NOZZLE BODY

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for producing a nozzle body from a nozzle body blank which is produced by injection molding or a 3D printing process.

[0002] In the injection molding process, plastic is pressed into a mold, allowing a variety of different geometries to be produced, which are subject to certain limitations. For example, hole-shaped geometries have a lower diameter limit. Furthermore, undercuts, for example, can only be realized to a limited extent using the injection molding process.

[0003] WO 2010 / 076012 A1, US 4 074 861 A, WO 2016 / 075433 A1, US 2006 / 103051 A1, US 2020 / 139385 A1, WO 97 / 13584 A1, US 2011 / 303767 A1 and US 2017 / 297042 A1 describe nozzle bodies and their production.

[0004] 3D printing is an additive manufacturing process in which material is applied layer by layer to create a three-dimensional structure. However, the 3D printing process is subject to certain limitations, limiting design freedom.

[0005] Therefore, the aim of the present invention is to propose a method for producing a nozzle body in which there is a great freedom of design of the nozzle body.

[0006] This object is achieved by the features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments emerge from the subclaims.

[0007] Following the injection molding or 3D printing process, the nozzle body blank is at least partially processed into the nozzle body by laser processing. Laser processing allows the blank previously produced by injection molding or 3D printing to be processed according to defined specifications, thus achieving a high degree of design freedom for the nozzle body. For example, initial nozzle geometries can be created using the injection molding or 3D printing process, and second nozzle geometries can then be created using laser processing.

[0008] Preferably, at least one nozzle geometry is produced by laser processing. A nozzle geometry can be defined as a surface, a recess, an undercut, or the like. The nozzle geometry converts liquid into a liquid mist, also called aerosols, which is ejected from the nozzle body as a liquid mist. Laser processing thus contributes to a nozzle geometry that leads to a good transfer of the liquid into the liquid mist.

[0009] Preferably, at least one nozzle bore is produced by laser processing. Laser processing allows the nozzle bore to have different cross-sections and cross-sectional geometries, for example, so that the different properties of different fluids can be taken into account. This allows for considerable design flexibility for the nozzle body.

[0010] Preferably, the nozzle bore is produced by laser processing with a diameter of less than 300 µm. The term "less than" (<) should be understood as "less than or equal to" (≤). Roughly speaking, a smaller diameter results in a finer liquid mist. The diameter of the nozzle bore is essentially limited by a focal point in the diameter of the laser during laser processing. Smaller diameters, such as 250 µm, 200 µm, 150 µm, or 100 µm, or diameters between these values, are also possible. This allows for a great deal of design freedom with these bores.

[0011] Laser processing preferably involves laser ablation, laser drilling, and / or 3D laser ablation. Laser ablation refers to the removal of material from a surface by bombarding it with a pulsed laser. The laser or laser radiation causes rapid heating and, consequently, the formation of a plasma on the surface of the workpiece. Laser drilling is also a non-cutting machining process in which laser radiation introduces so much energy into the workpiece that the material is melted and partially vaporized. 3D laser ablation is a special type of laser ablation in which material is processed in three dimensions. Furthermore, a combination of the aforementioned methods is possible. This leads to considerable design freedom and flexibility.

[0012] Preferably, the nozzle body has a hollow cone geometry. With a hollow cone nozzle, the liquid to be atomized is set into a rotating motion. This results in a fine liquid mist.

[0013] Furthermore, the problem is solved by at least partially laser machining the nozzle body blank into a nozzle body. Consequently, the nozzle body blank is transformed into a nozzle body by at least partial laser machining. Laser machining allows for a wide variety of geometries, such as undercuts, recesses, cutouts, flat machining, or the like. In addition to laser machining, nozzle geometries can be realized, for example, using injection molding or 3D printing. This allows for a high degree of design freedom.

[0014] Laser processing preferably involves laser ablation, laser drilling, and / or 3D laser ablation. In laser ablation, material is removed from a surface by bombardment with a pulsed laser beam or pulsed laser radiation. In laser drilling, the laser radiation locally introduces sufficient energy into the workpiece to melt and partially vaporize the material. Melting of the material at the edge of the hole is undesirable. A combination of the aforementioned methods is also feasible. This allows for considerable design flexibility for the nozzle or nozzle body.

[0015] Preferably, at least one nozzle bore is produced by laser processing. In the broadest sense, each nozzle body has an opening through which fluid exits. Laser processing allows for different nozzle bore geometries, such as different cross-sectional geometries or the like, to be produced. This allows for different properties, such as density and / or viscosity, to be taken into account. This allows the nozzle body to be easily adapted to different fluids.

[0016] Preferably, the nozzle bore is produced with a diameter of less than 300 µm through laser processing. A minimum diameter is determined, for example, by a laser focal point during laser processing, so that any diameter between the dimensions of the focal point and 300 µm can be produced. This allows for considerable design freedom.

[0017] The nozzle body preferably has a hollow cone nozzle geometry. With a hollow cone nozzle geometry, the liquid is first set in rotational motion before exiting the nozzle body through the nozzle bore. This creates a fine liquid mist. The hollow cone nozzle geometry can be adapted to the properties of the liquid to be atomized through laser processing.

[0018] This allows for flexible use of the nozzle body blank, allowing various nozzle bodies with different geometries to be produced from one nozzle body blank. This provides considerable design freedom.

[0019] Furthermore, the nozzle body can comprise a material with at least one main component from the group PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate), POM (polyoxymethylene), PP (polypropylene), PE (polyethylene), ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer), COC (cycloolefin copolymer), PA (polyamide), PC (polycarbonate), PBT (polybutylene terephthalate), PEEK (polyetheretherketone), PEI (polyetherimide), PET (polyethylene terephthalate), and PPE (polyphenylene ether). These materials are thermoplastics and can be easily processed by injection molding or 3D printing, either alone or in combination. A combination, for example, would be a mixture of PE and PP.

[0020] The invention is described below using a preferred embodiment in conjunction with the drawings. In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of a nozzle body blank, Fig. 2 is a schematic plan view of a nozzle body blank, Fig. 3 is a schematic sectional representation of a nozzle body blank, Fig. 4 is a schematic sectional representation of a nozzle body, and Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of a nozzle bore of a nozzle body.

[0021] Fig. 1 shows a nozzle body blank 1 produced by an injection molding process or 3D printing process. The fact that the nozzle body blank 1 thus produced already has some nozzle geometries, such as three swirl channels 2 and a frustoconical section 3, is not part of the invention. However, the nozzle body blank 1 does not yet have a nozzle bore.

[0022] Fig. 2 shows the nozzle body blank 1 schematically in a top view. It can be seen that the nozzle bore has not yet been produced. However, Fig. 2 the vortex channels 2 and the frustoconical section 3 are shown, the production of which by an injection molding process or 3D printing process is not part of the invention.

[0023] Fig. 3 shows a schematic sectional view of the nozzle body blank 1, in which the vortex channels 2 and the frustoconical section 3 have already been produced, whereby their production by an injection molding process or 3D printing process is not part of the invention.

[0024] The nozzle geometries have already been manufactured, as long as they can be produced by injection molding or 3D printing. Essentially, geometries with dimensions > 300µm can be manufactured by injection molding or 3D printing.

[0025] According to the invention, the Fig. 3 In contrast to the injection molding process or 3D printing process described above, the geometries of the frustoconical section 3 and vortex channels 2 are created within the framework of laser processing of the nozzle body blank 1. In this case, the nozzle body blank 1 is produced without a frustoconical section 3, vortex channels 2, or a nozzle bore 5 by an injection molding process or 3D printing process, wherein the frustoconical section 3, the vortex channels 2, and the nozzle bore 5 are produced by laser processing processes.

[0026] The number of Fig. 3 The number of vertebral canals 2 shown varies and may differ from the number shown.

[0027] Fig. 4 shows a schematically illustrated nozzle body 4 in a sectional view. Like the nozzle body blank 1, the nozzle body 4 also has vortex channels 2 and a frustoconical section 3. Furthermore, the nozzle body 4 has a nozzle bore 5, which was produced by laser machining.

[0028] The nozzle bore 5 is a detailed view in Fig. 5 shown schematically. The nozzle bore 5 has a diameter X, which in this case is less than 300 µm, in particular 250 µm, 200 µm, 150 µm, or 100 µm, or diameters between these values. The preferred diameter of the nozzle bore 5 is less than 100 µm. The nozzle bore 5 is arranged in the nozzle body 4. The term "less than" (<) should be understood as "less than or equal to" (≤).

[0029] A main component of the nozzle body 4 or the nozzle body blank 1 is plastic. The plastic enables laser processing, in which a laser beam first penetrates the workpiece and then processes the workpiece on a surface opposite the penetration point. Furthermore, laser ablation, laser drilling, and / or 3D laser ablation can be used within the scope of laser processing. Furthermore, a combination of the aforementioned methods can be performed.

[0030] The main component of the nozzle body blank 1 is selected according to the laser processing method to be used, taking into account, for example, the transparency properties of the plastic. For example, transparent plastic is used as the main component of the nozzle body blank 1 during processing using the laser ablation described above. Non-transparent plastics can also be used for other laser processing methods. The nozzle body can comprise at least one of the following materials as its main component: PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate), POM (polyoxymethylene), PP (polypropylene), PE (polyethylene), ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer), COC (cycloolefin copolymer), PA (polyamide), PC (polycarbonate), PBT (polybutylene terephthalate), PEEK (polyetheretherketone), PEI (polyetherimide), PET (polyethylene terephthalate), and PPE (polyphenylene ether).A combination of the main components mentioned can also be used, such as a mixture of PE and PP.

[0031] Laser ablation, also known as laser vaporization, is the removal of material from a surface by bombarding it with pulsed laser radiation. The high-power laser radiation used in this process leads to rapid heating and the formation of a plasma on the surface.

[0032] During laser drilling, laser radiation locally introduces enough energy into the workpiece to melt and partially vaporize the material. The ionized vapor is ejected by the pressure difference between the surrounding area and the hole. Melting of the material at the edge of the hole is undesirable.

[0033] 3D laser ablation is similar to the laser ablation described above, but with 3D laser ablation, the workpiece is processed in three-dimensional space. This allows, for example, an undercut or other geometries to be created. List of reference symbols

[0034] 1Nozzle body blank 2Swirl channels 3Frustum-shaped section 4Nozzle body 5Nozzle bore

Claims

1. A method for producing a nozzle body (4) from a nozzle body blank (1) produced by injection molding or by a 3D printing process, wherein the nozzle body blank (1) is subsequently processed at least partially by laser processing to form the nozzle body (4), characterized in that the nozzle body (4) has a frusto-conical section (3) and turbulence channels (2), wherein the frusto-conical section (3) and the turbulence channels (2) are created by laser processing.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one nozzle geometry is produced by laser processing.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein at least one nozzle bore (5) is produced produced by laser processing.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the nozzle bore (5) produced by laser processing has a diameter (x) of less than 300 µm.

5. The method according to of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the laser processing comprises laser ablation, laser drilling and / or 3D laser ablation methods.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the nozzle body (4) comprises a hollow-cone nozzle geometry.