Motorized fluid sprayer
A portable motorized fluid sprayer device is described, having a fluid tank and a pump manifold configured to pump fluid from the tank and into a connected fluid conveying structure (e.g., a hose, wand, nozzle, handle and/or similar structures). The manifold may include an electric motor, a gear pump, a controller, and a battery. Additionally, the fluid sprayer device may allow for spraying fluid with consistent pressure, recirculation of fluid within the tank, a gear pump for spraying or suctioning fluid from the fluid conveying structure, a safety lever, the ability to separate the pump manifold from the fluid tank, and other features.
1 . A portable motorized fluid sprayer comprising:
a fluid tank configured to contain fluid;
a pump manifold comprising a pump, an electric motor operatively coupled to the pump, and a controller operatively connected to the electric motor;
an inline pressure sensor arranged to sense pressure within a hydraulic passage of the pump manifold; and,
a fluid conveying structure hydraulically connected to the pump; the fluid conveying structure further including a handle, a trigger, and a trigger sensor sensing a position of the trigger;
wherein the controller adjusts a speed of the electric motor based on a comparison of trigger sensor data from the trigger sensor and pressure sensor data from the inline pressure sensor;
wherein the controller is configured to operate the motor to pump fluid from the fluid tank out of the fluid conveying structure.
2 . The portable motorized fluid sprayer of claim 1 , wherein the pump is a gear pump.
3 . The portable motorized fluid sprayer of claim 1 , wherein the pump manifold is removably connected to the fluid tank.
4 . The portable motorized fluid sprayer of claim 3 , further comprising a support structure removably connecting the fluid tank to the pump manifold.
5 . The portable motorized fluid sprayer of claim 4 , wherein the support structure comprises a bracket or shelf and wherein the pump manifold is connected to the support structure via one or more of latches, mating grooves, mating pins/holes, screws, and bolts.
6 . The portable motorized fluid sprayer of claim 5 , wherein the support structure is permanently fixed to the fluid tank or is removably connected to the fluid tank.
7 . The portable motorized fluid sprayer of claim 1 , wherein the fluid tank is at least partially composed of flexible material and may have an expanded configuration and a compressed configuration that is thinner than the expanded configuration.
8 . The portable motorized fluid sprayer of claim 1 , wherein the pump manifold has a first mode of operation spraying fluid from the fluid tank out of the fluid conveying structure, a second mode of operation recirculating fluid from a first opening of the fluid tank to a second opening of a fluid tank.
9 . The portable motorized fluid sprayer of claim 1 , wherein the controller converts position data from the trigger sensor to a desired fluid pressure level.
10 . The portable motorized fluid sprayer of claim 9 , wherein the controller adjusts the speed of the electric motor until a sensed pressure value from the inline pressure sensor is equal to or within a predetermined range of the desired fluid pressure level.
11 . The portable motorized fluid sprayer of claim 10 , wherein the handle further comprises a safety lever; wherein the controller prevents spraying from the fluid conveying structure until the safety lever is actuated.
12 . The portable motorized fluid sprayer of claim 10 , wherein the handle further comprises a maximum flow rate interface; wherein the controller limits a maximum flow rate during spraying from the fluid conveying structure based on a position of the maximum flow rate interface.
13 . The portable motorized fluid sprayer of claim 10 , wherein the trigger has a neutral position that is unmoved by a user and is movable from the neutral position toward the handle and from the neutral position away from the handle; wherein moving the trigger towards the handle from the neutral position causes the portable motorized fluid sprayer to spray fluid from the fluid conveying structure, and wherein moving the trigger away from the handle from the neutral position causes the portable motorized fluid sprayer to suction fluid into the fluid tank from the fluid conveying structure.
14 . The portable motorized fluid sprayer of claim 13 , wherein the controller determines a direction of operation of the motor based the position data of the position of the trigger relative to the neutral position.
15 . The portable motorized fluid sprayer of claim 13 , wherein a fluid spraying pressure from the handle increases as the trigger is moved towards the handle from the neutral position.
16 . The portable motorized fluid sprayer of claim 15 , wherein a fluid suction pressure from the handle is constant when the trigger is moved away from the handle from the neutral position.
17 . The portable motorized fluid sprayer of claim 1 , further comprising two shoulder straps configured to support the portable motorized fluid sprayer on a back of a user.
18 . The portable motorized fluid sprayer of claim 1 , wherein the pump is configured to recirculate fluid by removing fluid from the fluid tank and then returning the removed fluid back to the fluid tank.
19 . The portable motorized fluid sprayer of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to:
sense a position of the trigger;
convert a sensed position value of the trigger to an intended fluid pressure value; and,
adjust a speed of the electric motor based on a comparison between the intended fluid pressure value and an actual pressure value from an inline pressure sensor arranged to sense pressure within a hydraulic passage of the pump manifold and until the pressure within the hydraulic passage reaches the intended fluid pressure value.
20 . The portable motorized fluid sprayer of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to:
monitor for a predetermined current draw value from a battery powering the portable motorized fluid sprayer; and,
reduce a speed of the electric motor if the predetermined current draw value is reached or exceeded.
21 . The portable motorized fluid sprayer of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to:
monitor for a predetermined tank level value within the fluid tank; and,
stop the electric motor if the predetermined tank level value is reached.
22 . The portable motorized fluid sprayer of claim 21 , wherein the controller is configured to stop the electric motor from a suction operation if the predetermined tank value is reached.
23 . A portable motorized fluid sprayer comprising:
a fluid tank;
a pump assembly comprising a pump, an electric motor operatively coupled to the pump, and a controller operatively connected to the electric motor;
an inline pressure sensor sensing pressure within a hydraulic passage of the pump assembly; and,
a fluid conveying structure hydraulically connected to the pump; the fluid conveying structure further including a handle, a trigger, and a trigger sensor sensing a position of the trigger;
wherein the controller is configured to:
sense a position of the trigger;
convert a sensed position value of the trigger to an intended fluid pressure value;
measure pressure within the hydraulic passage; and,
adjust a speed of the pump until the pressure within the hydraulic passage reaches the intended fluid pressure value.
24 . A portable motorized fluid sprayer comprising:
a fluid tank;
a pump assembly comprising a pump, an electric motor operatively coupled to the pump, and a controller operatively connected to the electric motor;
an inline pressure sensor arranged to sense pressure within a hydraulic passage of the pump assembly; and,
a fluid conveying structure hydraulically connected to the pump assembly; the fluid conveying structure further including a handle, a trigger, and a trigger sensor sensing a position of the trigger;
wherein the trigger has a neutral position that is unmoved by a user and is movable from the neutral position toward the handle and from the neutral position away from the handle;
wherein moving the trigger towards the handle from the neutral position causes the portable motorized fluid sprayer to spray fluid from the fluid conveying structure, and wherein moving the trigger away from the handle from the neutral position causes the portable motorized fluid sprayer to suction fluid into the fluid tank from the fluid conveying structure.