Handheld misting device with pressure-relieving handle

Abstract

A handheld misting device, having a fluid tank that can be pressurized to force the contained fluid under pressure through a fluid delivery system, includes a hand-operated pump for injecting air into the fluid tank to pressurize the fluid tank. The pump includes a pump handle located at the bottom of the tank at one end of a rod, and a piston at the other end of the rod. The pump handle rotates in order to lock, in a retracted position, against the tank; the form factor of the handle conforms to that of the tank, to define an unbroken outer surface of the device when the handle is locked in the retracted position. A pressure-relieving air channel extends through the piston, the rod, and the pump handle to emit air out of the pump and into the environment when the fluid tank is at a maximum pressure.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A misting device, comprising:
 a tank having a proximal end and a distal end and defining a fluid chamber for containing a fluid;   a fluid delivery system in fluid communication with the tank and configured to emit the fluid as a mist;   a barrel extending from the distal end of the tank into the fluid chamber, the barrel comprising a barrel chamber;   a locking plate disposed at the distal end of the tank; and   a pump operable to pressurize the fluid chamber with air from the barrel chamber, the pump comprising:
 a rod having a proximal end disposed in the barrel chamber and a distal end that is distal to the distal end of the tank; 
 a piston connected to the proximal end of the rod; 
 a pump handle connected to the distal end of the rod, the pump handle configured to selectively engage with the locking plate; and 
 an air channel extending through the piston, the rod, and the pump handle. 
   
     
     
         2 . The misting device of  claim 1 , wherein the locking plate defines an arcuate locking channel, the locking channel having a receiving end that is wider than a remainder of the locking channel; and
 the pump handle defines a tab having a narrow portion that fits within the locking channel.   
     
     
         3 . The misting device of  claim 2 , wherein the tab includes a wide portion that fits into the receiving end of the locking channel but does not fit through the remainder of the locking channel. 
     
     
         4 . The misting device of  claim 2 , wherein the pump handle is rotatable relative to an axis of the rod, and when the pump handle is in a retracted position proximate to the locking plate, rotating the pump handle in a first direction engages the tab with the locking channel, and rotating the pump handle in a second direction disengages the tab from the locking channel. 
     
     
         5 . The misting device of  claim 4 , wherein the rod further comprises a mounting plate disposed in contact with the pump handle, the mounting plate having a recess; and the pump handle further comprises a post extending adjacent to the mounting plate, wherein rotating the pump handle in the first direction causes the post to contact the mounting plate, the post flexing away from a first position and returning to the first position when the post is rotated into alignment with the recess, the post and the recess cooperating to retain the pump handle in a first rotated orientation with respect to the rod. 
     
     
         6 . The misting device of  claim 1 , wherein the pump handle is operable by hand to move the piston axially within the barrel chamber. 
     
     
         7 . The misting device of  claim 1 , wherein the piston forms an air-tight seal against an inner surface of the barrel. 
     
     
         8 . The misting device of  claim 1 , wherein the air channel is in fluid communication with the barrel chamber and, via an aperture in the pump handle, with a surrounding environment. 
     
     
         9 . The misting device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a pressure relief valve disposed in the air channel and configured to prevent airflow through the air channel while air pressure in the fluid chamber is below a predefined pressure and allow airflow through the air channel when air pressure in the fluid chamber is at the predefined pressure.   
     
     
         10 . A misting device, comprising:
 a tank having a proximal end and a distal end and defining a fluid chamber for containing a fluid;   a fluid delivery system in fluid communication with the tank at the proximal end of the tank and configured to emit the fluid as a mist;   a barrel extending from the distal end of the tank into the fluid chamber, the barrel comprising a barrel chamber; and   a pump operable to pressurize the fluid chamber with air from the barrel chamber, the pump including an air channel extending through a piston, a rod, and a pump handle.   
     
     
         11 . The misting device of  claim 10 , further comprising a locking plate disposed at the distal end of the tank, wherein the locking plate includes one or more structures configured to cooperate with corresponding structures on the pump handle to seat and lock the pump handle in a retracted position. 
     
     
         12 . The misting device of  claim 11 , wherein the locking plate defines an arcuate locking channel, the locking channel having a receiving end that is wider than a remainder of the locking channel and the pump handle defines a tab having a narrow portion that fits within the locking channel. 
     
     
         13 . The misting device of  claim 12 , wherein the pump handle is rotatable relative to an axis of the rod, and when the pump handle is in a retracted position proximate to the locking plate, rotating the pump handle in a first direction engages the tab with the locking channel, and rotating the pump handle in a second direction disengages the tab from the locking channel. 
     
     
         14 . The misting device of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a pressure relief valve disposed in the air channel and configured to prevent airflow through the air channel while air pressure in the fluid chamber is below a predefined pressure and allow airflow through the air channel when air pressure in the fluid chamber is at the predefined pressure.   
     
     
         15 . A misting device, comprising:
 a tank defining a fluid chamber for containing a fluid;   a fluid delivery system in fluid communication with the tank and configured to emit the fluid as a mist;   a barrel extending from a distal end of the tank into the fluid chamber, the barrel comprising a barrel chamber; and   a pump operable to pressurize the fluid chamber with air from the barrel chamber, the pump comprising:
 a rod having a mounting plate defining a plurality of recesses; and 
 a pump handle attached to the rod and rotatable relative to a first axis of the rod, wherein the pump handle further includes a post configured to slide over a portion of the mounting plate to fit into one of the plurality of recesses to lock the pump handle in a retracted position when the pump handle is rotated in a first direction. 
   
     
     
         16 . The misting device of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 an air channel extending through a piston of the pump, the rod, and the pump handle and in fluid communication with a relief aperture, wherein the relief aperture is positioned within the pump handle.   
     
     
         17 . The misting device of  claim 16 , wherein the pump handle is configured to generate an audible noise when air releases through the relief aperture providing a first indication that a predefined pressure is reached and the tank is ready to emit the mist. 
     
     
         18 . The misting device of  claim 16 , wherein the pump handle is configured to generate a tactile indication of excess pressurized air released from the relief aperture when a user depresses the pump handle. 
     
     
         19 . The misting device of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 a locking plate disposed at the distal end of the tank and including a first structure configured to cooperate with corresponding second structure on the pump handle to lock the pump handle in a retracted position.   
     
     
         20 . The misting device of  claim 19 , wherein the locking plate defines an arcuate locking channel and the pump handle defines a tab that fits within the locking channel.