Injectors for spraying devices and related spraying devices
The injector's angled outlet orifices and channel design enhance mixing in the spraying device, addressing miscibility issues and preventing premature curing, thereby improving the quality and durability of multi-component coatings.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- EXEL INDUSTRIES
- Filing Date
- 2025-10-15
- Publication Date
- 2026-05-07
AI Technical Summary
Existing multi-component coating products face issues with reduced miscibility due to additives like pigments and glass fibers, leading to incomplete mixing and premature curing, especially at low flow rates, which affects the quality and durability of the coating.
A spraying device with a specialized injector having multiple outlet orifices angled between 10° to 90° relative to the longitudinal direction, combined with a central channel and secondary channels, promotes thorough mixing by distributing components at varying angles and pressures to enhance mixing efficiency.
The solution improves the quality of the mixed coating product by ensuring complete mixing and preventing premature curing, maintaining the integrity of the coating application.
Smart Images
Figure 2026075069000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0008] ,
[0009] ,
[0001] The present invention relates to an injector for a multi-component coating product spraying device and a related spraying device. The injector has an inlet and a longitudinal direction.
[0002] Thus, the injector enables one of the components to be injected, particularly into the injection chamber, into which at least one other of the components is injected.
[0003] Thereby, the components can be mixed in the injection chamber.
[0004] The quality of the mixture is important for the quality and durability of the coating product. [[ID=?]]
[0005] However, the components generally become less and less miscible. In particular, the search for aesthetic and / or mechanical properties in coating products has led to the addition of fillers such as pigments, glass fibers, or other effect fillers. These additives reduce the miscibility of the components.
[0006] Therefore, the quality of the mixing between the components is important.
[0007] One possibility to improve mixing in the spraying device is to perform sufficient mixing before spraying in order to increase the mixing time and promote mixing both mechanically and chemically.
[0008] However, once the components come into contact, the mixture generally has a limited lifespan. For example, in the case of a product composed of a resin and a curing agent, when the two components are combined, the product cures.
[0009] [[ID=?]]This can be a problem both in the case of low flow rates and in the case of coating products with a very limited lifespan after mixing. Therefore, the coating product may be fully or partially cured before being sprayed.
[0010] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to propose a solution for a spraying device that improves the quality of the mixture and the sprayed coating product.
[0011] For this purpose, the present invention relates to an injector for a multi-component coating product spraying device, the injector having a longitudinal direction and an inlet, wherein the injector has a plurality of outlet orifices, and is adapted to be supplied with component products at the inlet, so that the component products exit the injector through the outlet orifices, and each outlet orifice forms a given angle of 10° to 90°, preferably 30° to 90°, with respect to the longitudinal direction.
[0012] The injector can release the component product at several positions at an angle to the longitudinal direction of the injector. This promotes mixing with the second component in the injection chamber, as described above.
[0013] In another beneficial aspect of the present invention, the injector includes, either alone or in any technically possible combination, one or more of the following features: - The injector comprises a central channel extending from the inlet and secondary channels, with each secondary channel connecting its respective outlet orifice to the central channel. - Each secondary channel extends in a plane, and this plane forms a given angle with respect to the longitudinal direction. - The central channel extends in the longitudinal direction, - The cross-sectional area of the central channel is equal to the sum of the cross-sectional areas of the secondary channels. - The outlet orifices are distributed around the injector at regular angular intervals, and the angular interval is preferably equal to 360° divided by the number of outlet orifices. - The injector has 2 to 5 outlet orifices, preferably 3 outlet orifices. - Each outlet orifice also forms a second given angle with respect to its respective radial direction, where the respective radial direction is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and the local tangential direction, and the local tangential direction corresponds to the tangential direction of the injector at the point where the outlet orifice appears, and the second given angle is not 0°, but 35° or less, preferably 0° to 20°, and more preferably 5° to 15°. - The injector has a central channel extending from the inlet, the cross-sectional area of the central channel being strictly smaller than any cross-sectional area of the inlet, and / or - The injector is provided with threads at the inlet of the injection chamber for attaching and removing the injector.
[0014] The present invention also relates to a multi-component coating product spraying device comprising a spray element, an injector, and an injection chamber upstream of the injector, wherein the injector is adapted to spray the coating product onto the spray element, the spray element is adapted to spray the coating product, and the injection chamber comprises a first inlet for a first component of the coating product and a second inlet for a second component of the coating product, the first inlet comprising the aforementioned injector, and the first component being sprayed into the injection chamber via the injector.
[0015] According to another advantageous aspect of the present invention, the spraying device has the following features: The spraying device is provided with the aforementioned injector, the second inlet is such that the second component forms a vortex in the injection chamber, and the outlet orifice is such that the first component is injected in a flow having a radial component opposite to the vortex. [Brief explanation of the drawing]
[0016] The present invention is given only as a non-limiting example and will become clearer upon reading the following description, which is made with reference to the drawings. [Figure 1] This is a partial cross-sectional view of a spray device according to an example of the present invention. [Figure 2]Cross-sectional view of a first example of an injector according to the present invention. [Figure 3] Schematic top view of the injector channel of FIG. 2. [Figure 4] Cross-sectional view of a second example of an injector according to the present invention. [Figure 5] The injector of FIG. 4 is shown perpendicular to the longitudinal direction X, showing the secondary channel and the outlet orifice.
[0017] A device 10 for spraying a multi-component coating product according to an example of the present invention is partially shown in FIG. 1.
[0018] The spraying device 10 includes a spraying element 12, an injector 14, and an injection chamber 16 upstream of the injector.
[0019] The spraying device 10 further includes a mixer 18 between the injection chamber 16 and the injector 14.
[0020] The spraying element 12 is adapted to spray the coating product, more specifically, the coating product supplied by the injector 14.
[0021] The spraying element 12 is, for example, a spraying bowl.
[0022] The spraying bowl can rotate about a rotation axis.
[0023] More specifically, the spraying device 10 further includes a turbine 20 for rotating the spraying element 12.
[0024] The injector 14 is adapted and arranged to inject the coating product to be sprayed into the spraying element 12.
[0025] The coating product is supplied to the injector 14 through the injection chamber.
[0026] The injection chamber 16 includes a first inlet 22 for the first component of the coating product and a second inlet 24 for the second component of the coating product.
[0027] The first and second components are fluids.
[0028] The first component is, for example, a hardening agent.
[0029] The second component is, for example, a resin.
[0030] Here, the coating product consists of a first component and a second component.
[0031] Alternatively, the coating product contains more than two components. Therefore, the injection chamber has one or more other inlets, for example, a second inlet. In addition, or otherwise, the atomizing device has, for example, a series of injection chambers connected in series, and a series of mixtures are injected, for example, at the first inlet of the injection chamber.
[0032] The injection chamber 16 defines a volumetric section that includes a cylindrical portion.
[0033] An injector 26 is provided at the first inlet 22, as will be described later.
[0034] The first component is injected into the injection chamber 16 via the injector 26.
[0035] The first and second components are injected into the injection chamber 16.
[0036] The injector 26 has a longitudinal direction X.
[0037] The first inlet 22 appears in the injection chamber in the longitudinal direction X, and the injector 26 extends across the first inlet.
[0038] The cylindrical portion of the volumetric section has a cylindrical shape centered on the longitudinal direction X.
[0039] The first entrance 22 appears at the base of the cylindrical portion.
[0040] The second entrance 24 appears, for example, perpendicular to the longitudinal direction X.
[0041] Alternatively, the second inlet 24 appears at a predetermined angle with respect to the longitudinal direction, for example, 0° to 45°, preferably less than 25°, and more preferably less than 10°.
[0042] Preferably, the second inlet 24 appears at an angle such that it is directed toward the first inlet 22, that is, at an angle such that the product flow arriving through the second inlet has an opposite direction along the longitudinal direction X to the product flow from the first inlet.
[0043] The second inlet 24 appears inside the injection chamber at the side wall defining the cylindrical portion.
[0044] The second inlet 24 appears on the opposite side of the injector 26 in the longitudinal direction X.
[0045] In certain embodiments, the second inlet is such that the jet of the second component forms a vortex within the injection chamber, more specifically around the injector 26.
[0046] The vortex revolves around the longitudinal direction X.
[0047] The first and second components come into contact and mix within the injection chamber 16.
[0048] The injection chamber is equipped with an outlet, which is fluid-connected to the inlet of the mixer 18, for example, via an injector holder included in the mixer.
[0049] In this case, mixer 18 is a static mixer.
[0050] The outlet of the mixer 18 is fluidically connected to the injector 14, in this case, directly connected.
[0051] Here, a first example of the injector 126 according to the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to Figures 2 and 3.
[0052] The injector 126 is made of a metal material, preferably stainless steel. This helps to limit wear.
[0053] The injector 126 has an inlet 130 and a plurality of outlet orifices 132, 134, and 136.
[0054] The injector 126 is provided with, for example, two to five outlet orifices, preferably three outlet orifices.
[0055] The outlet orifices 132, 134, and 136 are distributed at regular angular intervals around the injector 126, where the angular interval is preferably equal to 360° divided by the number of outlet orifices.
[0056] The injector 126 is configured to be supplied with the component product, in this case the first component, at the inlet 130, and as a result the component product flows through the outlet orifices 132, 134, and 136.
[0057] Each of the outlet orifices 132, 134, and 136 forms a given angle α with respect to the longitudinal direction, preferably between 10° and 90°, and more preferably between 30° and 90°. In the illustrated example, the given angle α is equal to 45°, but the disclosure of this first example is not limited to this value.
[0058] The angles of the outlet orifices 132, 134, and 136 correspond to the angles of the jets exiting the above-mentioned outlet orifices.
[0059] More specifically, the angles given to each of the exit orifices 132, 134, and 136 are equal to each other.
[0060] The given angle α directs the component product so that it exits the outlet orifice on the opposite side of the inlet 130 in a flow oriented along the longitudinal direction X.
[0061] The injector 126 has a central axis D, which extends in the longitudinal direction X.
[0062] Here, entrance 130 is centered on the central axis D.
[0063] The external shape of the injector 126 is, for example, rotationally symmetric about the central axis D.
[0064] Here, the injector 126 comprises a central channel 138 extending from the inlet 130, and secondary channels 140, 142, and 144, each of which connects its respective outlet orifices 132, 134, and 136 to the central channel 138.
[0065] The cross-sectional area of the central channel 138 is strictly smaller than the cross-sectional area of the inlet 130.
[0066] The injector also functions as a restrictor.
[0067] In particular, this allows for the equalization of the injection pressure, and as a result, better control of the flow rate in the restrictor. The curing agent component usually has a much lower viscosity than the resin, and / or, the amount of curing agent injected in the restrictor is less than the amount of resin, for example, in a ratio of 1:4 to 1:15.
[0068] More specifically, the inlet 130 has a conical shape such that its cross-sectional area decreases strictly from the upstream side to the downstream side.
[0069] The cross-sectional area of the central channel 138 is equal to, for example, the sum of the cross-sectional areas of the secondary channels 140, 142, and 144.
[0070] In particular, this avoids additional pressure loss when restricting channel 130 to channel 138.
[0071] The central channel 138 extends along the longitudinal direction X, and more specifically along the central axis D.
[0072] The central channel 138 is a straight line here.
[0073] The central channel 138 is a cylindrical channel.
[0074] The cylindrical axis of the central channel 138 is the central axis D.
[0075] The central channel 138 extends from the entrance 130 to the intermediate crossing 146.
[0076] Each secondary channel 140, 142, and 144 extends from the intermediate crossing 146 to its respective outlet orifice 132, 134, and 136.
[0077] In this way, the inlet 130 is fluidly connected to each outlet orifice by the central channel 138 and then the corresponding secondary channels 140, 142, and 144.
[0078] Each of the secondary channels 140, 142, and 144 here extends in a plane, which forms a given angle α with the longitudinal direction X and, more specifically, with the central axis D.
[0079] Each of the secondary channels 140, 142, and 144 is linear.
[0080] More specifically, each secondary channel 140, 142, and 144 forms a given angle α with respect to the longitudinal direction X, and more specifically, with respect to the central axis D.
[0081] Here, each secondary channel 140, 142, and 144 has a central extension axis, and the central extension axis intersects the central axis D.
[0082] Each of the secondary channels 140, 142, and 144 is a cylindrical channel.
[0083] Each secondary channel 140, 142, and 144 extends from the intermediate crossing 146 to the corresponding exit orifice.
[0084] The injector 126 also includes a thread 148 for retention at the first inlet, the first inlet having complementary threads.
[0085] These threads allow the injector to be attached and removed for maintenance or cleaning.
[0086] The injector 126 also includes a shoulder portion 150.
[0087] The shoulder portion 150 has a conical shape adapted to receive a plastic seal, which is a ring such as to improve the seal between the injector and the sprayer body.
[0088] The injector 126 in the first example can release the component product in multiple jets, for example, three jets in this case, at an angle to the longitudinal direction of the injector. This promotes mixing with the second component in the injection chamber, as described above.
[0089] Here, a second example of the injector 226 according to the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to Figures 4 and 5.
[0090] Articles identical or similar to those in the first example shall be assigned a number obtained by adding 100 to the same reference number.
[0091] For the sake of brevity, we will only describe the features that differentiate this second example from the first.
[0092] In the second illustrated example, the given angle α is equal to 90°, but the disclosure of this second example is not limited to this value. As previously stated, each of the exit orifices 232, 234, and 236 forms a given angle α of 10° to 90°, preferably 30° to 90°, with respect to the longitudinal direction.
[0093] The central channel 238 is similar to that in the first example.
[0094] The secondary channels 240, 242, and 244 differ from the first example in that each exit orifice further forms a second given angle β with respect to its respective radial direction r.
[0095] Each radial direction r is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction X and the local tangential direction, and the local tangential direction corresponds to the position where the corresponding outlet orifice appears, more specifically the tangential direction of the injector 226 at the center of the corresponding outlet orifice.
[0096] Each radial direction r is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction X and is the direction connecting the central axis D to the center of the corresponding exit orifice.
[0097] In this embodiment, the second given angle β is different from 0° and is 35° or less, preferably 0° (excluding) to 20°, and more preferably 5° to 15°.
[0098] Each of the secondary channels 240, 242, and 244 here extends in a plane, which forms a given angle α with the longitudinal direction X.
[0099] Each of the secondary channels 240, 242, and 244 is linear.
[0100] More specifically, each secondary channel 240, 242, and 244 forms a given angle α with respect to the longitudinal direction X.
[0101] In the second example, each secondary channel 240, 242, and 244 has a central extension axis, and the central extension axis does not intersect the central axis D.
[0102] The distance between the central axis D and each of the central extension axes is such that the second given angle β is as described above.
[0103] In this way, each secondary channel 240, 242, and 244 is offset from the central axis D.
[0104] Each of the secondary channels 240, 242, and 244 is a cylindrical channel.
[0105] Each secondary channel 240, 242, and 244 extends from the intermediate crossover 146 to the corresponding exit orifice.
[0106] Therefore, due to angle β, the radial component of the outlet jet leads to the formation of a first component vortex.
[0107] The presence of a radial component in the outlet jet promotes direct mixing within the injection chamber 16, particularly by promoting turbulence within the injection chamber 16.
[0108] Furthermore, advantageously, if applicable, the outlet orifices 232, 234, and 236 here are such that the first component is ejected in a flow radially opposite to the vortex of the second component, represented by arrow V in Figure 5.
[0109] Therefore, the injector according to the present invention makes it possible to promote the mixing of the components of the coating product, and thus improve the quality of the sprayed coating product.
Claims
1. An injector (26;126;226) for a multi-component coating material spraying device (10), having a longitudinal direction (X) and an inlet (130;230), wherein the injector (26;126;226) is configured to have a plurality of outlet orifices (132, 134, 136; 232, 234, 236), and the component product is supplied at the inlet (130;230), so that the component product exits the injector (26;126;226) through the outlet orifices (132, 134, 136; 232, 234, 236), An injector (26;126;226) characterized in that 236) forms a given angle (α) of 10° to 90°, preferably 30° to 90°, with respect to the longitudinal direction (X), and further forms a second given angle (β) with respect to each radial direction (r), wherein each radial direction (r) is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (X) and the local tangential direction, the local tangential direction corresponds to the tangential direction of the injector (26;126;226) at the point where the outlet orifice (132,134,136;232,234,236) appears, and the second given angle (β) is not 0°, but 35° or less, preferably greater than 0° to 20°, more preferably 5° to 15°.
2. The injector (26;126;226) according to claim 1, comprising a central channel (138;238) extending from the inlet (130;230) and secondary channels (140, 142, 144; 240, 242, 244), wherein each secondary channel (140, 142, 144; 240, 24, 244) connects its respective outlet orifice (132, 134, 136; 232, 234, 236) to the central channel (138;238).
3. The injector (26; 126; 226) according to claim 2, wherein each secondary channel (140, 142, 144; 240, 242, 244) extends in a plane, and the plane forms a given angle (α) with the longitudinal direction (X).
4. The injector (26;126;226) according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the central channel (138;238) extends in the longitudinal direction (X).
5. The injector (26;126;226) according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the cross-sectional area of the central channel (138;238) is equal to the sum of the cross-sectional areas of the passages of the secondary channels (140,142,144;240,242,244).
6. The injector (26;126;226) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the outlet orifices (132, 134, 136; 232, 234, 236) are distributed around the injector (26;126;226) at regular angular intervals, and the angular interval is preferably equal to 360° divided by the number of outlet orifices.
7. The injector (26;126;226) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the injector (26;126;226) comprises two to five outlet orifices (132, 134, 136; 232, 234, 236), preferably three outlet orifices (132, 134, 136; 232, 234, 236).
8. The injector (26;126;226) according to claim 1 or 2, comprising the central channel (138;238) extending from the inlet (130;230), wherein the cross-sectional area of the central channel (138;238) is strictly smaller than any cross-sectional area of the inlet (130;230).
9. The injector (26;126;226) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the injector (26;126;226) is provided with a thread (148) at the inlet (22) of the injection chamber (16) for attaching to and removing the injector (26;126;226).
10. A multicomponent coating product spraying device (10) comprising a spraying element (12), an injector (14), and an injection chamber (16) upstream of the injector (14), wherein the injector (14) is adapted to spray the coating product into the spraying element (12), the spraying element (12) is adapted to spray the coating product, the injection chamber (16) comprises a first inlet (22) for a first component of the coating product and a second inlet (24) for a second component of the coating product, the first inlet (22) comprises the injector (26; 126; 226) according to claim 1 or 2, and the first component is sprayed into the injection chamber (16) via the injector (26; 126; 226).
11. The spray device according to claim 10, wherein the second inlet (24) is such that the second component forms a vortex (V) within the injection chamber (16), and the outlet orifices (132, 134, 136; 232, 234, 236) are such that the first component is injected in a flow having a radial component opposite to the vortex (V).