SPRAYER

• US 20100072303A1
• Filed: 09/22/2009
• Published: 03/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Terumo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Terumo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: HAYAKAWA, Koichi
• Granted Patent: US 8,763,933 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 239/427.500
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 7/0408 with arrangements for mixing two or more liquids
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 7/2497 several liquids from different sources being supplied to the discharge device

Abstract

A sprayer capable of avoiding clogging caused in the nozzle includes liquid supplies for supplying a liquid, and a nozzle connected to the liquid supply. The nozzle includes a first internal tube and a second internal tube through which a first liquid and a second liquid supplied from the liquid supply pass, respectively, and an external tube into which respective internal tubes are inserted, and which allows a gas to pass through the gap between it and each internal tube, for ejecting the first liquid and the second liquid with the gas. At least a part of the longitudinal direction of each internal tube is formed of a coil including a helically wound wire rod, so that the gas can flow into the inside of the coil from between the adjacent portions of the wire rod of the coil.

Claims

1. A sprayer comprising:

a first liquid supply comprising a first liquid having a first composition;

a second liquid supply comprising a second liquid having a second composition different from the first composition;

a gas supply comprising a gas;

a nozzle comprised of an outer tube possessing an interior, a first internal tube positioned in the interior of the outer tube, and a second internal tube positioned in the interior of the outer tube;

the first internal tube possessing an interior, the first internal tube being connected to the first liquid supply so the interior of the first internal tube is in fluid communication with the first liquid supply so the first liquid from the first liquid supply is flowable into the interior of the first internal tube during operation of the sprayer;

the second internal tube possessing an interior, the second internal tube being connected to the second liquid supply so the interior of the second internal tube is in fluid communication with the second liquid supply so the second liquid from the second liquid supply is flowable into the interior of the second internal tube during operation of the sprayer;

the interior of the outer tube being connected to the gas supply so that the interior of the outer tube is in fluid communication with the gas supply so the gas from the gas supply is flowable into the interior of the outer tube during operation of the sprayer;

a coil located in the interior of the outer tube, the coil comprising a plurality of adjacent helical windings surrounding an interior of the coil, the interior of the coil being in fluid communication with the interior of the outer tube such that gas flowing into the interior of the outer tube from the gas source during operation of the sprayer flows between the adjacent helical windings and into the interior of the coil; and

the interior of the first internal tube being in fluid communication with the interior of the coil so that the first liquid flows through both the first internal tube and the coil.

2. The sprayer according to claim 1, wherein the first internal tube comprises a tube wall, the coil being a first coil and forming a part of the tube wall of the first internal tube, the second internal tube comprises a tube wall, and a second coil positioned in the interior of the outer tube and forming a part of the tube wall of the second internal tube.

3. The sprayer according to claim 2, wherein the first internal tube and the second internal tube merge together at a merge part at which the first liquid and the second liquid are mixed together, the merge part being positioned distally of a distal most end of the first and second coils.

4. The sprayer according to claim 1, wherein the first internal tube and the second internal tube merge together at a merge part, the coil being the merge part.

5. The sprayer according to claim 1, wherein the outer tube comprises an end wall part having a through hole communicating with the interior of the outer tube, the coil having a distal end portion extending through the through hole, a distal end of the coil being positioned distally beyond a distal most end of the outer tube.

6. A sprayer comprising:

a main body comprised of a first receiver for receiving a first liquid supply comprised of a first liquid and a second receiver for receiving a second liquid different from the first liquid;

a nozzle comprised of an outer tube possessing an interior, a first internal tube positioned in the interior of the outer tube, and a second internal tube positioned in the interior of the outer tube;

the first internal tube possessing an interior configured to communicate with the first liquid supply when the first liquid supply is received in the first receiver so the first liquid from the first liquid supply is flowable into the interior of the first internal tube during operation of the sprayer;

the second internal tube possessing an interior configured to communicate with the second liquid supply when the second liquid supply is received in the second receiver so the second liquid from the second liquid supply is flowable into the interior of the second internal tube during operation of the sprayer;

the interior of the outer tube being connected to a tube which is adapted to be fluidly connected to a gas supply comprising gas so that the interior of the outer tube is in fluid communication with an interior of the tube so the gas from the gas supply is flowable into the interior of the outer tube during operation of the sprayer when the gas supply is connected to the tube;

a helically extending member located in the interior of the outer tube, the helically extending member surrounding an interior of the helically extending member and comprising a helically extending gap fluidly communicating the interior of the outer tube and the interior of the helically extending member so that the gas flowing into the interior of the outer tube from the gas source during operation of the sprayer flows through the helically extending gap; and

the interior of the first internal tube being in fluid communication with the interior of the helically extending member so that the first liquid flows through both the first internal tube and through the interior of the coil.

7. The sprayer according to claim 6, wherein the first internal tube comprises a tube wall, the helically extending member being a first coil and forming a part of the tube wall of the first internal tube, the second internal tube comprising a tube wall, and a second coil positioned in the interior of the outer tube and forming a part of the tube wall of the second internal tube.

8. The sprayer according to claim 7, wherein the first internal tube and the second internal tube merge together at a merge part at which the first liquid and the second liquid are mixed together, the merge part being positioned distally of a distal most end of the first and second coils.

9. The sprayer according to claim 6, wherein the first internal tube and the second internal tube merge together at a merge part, the helically extending member being the merge part.

10. The sprayer according to claim 6, wherein the outer tube comprises an end wall part having a through hole communicating with the interior of the outer tube, the helically extending member having a distal end portion extending through the through hole, a distal end of the helically extending member being positioned distally beyond a distal most end of the outer tube.

11. A sprayer comprising:

liquid supply means for supplying a liquid;

a nozzle connected to the liquid supply means;

the nozzle comprising at least one internal tube having an interior in fluid communication with the liquid supply means;

the nozzle comprising an external tube having an interior in which is positioned the internal tube, the interior of the external tube being connectable to a gas source so that gas from the gas source flows into the interior of the exterior tube during operation of the sprayer;

a coil positioned in the interior of the external tube, the coil comprising a helically extending wire body surrounding an interior, with a helical gap between adjacent windings of the wire body communicating the interior of the external tube with the interior of the coil, the interior of the coil receiving the first liquid flowing through the interior of the internal tube.

12. The sprayer according to claim 11, wherein the at least one internal tube comprises first and second internal tubes, and the first and second internal tubes merging with each other into a single common tube to form a merge part.

13. The sprayer according to claim 12, wherein the coil is disposed at the merge part.

14. The sprayer according to claim 13, wherein the coil is compressible to exert a stirring operation on the liquids merged at the merge part.

15. The sprayer according to claim 11, wherein a helical groove is defined between adjacent windings of the wire body, and when the liquid passes through the interior of the coil, the groove causes a swirl flow in the liquid.

16. The sprayer according to claim 11, wherein in the coil, the pitch between adjacent portions of the wire rod is variable.

17. The sprayer according to claim 16, wherein the coil includes a portion expanding in pitch when the liquid is being ejected, and a portion narrowing in pitch upon stopping ejection of the liquid.

18. The sprayer according to claim 11, wherein the coil comprises a material having hydrophobicity, or a coil subjected to a hydrophobization processing.

19. The sprayer according to claim 11, wherein the liquid supply means is a syringe having a syringe external tube, a gasket in the syringe external tube, a plunger for moving and operating the gasket along the longitudinal direction of the syringe external tube, and a liquid, the syringe external tube and the gasket together defining a space in the syringe external tube, the liquid being filled in the space formed by the syringe external tube and the gasket.