FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to sprayers, and more particularly to a hose end sprayer configured to selectively dilute a fluid or solid concentrate with a diluent prior to spraying, and still more particularly to a wet/dry hose end sprayer that allows for metered selection of the dilution rate of the concentrate in either a wet mode or dry mode.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Sprayers, such as hose end sprayers, are typically used for application of liquid fertilizers and pesticides including herbicides, insecticides and the like. Many of these hose end sprayers are limited to liquid applications and cannot be used with non-liquid concentrates, such as powders and particulates. To alleviate this deficiency, hose end sprayers have been developed to dissolve and spray solid materials. However, these systems typically require flooding of the concentrate tank to first dissolve the solids, followed by application of the liquid solution. As a result, these systems function nearly identical to liquid-only systems. Each of the above systems is also subject to a number of drawbacks. By way of example and without limitation, such drawbacks may include leaking of the sprayer at a number of connection points (e.g., hose/sprayer interface, concentrate tank/sprayer head interface) and inability to independently control dilution ratio of solid concentrate during dry applications.

Selectable wet/dry systems have been developed which allow a user to spray either liquid or solid concentrates using a single sprayer unit. In this case, the concentrate tank is flooded with water to dilute the solid concentrate prior to spraying through the spray nozzle. To control operation, a linear selector plate internal to the head provides variable dilution settings for liquid concentrate, an off position, and then a final position that opens a pressure port and closes a vent for use with solid concentrate. The limitation to this is that there is no variability to the dilution rate while using solid concentrate.

Thus, there remains a need for a sprayer system that minimizes the chances of leakage while also enabling metered dilution of both liquid and non-liquid concentrates. The present invention satisfies this as well as other needs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the above and in accordance with an aspect of the present invention, the present invention is generally directed to a hose end sprayer apparatus comprising a concentrate tank and a sprayer head. The concentrate tank has a bottom wall and a sidewall defining an open top edge, all defining an open interior configured to hold a concentrate therein. The sprayer head is removably mounted onto the concentrate tank and includes an inlet end configured to receive a stream of water and an outlet end configured to discharge the stream of water. A flow tube is located between the inlet end and the outlet end and defines an injection orifice therein. A suction tube is coupled to the injection orifice of the flow tube at a first end, and has a second end located within the open interior of the concentrate tank and above the bottom wall.

A valve assembly is located between the inlet end and the flow tube. The valve assembly comprises a valve housing defining an inlet opening in communication with the inlet end, a flow opening in communication with the flow tube, and a concentrate opening in communication with the open interior of the concentrate tank, and a valve body selectively movable within the valve housing. The valve body defines an inlet orifice in communication with the inlet opening, first and second flow orifices selectively positionable to communicate with the flow opening, a concentrate orifice selectively positionable to communicate with the concentrate opening, and a vent opening selectively positionable to communicate with the concentrate opening.

When the sprayer head is in a closed orientation, the valve body is moved whereby neither the first nor the second flow orifice communicates with the flow opening and wherein the concentrate opening is closed by the valve body. When the sprayer head is in a wet mode orientation, the valve body is moved whereby the first flow orifice communicates with the flow opening and wherein the vent opening communicates with the concentrate opening to draw concentrate from the concentrate tank into the flow tube. When the sprayer head is in a dry mode orientation, the valve body is moved whereby the second flow orifice communicates with the flow opening and wherein the concentrate orifice communicates with the concentrate opening and is configured to direct a diverted portion of the stream of water into the concentrate tank.

In a further aspect of the present invention, the valve assembly further includes a knob coupled to a shaft on the valve body for selectively rotating the valve body within the valve housing. Still further, the sprayer head may include an anti-siphon assembly proximate to the inlet end and the outlet end may include a rotatable nozzle. Moreover, the flow tube may include a venturi constriction wherein the injection orifice is located at or downstream the venturi constriction.

In still another aspect of the present invention, the sprayer head further includes a metering plate located between the first end of the suction tube and the injection orifice of the flow tube. The metering plate defines a first annular series of spaced-apart flow-metering holes, wherein successive respective flow-metering holes have an increasing hole diameter. The metering plate is adapted to rotate to align a selected flow-metering hole of the annular series of spaced-apart flow-metering holes in fluid communication with the first end of the suction tube and the injection orifice of the flow tube to thereby inject a selectively adjustable amount of concentrate from the concentrate tank into the stream of water. The metering plate may further define a second annular series of spaced-apart stop recesses, wherein each respective stop recess within the second annular series radially aligns with a respective flow-metering hole of the first annular series. A single respective stop recess receives a detent when the selected flow-metering hole is aligned with the first end of the suction tube and the injection orifice of the flow tube.

In yet another aspect of the present invention, the sprayer head may further include a dilution selector wheel coupled to the metering plate. Actuation of the dilution selector wheel may rotate the metering plate. The dilution selector wheel may also include a series of indicia to signal to a user of the hose end sprayer apparatus the selected flow-metering hole. The sprayer head may further include a cap portion having a first end including a cap sidewall configured to releasably mount the cap portion and the sprayer head to the open top edge of the concentrate tank. A second end having a first planar portion may be located between the first end of the suction tube and the metering plate. The first planar portion may be configured to receive a first seal located between a top face of the first planar portion and the selected flow-metering hole on the metering plate. The first planar portion may also include a diaphragm configured to deflect when the sprayer head is in the dry mode orientation to apply a force to the first seal to improve sealing between the cap portion and the metering plate. The second end of the cap portion may also include a second planar portion, wherein the second planar portion defines a detent receiving well configured to slidably receive the detent therein.

In still a further aspect of the present invention, the sprayer head further includes a concentrate basket configured to hold a dry product. The basket includes a top collar configured to mount between the open top edge of the concentrate tank and the first end of the cap portion. The cap sidewall further defines a flow channel in communication with the concentrate opening defined with the valve housing. Inner and outer basket sidewalls are coaxially aligned along the longitudinal axis of the basket and extend into the open interior of the concentrate tank. The inner basket sidewall has an internal diameter defining a channel slightly larger than an outer diameter of the suction tube and the outer basket sidewall has an external diameter smaller than an internal diameter of the concentrate tank sidewall. A basket bottom extends between bottom edges of the inner and outer basket sidewalls. The suction tube is configured to pass through the channel with the second end of the suction tube extending outwardly of the basket bottom. When the sprayer head is in the dry mode orientation, the concentrate opening and the flow channel are configured to direct the diverted portion of the stream of water into the basket to dissolve the dry product. One or both of the outer basket sidewall and the basket bottom define a plurality of openings whereby dissolved product passes out of the basket and into the concentrate tank and the suction tube is configured to transport the dissolved product from the concentrate tank to the flow tube.

Still further, the outer basket sidewall may include a first wall surface and an opposite second wall surface. The first wall surface may include vertically extending, spaced grooves extending through a first portion of the outer basket sidewall and the second wall surface may include horizontally extending, spaced grooves extending through a second portion of the outer basket sidewall. The openings are formed where the vertically extending, spaced grooves coincide with the horizontally extending, spaced grooves.

In another aspect of the present invention, a sprayer head is configured to be removably mounted onto a concentrate tank of a hose end sprayer. The sprayer head comprises a valve assembly having a valve body selectively movable between a closed orientation, a wet mode orientation, and a dry mode orientation; and a metering plate defining a first annular series of spaced-apart flow-metering holes. Successive respective flow-metering holes have an increasing hole diameter adapted to withdraw a selectively adjustable amount of a concentrate from the concentrate tank when the valve body is in either the wet mode orientation or the dry mode orientation. The valve assembly may further include a knob coupled to a shaft on the valve body for selectively rotating the valve body. Still further, a dilution selector wheel may be coupled to the metering plate wherein actuation of the dilution selector wheel rotates the metering plate. The dilution selector wheel may also include a series of indicia to signal to a user a respective flow-metering hole.

Additional objects, advantages and novel aspects of the present invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and will in part become apparent to those in the practice of the invention, when considered with the attached figures.

