Pulsating spray cleaning nozzle assembly and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12285769-B2
Application number	US-202217858571-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 6, 2022
Priority date	Jul 6, 2021
Publication date	Apr 29, 2025
Grant date	Apr 29, 2025

Abstract

Disclosed includes embodiments of a pulsed spray nozzle assembly, comprising a nozzle housing having a cavity with an inlet configured to receive a flow of fluid therein. A flow conditioning insert configured to be inserted inside the cavity of the housing to communicate fluid from the inlet to an interaction region downstream from the flow conditioning insert along an inlet axis within the housing, a step may extend from an inner surface of the cavity to assist to create turbulent flow in the interaction region. An outlet along the housing in communication with the interaction region, wherein the fluid is configured to be dispensed from the outlet having a pulsed spray pattern along an outlet axis that is generally perpendicular to the inlet axis.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A pulsed spray nozzle assembly, comprising:
a nozzle housing having a cavity, a base portion and a head portion, with an inlet positioned at the base portion that is configured to receive a flow of fluid therein;
a flow conditioning insert defining at least one fluid passage along an inlet axis that is configured to be inserted inside the cavity of the housing to communicate fluid from the inlet to an interaction region downstream from the flow conditioning insert to communicate fluid from said inlet of the housing to an interaction region along the inlet axis within the housing;
an outlet positioned at the head portion of the housing in communication with the interaction region, wherein the fluid is configured to be dispensed from the outlet having a pulsed spray pattern along an outlet axis that is generally perpendicular to the inlet axis; and
wherein said cavity includes a step that extends from an inner surface of the cavity of the housing and is positioned between the flow conditioning insert extending along the insert axis and the interaction region such that the interaction region is defined within the head portion of the housing and the cavity is defined within the base portion of the housing, wherein the head portion has a smaller outer perimeter than the base portion.

2. The pulsed spray nozzle assembly of claim 1 wherein the flow of fluid is configured to bend from its flow along the inlet axis to be dispersed from the outlet along the outlet axis wherein the flow of fluid bends about 90 degrees after exiting the flow conditioning insert to be dispersed through the outlet such that the bend of fluid occurs within the interaction region.

3. The pulsed spray nozzle assembly of claim 1 , further comprising
a step that extends from an inner surface of the cavity of the housing downstream of the insert and is configured to interfere with the flow of fluid and assist to create turbulent flow in the interaction region.

4. The pulsed spray nozzle assembly of claim 1 , further comprising
a step that is an inwardly extending radial shoulder configured as a stop to prevent translation of the flow conditioning insert within the cavity wherein the step protrudes radially inwardly a first distance D 1 as aligned with the outlet and may protrude radially inwardly a second distance at a location opposite from the first distance wherein the first distance is greater than the second distance.

5. The pulsed spray nozzle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one fluid passage of the flow conditioning insert includes a geometry having a first aperture and a second aperture wherein the first aperture and second aperture are positioned within the flow conditioning insert and are spaced from one another by a splitter.

6. The pulsed spray nozzle assembly of claim 5 , further comprising a step that extends past a portion of the first and second apertures and assists to create turbulent flow in the interaction region.

7. The pulsed spray nozzle assembly of claim 5 , wherein the first and second apertures and the splitter include a tapered inner surface wherein an inlet portion of the apertures have a larger perimeter opening than an outlet portion of the apertures.

8. The pulsed spray nozzle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the flow conditioning insert includes an insert cavity defined by a radial wall that extends about a perimeter of the flow conditioning insert.

9. The pulsed spray nozzle assembly of claim 8 , wherein the insert cavity includes a height defined by a feed distance that extends from a bottom of the insert to the at least one flow passage wherein the feed distance is less than about 3 mm.

10. The pulsed spray nozzle assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one fluid passage of the flow conditioning insert includes a first aperture and a second aperture that are defined by channels along an outer perimeter of the flow conditioning insert and along an inner surface of the cavity of the housing.

11. The pulsed spray nozzle assembly of claim 10 wherein the flow conditioning insert includes a perimeter wall having a flat portion and a rounded portion opposite from the flat portion to allow for proper alignment with a complimentary shaped portions along an inner surface of the cavity of the housing.

12. The pulsed spray nozzle assembly of claim 10 wherein the first and second apertures are positioned out of alignment with a step that extends inwardly from an inner surface of the cavity.

13. A pulsed spray nozzle assembly, comprising:
a nozzle housing having a cavity, a base portion and a head portion, with an inlet positioned at the base portion that is configured to receive a flow of fluid therein;
a flow conditioning insert defining at least one fluid passage along an inlet axis that is configured to be inserted inside the cavity of the housing to communicate fluid from the inlet to an interaction region downstream from the flow conditioning insert to communicate fluid from said inlet of the housing to an interaction region along the inlet axis within the housing; and
an outlet positioned at the head portion of the housing in communication with the interaction region, wherein the fluid is configured to be dispensed from the outlet having a pulsed spray pattern along an outlet axis that is generally perpendicular to the inlet axis; and
wherein the at least one flow passage of the flow conditioning insert is defined by a channel that extends from an inlet portion to an outlet portion along the inlet axis, wherein the channel is defined by oppositely disposed first and second edges that extend from a rear inner surface of the flow conditioning insert a first dimension and an inner extending ledge placed within the channel.

14. The pulsed spray nozzle assembly of claim 13 wherein the inner extending ledge is positioned within the channel between the first edge and the second edge and extends from the rear inner surface of the flow condition insert a second dimension, wherein the first dimension is greater than the second dimension.

15. The pulsed spray nozzle assembly of claim 13 wherein a portion of the first and second edges abut against a step extending from an inner surface of the cavity and the inner extending ledge is spaced from the step at a position opposite from the outlet.

16. The pulsed spray nozzle assembly of claim 13 wherein the flow conditioning insert and a step extending from the inner surface of the cavity is configured to interrupt a flow path of fluid within the housing in a general “S” shaped flow pattern configured to generate turbulent flow within the interaction region downstream of the flow conditioning insert.

17. The pulsed spray nozzle assembly of claim 13 wherein the inner extending ledge includes a slope feature placed within the channel.

18. The pulsed spray nozzle assembly of claim 17 wherein the cavity is defined, at least in part, by an inner cavity wall and wherein the oppositely disposed first and second edges are spaced from an inner surface of the inner cavity wall thereby forming a space between the flow conditioning insert and the inner cavity wall along the inlet axis.

Assignees

• Dlhbowles Inc
• Abc Tech Inc

Inventors

• Zhao Chunling
• Deora Aakash

Classifications

• B08B3/10

  with additional treatment of the liquid or of the object being cleaned, e.g. by heat, by electricity or by vibration · CPC title

• B08B3/02

  Cleaning by the force of jets or sprays · CPC title

• B60S1/56

  specially adapted for cleaning other parts or devices than front windows or windscreens {(rear-view mirror arrangements mounted on vehicle exterior including cleaning devices B60R1/0602)} · CPC title

• B60S1/52

  Arrangement of nozzles; {Liquid spreading means}(nozzles per se B05B) · CPC title

• B05B1/08 Primary

  of pulsating nature, e.g. delivering liquid in successive separate quantities · CPC title