US-20260124628-A1 - ATOMIZING AIR NOZZLE ASSEMBLY

US20260124628A1US 20260124628 A1US20260124628 A1US 20260124628A1US-20260124628-A1

Abstract

An air nozzle for a spray gun with a fluid inlet and an air inlet and a barrel having fluid and air passageways. The nozzle includes a fluid tip and an air cap, the fluid tip comprising a fluid tip chamber that sealingly encompasses an end of the fluid tube and an orifice to allow fluid passing to pass into the fluid tip chamber and out the orifice. The air cap receives an end of the fluid tip, and attaches to the end of the barrel, and has a channel to receive air from the barrel passageways and pass the air to a swirl chamber in the air cap having an annular opening surrounding the fluid tip orifice. The air cap has vanes extending into the swirl chamber configured to redirect the air from an axial flow to a radial flow before exiting the air cap though the annular opening.

Inventors

Gary D. Langeman
Harpreet Singh Bassan

Assignees

LANGEMAN MANUFACTURING LIMITED

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20241101

Claims (13)

1 . An atomizing air nozzle assembly for attachment to a fluid dispensing gun, the fluid dispensing gun comprising: a body having at least one fluid inlet for receiving a pressurized fluid and an air inlet for receiving pressurized air; and an elongated barrel having a proximal end proximate to the at least one fluid inlet and the air inlet, and a distal end, the barrel having a longitudinal fluid delivery tube extending between the proximal and distal ends of the barrel in fluid communication with the at least one fluid inlet, and a plurality of air passageways extending between the proximal and distal ends of the barrel in fluid communication with the air inlet, the fluid delivery tube having a distal end with an opening at the distal end of the fluid delivery tube, the air nozzle assembly comprising a fluid tip and an air cap, the fluid tip having proximal and distal ends, the fluid tip comprising a fluid tip chamber configured to sealingly encompass the distal end of the fluid delivery tube in fluid communication with the fluid delivery tube, the fluid tip chamber having an orifice at the distal end of the fluid tip configured to allow fluid passing from the fluid delivery tube through the opening in the distal end of the fluid delivery tube into the fluid tip chamber and flow out through the orifice, the air cap having proximal and distal ends and being configured to receive, through the proximal end of the air cap, the distal end of the fluid tip, and sealingly attach to the distal end of the barrel, the air cap comprising an air channel configured to receive the pressurized air from the air passageways of the barrel and pass the pressurized air to a distal radial vane swirl chamber in the air cap having an annular opening in the distal end of the air cap surrounding the fluid tip orifice, the air cap comprising a plurality of stationary rotational flow air vanes configured to redirect the pressurized air from an axial flow to a radial flow before exiting the air cap though the annular opening.
2 . The atomizing air nozzle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the radial vane swirl chamber is configured to redirect the pressurized air from an axial flow to a radial flow perpendicular to the fluid tip before exiting the air cap though the annular opening.
3 . The atomizing air nozzle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the air cap and fluid tip are integrally formed.
4 . The atomizing air nozzle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the air cap is threadably connectable to a threaded inner surface of the distal end of the gun barrel.
5 . The atomizing air nozzle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the air cap is adhesively attached to the distal end of the fluid delivery tube.
6 . The atomizing air nozzle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the gun body has a plurality of fluid inlets and the fluid delivery tube has a mixing element disposed therein.
7 . The atomizing air nozzle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the gun body has exactly one fluid inlet.
8 . An atomizing air nozzle assembly for attachment to a fluid dispensing gun having a barrel having a fluid delivery tube, the air nozzle assembly comprising a fluid tip and an air cap, the fluid tip having proximal and distal ends, the fluid tip comprising a fluid tip chamber configured to sealingly encompass the fluid delivery tube of the fluid dispensing gun, the fluid tip chamber having an orifice at the distal end of the fluid tip configured to allow fluid passing from the fluid delivery tube through an opening in the fluid delivery tube into the fluid tip chamber and flow out through the orifice, the air cap having proximal and distal ends and being configured to receive, through the proximal end of the air cap, the distal end of the fluid tip, and sealingly attach to the distal end of the barrel, the air cap comprising an air channel configured to receive the pressurized air from air passageways of the fluid dispensing gun and pass the pressurized air to a distal radial vane swirl chamber in the air cap having an annular opening in the distal end of the air cap surrounding the fluid tip orifice, the air cap comprising a plurality of stationary rotational flow air vanes configured to redirect the pressurized air from an axial flow to a radial flow before exiting the air cap though the annular opening.
9 . The atomizing air nozzle assembly of claim 7 , wherein the air cap and fluid tip are integrally formed.
10 . An atomizing air nozzle for attachment to a fluid delivery tube, the air nozzle comprising a fluid tip and an air cap that are integrally formed, the fluid tip having proximal and distal ends, the fluid tip comprising a fluid tip chamber configured to sealingly encompass the distal end of the fluid delivery tube, the fluid tip chamber having an orifice at the distal end of the fluid tip configured to allow fluid passing from the fluid delivery tube through an opening in the fluid delivery tube into the fluid tip chamber and flow out through the orifice, the air cap having proximal and distal ends the air cap surrounding the distal end of the fluid tip, and sealingly attachable to the fluid delivery tube, the air cap comprising an air channel configured to receive the pressurized air and pass the pressurized air to a distal radial vane swirl chamber in the air cap having an annular opening in the distal end of the air cap surrounding the fluid tip orifice, the air cap comprising a plurality of stationary rotational flow air vanes configured to redirect the pressurized air from an axial flow to a radial flow before exiting the air cap though the annular opening.
11 . The atomizing air nozzle of claim 10 , wherein the nozzle is adhesively attachable to the fluid delivery tube.
12 . The atomizing air nozzle of claim 10 , wherein the nozzle is threadably attachable to the fluid delivery tube.
13 . The atomizing air nozzle of claim 10 , wherein the nozzle is integrally formed with the fluid delivery tube.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to devices for applying coating materials to surfaces. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a device for applying coating materials, such as, for example, paints, epoxies, polymers, and the like. In particular, the invention relates to a dispensing device or gun for application of liquid materials which must be atomized and delivered in a spray pattern. The invention is particularly suited for applications which require the liquid coating material to be dispensed and applied evenly, and where merely pouring the liquid compound onto the contact surface does not produce the desired result. In this case, atomization of the fluid stream in order to produce a spray pattern as commonly required. Atomization of a fluid can be achieved either by pumping the fluid through an orifice at high pressure using an apparatus specifically designed to create atomization, or, alternatively, by air atomization. Air atomization is a known process, where, as the stream of fluid under low pressure exits the dispensing device, the fluid stream is enveloped by pressurized air delivered to the fluid exit point to form droplets in a defined pattern. It is known in the prior art to attach an air nozzle assembly to the exit point of a delivery tube of a dispensing device in order to achieve air atomization. Prior art devices typically deliver the pressurized air to the air nozzle assembly through an air conduit in the form of a flexible hose or tube positioned externally along the entire length of the delivery tube of the dispensing device. The air conduit typically terminates at the air nozzle assembly. Accordingly, the entire apparatus takes up a large amount of space, making the dispensing device cumbersome, awkward to disassemble, and difficult to operate in tight spaces, such as inside a small mold cavity, or in crevices. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention provides external air atomization of the fluid, external of both the air cap and fluid tip components and in the case of both two-piece and one-piece constructions, the swirling air does not contact the fluid within the nozzle. The invention provides an external air atomization nozzle (one piece) specially suited for two component, statically mixed fluids. The nozzle is made to impart a rotational or swirling action of air within the air chamber of the body, surrounds the fluid tip at the distal end of the nozzle. The rotational axial flow of pressurized air exits the nozzle, creating a vortex effect as it surrounds the fluid stream, causing a breakup of the fluid stream into fine droplets. Specifically, the invention provides an atomizing air nozzle assembly for attachment to a fluid dispensing gun, the fluid dispensing gun comprising a body having at least one fluid inlet for receiving a pressurized fluid and an air inlet for receiving pressurized air and an elongated barrel having a proximal end proximate to the at least one fluid inlet and the air inlet, and a distal end, the barrel having a longitudinal fluid delivery tube extending between the proximal and distal ends of the barrel in fluid communication with the at least one fluid inlet, and a plurality of air passageways extending between the proximal and distal ends of the barrel in fluid communication with the air inlet. The fluid delivery tube has a distal end with an opening at the distal end of the barrel. The air nozzle assembly comprises a fluid tip and an air cap, the fluid tip having proximal and distal ends, the fluid tip comprising a fluid tip chamber configured to sealingly encompass the distal end of the fluid delivery tube in fluid communication with the fluid delivery tube. The fluid tip chamber has an orifice at the distal end of the fluid tip configured to allow fluid passing from the fluid delivery tube into the fluid tip chamber out though the orifice. The air cap has proximal and distal ends and is configured to receive, through the proximal end of the air cap, the distal end of the fluid tip, and sealingly attach to the distal end of the barrel. The air cap comprising an air channel configured to receive the pressurized air from the air passageways of the barrel and pass the pressurized air to a distal radial vane swirl chamber in the air cap having an annular opening in the distal end of the air cap surrounding the fluid tip orifice. The swirl chamber in the air cap has multiple stationary rotational flow air vanes configured to redirect the pressurized air from an axial flow to a radial flow before exiting the air cap though the annular opening. The radial vane swirl chamber is configured to redirect the pressurized air from an axial flow to a radial flow perpendicular to the fluid tip before exiting the air cap though the annular opening. Preferably, the air cap and fluid tip are integrally formed. The air cap may be threadably connectable to a threaded inner surface of the distal end of the gun barrel. The invention provide