STREAM STRAIGHTENER

• US 20190209881A1
• Filed: 01/07/2019
• Published: 07/11/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oshkosh Corporation
• Original Assignee: Oshkosh Corporation
• Inventors: Wroblewski, Anthony J., Piller, Brian D.
• Granted Patent: US 10,946,226 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 31/03 adjustable, e.g. from spray to jet or vice versa
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 31/05 with two or more outlets
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/3402 to avoid or to reduce turbulencies, e.g. comprising fluid flow straightening means

Abstract

A nozzle assembly includes a nozzle body and a flow straightener. The nozzle body defines an inlet configured to be fluidly coupled to fluid source, an outlet, and a nozzle body passage extending between the inlet and the outlet. The flow straightener is coupled to the nozzle body and extends at least partially across the nozzle body passage. The flow straightener defines a primary passage and a secondary passage extending through the flow straightener to fluidly couple the inlet and the outlet of the nozzle body. The primary passage defines a primary passage outlet having a cross-sectional area, and the secondary passage defines a secondary passage outlet having a cross-sectional area that is less than the cross-sectional area of the at least one primary passage. At least one of the primary passage outlet and the secondary passage outlet has a circular cross-section.

Claims

1. A nozzle assembly, comprising:

a nozzle body defining an inlet configured to be fluidly coupled to fluid source, an outlet, and a nozzle body passage extending between the inlet and the outlet; and

a flow straightener coupled to the nozzle body and extending at least partially across the nozzle body passage, the flow straightener defining;

a primary passage extending through the flow straightener to fluidly couple the inlet and the outlet of the nozzle body, wherein the primary passage defines a primary passage outlet having a cross-sectional area; and

a secondary passage extending through the flow straightener to fluidly couple the inlet and the outlet of the nozzle body, wherein the secondary passage defines a secondary passage outlet having a cross-sectional area that is less than the cross-sectional area of the primary passage,

wherein at least one of the primary passage outlet and the secondary passage outlet has a circular cross-section.

2. The nozzle assembly of claim 1, wherein the primary passage further defines a primary passage inlet positioned opposite the primary passage outlet, the primary passage inlet having a cross-sectional area that is greater than the cross-sectional area of the primary passage outlet.

3. The nozzle assembly of claim 2, wherein the flow straightener is a first flow straightener, further comprising a second flow straightener coupled to the nozzle body and extending at least partially across the nozzle body passage, wherein the second flow straightener is offset from the first flow straightener to define a convergence chamber between the first flow straightener and the second flow straightener.

4. The nozzle assembly of claim 3, wherein the second flow straightener defines a passage, wherein the passage of the second flow straightener is aligned with the primary passage of the first flow straightener.

5. The nozzle assembly of claim 4, wherein the secondary passage is aligned with a face of the second flow straightener.

6. The nozzle assembly of claim 5, wherein a cross-sectional area of the passage of the second flow straightener decreases as the passage of the second flow straightener extends away from the convergence chamber.

7. The nozzle assembly of claim 1, wherein the primary passage and the secondary passage extend substantially parallel to one another.

8. The nozzle assembly of claim 1, wherein the nozzle body passage has a first portion positioned adjacent the inlet of the nozzle body passage and a second portion positioned adjacent the outlet of the nozzle body passage, wherein the flow straightener is positioned at least partially within the first portion, and wherein a cross-sectional area of the second portion of the nozzle body passage decreases as the second portion extends away from the flow straightener.

9. The nozzle assembly of claim 8, further comprising a nozzle tip assembly fluidly coupled to the outlet of the nozzle body, the nozzle tip assembly including a plurality of plates pivotally coupled to the nozzle body, wherein the plates cooperate to define an aperture fluidly coupled to the outlet of the nozzle body, and wherein the plates are configured to rotate relative to the nozzle body to vary a cross-sectional area of the aperture.

10. A fire apparatus, comprising:

a chassis;

a monitor coupled to the chassis and configured to be fluidly coupled to a fluid source; and

a nozzle assembly comprising;

a main body coupled to the monitor and defining an inlet and an outlet, wherein the inlet is fluidly coupled to the monitor;

a first stream straightener coupled to the main body and fluidly coupled to the inlet of the main body, the first stream straightener defining a plurality of first passages; and

a second stream straightener coupled to the main body and fluidly coupled to the outlet of the main body, the second stream straightener defining a plurality of second passages,

wherein the first stream straightener and the second stream straightener define a convergence volume between the first stream straightener and the second stream straightener, and wherein the convergence volume is fluidly coupled to the first passages and the second passages.

11. The fire apparatus of claim 10, wherein at least one of (a) at least one of the first passages has a cross-sectional area that decreases as the at least one of the first passages extends toward the outlet of the main body and (b) at least one of the second passages has a cross-sectional area that decreases as the at least one of the second passages extends toward the outlet of the main body.

12. The fire apparatus of claim 11, wherein at least one of the first passages of the first stream straightener is aligned with one of the second passages of the second stream straightener.

13. The fire apparatus of claim 10, wherein the plurality of first passages includes a plurality of primary passages and a plurality of secondary passages, and wherein each of secondary passages encloses a smaller volume than each of the primary passages.

14. The fire apparatus of claim 13, wherein the primary passages are aligned with the second passages of the second stream straightener, and wherein the secondary passages are not aligned with the second passages of the second stream straightener.

15. The fire apparatus of claim 14, wherein the primary passages of the first stream straightener and the second passages of the second stream straightener are tapered such that both (a) a cross-sectional area of each primary passage decreases as the primary passages extend toward the outlet of the main body and (b) a cross-sectional area of each second passage decreases as the second passages extend toward the outlet of the main body.

16. The fire apparatus of claim 15, wherein a cross-sectional area of each secondary passage is substantially constant.

17. A nozzle assembly, comprising:

a main body defining an inlet;

a plurality of plates, each plate having;

a first end portion pivotally coupled to the main body such that each plate rotates about an axis relative to the main body, wherein at least two of the axes are not parallel to one another; and

a second end portion opposite the first end portion, wherein the second end portions of the plates cooperate to define an outlet in fluid communication with the inlet,

wherein at least one of the plates overlaps an adjacent one of the plurality of plates, and wherein the plates are configured to rotate relative to the main body to vary a cross-sectional area of the outlet.

18. The nozzle assembly of claim 17, further comprising an actuator assembly coupled to the main body and configured to rotate all of the plates simultaneously.

19. The nozzle assembly of claim 17, further comprising an actuator assembly including a plurality of links, wherein each link is pivotally coupled to one of the plates and to the main body such that rotation of the links relative to the main body causes a corresponding rotation of the plates relative to the main body.

20. The nozzle assembly of claim 19, wherein the actuator assembly further includes a sliding member slidably coupled to the main body and coupled to the links, wherein movement of the sliding member in a first direction reduces the cross-sectional area of the outlet, and wherein movement of the sliding member in a second direction opposite the first direction increases the cross-sectional area of the outlet.