Spray head assemblies for liquid spray guns

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9802211-B2
Application number	US-201213648310-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 10, 2012
Priority date	Oct 12, 2011
Publication date	Oct 31, 2017
Grant date	Oct 31, 2017

Abstract

Spray head assemblies, including an air-handling saddle that is attachable to a liquid spray gun platform, a liquid-handling core that is slidably engagable into the air-handling saddle, and an air cap; spray guns using such assemblies; and, methods of using such assemblies.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A spray head assembly for use with a liquid spray gun platform, comprising:
an air-handling saddle that is attachable to the liquid spray gun platform;
an air cap that is attachable to the air-handling saddle;
a liquid-handling core that is slidably engagable into the air-handling saddle in a direction from a forwardmost end toward a rearwardmost end of the air-handling saddle, the liquid-handling core comprising a protruding portion comprising a liquid-handling passage inlet to mate with a separate container containing a liquid to be sprayed, wherein the liquid-handling core does not comprise any center air or fan air passages leading through any portion of the liquid-handling core.

2. The spray head assembly of claim 1 wherein the saddle is detachably attachable to the liquid spray gun platform.

3. The spray head assembly of claim 1 wherein the saddle is non-detachably attached to the liquid spray gun platform.

4. The spray head assembly of claim 1 wherein the air cap is a unitary piece of integrally molded plastic that comprises two air horns that project forward past a liquid-handling passage outlet of the liquid-handling core and that collectively comprise apertures located on opposite sides of an axis generally aligned with a direction of liquid flow through the liquid-handling passage outlet of the liquid-handling core.

5. The spray head assembly of claim 1 wherein the air cap is a unitary piece of integrally molded plastic and the air cap is attachable to the saddle by way of attachment features of the air cap that are unitary with, and integrally molded with, the air cap.

6. The spray head assembly of claim 1 wherein a liquid-handling passage outlet of a liquid-handling passage of the liquid-handling core provides a liquid spray orifice of the spray head assembly; and, wherein a generally radially-outward-facing surface of a portion of the liquid-handling core that is proximal to the liquid-handling passage outlet, and a generally radially-inward-facing surface of an opening in a flange of the air cap, collectively provide a center air orifice of the spray head assembly.

7. The spray head assembly of claim 1 wherein the spray head assembly comprises a nozzle insert comprising:
a nozzle insert liquid-handling conduit configured to receive liquid exiting a liquid-handling passage outlet of the liquid-handling core and fluidly connected to a nozzle insert liquid-handling conduit portal that provides a liquid spray orifice of the spray head assembly; and
at least one nozzle insert center air conduit configured to receive air exiting at least one center air passage of the saddle and fluidly connected to a nozzle insert center air conduit outlet that provides a center air orifice of the spray head assembly.

8. The spray head assembly of claim 1 wherein the air cap comprises an integrated air cap nozzle comprising:
an integrated air cap nozzle liquid-handling conduit configured to receive liquid exiting a liquid-handling passage outlet of the liquid-handling core and fluidly connected to an integrated nozzle liquid-handling conduit portal that provides a liquid spray orifice of the spray head assembly; and
at least one integrated air cap nozzle center air conduit configured to receive air exiting at least one center air passage of the saddle and fluidly connected to an integrated air cap nozzle center air conduit outlet that provides a center air orifice of the spray head assembly.

9. The spray head assembly of claim 1 wherein the liquid-handling core comprises an integrated liquid-handling core nozzle comprising:
an integrated liquid-handling core nozzle liquid-handling conduit that is fluidly connected to an outlet that provides a liquid spray orifice of the spray head assembly; and
at least one integrated liquid-handling core nozzle center air conduit configured to receive air exiting at least one center air passage of the saddle and fluidly connected to an integrated liquid-handling core nozzle center air outlet that provides a center air orifice of the spray head assembly.

10. The spray head assembly of claim 1 wherein the liquid-handling core comprises a hollow shaft comprising:
an elongate interior chamber at least a portion of which comprises at least a forwardmost portion of a liquid-handling passage of the liquid-handling core; and,
a longitudinal axis that is generally aligned with the direction of liquid flow through the elongate interior chamber of the hollow shaft;
and wherein the liquid handling core is slidably engageable into the saddle along an axis generally aligned with a longitudinal axis of the hollow shaft of the liquid handling core.

11. The spray head assembly of claim 10 wherein the protruding portion protrudes outward at an angle from the hollow shaft of the liquid-handling core; and,
comprises a liquid-entry passage that is fluidly connected to the liquid-handling passage inlet of the core and that is fluidly connected, by way of a liquid-handling junction, to the elongate interior chamber of the hollow shaft of the liquid-handling core.

12. The spray head assembly of claim 10 wherein the saddle comprises:
at least one center air passage that extends from a center air passage inlet to a center air passage outlet;
at least one fan air passage that extends from a fan air passage inlet to a fan air passage outlet; and,
an elongated cavity that extends through a longitudinal extent of the saddle from a rearmost end of the saddle to a forwardmost end of the saddle and that is configured to slidably receive at least the hollow shaft of the liquid-handling core.

13. The spray head assembly of claim 1 wherein when the liquid-handling core is in its slidably engaged position within the air-handling saddle, the core and saddle collectively provide a center air delivery annulus and a fan air delivery annulus, and wherein when the air cap is attached to the saddle:
the center air delivery annulus provided by the core and saddle combines with at least some surfaces of the air cap to at least partially define a center air chamber that is configured to distribute center air to a center air orifice of the spray head assembly; and,
the fan air delivery annulus provided by the core and saddle combines with at least some surfaces of the air cap to provide a fan air chamber that is configured to distribute fan air to at least two air horns that project forward past a liquid handling passage outlet of the liquid-handling core.

14. The spray head assembly of claim 1 wherein the liquid-handling core comprises at least one liquid-handling core registration feature that is configured to slidably engage with, and mate to, at least one air-handling saddle registration feature when the liquid-handling core is slidably engaged into the air-handling saddle.

15. The spray head assembly of claim 14 wherein the liquid-handling core registration feature and the air-handling saddle registration feature are configured to slidably engage with each other along an axis that is generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of a hollow shaft of the liquid handling core, in a manner that does not prevent the liquid-handling core from being slidably disengaged from the air-handling saddle.

16. The spray head assembly of claim 1 wherein the liquid-handling core is slidably engagable into the air-handling saddle along an axis that is generally aligned with a longitudinal axis of a hollow shaft of the liquid-handling core.

17. The spray head assembly of claim 1 wherein when the liquid-handling core is in its engaged position within the air-ha

Assignees

• 3M Innovative Properties Co

Inventors

• Joseph Stephen C P
• Duncan Brian E

Classifications

• B05B7/2405

  using an atomising fluid as carrying fluid for feeding, e.g. by suction or pressure, a carried liquid from the container to the nozzle (B05B7/2459 - B05B7/247 take precedence) · CPC title

• B05B7/02 Primary

  Spray pistols; Apparatus for discharge (for spraying particulate material B05B7/14; with means for heating the material to be sprayed B05B7/16; with means for supplying fluent material to a discharge device B05B7/24) · CPC title

• Y10T29/49826

  Assembling or joining · CPC title

• B05B7/0815

  with at least one gas jet intersecting a jet constituted by a liquid or a mixture containing a liquid for controlling the shape of the latter · CPC title

• B05B7/0861 Primary

  with one single jet constituted by a liquid or a mixture containing a liquid and several gas jets (B05B7/0815 takes precedence) · CPC title