Foam-generating pump sprayer

Claim 1

A hand-held, foam-spraying apparatus for producing a foam comprising a liquid matrix containing discrete air bubbles comprising (a) a trigger-operated hand dispensing pump, including an atomizing nozzle, for drawing a foamable liquid from a container and ejecting it into the atmosphere through the atomizing nozzle, thereby forming an atomized spray from such liquid and projecting the spray in a predetermined pattern outwardly from the atomizing nozzle, and (b) foam-forming means operatively associated with the dispensing pump for producing foam from the spray without substantially modifying the predetermined spray pattern, the foam-forming means consisting essentially of (1) a screen having a size in the range of about 60 to 200 mesh U.S. Sieve Series and being retained in the path of the spray a distance of from about 0.8 to about 4 mm from the atomizing nozzle, and (2) means for introducing air into the spray so that the spray is permitted to foam upon contact with the screen, said means for introducing air comprising the peripheral edge portion of the screen disposed outwardly of the spray pattern at the point it intercepts the screen whereby air is permitted to enter from the front; the foam-forming means permitting the passage of substantially all the spray therethrough without contact except by the screen.

Claim 6

An apparatus according to any of the preceding clams 1-4 having as the dispensing pump, a trigger-operated pump which develops upon hand actuation a spray having a velocity of between about 15 to 21 m/s through an orifice having a diameter in the range of between about 0.3 to 0.65 mm.

Claim 7

An apparatus according to any of the preceding clams 1-4 having as the dispensing pump, a trigger-operated pump which develops upon hand actuation a spray having a velocity of between about 15 to 21 m/s through an orifice having a diameter in the range of between about 0.3 to 0.65 mm.