Sprayer assembly for desi applications

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12465932-B2
Application number	US-202318467937-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 15, 2023
Priority date	Jan 24, 2020
Publication date	Nov 11, 2025
Grant date	Nov 11, 2025

Abstract

A sprayer assembly for an ion source is disclosed. The sprayer includes a capillary having an outlet, a sheath for the capillary, and an elastic member. The sheath can move relative to the capillary between a first position in which the sheath covers the outlet of the capillary and a second position in which the outlet of the capillary is exposed. When the sheath moves from the first position to or towards the second position, the elastic member provides a restoring force that acts to restore the position of the sheath to or towards the first position.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A sprayer assembly comprising:
a sprayer assembly body; and a cartridge housing a capillary having an outlet configured to emit liquid; wherein the cartridge comprises:
a sheath for the capillary; and
an elastic member;
wherein the cartridge is configured such that the sheath can move relative to the capillary between a first position in which the sheath covers the outlet of the capillary and a second position in which the outlet of the capillary is uncovered by the sheath; and
wherein the cartridge is configured such that, during use, as the sheath moves from the first position to or towards the second position, the elastic member provides a restoring force that acts to restore the position of the sheath to or towards the first position;
the sprayer assembly further comprising:
a nozzle that is removably attachable to the sprayer assembly body;
wherein the nozzle comprises an aperture; and
wherein the sprayer assembly is configured such that attaching the nozzle to the sprayer assembly body can retain the cartridge within the sprayer assembly body such that the liquid emitted from the outlet of the capillary will be directed through the aperture of the nozzle.

2 . The sprayer assembly of claim 1 , wherein the elastic member is retained in a cavity within the sheath.

3 . The sprayer assembly of claim 1 , wherein the elastic member comprises a compression spring.

4 . The sprayer assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
the sheath comprises one or more gas inlets, one or more gas outlets, and one or more gas conduits that connect the one or more gas inlets to the one or more gas outlets; and the cartridge is configured such that gas provided to the one or more gas inlets is emitted from the one or more gas outlets so as to nebulise the liquid emitted from the outlet of the capillary.

5 . The sprayer assembly of claim 4 , wherein:
the sheath comprises an axial bore configured to retain the capillary; and the one or more gas conduits are each arranged to be parallel to the axial bore.

6 . The sprayer assembly of claim 1 , wherein the sprayer assembly body comprises a bore configured to receive the cartridge.

7 . The sprayer assembly of claim 1 , wherein the sprayer assembly is configured such that the distance between the aperture of the nozzle and the outlet of the capillary is adjustable.

8 . The sprayer assembly of claim 1 , wherein the sprayer assembly is configured such that attaching the nozzle to the sprayer assembly body causes the sheath to move to the second position and such that removing the nozzle from the sprayer assembly body causes the sheath to move to the first position.

9 . The sprayer assembly of claim 1 , wherein the sprayer assembly is configured such that the nozzle pushes the sheath to the second position when the nozzle is attached to the sprayer assembly body.

10 . The sprayer assembly of claim 1 , wherein the sheath is configured as a nozzle guide, such that when the nozzle is attached to the sprayer assembly body the nozzle guide guides the nozzle into coaxial alignment with the capillary.

11 . The sprayer assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
the sprayer assembly body comprises one or more supply ports; and the sprayer assembly is configured such that the one or more supply ports are coupled to one or more corresponding ports of the cartridge when the cartridge is retained within the sprayer assembly body.

12 . The sprayer assembly of claim 1 , wherein the nozzle is attachable to the sprayer assembly body by a screw or bayonet fitting.

13 . The sprayer assembly of claim 12 , wherein the nozzle is removable from the screw or bayonet fitting.

14 . An ion source comprising the sprayer assembly of claim 1 .

15 . A method of producing a spray of droplets comprising using the sprayer assembly of claim 1 to produce the spray of droplets.

Assignees

• Waters Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Leveille Wade P
• Michienzi Joseph D
• Musacchio Jeffrey
• Jones Emrys
• Pringle Steven Derek
• Hattan Stephen
• Roman Gregory T

Classifications

• B05B12/32

  Shielding elements, i.e. elements preventing overspray from reaching areas other than the object to be sprayed (nozzles with integral shielding elements B05B1/28) · CPC title

• H01J49/142

  using a solid target which is not previously vapourised · CPC title

• B05B5/03 Primary

  characterised by the use of gas {, e.g. electrostatically assisted pneumatic spraying (B05B5/04, B05B5/043, B05B5/047 take precedence)} · CPC title

• H01J49/167 Primary

  Capillaries and nozzles specially adapted therefor; (electrostatic spraying per se B05B5/00) · CPC title