Electrostatic spray nozzle with adjustable fluid tip and interchangeable components

• US 20060124780A1
• Filed: 11/10/2005
• Published: 06/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SUNLESS Incorporated (Sunless Holding Co.)
• Original Assignee: SUNLESS Incorporated (Sunless Holding Co.)
• Inventors: Cooper, Steven C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,913,938 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 239/690
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 15/62 Arrangements for supporting spraying apparatus, e.g. suction cups
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 5/03 characterised by the use of gas , e.g. electrostatically assisted pneumatic spraying B05B5/04, B05B5/043, B05B5/047 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 5/032 for spraying particulate materials
• CPC Class Codes: F23D 11/32 by electrostatic means

Abstract

An electrostatic spray charging nozzle designed for optimum charge level over a wide range of liquid and air flow rates. The electrostatic spray charging nozzle includes a nozzle cap having an outlet, a nozzle body having a first bore, and a fluid tip assembly extending at least partially through the first bore. The fluid tip assembly further includes a liquid inlet adapted to be connected to a source of liquid, and a liquid outlet adapted to dispense the liquid through the outlet of the nozzle body. The electrostatic spray charging nozzle further includes an adjustment mechanism operable to move the fluid tip assembly within the first bore so as to adjust a longitudinal distance between the liquid outlet of the fluid tip assembly and the outlet of the nozzle cap.

Claims

1. An electrostatic spray charging nozzle comprising:

a nozzle cap having an outlet;

a nozzle body having a first bore;

a fluid tip assembly extending at least partially through the first bore, and having a liquid inlet adapted to be connected to a source of liquid, and a liquid outlet adapted to dispense the liquid through the outlet of the nozzle body; and

an adjustment mechanism operable to move the fluid tip assembly within the first bore so as to adjust a longitudinal distance between the liquid outlet of the fluid tip assembly and the outlet of the nozzle cap.

2. The electrostatic spray charging nozzle of claim 1 wherein the nozzle body includes a first side adapted to be coupled to the nozzle cap.

3. The electrostatic spray charging nozzle of claim 2, wherein the nozzle cap is adapted for removable decoupling from nozzle first side of the nozzle body.

4. The electrostatic spray charging nozzle of claim 1 further comprising:

an air cap having a second bore aligned with the first bore, and positioned between the nozzle cap and the nozzle body so that the liquid outlet is received within the second bore.

5. The electrostatic spray charging nozzle of claim 4, wherein the nozzle cap includes an aperture adapted to removably receive the air cap.

6. The electrostatic spray charging nozzle of claim 4, further comprising:

a substantially non-conductive element positioned between the nozzle cap and the air cap, the substantially non-conductive element including a jet outlet hole.

7. The electrostatic spray charging nozzle of claim 6, wherein the substantially non-conductive element comprises a Teflon disc.

8. The electrostatic spray charging nozzle of claim 6, wherein a diameter of the jet outlet hole is greater than a diameter of the air cap outlet.

9. The electrostatic spray charging nozzle of claim 4, wherein the air cap is formed of a substantially non-conductive material.

10. The electrostatic spray charging nozzle of claim 4, wherein the air cap is formed of a substantially conductive material.

11. The electrostatic spray charging nozzle of claim 4, wherein the air cap comprises an electrode adapted to induce an electrostatic charge to the liquid.

12. The electrostatic spray charging nozzle of claim 4, wherein the air cap is adapted to rotate freely about the fluid tip assembly.

13. The electrostatic spray charging nozzle of claim 4, wherein the air cap is adapted for mounting within a ring cavity of the nozzle body.

14. The electrostatic spray charging nozzle of claim 13 further comprising:

an electrode contactor recessed within the ring cavity, the electrode contactor having a contact pad adapted to make electrical contact with a first surface of the air cap.

15. The electrostatic spray charging nozzle of claim 14, wherein the contact pad comprises a spring-loaded contact pad.

16. The electrostatic spray charging nozzle of claim 1, wherein the nozzle body includes an air inlet coupled to the first bore.

17. The electrostatic spray charging nozzle of claim 1, wherein the nozzle cap comprises a hemispherical nozzle cap.

18. The electrostatic spray charging nozzle of claim 1, wherein the fluid tip assembly comprises:

a liquid inlet connector having a first end adapted to be coupled to a second side of the nozzle body, and a second end adapted to be connected to the source of liquid; and

a fluid tip having a liquid tip inlet adapted to be coupled to the first end of the liquid inlet connector, and a liquid tip outlet adapted to dispense the liquid through the outlet of the nozzle cap.

19. The electrostatic spray charging nozzle of claim 18, wherein the fluid tip comprises a dual fluid tip.

20. The electrostatic spray charging nozzle of claim 18, wherein the fluid tip is adapted for removal from the first side of the nozzle body.

21. The electrostatic spray charging nozzle of claim 18, wherein the fluid tip is adapted for removal from the second side of the nozzle body.

22. The electrostatic spray charging nozzle of claim 18, wherein the adjustment mechanism comprises a threaded coupling between the fluid tip and the liquid inlet connector.

23. The electrostatic spray charging nozzle of claim 18, wherein the adjustment mechanism comprises a threaded coupling of the first end of the liquid inlet connector to the second side of the nozzle body.

24. The electrostatic spray charging nozzle of claim 18, wherein the first end of the liquid inlet connector includes adjustment threads to facilitate the coupling of the first end of the liquid inlet connector to the second side of the nozzle body.

25. The electrostatic spray charging nozzle of claim 24, wherein the adjustment threads are adapted to adjust the longitudinal distance between the liquid outlet of the fluid tip and the outlet of the nozzle cap by rotation of the liquid inlet connector.

26. The electrostatic spray charging nozzle of claim 18, wherein the fluid tip is adapted to be removable from the liquid inlet connector.

27. The electrostatic spray charging nozzle of claim 18, wherein the first bore comprises a central air channel bore and the fluid tip is adapted to be positioned into and held concentric with the central air channel bore of the nozzle body.

28. The electrostatic spray charging nozzle of claim 27, wherein the fluid tip further includes at least one air channel along a length of the fluid tip, the at least one air channel adapted to allow air to flow along the length of the fluid tip within the central air channel bore.

29. The electrostatic spray charging nozzle of claim 18, wherein the adjustment mechanism comprises a frictional coupling between the first end of the liquid inlet connector and the second side of the nozzle body.

30. The electrostatic spray charging nozzle of claim 18, wherein the adjustment mechanism is adapted for adjustment of the longitudinal distance between the liquid outlet of the fluid tip and the outlet of the nozzle cap within a predetermined range.

31. The electrostatic spray charging nozzle of claim 18, wherein the adjustment mechanism is adapted for step-wise adjustment of the longitudinal distance between the liquid outlet of the fluid tip and the outlet of the nozzle cap.

32. The electrostatic spray charging nozzle of claim 1, wherein the adjustment mechanism is adapted to be threadedly coupled to the fluid tip assembly.

33. The electrostatic spray charging nozzle of claim 1, wherein the electrostatic spray charging nozzle is adapted to be mounted to a panel positioned between the nozzle body and the nozzle cap.

34. The electrostatic spray charging nozzle of claim 33, wherein the panel comprises an electrically insulating panel.

35. The electrostatic spray charging nozzle of claim 34, wherein the electrically insulating panel comprises a substantially electrically non-conductive panel.

36. The electrostatic spray charging nozzle of claim 1, wherein the first bore comprises a central bore.

37. An electrostatic spray charging nozzle comprising:

a nozzle body having an air-channel bore;

a nozzle cap having an outlet aligned with the air-channel bore, the nozzle cap adapted for removable coupling to a first side of the nozzle body;

a liquid inlet connector having a first end adapted to be coupled to a second side of the nozzle body, and a second end adapted to be connected to a source of liquid;

a fluid tip extending through the air-channel bore and having a fluid tip base adapted to be coupled to the first end of the liquid inlet connector, and a fluid tip outlet adapted to dispense the liquid through the outlet of the nozzle cap;

a conductive air cap having a bore aligned with the air-channel bore to receive the fluid tip outlet, the conductive air cap adapted to induce a charge to the liquid; and

an adjustment mechanism operable to move the fluid tip assembly within the air-channel bore so as adjust a longitudinal distance between the fluid tip outlet of the fluid tip and the outlet of the nozzle cap.

38. The electrostatic spray charging nozzle of claim 37, wherein at least a portion of the conductive air cap is recessed within a ring cavity of the nozzle body.

39. The electrostatic spray charging nozzle of claim 37, wherein the conductive air cap comprises an electrode.

40. The electrostatic spray charging nozzle of claim 37, wherein the nozzle cap includes an aperture adapted to removably receive the conductive air cap.

41. The electrostatic spray charging nozzle of claim 37, further comprising:

an electrode contactor in electrical contact with the conductive air cap, the electrode contactor having a contact pad adapted to contact a first surface of the conductive air cap and apply a charge to the conductive air cap.

42. The electrostatic spray charging nozzle of claim 41, wherein at least a portion of the electrode contactor is positioned within a channel of the nozzle body.

43. The electrostatic spray charging nozzle of claim 41, wherein the contact pad comprises a spring-loaded contact pad.

44. The electrostatic spray charging nozzle of claim 37, wherein the adjustment mechanism comprises a threaded coupling of the first end of the liquid inlet connector to the second side of the nozzle body.

45. The electrostatic spray charging nozzle of claim 37, wherein the fluid tip is adapted to be removable from the liquid inlet connector.

46. The electrostatic spray charging nozzle of claim 37, wherein the fluid tip further includes at least one air channel along a length of the fluid tip, the at least one air channel adapted to allow air to flow along the length of the fluid tip within the air channel bore.

47. The electrostatic spray charging nozzle of claim 37, wherein the fluid tip is comprised of a dielectric material.

48. The electrostatic spray charging nozzle of claim 37, wherein the nozzle cap comprises a hemispherical nozzle cap.

49. The electrostatic spray charging nozzle of claim 37, wherein the air-channel bore comprises a central air-channel bore.

50. An electrostatic spray charging nozzle comprising:

a nozzle cap having an outlet;

a nozzle body having a first bore;

a fluid tip assembly extending at least partially through the first bore, and having a liquid inlet adapted to be connected to a source of liquid, and a liquid outlet adapted to dispense the liquid through the outlet of the nozzle body; and

an adjustment mechanism operable to move the fluid tip assembly within the first bore so as to adjust an axial distance between the liquid outlet of the fluid tip assembly and the outlet of the nozzle cap.

51. The electrostatic spray charging nozzle of claim 50 further comprising:

an air cap having a second bore aligned with the first bore, and positioned between the nozzle cap and the nozzle body such that the liquid outlet is received within the second bore.

52. The electrostatic spray charging nozzle of claim 51 further comprising:

a substantially non-conductive element positioned between the nozzle cap and the air cap, the substantially non-conductive element including a jet outlet hole.

53. The electrostatic spray charging nozzle of claim 51, wherein the air cap is formed of a substantially conductive material.

54. The electrostatic spray charging nozzle of claim 51, wherein the air cap is formed of a substantially non-conductive material.

55. The electrostatic spray charging nozzle of claim 51, wherein the air cap comprises and electrode adapted to induce an electrostatic charge to the liquid.

56. The electrostatic spray charging nozzle of claim 50, wherein the fluid tip assembly comprises:

a liquid inlet connector having a first end adapted to be coupled to a second side of the nozzle body, and a second end adapted to be connected to the source of liquid; and

a fluid tip having a liquid tip inlet adapted to be coupled to the first end of the liquid inlet connector, and a liquid tip outlet adapted to dispense the liquid through the outlet of the nozzle cap.

57. The electrostatic spray charging nozzle of claim 56, wherein the adjustment mechanism comprises a threaded coupling between the fluid tip and the liquid inlet connector.

58. The electrostatic spray charging nozzle of claim 56, wherein the adjustment mechanism comprises a threaded coupling of the first end of the liquid inlet connector to the second side of the nozzle body.

59. The electrostatic spray charging nozzle of claim 56, wherein the first end of the liquid inlet connector includes adjustment threads to facilitate the coupling of the first end of the liquid inlet connector to the second side of the nozzle body.

60. The electrostatic spray charging nozzle of claim 59, wherein the adjustment threads are adapted to adjust the axial distance between the liquid outlet of the fluid tip and the outlet of the nozzle cap by rotation of the liquid inlet connector.

61. The electrostatic spray charging nozzle of claim 50, wherein the fluid tip is adapted to be removable from the liquid inlet connector.

62. The electrostatic spray charging nozzle of claim 56, wherein the adjustment mechanism is adapted for adjustment of the axial distance between the liquid outlet of the fluid tip and the outlet of the nozzle cap within a predetermined range.