Who Invented the Spray Bottle Pump?
The spray bottle pump idea was conceived in 1895 and further improved over several decades. Originally designed to squirt out a small burst of mist, it evolved into a fully integrated pump that delivered a strong jet. From the original concept to today, inventors broadly imagined many usages such as cosmetics or disinfectants, to chemical fluids or fuel.
Other People Are Reading
-
First Inventor
-
Carl Rupport used finger pressure on the side of flask-like bottle to increase internal pressure and move fluid up a straw. Carl Rupport, a German from Berlin, was looking for a way to avoid blowing air from his mouth into a container to squirt a spray out of the bottle. He devised the idea of using a flask-like container with a straw inside that touched the cap of the bottle. The cap was perforated so the liquid, when under pressure, would shoot out from the cap in small particle streams. Rupport's unique approach resided in the pump concept that was activated by pressing the sides of the small flask. This action increased the internal pressure of the container and made the liquid move up inside the straw. Once in proximity of the cap, the liquid escaped through the perforated holes. This was the first time that someone used a hand-activated pump mechanism to generate a mist of fluid. Rupport called his invention an atomizer.
Early Improvements
-
Anton C. Eggers improved the strength of the spray with an outside bulb to pump air into the container. Improvements took place rapidly after this concept was patented in Europe. New ways to displace the air inside the container (or pump mechanisms) were suggested. Anton C. Eggers became the first American to patent a similar concept in the United States. This New York citizen extended the spray nozzle out and created a hand pump by squeezing air out of a small rubber bulb that fit inside the palm of a hand. Eggers thought this idea would have stronger spraying power than Rupport's concept and required less finger strength than the previous design. Eggers intended this application for spraying disinfectants in hospitals.
-
Later Improvements
-
Jule Montenier moved the pump inside the cap of the bottle. Jules B. Montenier introduced in his 1953 patent an embedded pump mechanism in the cap of the container, giving it the appearance of a normal bottle and eliminating the need for a hand bulb. In this design, the air inside the container is compressed by the movement of a cylinder located on top of the bottle and pressed down into the bottle. Similarly to previous ideas, the air displacement pushes fluid inside the straw and takes it back to the nozzle area. The trigger could be done by either pulling a handle similarly to the trigger on a water gun or by pressing down the top of the cap. Plax Corporation licensed this technology for "Stopette," a deodorant product.
Today
-
The Jules Montenier design remains present in the dispensers of today's household cleaning products. Worth noting, a new form has also entered daily use. This refers to containers where the fluid co-exists with another compound that is liquid under high pressure but gasifies when the pressure is released. Examples include cooking oil spray or hairspray in a can. They benefit from a continuous flow when the valve is released.
Returns
-
These inventions were patented a long time ago and the intellectual property has become part of the public domain (patents expire after 20 years). This means anyone can manufacture these products without having to pay financial returns to the inventors. Most of the production of spray bottles has moved outside of the United States.
-
References
Resources
- Photo Credit perfume bottle image by Leticia Wilson from Fotolia.com Flask image by Alex Ishchenko from Fotolia.com Beauty items image by Eric Espig from Fotolia.com green spray bottle image by Jim Mills from Fotolia.com
