Atomizer Adapter for Airless Paint Sprayer

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for applying drywall joint compound and other heavy viscous materials, such as aerosols and hopper guns, are limited by high costs, bulkiness, and frequent work stoppages due to excessive weight and the need for frequent refilling and cleaning, making them unsuitable for large-scale applications.

Innovation Solution

An atomizer adapter for airless sprayers that includes a housing with ports for viscous material and compressed air, a hollow atomizing chamber, and a tip for dispersing the atomized material, enhancing the atomizing capability and reducing the need for frequent refilling.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If a hopper gun is used to carry and dispense viscous material, then the material can be applied to surfaces, but the weight of the material and device becomes excessive and taxing to the workman

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecapacity to carry materialVSAvoidweight of hopper gun

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system divides the material storage and delivery into two separate components: a lightweight airless sprayer gun and a separate hopper containing the viscous material. The hopper is positioned above the sprayer, allowing material to be gravity-fed through a feed tube into the atomizing chamber, eliminating the need for the workman to carry heavy material in the gun itself.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A feed tube acts as an intermediary element, carrying viscous material from the hopper down to the atomizing chamber in the sprayer. This allows the heavy material to be stored separately while still enabling continuous supply to the atomization point without adding weight to the handheld device.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Quantity of substance

If a hopper gun is used to carry viscous material, then material application is possible, but frequent work stoppages are required for refilling and cleaning

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvematerial capacityVSAvoidwork stoppages for refilling and cleaning

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables continuous material application by maintaining a constant supply of viscous material from the hopper through the feed tube to the atomizing chamber. The hopper can be positioned at varying heights and the feed tube is designed to accommodate the viscosity of the material, allowing uninterrupted flow during operation without frequent stops for refilling.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Solution Approach 2:

The viscous material is pre-loaded into the hopper before use, and the system is designed with a feed tube that is already in position and configured to receive the material. This preliminary preparation allows the material to be continuously supplied to the atomizing chamber without requiring work stoppages for refilling during application.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Productivity

If aerosol application is used for coating, then material can be atomized and applied to surfaces, but the costs associated with aerosol application limit such methods to patching and other jobs of relatively-limited scope

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecoating application capabilityVSAvoidmaterial consumption cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The system replaces aerosol-based chemical atomization with a mechanical atomization system using an airless sprayer. Compressed air is forced through a tip with an aperture to atomize the viscous material mechanically, eliminating the need for expensive aerosol containers and enabling large-scale applications without the cost limitations of aerosol methods.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The adapter allows for efficient and continuous application of viscous materials with reduced weight and frequency of work stoppages, enabling larger-scale texturized coating projects without the drawbacks of traditional methods.

Implementation Method 1

A hollow atomizing chamber is internal to the housing for combining compressed air with the viscous material to atomize the material therein

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAtomization:

Data Source

PatentUS7922105B2Atomizer adapter for paint sprayer

Publication Date: 2011.04.12 BENRON EQUIP & SUPPLY

AI summary

An atomizer adapter for application of heavy viscous material from an airless paint sprayer. The adapter includes a housing that is coupled to the output of the sprayer through one housing port by an elongated tube that delivers viscous material and to the output of an air compressor through another housing port that delivers compressed air through a conduit. A nozzle within the housing directs pressurized air into an internal chamber where it is directed at and atomizes the flow of viscous material prior to output through an aperture in a tip fixed to the housing.