Spray Gun Air Cap Non-Conical Pattern Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional spray guns with conical spray patterns face challenges in achieving optimal velocity and coverage area, leading to inefficiencies in spray coating processes, including poor transfer efficiency, increased waste, and higher costs due to the need for greater fluid usage.
Innovation Solution
The development of a spray coating device with a non-conical spray pattern, achieved through a unique air cap design featuring converging and criss-crossing air shaping orifices, which reduces fluid velocity and increases spray pattern width, allowing for optimized fluid transfer and uniform distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If the spray gun is positioned relatively close to the target surface, then the spray covers a relatively small coverage portion at a relatively high velocity, but the transfer efficiency deteriorates due to bouncing off the target surface
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the spray pattern geometry from conical to non-conical (cup-shaped) by modifying the air cap configuration. This parameter change allows the spray to maintain higher velocity while improving transfer efficiency through a different spatial distribution of droplets, resolving the contradiction between velocity and transfer efficiency.
2Area of stationary object
If the spray gun is positioned further away from the target surface, then the spray covers a relatively larger coverage portion at a relatively low velocity, but the transfer efficiency deteriorates due to insufficient velocity
Solution Approach 1:
The non-conical spray pattern geometry changes the velocity distribution and spatial coverage characteristics. This allows achieving both larger coverage area and maintained transfer efficiency by optimizing the fan pattern shape through air cap design, resolving the contradiction between coverage area and transfer efficiency.
3Speed
If a typical spray gun with conical spray is used, then the velocity can be optimized, but the coverage area becomes small which decreases uniformity and increases coating time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the spray pattern from conical to non-conical (cup-shaped) by changing the air cap geometry. This parameter change simultaneously improves coverage area, uniformity, and maintains optimized velocity, thereby resolving the contradiction between velocity optimization and coating productivity.
4Speed
If the spray gun is positioned at a certain distance to ensure optimal velocity, then the velocity is optimized, but the coverage area becomes small which increases the time to coat the target surface
Solution Approach 1:
The non-conical spray pattern geometry allows the system to maintain optimal velocity while expanding coverage area. This parameter change in spray pattern shape resolves the contradiction between velocity optimization and coating time by enabling both goals to be achieved simultaneously through improved spatial distribution.
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 non-conical spray pattern enhances transfer efficiency, reduces waste, and improves uniformity by maintaining consistent fan pattern widths over a broader range of distances, enabling better positioning and reduced fluid consumption.
Implementation Method 1
a process of liquid atomization which includes generating small liquid drops from a column or sheet of fluid dispensed from a fluid orifice
Implementation Method 2
These fluid droplets may be shaped using shaping air flows into specific spray patterns
Data Source
AI summary
A spray coating device, in one embodiment, is provided with a liquid passage, an air passage, one or more valves configured to open and close flow of liquid through the liquid passage and air through the air passage, a trigger coupled to the one or more valves, and a spray head configured to generate a non-conical liquid spray. The spray head includes a liquid exit in fluid communication with the liquid passage, wherein the liquid exit has a longitudinal axis of liquid flow, an air exit in fluid communication with the air passage, wherein the air exit is coaxial with the liquid exit, a first plurality of air shaping orifices in fluid communication with the air passage, wherein the first plurality of air shaping orifices have first axes that generally converge toward a first point along the longitudinal axis at first acute angles relative to the longitudinal axis, and a second plurality of air shaping orifices in fluid communication with the air passage, wherein the second plurality of air shaping orifices have second axes that generally converge toward a second point along the longitudinal axis at second acute angles relative to the longitudinal axis, the first and second acute angles are different from one another, and the first and second points are in series one after another along the longitudinal axis.