High pressure fluid spray nozzle incorporating a flow controlled switching valve

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9845594-B2
Application number	US-201615147253-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 5, 2016
Priority date	Feb 6, 2012
Publication date	Dec 19, 2017
Grant date	Dec 19, 2017

Abstract

A nozzle assembly comprises a hollow nozzle body having a central bore and a plurality of ports extending through the body from the central bore; and a switching valve cartridge 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. The cartridge comprises a cylindrical cartridge case having a front portion and a cup shaped rear portion, a cylindrical poppet slidably disposed within the cup shaped rear portion of the cartridge case, and a biasing member within the cartridge case between the front portion of the case and the poppet urging the poppet away from the front portion of the cartridge case.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A nozzle assembly comprising:
a hollow nozzle body having a central bore and a plurality of ports extending through the body from the central bore; and
a switching valve cartridge disposed in the central bore operable to direct fluid flow from an inlet to at least one of the plurality of ports upon application of fluid flow above a predetermined threshold to the inlet and direct fluid flow from the inlet to at least a different one of the plurality of ports upon fluid flow having subsequently dropped below the predetermined threshold and then exceeding the predetermined threshold, the cartridge comprising:
a cylindrical cartridge case having a front portion and a cup shaped rear portion;
a cylindrical poppet having at least one axially extending through bore to permit fluid flow therethrough slidably disposed within the cup shaped rear portion of the cartridge case;
a guide cooperating with the poppet to alternate fluid flow between the ports; and
a biasing member within the cartridge case between the front portion of the case and the poppet urging the poppet away from the front portion of the cartridge case.

2. The nozzle assembly according to claim 1 wherein the guide includes one or more guide members engaging the poppet to alternatingly align the poppet with the at least one of the plurality of ports and the different one of the plurality of ports each time the poppet abuts the front portion of the case.

3. The nozzle assembly according to claim 2 wherein the poppet has a peripheral groove engaging the one or more guide members.

4. The nozzle assembly according to claim 3 wherein each transition below the predetermined threshold causes the poppet to rotate to permit fluid flow to alternate between the at least one of the plurality of ports and the at least one different one of the plurality of ports.

5. The nozzle assembly according to claim 3 wherein the front portion of the cartridge case has at least one bore therethrough leading to the at least one of the plurality of ports and at least one other bore therethrough leading to the at least one different one of the plurality of ports.

6. The nozzle assembly according to claim 5 wherein the poppet has a front face and at least one lug protruding from the front face for selectively closing the at least one bore through the front portion of the cartridge case.

7. The nozzle assembly according to claim 2 wherein the one or more guide members rotate the poppet a predetermined amount each time the poppet moves toward or away from the front portion of the cartridge case.

8. The nozzle assembly according to claim 7 wherein the cartridge case has two or more axial bores through the front portion equally spaced about a central axis through the cartridge case and two or more angled bores through the front portion extending to an annular channel around the front portion of the cartridge case.

9. The nozzle assembly according to claim 8 wherein the poppet has a front face, at least two through bores spaced about the central axis, and at least two lugs protruding from the front face for selectively engaging the axial and angled bores through the front portion of the cartridge case depending on a rotational position of the poppet within the rear portion of the cartridge case.

10. The nozzle assembly according to claim 1 wherein the guide member has pins projecting inward from the rear portion of the cartridge case engaging the poppet.

11. The nozzle assembly according to claim 1 wherein the poppet is fully within the rear cup shaped portion of the cartridge case.

12. The nozzle assembly according to claim 11 wherein the guide includes one or more guide members engaging the poppet to alternatingly align the poppet with the at least one of the plurality of ports and the different one of the plurality of ports each time the poppet abuts the front portion of the case.

13. The nozzle assembly according to claim 12 wherein the poppet has a peripheral groove engaging the one or more guide members.

14. The nozzle assembly according to claim 13 wherein the front portion of the cartridge case has at least one bore therethrough leading to the at least one of the plurality of ports and at least one other bore therethrough leading to the at least one different one of the plurality of ports.

15. The nozzle assembly according to claim 11 wherein the guide member has pins projecting inward from the rear portion of the cartridge case engaging the poppet.

16. The nozzle assembly according to claim 15 wherein each transition below the predetermined threshold causes the poppet to rotate to permit fluid flow to alternate between the at least one of the plurality of ports and the at least one different one of the plurality of ports.

17. A nozzle assembly comprising:
a hollow nozzle body connectable to a high pressure fluid supply, the body having a central bore, a first plurality of ports extending out of the body from one end of the central bore and a second plurality of ports extending out of the body from a side of the central bore; and
a switching valve cartridge assembly disposed in the central bore operable to direct fluid flow from an inlet to one or more of the first plurality of ports upon application of fluid flow above a predetermined threshold to the inlet and direct fluid flow from the inlet to one or more of the second plurality of ports upon fluid flow dropping below the predetermined threshold and then exceeding the predetermined threshold, wherein the cartridge assembly comprises:
a cartridge case disposed in the central bore of the hollow body, the case having a front portion and a cup shaped rear portion, the front portion having at least one bore therethrough for passage of fluid to the first plurality of ports and at least a second bore therethrough for passage of fluid to the second plurality of ports;
a cylindrical poppet slidably disposed in the rear portion of the cartridge case, the poppet having a at least one axially extending poppet bore therethrough;
a biasing member within the rear portion of the cartridge case between the front portion and the poppet biasing the poppet away from the front portion of the cartridge case; and
a guide member between the rear portion of the cartridge case and the poppet engaging a corresponding feature on the poppet to rotate the poppet as it slides within the rear portion of the cartridge case.

18. The nozzle assembly according to claim 17 wherein the poppet has a front face and at least one lug protruding from the front face closing one of the bores through the cartridge case when the poppet abuts against front portion of the cartridge case.

19. The nozzle assembly according to claim 18 wherein when the poppet has a zig-zag peripheral annular groove engaging the guide member causing the poppet to rotate in only one direction a predetermined amount about a central axis through the assembly each time fluid flow transitions above and below the predetermined threshold.

20. The nozzle assembly according to claim 19 wherein the at least one bore through the poppet aligns with one or more of the bores through the cartridge case when the poppet abuts against the front portion of the cartridge case.

Assignees

• Stoneage Inc

Inventors

• Andersen Colton

Classifications

• B08B9/0495

  Nozzles propelled by fluid jets · CPC title

• B05B13/0627

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

• E03F9/005 Primary

  Apparatus for simultaneously pushing and rotating a cleaning device carried by the leading end of a cable or an assembly of rods · CPC title

• B05B12/04

  for sequential operation or multiple outlets · CPC title

• B08B9/0433

  provided exclusively with fluid jets as cleaning tools · CPC title