Switcher nozzle high efficiency flow insert

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020261925-A1
Application number	US-202016779123-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 31, 2020
Priority date	Feb 19, 2019
Publication date	Aug 20, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A nozzle assembly includes a hollow nozzle body having a central bore and a plurality of ports extending through the body from the central bore; a switching valve assembly disposed in the central bore that directs fluid flow to ports upon application of fluid flow above a predetermined threshold to the inlet and direct fluid flow to different ports upon fluid flow having subsequently dropped below the predetermined threshold and then exceeding the predetermined threshold; and a flow insert configured to replace the switching valve assembly for directing flow through all of the ports when switching functionality is not needed. This flow insert may be made of a low pressure material such as a polymer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A nozzle comprising:
an inlet nut fastenable to a distal end of one of a rotatable nozzle shaft or a high pressure hose; a hollow nozzle body having a front portion, a rear inlet portion configured to engage the inlet nut, a central bore through at least the rear portion of the nozzle body, and a plurality of ports extending through the body from the central bore, wherein the nozzle body is configured to withstand an operating pressure of greater than 5 k psi; and a generally cylindrical flow insert disposed in the central bore between the inlet nut and at least the rear portion of the nozzle body, the insert having a plurality of through passages configured to communicate with the ports, wherein the flow insert is configured to maximize jet coherence through the ports exiting the nozzle body.

2 . The nozzle assembly according to claim 1 wherein the flow insert cannot withstand nozzle operating pressure when not installed within the central bore of the nozzle body.

3 . The nozzle assembly according to claim 1 wherein the insert is made of plastic.

4 . The nozzle assembly according to claim 2 wherein the insert is made of nylon.

5 . The nozzle assembly according to claim 1 wherein the nozzle body is configured to receive a switching valve assembly in the central bore, the switching valve assembly including a movable poppet captured in the nozzle body by the inlet nut, the switching valve assembly including a guide member within the bore and a bias member in the bore between the nozzle body and the poppet resiliently biasing the poppet toward the inlet nut at a rear end of the central bore, wherein the insert has a peripheral groove engaging the guide member when the switchable valve assembly is replaced by the generally cylindrical flow insert.

6 . A nozzle assembly comprising:
an inlet nut fastenable to a hollow shaft or a high pressure hose; a hollow nozzle body having a front portion, a rear inlet portion configured to engage the inlet nut, a central bore through at least the rear inlet portion of the nozzle body, and a plurality of ports extending through the body from the central bore, wherein the nozzle body is configured to withstand an operating pressure of at least 5 k psi; a switching valve assembly removably captured within at least a rear portion of the central bore of the nozzle body by the inlet nut; and a generally cylindrical flow insert configured to be disposed within the central bore in place of the switching valve assembly when switching functionality of the switching valve assembly is not needed, wherein the flow insert has a plurality of through passages each configured to communicate with at least one of the ports and wherein the flow insert cannot withstand operating pressure when not installed and captured within the central bore of the hollow nozzle body.

7 . The nozzle assembly according to claim 6 wherein a plurality of the ports exit the front end portion of the nozzle body from the central bore and a plurality of the ports exit laterally from the nozzle body.

8 . The nozzle assembly according to claim 6 wherein the nozzle body has one or more guide pins protruding into the central bore to orient the switching valve assembly therein and orient the flow insert when installed within the central bore.

9 . The nozzle assembly according to claim 8 wherein the flow insert has one or more axial grooves each for engaging each one of the one or more guide pins.

10 . The nozzle assembly according to claim 7 wherein the flow insert has two axial through passages configured to align with the plurality of ports exiting the front end portion of the nozzle body from the central bore.

11 . The nozzle assembly according to claim 7 wherein the flow insert has two axial through passages configured to align with the ports exiting laterally from the nozzle body.

12 . A flow insert for use in a switcher valve nozzle assembly including an inlet nut, a hollow nozzle body having a front portion, a rear inlet portion configured to engage the inlet nut, a central bore through at least the rear inlet portion of the nozzle body, and a plurality of ports extending through the body from the central bore, wherein the nozzle body is configured to withstand an operating pressure of at least 20 k psi, and a switching valve assembly removably captured within at least a rear portion of the central bore of the nozzle body by the inlet nut, the polymer flow insert comprising:
a generally cylindrical body configured to be disposed within the central bore in place of the switching valve assembly when switching functionality of the switching valve assembly is not needed, wherein the flow insert has a plurality of through passages each configured to communicate with at least one of the ports and wherein the flow insert cannot withstand the operating pressure when not installed and captured within the central bore of the hollow nozzle body.

13 . The flow insert according to claim 12 wherein a plurality of the ports exit the front end portion of the nozzle body from the central bore and a plurality of the ports exit laterally from the nozzle body.

14 . The flow insert according to claim 12 wherein the nozzle body has one or more guide pins protruding into the central bore to orient the switching valve assembly therein and orient the flow insert when installed within the central bore.

15 . The flow insert according to claim 14 wherein the flow insert has one or more axial grooves each for engaging each one of the one or more guide pins.

16 . The flow insert according to claim 13 wherein the flow insert has two axial through passages configured to align with the plurality of ports exiting the front end portion of the nozzle body from the central bore.

17 . The flow insert according to claim 12 further comprising two axial through passages configured to align with ports exiting the front end portion of the nozzle body and two axial through passages configured to align with ports exiting laterally from the nozzle body.

18 . The flow insert according to claim 12 further comprising at least one groove axially extending along an exterior of the generally cylindrical flow insert body for receiving a guide pin projecting from the nozzle body into the central bore to orient the flow insert in the central bore.

19 . The flow insert according to claim 17 further comprising at least one groove axially extending along an exterior of the generally cylindrical flow insert body for receiving a guide pin projecting from the nozzle body into the central bore to orient the flow insert in the central bore.

20 . The flow insert according to claim 12 wherein the insert is formed from a polymer.

Assignees

• Stoneage Inc

Inventors

• Schneider Joseph A
• Tormey Timothy M D

Classifications

• B05B13/0627

  Arrangements of nozzles or spray heads specially adapted for treating the inside of hollow bodies (B05B13/0645 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B05B1/02

  designed to produce a jet, spray, or other discharge of particular shape or nature, e.g. in single drops, {or having an outlet of particular shape}(B05B1/26, B05B1/28, B05B1/34 take precedence) · CPC title

• E03F9/00

  Arrangements or fixed installations {methods or devices} for cleaning {or clearing} sewer pipes, e.g. by flushing (sediment traps, rakes, screens, or the like, arranged in sewer lines E03F5/14; cleaning pipes in general, devices for cleaning pipes B08B9/02 {; gullies provided with flushing means for cleaning or emptying E03F5/0402; devices to remove obstructions in waste-pipes or sinks E03C1/30}) · CPC title

• B08B9/0495

  Nozzles propelled by fluid jets · CPC title

• B05B1/3006

  the controlling element being actuated by the pressure of the fluid to be sprayed (B05B1/323 takes precedence; single-unit outlet valves actuated by the pressure of the fluid to be sprayed B05B11/0062) · CPC title