Fluid dispensing apparatus and method

Abstract

The present invention provides apparatus for dispensing a fluid, comprising an elongate valve member having a fluid outlet and a fluid inlet locatable in fluid communication with a fluid reservoir, and at least one locking element to lock a fluid dispensing member with respect to the valve member wherein a fluid exit port of the fluid dispensing member is in fluid communication with the fluid outlet of the valve member. A valve assembly for a fluid dispensing device and a method of manufacturing a valve assembly are also provided.

1 . Apparatus for dispensing a fluid, comprising:
 an elongate valve member having a fluid outlet and a fluid inlet locatable in fluid communication with a fluid reservoir; and   at least one locking element to lock a fluid dispensing member with respect to the valve member wherein a fluid exit port of the fluid dispensing member is in fluid communication with the fluid outlet of the valve member.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one locking element comprises a coupling member having an inner surface for receiving a fluid outlet end portion of the valve member and an outer surface engagable with an inner surface of the fluid dispensing member. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the inner surface of the coupling member comprises at least one projection that is received by at least one recess in an outer surface of said valve member to attach the coupling member to said valve member. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the at least one projection comprises at least one continuous annular projection that corresponds with at least one continuous annular recess of the valve member or a plurality of radially spaced apart intermittent recesses in the valve member. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the at least one projection comprises a plurality of radially spaced apart intermittent projections that correspond with a plurality of radially spaced apart intermittent recesses of the valve member or at least one continuous annular recess in the valve member. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus as claimed in any of  claims 3 , wherein the at least one projection comprises a plurality of axially spaced apart projections that correspond to a plurality of axially spaced apart recesses in the valve member. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein each of the plurality of axially spaced apart projections comprise a plurality of radially spaced intermittent projections that correspond with a plurality of radially spaced intermittent recesses in the valve member. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the plurality of axially spaced apart projections comprise four projections each radially spaced apart from one another by ninety degrees that correspond with a plurality of correspondingly arranged recesses in the valve member. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus as claimed in any of  claims 3 , wherein the at least one projection of the coupling member comprises a substantially curved outer surface to correspondingly engage with a complementarily shaped inner surface of the at least one recess in the valve member. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus as claimed in any of  claims 3 , wherein the at least one projection has a height from the inner surface of the collar of about around 0.1 to 5 mm and a width of about around 0.1 to 5 mm. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus as claimed in any of  claims 3 , wherein the at least one recess has a depth from the outer surface of the valve member of about around 0.1 to 5 mm and a width of about around 0.1 to 5 mm. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus as claimed in any of  claims 2 , wherein the coupling member comprises at least one recess or aperture in the outer surface that receives at least one projection extending from the inner surface of the fluid dispensing member to lock the fluid dispensing member to the coupling member. 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus as claimed in any of  claims 2 , wherein the coupling member comprises an inwardly extending flange portion that abuts the fluid outlet end portion of the valve member when the coupling member is mounted on and connected to said valve member. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the inwardly extending flange portion comprises an aperture to fluidly communicate the fluid outlet of the valve member with the fluid exit port of the fluid dispensing member. 
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the fluid dispensing member comprises the at least one locking element and wherein the at least one locking element comprises at least one projection extending from an inner surface of the elongate valve member. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the fluid dispensing member comprises an inner bore that receives a fluid outlet end portion of the elongate valve member, and the at least one projection extends from an inner surface of the inner bore. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein the at least one projection comprises a barb-like portion that bites into the fluid outlet end portion to allow the valve member to be received into the fluid dispensing member whilst preventing the fluid dispensing member from being removed from the valve member. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the valve member comprises one or more recesses extending into an outer surface of the valve member for the at least one projection to correspondingly lock into to connect the fluid dispensing member to the valve member. 
     
     
         22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 2 , further comprising a nozzle that comprises the fluid exit port of the fluid dispensing member for dispensing fluid towards a target location. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 2 , further comprising an actuator for moving the valve member in a valve body between a valve closed position and a valve open position. 
     
     
         25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . (canceled) 
     
     
         33 . (canceled) 
     
     
         34 . (canceled)