US-12623238-B2 - Airless handheld sprayer repair

US12623238B2US 12623238 B2US12623238 B2US 12623238B2US-12623238-B2

Abstract

Various embodiments concern a handheld paint sprayer for spraying a paint. The sprayer can comprise a shell body comprising a door that, when opened, exposes an opening into an interior of the shell body, the door configured to close over the opening. The sprayer can further comprise a trigger connected to a handle, a motor in the interior, and a paint reservoir connected to the shell body. The sprayer can further comprise a nozzle in fluid communication with the reservoir and a pump located in the interior of the shell body. The pump is operated by the motor, the pump configured to pump the paint from the reservoir out of the nozzle as a spray. The pump is removable from the interior of the shell body through the opening when the door is opened but is not removable through the opening when the door is closed.

Inventors

Charles W. Dawson
Diane L. Olson
Pamela J. Muetzel
Robert W. Kinne

Assignees

GRACO MINNESOTA INC.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20241206

Claims (12)

1 . A handheld sprayer comprising: a pump body comprising a first side shell, a second side shell, and a door, the first and second side shells and the door cooperatively defining an interior, wherein the door is openable to expose an opening into the interior; a motor located within the interior; a drive located within the interior and mechanically coupled to the motor to convert rotational motion of the motor into linear reciprocating motion; a pump located forward of the drive, within the interior, the pump comprising: an outer pump body; and a plurality cylinders formed by the outer pump body; a plurality of pistons each mechanically coupled to the drive and configured to reciprocate within a respective one of the plurality of cylinders to pump fluid; and a plurality of valves each located in a respective one of the plurality of cylinders, downstream of a corresponding one of the plurality of pistons, and wherein the drive, the outer pump body, and the motor are joined together as a single interconnected piece independently movable relative to the pump body, such that the single interconnected piece is removable from the interior through the opening while the door is open, and not removable from the interior while the door is closed; and wherein all of the plurality of cylinders are serviceable from outside the pump body without opening the door, and without removing the single interconnected piece from the interior.
2 . The handheld sprayer of claim 1 , further comprising a valve body disposed fluidly downstream of the pump, the valve body containing a valve operable to alternately permit and stop fluid output from the pump from releasing out of a nozzle, the valve body fixed with respect to the pump by the pump body.
3 . The handheld sprayer of claim 2 , wherein the valve body is removable from the pump body, and thereby disengageable from the pump, without opening the door.
4 . The handheld sprayer of claim 3 , wherein one of the plurality of cylinders is made accessible for cleaning from outside the pump body by removal of the valve body.
5 . The handheld sprayer of claim 3 , wherein the valve body is threadedly engaged and removable from the pump body.
6 . The handheld sprayer of claim 1 , further comprising a cylinder plug defining an axial extent of a respective one of the plurality of cylinders, the cylinder plug being removable from the cylinder and the pump body without removing the single interconnected piece from the interior or opening the door.
7 . The handheld sprayer of claim 6 , wherein one of the plurality of cylinders is made accessible for cleaning from outside the pump body by removal of the cylinder plug.
8 . The handheld sprayer of claim 6 , wherein the cylinder plug is threadedly engaged and removable from the respective one of the plurality of cylinders.
9 . The handheld sprayer of claim 7 , wherein the cylinder plug is located at distally forwardmost end of the respective one of the plurality of cylinders.
10 . The handheld sprayer of claim 1 , further comprising a rotating bearing located axially between and mechanically connecting the drive and the motor.
11 . The handheld sprayer of claim 1 , wherein the rotating bearing is a member of the single interconnected piece, and removable therewith from the interior through the opening.
12 . The handheld sprayer of claim 1 , wherein the pump body defines a reservoir connector configured to detachably secure to a fluid reservoir and fluidly connect the fluid reservoir to the pump.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 17/322,641 filed May 17, 2021 for “HANDHELD AIRLESS PAINT SPRAYER REPAIR”, divisional application of U.S. application Ser. No. 15/872,759, filed Jan. 16, 2018, which in turn claims the benefit of priority of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/446,489, filed Jan. 15, 2017, both of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention concerns sprayers for airless spraying of coatings such as paints and stains. BACKGROUND Airless sprayers are used to apply paint to surfaces such as walls and ceilings. A piston pump pulls the paint from a reservoir, such as a bucket, and outputs the paint through a hose under pressure. The pressure on the paint in the hose, downstream from the pump, can be 1,000-5,000 pounds per square inch. Paint under such pressure can atomize into a desired spray pattern when released through a small metal orifice for spaying the paint onto a surface. Such a process is referred to as airless painting because pressurized air is not used to atomize or otherwise propel the air. The paint is directed in the spray pattern by a gun which carries the small metal orifice as a nozzle. The gun is held by a hand of the operator to direct the spray pattern along the surface being painted. Conventionally, the pump unit remains stationary on the ground proximate the reservoir and moves paint down a hose which extends to a separate gun. However, portability is limited and the range of the painter is limited to the hose length as the paint unit is heavy and kept on the ground proximate the reservoir. An advantage of a conventional pump unit is easy field servicing and repair. A handheld airless paint sprayer, as shown herein, is more portable than a conventional pump unit and is not limited by hose length. However, there remains a desire to have the handheld airless paint sprayer still be easily field serviceable and repairable. SUMMARY Various embodiments concern a handheld paint sprayer for spraying a paint. The sprayer can comprise a shell body comprising a door that, when opened, exposes an opening into an interior of the shell body, the door configured to close over the opening. The sprayer can further comprise a trigger connected to a handle, a motor in the interior, and a paint reservoir connected to the shell body. The sprayer can further comprise a nozzle in fluid communication with the reservoir and a pump located in the interior of the shell body. The pump is operated by the motor, the pump configured to pump the paint from the reservoir out of the nozzle as a spray. The pump is removable from the interior of the shell body through the opening when the door is opened but is not removable through the opening when the door is closed. Various embodiments concern a handheld paint sprayer for spraying a paint, the sprayer comprising: a shell body comprising a first side shell, a second side shell, and a door, the first side shell defining either a left side or a right side of the shell body, and the second side shell defining the other of the left side or the right side of the shell body, wherein the first side shell and the second side shell are fastened to each other to form an interior of the shell body, and wherein the door is removable to expose an opening into the interior. Such embodiments can further include a handle formed at least in part by the first side shell and the second side shell, a trigger connected to the handle, a motor in the interior of the shell body, and a reservoir connected to the shell body, the reservoir configured to hold the paint. Such embodiments can further include a nozzle in fluid communication with the reservoir and a pump located in the interior of the shell body, the pump operated by the motor, the pump configured to pump the paint from the reservoir out of the nozzle as a spray. Such embodiments can further include a drive mechanism located in the interior, the drive mechanism configured to convert rotational motion output by the motor into reciprocal motion that drives the pump. In such embodiments, the pump is removable from the interior of the shell body through the opening when the door is opened, and the pump is not removable from the interior through the opening when the door is closed and the first side shell is fastened to the second side shell. Various embodiments are directed to a method of servicing a handheld paint sprayer, the method comprising opening a door of a shell body of the handheld paint sprayer, the opening of the door exposing an opening into an interior of the shell body, the shell body formed by a left side shell and a right side shell, the left side shell and the right side shell forming a handle of the paint sprayer. Such method can further includes removing a pump from the interior of the shell body through the opening while the left side shell and the right side shell remain fast