to envelop and to rotate 180 degrees about the pivot valve, and further comprising a brush head platform, and still further defining a fluid channel adapted to conduct fluid between the pivot valve aperture and a platform-defined aperture eccentrically positioned relative to the circular bottle neck's mouth, iii. a brush head attached to the brush head platform comprising a fluid well, a fluid trough, the fluid well adapted to fluidly communicate with the platform aperture, and iv. a water washable brush pad attached onto the brush head,

e. the head assembly still further comprising at least a pair of substantially 180 degree rotational stops adapted to permit a user's rotation of the brush head body relative to the pivot valve when the spacer is removed and the brush head is fully screwingly mated with the bottle by a user, thereby permitting the seal-cutter to cut the seal; thereafter when the spacer has been removed by a user, and the seal cut by a user and the brush head is fully screwingly mated with the bottle and fluid may flow from the bottle to the pad and onto a surface, the device is in an “ON” configuration, and when the brush head is rotated 180 degrees from the “ON” configuration, so that fluid is blocked at the pivot valve, and the device is in an “OFF” configuration, washing of the brush pad by a user is possible without mixing water and fluid present within the container.

2. A method of using the device of claim 1 comprising the following steps, namely:

a. pulling out the spacer from between the bottle and the head assembly;

b. rotating the head assembly relative to the bottle at least 180 degrees to cut the seal of the bottle neck with the seal cutter;

c. positioning the head assembly relative to the bottle to the ON configuration;

d. applying fluid to a target surface;

e. rotating the head assembly relative to the bottle to the OFF configuration;

f. positioning the device relative to water to permit the pad to be cleaned by the water.