Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6338439
-
Patent Number
6,338,439
-
Date Filed
Wednesday, December 22, 199924 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, January 15, 200222 years ago
-
Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
Agents
- Visteon Global Tech., Inc.
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 239 418
- 239 419
- 239 422
- 239 423
- 239 4245
- 239 428
- 239 429
- 239 430
- 239 8
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
A nozzle assembly 10 including a first inlet aperture 12 which receives material 14 which is to be selectively emitted from assembly 10. Assembly 10 includes an outlet aperture 16 having several apertures 18, 20, 22, 24, and 26 which are respectively separated by substantially identical elements 28, 30, 32, and 34. Elements 28-34 cooperatively form a plurality of passages or channels 40-50 through assembly 10. A centrally disposed channel 44 is relatively narrower than the other channels 40, 42, 46, and 50, and channels 42, 46 are relatively narrower than outermost channels 46, 50, thereby causing material 14 to be emitted at a substantially similar and/or uniform velocity at each point or location within outlet aperture 16.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a nozzle assembly and more particularly, to a nozzle assembly which selectively emits material through an aperture at a relatively uniform velocity.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Nozzles selectively emit various types of materials, such as and without limitation paint, thereby placing or depositing the selectively emitted material upon various objects and/or target locations in some desired pattern and/or concentration. Oftentimes it is highly desirable to place or deposit the emitted material on the targeted object and/or location in a substantially uniform concentration, thereby substantially preventing uneven material deposits which are unsightly and unaesthetic.
Moreover, it is also desirable to provide for the selective emission, by the nozzle, of a mixture of liquid and solid particles and/or a mixture of gas and solid particles in order to allow the nozzle to be used within a wide variety of applications requiring different types of materials.
While prior nozzle assemblies adequately and selectively emit material, they do not substantially ensure that the emitted material is uniformly placed upon the targeted object or location. Rather these prior nozzle assemblies typically emit a greater amount of the material through a center portion of the nozzle and lesser amounts around the nozzle end portions, thereby undesirably creating areas of relatively high material concentration upon the targeted object or location.
That is, the portion of the material which traverses the middle or center of the nozzle assembly has a greater velocity than those material portions which traverse the outer portions of nozzle assembly, thereby causing the material to have a non-uniform velocity profile as the material exits the outlet apertures of these nozzle assemblies (e.g. the velocity of the emitted material is not uniform at substantially every point or location within the outlet aperture). Hence, more material is deposited through the center portion of the respective outlet apertures of these prior nozzle assemblies than is deposited through the outer edge portions of the respective outlet apertures of these prior nozzle assemblies.
Moreover, while these prior nozzle assemblies allow for the selective emission of such liquid-solid and gaseous-solid mixtures, they must often and/or frequently be “unclogged” or cleaned since the solid particles tend to form undesirable and flow-restricting deposits within these prior nozzle assemblies. These “cleanings” reduce the overall efficiency and increase the cost of the material application process and further increase the non-uniformity of the velocity profile of the emitted material. Further, as new types of solid particles and/or materials are used by these prior nozzle assemblies, the respectively contained particle deposits become undesirably mixed with the new material, thereby undesirably contaminating the new material.
There is therefore a need for a new and improved nozzle assembly which allows for the selective emission of material having a substantially uniform velocity, which allows the selectively emitted material to be substantially and uniformly deposited upon a target object and/or location, which allows for the selective emission of material having a liquid and a solid component and/or material having a gaseous and a solid component, and which substantially prevents and/or reduces undesirable material deposits within the nozzle assembly.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a first object of the invention to provide a nozzle assembly which overcomes some or all of the previously delineated drawbacks of prior nozzle assemblies.
It is a second object of the invention to provide a nozzle assembly which overcomes some or all of the previously delineated drawbacks of prior nozzle assemblies and which allows material to be selectively emitted with a substantially uniform velocity profile.
It is a third object of the invention to provide a nozzle assembly which overcomes some or all of the previously delineated drawbacks of prior nozzle assemblies and which allows material to be selectively emitted and to be substantially and uniformly deposited upon a target object and/or location.
It is a fourth object of the invention to provide a nozzle assembly which overcomes some or all of the previously delineated drawbacks of prior nozzle assemblies and which allows mixtures of diverse types of material to be selectively emitted.
According to a first aspect of the present invention a nozzle assembly is provided. The nozzle assembly includes an outlet aperture having a first portion of a first cross sectional area and a second portion having a second cross sectional area, the second cross sectional area being smaller than the first cross sectional area.
According to a second aspect of the present invention a nozzle assembly is provided. The nozzle assembly is of the type which receives material and which emits the received material through an outlet aperture. The nozzle assembly includes a first narrow portion which receives the material and a second wider portion which communicates with the first portion and with the outlet aperture and which communicates the material to the outlet aperture.
According to a third aspect of the present invention a method is provided for use with a nozzle of the type having an outlet aperture. The nozzle is of the type which receives material and which selectively emits the received material through the outlet aperture. The method is effective to cause the material to be emitted at a substantially uniform pressure and includes the steps of causing a first portion of the outlet aperture to have a first cross sectional area and causing a second portion of the outlet aperture to have a second cross sectional area.
These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the invention will become apparent by reference to the following specification and by reference to the following drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is a side-sectional view of a nozzle assembly which is made in accordance with the teachings of the preferred embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 2
is a view of the nozzle assembly which is shown in FIG.
1
and which is taken in the direction of arrow
2
;
FIG. 3
is a side sectional view of a nozzle assembly which is made in accordance with the teachings of a second embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 4
is a graph of the pressure distribution within the nozzle assembly which is shown in
FIG. 3
;
FIG. 5
is a side view of the nozzle assembly shown in FIG.
1
and which is operatively attached to a sprayer; and
FIG. 6
is a perspective view of an injection element which is contained within the nozzle assembly which is shown in FIG.
1
.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
Referring now to
FIGS. 1
,
2
,
5
, and
6
, there is shown a nozzle assembly
10
which is made in accordance with the teachings of the preferred embodiment of the invention. Particularly, nozzle assembly
10
includes a first inlet aperture portion
12
which receives a first material
14
which is to be selectively emitted from assembly
10
. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, material
14
comprises gaseous material. Nozzle assembly
10
further includes a second or outlet aperture portion
16
which is cooperatively comprised of and/or which includes several apertures
18
,
20
,
22
,
24
, and
26
which are respectively separated by substantially identical, generally ellipsoidal, and integrally formed elements
28
,
30
,
32
, and
34
. Each element
28
-
34
has a generally “C”-shaped notch or groove
36
which is positioned within the outlet aperture
16
. As shown, element
28
cooperates with the top portion
38
of nozzle assembly
10
to form a passage or channel
40
which extends from the inlet aperture
12
to the aperture
18
; elements
28
and
30
cooperatively form a channel or passage
42
which extends from the inlet aperture
12
to the aperture
20
; elements
30
and
32
cooperatively form a passage or channel
44
which extends from the inlet aperture
12
to the aperture
22
; elements
32
and
34
cooperatively form a passage or channel
46
which extends from the inlet aperture
12
to the aperture
24
; and element
34
cooperates with the bottom portion
48
of the nozzle assembly
10
to form a passage or channel
50
which extends from the inlet aperture
12
to the aperture
26
.
It should be realized that a different number and/or shape of apertures
18
-
26
may be used in other embodiments and that a different number and/or shape of elements
28
-
34
may be used in other embodiments of the invention. It should be further realized that elements
28
-
34
may each be selectively coupled to a source or receptacle
35
of solid or liquid particulate. In such an embodiment, the liquid and/or solid particulate material is selectively emitted from notches
36
, such as by use of a tube (not shown) which is receivably contained within notches
36
and which is physically and communicatively coupled to source
35
. In other alternate embodiments, other elements may be used to form channels
40
-
50
, and elements
28
-
34
may be disposed in different locations upon and/or within nozzle assembly
10
.
It should further be appreciated that channel
44
is relatively narrower than channels
40
,
42
,
46
, and
50
, and that channels
42
and
46
have substantially the same width and are narrower than channels
40
and
50
. In one non-limiting embodiment, channels
42
and
46
are substantially similar in size and shape and channels
40
and
50
are substantially similar in size and shape.
As best shown in
FIG. 2
, in this non-limiting embodiment of the invention, apertures
18
and
26
have a substantially identical, respective, and relatively large and generally rectangular cross sectional area
52
,
54
; apertures
20
,
24
have a substantially identical, respective, and generally rectangular cross sectional area
56
,
58
which is smaller than the cross sectional areas
52
,
54
; and aperture
22
has a generally rectangular cross sectional area
60
which is smaller than any and all of the cross sectional areas
52
,
54
,
56
, and
58
, and which is generally symmetrical about the longitudinal axis of symmetry
62
of the nozzle assembly
10
. In this manner, it should be appreciated that the aperture
22
resides within the middle portion of the outlet aperture
16
.
Nozzle assembly
10
further includes substantially identical and generally ellipsoidal elements
64
,
66
,
68
,
70
, and
72
which are respectively disposed within the channels
40
-
50
and within the apertures
18
-
26
. Each of the elements
64
-
72
includes a generally “C”-shaped notch
74
which communicates with the outlet aperture
16
. Elements
64
-
72
are each communicatively coupled to a source or receptacle
73
of liquid and/or solid particulate, such as by use of a tube which is receiveably contained within each element
64
-
72
and which is physically and communicatively coupled to source
73
, such as tube
100
which is shown in FIG.
6
. In one non-limiting embodiment of the invention, each element
64
-
72
is substantially identical in shape to the elements
28
-
34
. Further, nozzle assembly
10
, in one non-limiting embodiment, includes generally rectangular “blocking” elements
76
-
84
which are respectively deployed within channels
40
-
50
in relatively close proximity to the inlet aperture
12
. In one non-limiting embodiment, elements
76
and
84
are substantially identical, as are elements
78
and
82
. Further, in one non-limiting embodiment, substantially identical elements
76
and
84
are larger than substantially identical elements
78
and
82
, and element
80
, which is disposed upon the axis
62
, is substantially smaller than any of the elements
76
,
78
,
82
, and
84
. In another non-limiting embodiment of the invention, each of the elements
76
-
84
are substantially similar and/or identical. In any of these non-limiting embodiments, it should be realized that element
80
is slightly thinner than the width of the channel
44
, thereby residing within most of the space formed between the end portions of members
30
,
32
which are proximate to the inlet aperture
12
, and allowing received material
14
to enter channel
44
through relatively narrow openings
86
,
88
. Concomitantly, elements
78
and
82
respectively form substantially identical entry openings
90
,
92
and
94
,
96
within respective channels
42
and
46
. Openings
90
,
92
are substantially larger than are openings
86
,
88
. Further, elements
76
,
84
respectively form substantially identical entry openings
98
,
100
, and
102
,
104
within respective channels
40
and
50
. Openings
98
and
100
are substantially larger than openings
94
,
96
and
86
,
88
. Each element
76
-
84
,
28
-
34
, and
64
-
72
may be selectively formed by a silicon micro-machining process.
As best shown in
FIG. 5
, nozzle assembly
10
may be attached to a conventional sprayer or spray gun
77
. Gas enters spray gun
77
through hose
79
. Solid and/or liquid material is communicated to notches
36
from receptacle
35
and solid and/or liquid material is communicated to notches
74
from receptacle
73
.
In operation, gas is injected into the inlet aperture
12
. The injected gas, comprising material
14
, enters the channels
40
-
50
through the respective opening pairs
98
,
100
;
90
,
92
;
86
,
88
;
94
,
96
; and
102
,
104
. The gas traverses these channels
40
-
50
and is mixed with liquid and/or solid particles at the outlet aperture
16
. More particularly, the liquid and solid particulate material is placed within the outlet aperture
16
by the elements
28
-
34
and/or by the elements
64
-
72
and, more particularly, selectively emanate from the notched portion
36
of elements
28
-
34
and/or from the notched portion
74
of the elements
64
-
72
. The mixture of the gaseous, liquid, and solid particulate material is then emitted from the nozzle assembly
10
.
Importantly, the relatively narrow middle channel openings
86
,
88
cooperate with the relatively narrow middle channel
44
to reduce the velocity of the material
14
which traverses the channel
44
. Further, the relatively wide channel openings
98
,
100
and
102
,
104
cooperate with the relatively wide end channels
40
,
50
to allow material
14
, which traverses the channels
40
,
50
, to be relatively un-hindered and to have a velocity which is substantially similar to the velocity of the material
14
which traverses channel
44
. Further, the openings
90
,
92
and
94
,
96
cooperate with the relatively narrow channels
42
,
46
, which are adjacent to the central or middle channel
44
, to cause the velocity of the material
14
which traverses these channels
42
,
46
to be substantially similar to the velocity of the material
14
which traverses channels
40
,
50
, and
44
, thereby allowing the material
14
and/or material mixture to be emitted at a substantially similar and/or uniform velocity at each point or location within the outlet aperture
16
. The previously delineated arrangement also substantially ensures that the amount of emitted material
14
and/or the amount of the emitted material mixture, emanating from the aperture
16
, is substantially similar at each point or location within the aperture
16
, thereby allowing for the application and/or emanation of substantially uniform concentrations of the emitted material
14
.
A second embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in FIG.
3
. Nozzle assembly
120
is generally cylindrical and includes a tapered or “narrowed” portion or section
122
in which the diameter
126
of the nozzle assembly
10
decreases along a path or direction beginning at location “A” and ending at location “B”, and a relatively rapidly “expanding” portion or section
124
which is immediately adjacent to section
122
. Within section
124
, the diameter
126
of the nozzle assembly
10
substantially and relatively rapidly increases from location “B” to a location “C”. Two substantially identical and generally ellipsoidal elements
128
,
130
are disposed in relative remote proximity to outlet aperture
132
of nozzle assembly
120
. Elements
128
,
130
each include a generally “C”-shaped notch
134
which is communicatively coupled to a particulate reservoir or receptacle
136
, and which emits certain amounts of liquid and/or solid particulate
138
which is desired to be mixed with gaseous material
140
.
In operation, gaseous material
140
is accelerated to relatively high and/or supersonic speeds and is communicated to nozzle assembly
120
through input aperture
142
. A region of relatively low pressure is created within nozzle assembly
120
by rapidly expanding section
124
. The pressure characteristics within nozzle assembly
120
are illustrated by graph
150
shown in FIG.
4
. As shown, the pressure, within nozzle
120
, reaches a minimum value in relative close proximity to location “C”, which corresponds to the location at which notches
134
emit the liquid and/or solid particulate material
138
. This arrangement allows nozzle assembly
120
to automatically entrain particulate material
138
, thereby substantially obviating the need for a liquid flow-control valve and/or reducing the demands on such a valve. This novel arrangement further allows solid particulate to be introduced along with the gaseous material
140
within the outlet aperture
132
, thereby reducing the susceptibility of nozzle
120
to clogging.
It is understood that the invention is not limited by the exact construction or method illustrated and described above but that the various changes and/or modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and/or the scope of Applicants' inventions.
Claims
- 1. A nozzle having an outlet aperture which includes a first portion having a first cross-sectional area and a second portion having a second cross sectional area which is smaller than said first cross sectional area, said nozzle further including an element which cooperates with a surface of said nozzle to form a channel; a strut which is disposed within a first end of said channel; and a blocking element which is disposed within a second end of said channel.
- 2. The nozzle of claim 1 wherein said nozzle is of the type which selectively emits gas and solid particles and wherein said nozzle further includes a first inlet port which receives said gas and which allows said gas to be communicated to said outlet aperture and wherein said nozzle further includes a second inlet port which receives said solid particles and which allows said solid particles to be mixed with said gas, thereby allowing said mixture of said gas and said solid particles to be emitted by said nozzle through said outlet aperture.
- 3. The nozzle of claim 2 further comprising a first member which is disposed within said first portion and a second member which is disposed within said second portion.
- 4. The nozzle of claim 3 wherein said second member resides within the middle of said outlet aperture.
- 5. The nozzle of claim 4 wherein said first member resides within an outer end of said outlet aperture.
- 6. The nozzle of claim 3 wherein said second member is generally ellipsoidal in shape.
- 7. The nozzle, of claim 3 wherein said first member is generally ellipsoidal in shape.
- 8. A nozzle of the type which receives gas and which emits gas through an outlet aperture, said nozzle having at least a first and a second element wherein said first element cooperates with a surface of said nozzle to form a first channel and wherein said second element cooperates with said first element to create a second channel, said second channel being narrower than said first channel; a first and a second blocking element, wherein said first blocking element is disposed at one end of said first channel and said second blocking element is disposed at one end of said second channel; a first and a second generally ellipsoidal strut wherein said first generally ellipsoidal strut is disposed in a second end of said first and wherein said second strut is disposed in a second end of said second channel.
- 9. The nozzle of claim 8 wherein said second narrower channel receives said gas from said first channel which communicates said gas to said outlet aperture and wherein said first channel further includes a first member.
- 10. The nozzle of claim 9 wherein said first member emits a liquid particulate.
- 11. The nozzle of claim 9 wherein said first member is generally ellipsoidal in shape.
- 12. The nozzle of claim 8 wherein said first narrow portion is formed within the middle of the nozzle.
- 13. A method for use with a nozzle of the type having an outlet aperture and which emits a material through said outlet aperture, said method being effective to cause said material to be emitted at a substantially uniform velocity, said method comprising the steps of:providing a housing; forming at least a first, a second, and a third channel within a housing, wherein said first and third channels are substantially similar; disposing said second channel between said first and said second channels, said second channel being narrower than said first and third channels; providing at least three blocking elements; disposing one of said blocking elements at a first end of each of said channels; providing a material; and communicating said provided material to each of said channels, thereby causing said provided material to traverse said nozzle and to be selectively emitted from said nozzle.
- 14. The method of claim 13 further comprising the steps of:causing a first portion of the outlet aperture to have a first cross sectional area; causing a second portion of the outlet aperture to have a second cross sectional area; providing a first member; and disposing said first member within said outlet aperture.
- 15. The method of claim 14 wherein said first member emits a particulate.
- 16. The method of claim 13 wherein said first member is generally ellipsoidal in shape.
- 17. The method of claim 13 wherein said outlet aperture is generally rectangular in shape.
- 18. The method of claim 14 wherein said second cross sectional area is smaller than said first cross-sectional area.
- 19. The method of claim 18 wherein said second portion resides in the middle of said outlet aperture.
US Referenced Citations (13)