Ultrasonic atomizer with acoustic focusing device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11364516-B2
Application number	US-201816211324-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 6, 2018
Priority date	Jan 30, 2018
Publication date	Jun 21, 2022
Grant date	Jun 21, 2022

Abstract

An atomizer for applying a coating includes a nozzle plate, an actuator, and an acoustic focusing device. The nozzle plate defines at least one aperture. The actuator is configured to oscillate to form pressure waves within a fluid to eject the fluid from the nozzle plate. The acoustic focusing device focuses the pressure waves toward the apertures.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An atomizer for applying a coating comprising:
a nozzle plate defining a plurality of apertures;
an actuator configured to oscillate the nozzle plate to form pressure waves within a fluid to eject the fluid from the nozzle plate; and
an acoustic reflector that includes a rigid concave shaped surface facing toward the nozzle plate configured to reflect the pressure waves back toward the nozzle plate as secondary pressure waves and focus the secondary pressure waves toward the plurality of apertures, the acoustic reflector having a focal point that is exterior of an exterior side of the nozzle plate such that the nozzle plate is between the acoustic reflector and the focal point and the acoustic reflector focuses the secondary pressure waves across more than one aperture of the plurality of apertures.

2. The atomizer of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of the acoustic reflectors configured to split the pressure waves into discrete sets of the plurality of secondary pressure waves, each acoustic reflector focusing a corresponding set of the discrete sets toward a corresponding set of apertures of the plurality of apertures.

3. The atomizer of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of the nozzle plates and a plurality of the actuators, each actuator configured to oscillate a corresponding one of the nozzle plates, wherein the atomizer includes a plurality of acoustic reflectors, each acoustic reflector associated with a corresponding one of the nozzle plates.

4. The atomizer of claim 3 , wherein each acoustic reflector defines a plurality of the rigid concave shaped surfaces and is configured to split the pressure waves into discrete sets of the plurality of secondary pressure waves with each rigid concave shaped surface focusing a corresponding set of the discrete sets toward a corresponding set of apertures of the plurality of apertures of the corresponding nozzle plate.

5. The atomizer of claim 1 , wherein the actuator is integrally formed with the nozzle plate.

6. The atomizer of claim 1 , wherein the actuator is piezoelectric material.

7. The atomizer of claim 1 , wherein the nozzle plate is a piezoelectric material and defines the actuator.

8. The atomizer of claim 1 , wherein the actuator is configured to oscillate the nozzle plate such that the pressure waves originate from the nozzle plate and propagate therefrom toward the acoustic reflector.

9. The atomizer of claim 1 , wherein the actuator is an annular shape disposed about the nozzle plate.

10. An atomizer for applying a coating comprising:
a nozzle plate defining a plurality of apertures;
an actuator configured to oscillate the nozzle plate to form a pressure wavefront in a fluid that propagates from the nozzle plate; and
at least one acoustic reflector that has a rigid concave shaped surface facing toward the nozzle plate configured to reflect the pressure wavefront back toward the nozzle plate as secondary pressure waves and focus the secondary pressure waves toward at least one aperture of the plurality of apertures, every acoustic reflector of the at least one acoustic reflector having a focal point that is exterior of an exterior side of the nozzle plate such that the nozzle plate is between the acoustic reflector and the focal point and the acoustic reflector focuses the secondary pressure waves across more than one aperture of the plurality of apertures.

11. The atomizer of claim 10 , wherein the at least one acoustic reflector includes a second acoustic reflector, the rigid concave shaped surface of the second acoustic reflector being configured to focus the secondary pressure waves toward a corresponding set of apertures of the plurality of apertures.

12. The atomizer of claim 10 , wherein the at least one acoustic reflector includes a plurality of acoustic reflectors configured to split the pressure waves into discrete sets of the plurality of secondary pressure waves, each acoustic reflector focusing a corresponding set of the discrete sets toward a corresponding one of the apertures.

13. The atomizer of claim 10 further comprising a plurality of the nozzle plates and a plurality of the actuators, each actuator configured to oscillate a corresponding one of the nozzle plates, wherein the at least one acoustic reflector includes a plurality of acoustic reflectors, each acoustic reflector associated with a corresponding one of the nozzle plates.

14. The atomizer of claim 10 , wherein the nozzle plate is a piezoelectric material and defines the actuator.

15. The atomizer of claim 10 , wherein the actuator is an annular shape disposed about the nozzle plate.

16. An atomizer for applying a coating comprising:
a plurality of nozzle plates, each nozzle plate defining a plurality of apertures;
a plurality of actuators; and
a plurality of acoustic reflectors,
wherein each nozzle plate is associated with a corresponding one of the actuators of the plurality of actuators and a corresponding one of the acoustic reflectors of the plurality of acoustic reflectors,
wherein each actuator is configured to oscillate the associated nozzle plate to form pressure waves within a fluid to eject the fluid from the associated nozzle plate,
wherein each acoustic reflector defines a plurality of concave shaped surfaces that face toward the associated nozzle plate and are configured to split the pressure waves into discrete sets of secondary pressure waves that are reflected back toward the associated nozzle plate,
wherein each concave shaped surface of the plurality of concave shaped surfaces focuses a corresponding set of the discrete sets toward a corresponding set of apertures of the plurality of apertures of the associated nozzle plate.

Assignees

• Ford Motor Co

Inventors

• Liu Wanjiao
• Ellwood Kevin Richard John
• Nichols Mark Edward
• Seubert Christopher Michael

Classifications

• B05B13/0405

  with reciprocating or oscillating spray heads (B05B13/0436, B05B13/0442, B05B13/0447, B05B13/0468 take precedence) · CPC title

• B05B13/0431 Primary

  with spray heads moved by robots or articulated arms, e.g. for applying liquid or other fluent material to three-dimensional [3D] surfaces · CPC title

• B05B3/14

  with oscillating elements; with intermittent operation · CPC title

• B05B7/1481

  Spray pistols or apparatus for discharging particulate material · CPC title

• B05B12/18

  using fluids, e.g. gas streams · CPC title