Coating Material Ejector Uniform Airflow Distribution

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing rotating coating product sprayers experience unequal distribution of skirt air around the spray axis, leading to potential asymmetry in the coating jet and thickness of the coating layer, due to single inlet pipe causing pressure drops and uneven airflow distribution.

Innovation Solution

The design incorporates multiple intermediate chambers and channels around the spray axis, with strategically positioned outlet pipes and channels to distribute air flow uniformly, ensuring controlled and symmetrical airflow distribution with optimized ratios and flow sections.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If a single inlet pipe supplies air to the annular outlet chamber, then the structure is simple, but the airflow distribution around the spray axis becomes unequal due to pressure drops increasing with distance from the inlet pipe

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructure simplicityVSAvoidairflow distribution uniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The single inlet pipe is segmented into multiple inlet pipes distributed around the spray axis. Each inlet pipe supplies air to a specific sector of the annular outlet chamber, ensuring that air is introduced at multiple locations simultaneously. This segmentation eliminates the pressure gradient problem caused by a single inlet, as air now enters from multiple points around the chamber, achieving uniform airflow distribution to all outlet channels while maintaining structural simplicity through the use of multiple identical pipe components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Manufacturing precision

If multiple intermediate chambers and channels are added to achieve uniform airflow distribution, then the airflow symmetry improves, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveairflow distribution uniformityVSAvoidnumber of chambers and channels
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The air supply system is segmented into multiple identical inlet pipes, intermediate chambers, and outlet channel assemblies arranged symmetrically around the spray axis. Each segment handles a specific angular sector of airflow distribution. This modular segmentation allows the complex function of uniform 360-degree airflow distribution to be achieved by repeating simple, identical structural units, thereby managing device complexity through standardization and symmetry rather than through fundamentally different mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Manufacturing precision

If the outlet channels are positioned at equal angular intervals, then the airflow distribution becomes more symmetrical, but the pressure drops vary with distance from the inlet pipe

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveangular distribution symmetryVSAvoidpressure drop variation
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSStress or pressure

Solution Approach 1:

The air supply system is divided into multiple inlet pipes positioned at different angular locations around the spray axis, with each inlet pipe serving a specific sector of outlet channels. This segmentation ensures that outlet channels at equal angular intervals all receive air from nearby inlet pipes at similar distances, equalizing the pressure conditions. The pressure drop variation is eliminated because the radial distance from any inlet pipe to its served outlet channels is standardized, while the angular distribution symmetry is maintained through uniform angular spacing of the segmented components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

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

This configuration achieves a controlled, symmetrical distribution of airflow around the spray axis, reducing pressure drops and ensuring a uniform coating jet and layer thickness, even when the sprayer moves relative to the object, while minimizing air consumption.

Implementation Method 1

this annular outlet chamber generates pressure drops which increase with the distance from the inlet pipe

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPressure drop: Pressure Drop

Data Source

PatentEP2361157B1Coating material ejector
Publication Date: 2016.03.02 SAMES TECHNOLOGIES SAS
  • EP2361157B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2361157B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2361157B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to an ejector (P), comprising: a body that has an internal portion (20) and an external portion; a spraying member (1); outlets (42) around the spraying axis (X1) for ejecting air (J42) in the shape of the stream of material (J1); an outlet chamber (324) that communicates with the outlets (42); and an inlet (201) for supplying material to the outlets (42). Said ejector (P) also comprises: at least two juxtaposed intermediate chambers (210, 230, 250) extending around the spraying axis (X1); axial intermediate channels (221-224, 241-248); both juxtaposed intermediate chambers (210, 230, 250) being linked by an intermediate channel assembly (221-224, 241-248) that is distributed around the spraying axis (X1); and outlet passages (261-268) that are distributed around the spraying axis (X1).