KR20170018354A - Misting and atomization systems and methods - Google Patents

Abstract

The atomizing device includes a contact plate comprising a plurality of capillary openings, a liquid source in fluid communication with the contact plate, and a brush comprising a plurality of filaments. As the brush rotates in the first radial direction, a small amount of liquid is adhered to the filaments from within the capillary openings, bent upon contact with the contact plate, relaxed as the filaments relax when they are released from contact with the contact plate, Liquid is injected from the pillar metro. A portion of the contact plate includes a helical curved surface with which the filammet contacts, and the radius decreases along a path along the first radial direction.

Description

[0001] MASKING AND ATOMIZATION SYSTEMS AND METHODS [0002]

This application claims priority to U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 14 / 301,466, filed June 11, 2014 (non-provisional application), which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a misting and atomization system in which a liquid such as water, paint, etc. is injected and a method thereof.

There are various misting or spraying methods for various liquids. Each of these has drawbacks and has problems to overcome. Most of the problems with currently available systems and methods can be understood with reference to conventional paint sprayers or mist cooling atomizers. Therefore, most of the present invention refers to these conventional applications. It should be understood, however, that the teachings herein relating to paint and spray cooling are available through a wide range of liquids.

A common way of spraying paint on surfaces involves the use of cylindrical paint rollers or brushes in a paint supply. These methods provide sufficient penetration of the paint to the surface, but these methods are time consuming and messy.

On the contrary, although a spray method has been developed and rapid paint processing has become possible, this method has its drawbacks. Various paint spray systems have been proposed, in which the paint is delivered electrically to the paint applicator. Unfortunately, in these systems, the paint applicator tends to be clogged, thus rendering these systems unusable and requiring the user to purchase replacement devices.

In addition, current paint spray devices do not provide paint to the substrate in a controlled manner in which the paint is delivered at a moderate rate. For optimal atomization, extremely high pressures must be used and force the device to spray more than 5 gallons per hour under normal operating conditions. Only a few highly trained technicians can precisely spray painted paint. In addition, the paint is often sprayed on the paint surface in an uneven or uneven way. In addition, minor changes in paint viscosity due to dilution may result in unexpected spray quality with existing equipment. As a result, it is difficult for the current apparatus to fine-tune the spray by viscosity measurement.

Further, instead of providing a uniform distribution of spray on a large spray pattern, current spray devices are sprayed through very small holes to provide an irregular spray pattern. More paint is delivered to the center of the spray than the perimeter. In a factory setting where a wide swath of paint is required, a complex set up of many nozzles must be designed and the proximity to each other is finely controlled so that it is close to a uniform spray. Of course, if one of the nozzles is clogged, the entire paint session is compromised. In addition, the high pressures used in these systems quickly wear the nozzle, reduce spray quality, and require periodic observation and replacement.

Another serious drawback to almost all conventional paint sprayers is overspray. For example, a fog of paint particles is created by an atomization process, which fills the entire room with small droplets, which adhere to all surfaces. Also, overspray is a hazardous material, and most spray paints are sprayed with a mask to prevent inhalation of paint droplets and can be life-threatening. At the factory setting, the spray paint is normally sprayed in a sealed box or small room with special ventilation for ventilation. The application of spray paint in a private home must protect these surfaces by bringing the plastic sheet into close contact with all surfaces that are not covered by the paint. Even adjacent rooms must be protected in this way. Overspray is considered a waste of paint, sometimes overspray reaches over 30% of the total paint sprayed and is a serious loss considering paint and cleaning costs.

Another disadvantage of conventional spray paint methods is bounce back. In particular, the atomization process also periodically generates strong air blast at high velocity around the paint droplet. An air blast air flow is reflected from the application target and pushes another droplet on their way into the target away from the target. As a side effect of the bounce back, many existing paint sprayers can not fill a crack with a depth of less than 2 mm or a small width of the paint to any depth. Another disadvantage to high velocity air streams that cause bounce back is that if a high velocity air stream is blown onto the droplet, the droplet may dry out before the droplet hits the target.

Also, most of the electric paint systems are made up of many parts and are therefore difficult to clean and repair. Cleaning the spray can take hours, even the best sprays, or even overnight.

Changing the paint color in the middle of the application project is not an option in conventional equipment. Also, conventional systems are only suitable for one kind of liquid, i.e., paint. Thus, the user needs to purchase a completely different apparatus to supply other liquids such as pesticides or air fresheners.

In addition, current motorized painting systems require a significant amount of energy, high pressure, electrical cords, battery packs, or pumps to supply paint to the surface.

Cooling by water evaporation is another common application of atomisers and presents its own challenges. Inexpensive cooling mists are difficult to atomize and produce uncomfortable and inefficient spray. For example, a large droplet generated by these low-cost atomization apparatuses is inconvenient because it is practically impossible to be seated immediately in the atomization path and the air flow path. Secondly, conventional atomizing devices produce particles of fairly large size and most of them do not evaporate at all and do not produce a cooling effect.

The more expensive mist cooling system improves spraying quality. However, the high pressure required to produce the particulates has an undesirable effect of increasing the moisture in the device environment. For example, water flow from a minimum of four nozzle installations is rarely less than 0.116 gallons per minute, but generally more, and the device increases the humidity of 2,000 cubic feet of air from 50% to over 70%. At this level, the evaporative cooling system is greatly reduced in efficiency. In addition, the added humidity is inconvenient for system users who use the system to cool the system itself. That is, conventional systems negate the user's direct gain by cooling and greatly increase the overall humidity.

Another disadvantage of conventional cooling systems includes the high cost of these devices for the minimum cooling they produce. In addition, the cooling device is commonly used to control the operation of the compressor, the operation of the fan large enough to operate a high level of mist, and the uncomfortably large amounts of noise generated above 60 decibels from the rather noisy hissing noise of the nozzles Production. Also, current cooling devices typically produce mist from one splay nozzle at a time and require multiple nozzles for improved cooling. Finally, as the atomization concentrates all the droplets in a very small area around a small point where they are sprayed, the optimum sprayer is easily distracted, easily re-condenses on uncomfortable, soft surfaces There is an additional disadvantage of creating heavy fog.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a system that is simple in structure, easy to assemble, quiet, capable of providing spraying in a consistent manner, and easy to maintain and clean with adaptability during use.

The present invention provides a spray device and a method for implementing the same. Various embodiments of apparatus and methods are provided.

The device of the present invention provides a fine mist with particles that are certainly smaller than those in the prior art. The fine mist is part of the result of the design of the apparatus of the present invention, depending on the combination of the two processes, the first being limited adhesion of the liquid on the filament and the second being the controlled adhesion of the filament, It is vibration. The liquid is released from the filaments in the stream after the filaments have been snapped and then undergoes a vibration process in which the filaments are bent forward and back through the neutral position.

In particular, the apparatus of the present invention comprises a brush and a contact plate, wherein the contact plate comprises a plurality of capillary openings. The liquid is fed into a cavity or space below the capillary opening of the capillary to be absorbed into the capillary opening without additional force. During operation of the device, the capillary tube is deficient in liquid and never supplies enough liquid to fill them to the limit that the capillary action allows. Instead, the meniscus at the top of the tube is bent into an exaggerated hyperbola, and only a small edge of the liquid is in contact at the top. As the brush contacts the contact plate, the filaments are dragged one by one over the capillary openings and a small amount of liquid inside the capillary openings (in the range of 0.00001 cubic centimeters) adheres to each filament of the brush. As the brush continues to rotate, the filaments maintain contact with the contact plate and carry the liquid. The liquid is then pulverized into smaller portions, and when the filaments are released from contact with the contact plate and vibrate, the liquid is released from the filaments, which are discharged one at a time as the direction changes. When the brush is spinning about its axis, the liquid is discharged at approximately 180 degrees from the contact plate. The contact plate may comprise a compressed radius, wherein the filaments continue the banding and ejecting action to deform the filament from their rest state, causing the filament to drop the liquid prior to the ejection point And accumulate and release their elastic potential energy without causing any impacts. The compression radius prevents the accumulation of excess liquid at the discharge point.

When a liquid of water viscosity is used, the depth of the closed cavity beneath the contact plate is fixed to about 1-2 millimeters, providing a very simple, inexpensive and important way of continuously supplying the liquid without overflowing the capillary opening do. By capillary and other forces acting on the liquid in the defined confined space, the space is evenly distributed throughout the area beneath the capillary tube, without allowing the formation of full-size droplets that deteriorate the atomization quality when attached to the filaments . This is accomplished with a simple mechanical structure without moving parts. Also, depending on the various properties of the water-like liquids acting in this small space, it prevents the gravity from collecting too much liquid in any one place, thereby preventing the filaments from overflowing, It also allows us to use the device in the direction. When this device is used to atomize a liquid of water viscosity, the space is 1 to 2 mm deep and at that distance the water is dispersed and fills the space according to the natural viscosity of the water, the capillary action and the adhesive powers. An excessive amount of liquid is prevented from entering the space and these natural powers maintain the liquid inside the space with certainty so long as the liquid does not drag a small amount by the adhesive force, It is permitted to prevent the device from leaving from the top and to use the device even upside down in any direction without the liquid coming out of the space due to forces other than the adhesion of the filaments.

A particular design of the device releases about 180 degrees of liquid absorbed on the filament or bristles from the contact plate, which provides liquid to the filament. Conversely, most conventional spray devices that generate spray using flicking spray about 90 degrees from the snap bar.

After the filament snaps from the contact plate, the liquid released from the stream begins approximately one-third of a second, which is also the time required for the first oscillation. This stream is then continued for a fraction of a second. In contrast, a conventional atomizing device bounces a droplet of a large size directly from the moment the filament is released. That is, the system of the present invention includes a vibration function that produces much smaller droplets than conventional low rpm devices that do not include a vibration function.

As the brush contacts the contact plate, a very small amount of liquid inside the capillary opening is attached to the tip of the filament of the brush. The limited adhesion properties of the device are such that the amount of liquid available to each filament is about 0.00001 cubic centimeters when the filament is dragged over the capillary opening. In contrast, conventional devices allow filaments to access larger amounts of liquid at this stage, and the natural forces cause the filaments to absorb more than a few times more liquid than current devices, thereby greatly increasing the size of subsequently emitted particles Thereby lowering the spraying quality. Only ultra-high RPM devices can effectively atomize the amount of liquid, leading to high cost energy and noise. As a result of the limited adhesion process, the apparatus of the present invention can produce fine spray at 800 to even 400 rpm, which is a thousandth of a millimeter of rpm required by other apparatus to achieve good atomization.

The atomization of the liquid from the device is the result of releasing the bent filament from the contact plate and the filament returns to its resting or normal linear position. Specifically, after release, the filament travels through the normal linear position to the flexed position before returning to the normal linear position. Vibration produces spray because the acceleration generated from vibration is comparable to that of a spinning disk atomization system that rotates at 3,500 rpm. After the filament is released, the vibration continues, and since the filament is in axial spin conformation, the liquid is discharged 180 degrees from the contact plate. This vibration process also significantly reduces spraying by splitting a small amount of liquid on the filament head into a smaller amount of liquid. Only one droplet is emitted by each vibration of the filament. The determination of the frequency and the strength that provides vibration of sufficient force to atomize the liquid depends on the various properties of the filament material, the thickness, the length, and the understanding of the amount of bending of the filament prior to discharge. Spray by vibration prevents overspray and the particles are all released at the same forward speed as the parallel forward momentum at the extreme end of the oscillation cycle. Thus they do not hover away from the stream like other conventional pressure sprayer products. In addition, the vibration automatically releases the particles one at a time, thereby providing the advantage of a highly diffused swath of the spray particles separated from each other.

The length of the filament may be any suitable length. For example, a short filament length produces a faster snap to release liquid from the filament. Short filaments are suitable for emitting high viscosity liquids such as paint. A large rotational speed increases the snap force. Filaments can be made of any material with elastic potential energy during deformation, including stainless steel, spring steel and other materials.

No bounce-back: This device does not generate airflow accompanied by a droplet because the airflow generated by rotating the filament is almost negligible. At the same time, the device can produce liquid particles or droplets that are ejected at a rate faster than the forward momentum generated by the rotation of the filaments, since the speed of the snap is indicative of the rotational speed of the brush. For example, when the brush rotates at about 900 rpm, a forward speed of 2 m / s occurs, and a snap of the filament falling from the contact plate adds an additional 2 m / s to the speed of the droplet to be sprayed. The combination of a droplet with a high air velocity and a surrounding air with a low velocity means that the droplet is ahead of the air flow without being interrupted, instead of a "bounce back". As a result, this device is suitable for spraying with paint to cover the inside of a crack of a thin substrate with a width of 1 mm and a depth of 10 mm or more.

The present invention provides a spray device comprising a contact plate comprising an upper plate and a lower plate, wherein the upper plate and the lower plate are spaced apart to define a space therebetween. The top plate includes a plurality of capillary openings extending from the top surface through the top plate to the bottom surface. Wherein the apparatus further comprises a liquid source in fluid communication with the space, the liquid source supplying a limited amount of liquid to the space and the plurality of capillary openings, the brush comprising a plurality of filaments, .

As the brush rotates in the first radial direction, the filament is bent as it is in contact with the contact plate and loosened when the contact with the contact plate is released so that liquid is ejected from the filament, and the portion of the contact plate, And the radius is reduced along a path along the first radial direction.

In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a cylindrical housing, the housing including a contact plate and a rotating brush, the housing including an opening, and as the brush rotates, liquid from the filament is passed through the opening . The housing may include an upper portion and a lower portion, the contact plate being located in the lower portion, and the opening being located in the upper portion.

In yet another example, the apparatus includes an arcuate barrier extending below the contact plate about a portion of the brush, the arcuate barrier collecting a portion of the liquid emitted from the filament, do. The barrier may also collect large unfractionated droplets that are immediately released from the contact plate by the filament. Large droplets are the sole product of many conventional spray devices. In contrast, the apparatus removes large droplets from the stream and maintains the desired small droplet size in the form of mist. In addition, the barrier may capture droplets discharged backward by the vibration of the filament. That is, only the liquid sprayed from the filament in the forward direction by the vibration becomes a mist finally. The liquid ejected from the backward oscillation motion may be collected by the barrier.

The rotation of the brush may be driven by a motor or manually. For example, the apparatus is configured to convert 600 mL of liquid per hour to mist.

In one embodiment, the apparatus may dispense liquid from the filament, and the liquid may be injected in the form of liquid particles, wherein at least 50% of the liquid particles have a diameter size of less than 100 microns. The apparatus may be adapted to produce liquid particles having a size therebetween of between 20 μm and 350 μm. The apparatus may be adapted to produce liquid particles having a size therebetween of between 20 μm and 100 μm.

The diameter of the capillary opening may be between 0.5 mm and 2.0 mm in between. For example, the diameter of the capillary bore is 1 mm, 1.5 mm, 2 mm or 2.5 mm.

The capillary opening may contain liquid and a portion of the liquid carried by the filament is discharged from the about 180 degree filament from the contact plate and about 180 degrees is measured along the radial path of the rotating brush.

The liquid source can control the release of liquid to maintain the amount of liquid in the capillary opening, so that the liquid does not overflow onto the top surface of the top plate. In one example, the liquid source includes a positive pressure source, and the static pressure maintains the amount of liquid between the top plate and the bottom plate.

The present invention also provides a spraying method comprising the steps of providing a spraying apparatus as described above. The method further comprises rotating the brush so that the filament contacts the contact plate, the filament absorbing a portion of the liquid supplied to the filament from the capillary opening. As the brush rotates in the first radial direction, the filament is bent as it is in contact with the contact plate and loosened when the contact with the contact plate is released, causing the liquid to be ejected from the filament and the portion of the contact plate, And the radius decreases along a path along the first radial direction.

The method comprises the steps of: when the contact with the contact plate is released, the filament vibrates between a forward and a backward bending position through a linear position, and when the filament changes direction at a forward bending position and at a rear bending position, do.

Advantages of the apparatus provided herein include providing a cost effective and energy efficient atomizing apparatus that is more expensive than a device using a high rpm disk or brush or using a high pressure to dispense liquid. In this device, energy is consumed only when atomization occurs. In contrast, in a conventional device, most of the energy required for the device is consumed to maintain a constant power supply to the device, and even most of the power is not used for actual atomization.

Another advantage of this device is that it is quiet. Spraying by filament vibration produces very little noise that can be comfortably used in residential environments. The unit may operate below 50 decibels at a distance of 6 feet from the unit, within the recommended sound pressure range of the residential area. For example, many current mist cooling systems are more than 10 times more than 60 decibels.

Another advantage of the device provided herein is that the device can be used to dispense, in particular paint, insecticide, air freshener, in contrast to current mist or atomizing devices designed only to spray one type of substance. The apparatus may comprise an exchangeable rotating brush and barrier which may be selected depending on the type of material or liquid used. For example, it can be seen that it is advantageous for the user to use water and other rotary brushes when using latex-based paint. For example, a stiffer bristle may be advantageous when the device is used with paint.

Another advantage of this device is that it produces a moderate spray rate than other conventional devices. As a result, the user of the device can apply the spray at a more manageable speed of 1 inch per second to paint the correct trim line to 1/16 of an inch. Therefore, this device can be easily operated by not only experts but also everyone.

Another advantage of this device when used for mist cooling is that it allows the user to comfortably create a fine and highly diffused cooling mist and direct the stream to the user side. A direct stream can also provide sufficient cooling with much more efficient water use than other systems because of the inconvenience that the direct stream of the other system must cool the entire atmosphere around the object. Because of the use of much less water for evaporation, this device does not increase the humidity of the environment as much as their systems.

Another advantage of this device is that it sprays over the entire length of the brush as well as just one point. Diffusion of liquid produces a more uniform paint coverage.

Another advantage of the device provided herein is that the device is not clogged, unlike most commercial spray devices. There is no passage of less than about 1 millimeter for water spray and less than about 2 millimeters for paint spray, so there is sufficient space to allow all common particles of common liquid to pass through without clogging. Also, in the example of dispensing latex paint, the apparatus does not require dilution of the paint before dispensing.

Another advantage of the device provided herein is that the device is easy to disassemble and clean and convenient.

Another advantage of the device disclosed herein is that the device is designed to easily change the swath size of the mist extruded from the device during use. For example, a width of spray that is 20 feet or more in length may be produced, which is generally not achieved by other conventional systems that do not use multiple nozzles. In addition, the width dimensions produced by the apparatus can be varied during use of the apparatus.

Another advantage of the present invention is a substantial reduction in overspray. That is, the device prevents the loss of excess spray which is sacrificed as waste. Because there is little overspray, the device does not spray droplets in all directions, such as a conventional spray device that creates a cloud of mist that a user must avoid to inhale. Instead, the device produces a spray with a direct line of paint droplets. Another advantage of the device is that the device can be used in any orientation within some forms. In contrast, conventional sprays can only be used in one direction. This device may be tilted or inverted during use.

Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the embodiments will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following description and the annexed drawings, which may be learned by the practice of the embodiments. The objects and advantages of the inventive concepts may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities, instrumentalities, and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

According to the present invention, the above-described problems can be achieved.

The drawings illustrate one or more implementations consistent with the inventive concept in an exemplary but non-limiting manner. In the drawings, like reference numerals designate the same or similar elements.
1 is a side view of an embodiment of a spraying device;
2 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a spraying device including a housing;
3 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of an atomizing apparatus including a barrier.
Figures 4A-4C are side views of embodiments of filaments contacting a capillary opening.
Figures 5A-5E are side views of embodiments of filaments before and after contact with the contact plate is released.
6 is an exploded view of an embodiment of a contact plate;

Figure 1 shows an embodiment of an atomization device 10 provided by the present invention and the apparatus 10 comprises a contact plate 12, a liquid source 26 and a brush 28. The contact plate 12 includes an upper plate 14 and a lower plate 16. The upper plate 14 and the lower plate 16 are connected such that the connecting portion 17 surrounds the space 18 between the upper plate 14 and the lower plate 16. The top plate 14 is connected to the bottom plate 16 by any suitable connector 17 as shown in Figs. The connector 17 may include, but is not limited to, a wall, a screw, a nail, a bolt, a latch, and the like. In addition, the connector 17 can be any suitable material, such as plastic. Alternatively, the top plate 14 and the bottom plate 14 may be directly connected to each other by, for example, welding, bonding or any suitable adhesive.

The top plate 14 includes a plurality of capillary openings 20 extending through the top plate 14 from the top surface 22 to the bottom surface 24. The capillary opening 20 absorbs the liquid based on the capillary action from the space 18 under the top plate 14 and allows the liquid to adhere to the head of the filament 30 when the filament is in contact with the top of the opening, ≪ / RTI > The diameter of the capillary opening 20 can be increased or decreased in accordance with the liquid having a different viscosity or can be increased or decreased to change the projected droplet size. The capillary openings 20 may be arranged in a suitable manner to ensure that the filaments 30 access the liquid in the capillary openings 20 for atomization within a given process. For example, the capillary openings 20 may be arranged in a staggered grid pattern.

The diameter of the capillary opening 20 can be any suitable diameter for creating a spray of liquid. The diameter of the capillary opening 20 may be at least 0.1 mm, at least 0.3 mm, at least 0.5 mm, at least 0.7 mm, at least 0.9 mm, or at least 1.1 mm. Alternatively, or additionally, the diameter of the capillary opening 20 is less than 3 mm, less than 2 mm, less than 1.5 mm, less than 1.3 mm, less than 1.1 mm, less than 0.9 mm, less than 0.7 mm, or less than 0.5 mm. The diameter of the capillary opening 20 may be defined by any two of the endpoints. For example, the diameter of the capillary opening 20 may be between 0.5 mm and 1.5 mm, between 0.9 mm and 1.1 mm, between 0.7 mm and 1.3 mm, or between 0.9 mm and 1.3 mm, and may include the same. In one embodiment, the diameter of capillary aperture 20 is 1 mm.

The space between the top plate 14 and the bottom plate 16 may be approximately 0.5 mm to 2 mm, for example 1 mm. In the case of a liquid having a viscosity of water, due to the proximity of the top plate 14 and the bottom plate 16 in addition to the capillary action interplay, the device 10 can be used in any direction. That is, the contact plate 12 suitably supplies the liquid to the filament 30 through the capillary orifice 20 in any orientation of the device, including vertical or inverted.

A portion of the contact plate 12 also includes a spirally curved surface to which the filament 30 contacts. As the brush 28 rotates in the first radial direction, the radius of the helical curved surface decreases along a path along the first radial direction. As a result, as the filament 30 approaches the end of the helical curved surface, the filament 30 of the brush becomes more and more warped.

The advantage of the top plate 14, including the helical curved surface, is to prevent accumulation of liquid behind the strike plate, which is a common element in conventional atomisers used to snap bristles and eject the droplets do. The liquid accumulated behind the strike plate generally adheres to subsequent bristles, dramatically increasing the droplet size to be sprayed and adversely affecting atomization. The helical curved surface of the top plate 14 holds the optimal amount of liquid on the filament 30 and the liquid is accumulated on the top surface 22 of the top plate 14 and then absorbed by the filament 30 to be sprayed Adverse effects are prevented.

The apparatus 10 further includes a liquid source 26 in fluid communication with the space 18 and the liquid source 26 supplies liquid to the space 18 and a plurality of capillary openings 20 ) Accesses the liquid from the space (18). 1 to 3, the liquid source may be attached to the lower plate 16, for example, through an opening in the lower plate 16, and liquid may flow from the liquid source 26 into the space 18 Can flow. The liquid source 26 may supply any suitable liquid to the space 18. [

The liquid source 26 may control the release of liquid to maintain the amount of liquid in the space 18 such that the liquid does not overflow the capillary opening 20 and the top surface 22 of the top plate 14. [ In one embodiment, the liquid source 26 includes a positive pressure source, which maintains a liquid amount between the top plate 14 and the bottom plate 16.

The liquid source 26 may be located externally from the contact plate 12. Alternatively or additionally, the liquid source 26 may be located within the housing 34 discussed below. In addition, the liquid source 20 may be in fluid communication with a liquid reservoir that supplies liquid to the liquid source 20.

For example, if the amount of liquid supplied from the liquid source 26 is too great, the device 10 does not produce a consistent mist of liquid and dispenses large, inconsistent droplets. Alternatively, if the amount of liquid supplied from the liquid source 26 is too low, the device 10 may not produce a consistent mist of liquid, but instead may have a gap in its spray. Preferably, the liquid source controls the release of liquid to maintain the amount of liquid in the capillary opening less than the total capacity of the capillary opening.

The liquid supplied by the liquid source 20 may be selected from the group consisting of water, paint, insecticide, air freshener, fuel, pharmaceutical coatings, industrial coatings, industrial oils, cooking oils, body creams, flammable liquids or petroleum derivatives or combinations thereof But is not limited to, any suitable type of liquid. In the principal embodiment described herein, the spray device 10 generally has a shear thinning characteristic (i. E., A flow resistance of the flow is reduced as the shear stress rate is increased) Lt; / RTI > However, one of ordinary skill in the art will be able to make minor modifications to the elements of the system described herein for liquids that are not shear thinning materials, based on the solution and description provided herein.

The apparatus 10 also includes a brush 28 that includes a plurality of filaments 30 that emanate from the central axis 32 of the rotating brush 28. As the brush 28 rotates in the first radial direction with the filament head in contact with the plate, liquid is adhered to the filament head from within the capillary opening, and the filament 30, when the filament contacts the contact plate 12, And the filament is loosened when the contact with the contact plate 12 is released, so that the liquid is injected from the filament 30. When the contact between the filament 30 and the contact plate 12 is released, a vibration process is started, which atomizes the liquid on the filament and drops one by one for each vibration. Alternatively, the brush 28 may be linear, wherein the filaments 30 extend from one side of the brush 28. In such an example, instead of rotating the brush, the horizontal brush 28 may slide or vibrate on the contact plate 12.

The filament 30 may be made of various materials having flexibility. In one example, the filament 30 may comprise a flexible material. The flexible level of the filament 30 should be such that as the filament 30 contacts the contact plate 12, the filament 30 is bent or bent from its original orientation. As the filament 30 is released from the contact barrier 12, the filament 30 rapidly vibrates until the filament 30 returns to its original linear orientation and liquid is released from the filament 30 at each oscillation.

As will be described later, upon ejection, the filament 30 typically not only springs back to its original orientation, but also continues past the original orientation into the forward bending position and then back to its linear position. The filament 30 can then be bent back to the backward bending position, after which the filament 30 is returned to its linear position. This oscillation from the forward flexure position to the back flexure position causes the liquid to leave the filament 30 and produce mist or mist whenever the filament is moved away from the forward flexure position to the rear flexure position. The filaments 30 are flexible enough to bend and return to their original orientation to allow liquid on the filaments 30 to be injected in the form of mist. In the example of the filament 30 having a length of one inch, the filament 30 may vibrate about 20 times before returning to the neutral linear position.

The filaments 30 can be uniformly dispersed on the rotary brush 24. [ Alternatively, the filaments 30 may be arranged in any number of patterns, such as rows along the rotating brush. The size of the droplet to be ejected can be moderated by changing the distribution of the filaments 30 across the face or surface of the central axis 32 of the brush 28. When the filament 30 is spread widely on the surface of the central axis 32, more discreet individual droplets are ejected. Further, the filament 30 may extend in the vertical direction from the surface of the brush 24. [ Alternatively, the filament 30 may be extended at an angle other than the vertical direction, such as being inclined rearwardly from the rotational direction, to eject droplets in a direction proximate to a line extending outwardly from the center of the brush (brush 24) As opposed to the tangential line of droplets being ejected by the filament 30 extending perpendicularly from the tangential line.

The length of the filament 30 may be any suitable length for generating atomization of the liquid. The filament 30 may have a length of 10 mm or more, 15 mm or more, 20 mm or more, 25 mm or more, 30 mm or more, 35 mm or more, or 40 mm or more. Alternatively, or in addition, the length of the filament 30 may be less than 50 mm, less than 45 mm, less than 40 mm, less than 35 mm, less than 30 mm, less than 25 mm, or less than 20 mm. The filament has a length defined by any two of the end points described above. For example, the length of the filament 30 may be between 15 mm and 50 mm, between 25 and 30 mm, between 20 and 40 mm, or between 25 and 35 mm.

In one example, the rotary brush 28 is interchangeable. For example, the user can replace the rotating brush 28 with, for example, a filament 30 of different density or a brush 28 with a different pattern of filaments 30, It is possible to generate unconditionally and a pattern.

The rotary brush 28 may be driven by an electric motor 44. Alternatively, the rotary brush 28 may be driven by a passive crank, such as a thumb roller. In either case, the user can specify or otherwise control the rotational speed of the brush 28. [ In one example, the apparatus 10 is configured to convert 500 mL to 800 mL of liquid into an hourly spray. For example, the apparatus can be configured to convert 600 mL of liquid to an hourly spray.

In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the apparatus 10 includes a housing 34. In one example, the housing 34 is typically cylindrical. However, the size and shape of the housing 34 are not limited. 2 illustrates a conventional cylindrical housing 34, the housing may be of various shapes adapted to support the spray device 10. [ The housing 34 may include a contact plate 12 and a rotating brush 28. The housing 34 includes an opening 36 through which the liquid from the filament 30 is injected through the opening 36 as the brush 28 rotates. For example, the housing 34 can include an upper portion 38 and a lower portion 40, wherein the contact plate 12 is positioned within the lower portion 40 and the opening portion 36 is positioned within the upper portion 38 do.

The shape of the opening 36 may be any suitable shape. For example, the shape of the opening 36 may be generally rectangular, square, circular, or elliptical. The opening 36 may be a narrow slit, a small circular opening, or a large rectangular opening. In addition, the housing 34 can include one or more openings 36, thus allowing the device 10 to provide a variety of spray patterns. For example, the upper portion 38 of the housing 34 may include a row or series of small openings 36.

In an embodiment, the size of the opening 36 in the upper portion 38 of the housing 34 is adjustable. For example, the opening 36 can be manually or automatically enlarged or reduced. In the case of manual operation, the opening 36 may have an adjustable component so that the user can change the shape of the opening during use. Also, the capillary openings 20 can be opened or closed in a particular group, which allows a customized liquid spray swath.

3, the device 10 includes an arcuate barrier 42 extending from below the contact plate 12 to the periphery of a portion of the brush 28, and the arcuate barrier 42 A part of the liquid radiated from the filament 30 can be collected. The barrier may be part of the housing 34. Alternatively, the barrier 42 may be added to the housing 34.

3, the barrier 42 extends from the contact plate 12 below the contact plate 12 to about 90 degrees, where about 90 degrees are measured along the radial path of the filament 30. [ In this example, the barrier 42 can collect any liquid that radiates too quickly at 90 degrees or less. The barrier 42 may be in fluid communication with the liquid source 26 such that the collected liquid may be supplied back to the liquid source 26.

In the case of a radial rotation of the brush with filaments, a portion of the liquid carried by the filament 30 is discharged from the filament in spray form at about 180 degrees from the contact plate 12 and is directed along the radial path of the rotating brush 28 About 180 degrees is measured. Since the atomization does not occur until the filament 30 vibrates and the vibration starts after the filament 30 is rotated by 90 degrees, the direction of the jetted droplet is 180 degrees from the contact plate 12. [ In contrast to conventional sprayers that spray liquid at about 90 degrees from a snap plate without a vibrating process, the apparatus injects the spray at about 180 degrees from the contact plate 12. [

The device 10 may be configured to produce spray particles of any suitable size or shape. For example, to produce large particles, the rotational speed of the rotating brush 28 may be slowed, the amount of liquid supplied to the filament 30 may be increased, the diameter of the capillary bore may be increased, The thickness of the filament 30 can be increased, the rigidity of the filament 30 can be reduced, or they can be combined. Further, in order to reduce the size of the liquid particles extruded from the apparatus 10, the rotational speed of the rotary brush 28 can be increased, the amount of liquid supplied to the filament 30 can be reduced, The thickness of the filament 30 can be reduced, the rigidity of the filament 30 can be increased, or they can be combined. The shape of the particles can be spherical, ovular, torpedo shaped, cylindrical and bullet-shaped. Further, the device 10 can be configured to spray liquid particles with varying distances, for example increasing the stiffness of the filaments 30 can result in a longer distance of the particles than the filament 30 having a reduced stiffness It can be sprayed. Finally, the device rapidly atomizes the liquid, which allows the liquid to evaporate immediately into the gas, thereby skipping the intermediate step of small particle generation completely.

The liquid particles may have an average size (that is, an average particle diameter) of 10 mu m or more, 20 mu m or more, 30 mu m or more, 40 mu m or more, or 60 mu m or more. Alternatively or additionally, the liquid particles may have a particle size of 350 mu m or less, 300 mu m or less, 200 mu m or less, 180 mu m or less, 160 mu m or less, 150 mu m or less, 120 mu m or less, 100 mu m or less, Diameter < / RTI > The liquid particles may have an average particle size defined by any two of the end points described above. For example, the liquid particles may have a particle diameter of from 10 탆 to 20 탆, from 10 탆 to 50 탆, from 10 탆 to 200 탆, from 20 탆 to 100 탆, from 20 탆 to 3500 탆, from 50 탆 to 120 탆, And may have an average particle size of 60 mu m to 100 mu m. In one example, the apparatus 10 can inject liquid from the filament 30, and the liquid can be injected in droplet form, with more than 50% of the droplets having a diameter size of less than 100 microns.

In one embodiment, the apparatus 10 is configured to produce about seven droplets of an average diameter size of 115 microns per complete oscillation cycle of each filament, such that the filament 30 has a liquid adhesion of about 800 cycles per minute And when vibrating, about 0.25 mL of liquid per hour per filament 30 is converted to spray.

The present invention also provides a spray method comprising providing an optional embodiment of the spraying apparatus 10 described above. The method further includes the step of rotating the brush 28 such that the filament 30 contacts the contact plate 12 wherein the filament 30 is in fluid communication with the filament 30 in a capillary opening 20, . As shown in Figures 4 (a) to 4 (c), when about 100 filaments 30 pass over the capillary opening 20 at one time, the height of the meniscus-shaped liquid inside the capillary opening 20 By about 1 mm, where the capillary opening has a diameter of 1.1 mm. This absorbs about 0.00001 cubic centimeters of liquid by each passing over the capillary tube, according to a rough estimate of the item 0019 of each filament: 100 times 0.00001 cubic cc = .001 cubic cc, or about 1 cubic millimeter, The volume of liquid lost in.

As the brush 28 rotates in the first radial direction, the filament 30 is bent when it comes into contact with the contact plate 12, and the contact with the contact plate 12 is released and relaxed, Liquid is injected. 5 (a) to 5 (d), after the filament 30 is released from the contact plate 12, the filament 30 is returned to the neutral position and then the contact plate 12 In the opposite direction. The filament 30 then returns to the neutral position and then bends back past the neutral position, which injects one droplet every time the direction is changed. The specific oscillation period of the filament 30 that is bent beyond the neutral or linear position of the filament 30 produces the atomization of the present invention. That is, the bristles of conventional sprayers are bent back and then simply snap forward, applying a flicking motion instead of the vibration motion used by the device of the present invention to return to their linear position.

0.012 nylon filament 30 of 1 inch length produces 22 cycles of vibration or about 44 recoil. In a vibration test, a length of 0.012 filament of "diameter 1" can produce a flow of individual droplets separated by equal spacing over a range of 22 droplets per 1/4 second in one direction. The apparatus 10 utilizes approximately the first 15% of the vibration when operating at 600 rpm. With each vibration, the filament injects one droplet of liquid adhered to the end of the filament 30 forward of rotation and the other backward. The acceleration at the direction reversal point is similar to the power concentrated at the spraying point of the spinning disk spray system rotating at 3500 rpm.

6 shows an embodiment of the contact plate 12 wherein the lower plate 16 includes a stay 46 extending vertically from the upper surface of the lower plate 16 to the lower surface 24 of the upper plate 14, . The lower plate 16 also includes a plurality of liquid sources 26 so that liquid is supplied to the individual spaces 18 between the stays 46. As a result, the liquid source 26 is adapted to supply a liquid to a portion of the capillary stays between the stays 46. This example is particularly suitable for spraying highly viscous liquids such as paints, which are not suitable for capillary plate designs for use in water, which can be used in all directions.

The stays 46 allow the device to be used in various directions. That is, the device 10 may be tilted during use while maintaining adequate spray performance. Without the stay 46, when the device is tilted, all of the liquid in the space 18 is received at one end of the space 18. As a result, only the capillary opening 20 at the end where the liquid is received absorbs the liquid, and thus the availability of the liquid to the filament 30 is changed. In contrast, when the stay 46 is engaged between the upper plate 14 and the lower plate 16, the apparatus 10 can be inclined only at one end without accumulating liquid. Instead, the stays 46 must ensure that the proper amount of liquid is accessed by both of the plurality of capillary openings 20 regardless of the orientation 10 of the device.

The apparatus 10 may further include an overflow mechanism in which the apparatus 10 is configured to maintain a suitable amount of liquid in the liquid source 20 to produce a constant liquid spray. The overflow mechanism may be any mechanical or electrical device configured to hold a certain amount of liquid in the liquid source 26. The overflow mechanism is adapted to allow the overflow mechanism to direct the excess liquid to a liquid reservoir or liquid reservoir to store excess liquid or to direct the liquid to the liquid reservoir if the amount of liquid in accordance with the feedback from the liquid source 26 exceeds the optimal amount of the apparatus 10 to produce a continuous mist. And is in communication with the source 26. The overflow mechanism may allow the overflow mechanism to store an excess of liquid in the liquid source or to overflow the liquid source in the liquid source, if the amount of liquid exceeds the optimal amount of the apparatus 10 to produce an appropriate atomization in response to feedback from the space 18. [ To communicate with the space (18) so as to direct the liquid to the chamber (26). In another embodiment, the apparatus 10 may include a float valve configured to hold a certain amount of liquid in the space 18. [ Alternatively, the predetermined level or height of the liquid in the space 18 may be made adjustable using an adjustment knob.

The apparatus 10 may further include an air force mechanism that provides an air flow that assists in generating spray. The air force mechanism may be any mechanism that provides airflow, including, but not limited to, a fan. For example, the airflow may flow along the length of the rotary brush 28. Alternatively, the air force mechanism may provide airflow that is tangential to the direction of rotation of the rotating brush 28. For example, the air force mechanism provides air in the direction of the opening 36 in the housing 34 to assist in the release of liquid from the filament furnace 30. The air force mechanism can provide a cooling effect, for example, when the liquid is water.

It will be apparent that various changes and modifications may be made by those skilled in the art to the embodiments described herein. Such changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and without diminishing its attendant advantages. For example, various embodiments for the device 10 may be provided based on various combinations of features and functions from the subject matter provided herein.

Claims (20)

A top plate and a bottom plate spaced apart defining a space therebetween, said top plate comprising a plurality of capillaries extending from the top surface of the top plate through the bottom surface of the top plate, An opening;
A liquid source in fluid communication with said space, said liquid source supplying liquid to said space and said plurality of capillary openings; And
A brush including a plurality of filaments emitted from a central axis of the rotary brush; Lt; / RTI >
When the brush is rotated in a first radial direction, the filament is bent when it contacts the contact plate, relaxes when contact with the contact plate is released, and liquid from the filament is injected, A portion of the plate includes a spirally curved surface contacting the filament, the radius being reduced along a path along the first radial direction
. ≪ / RTI >
The method according to claim 1,
The housing further comprising a housing, the housing including the contact plate and the rotating brush, the housing including an opening,
As the brush rotates, liquid from the filament is ejected through the opening
Spray device.
3. The method of claim 2,
Wherein the housing comprises an upper portion and a lower portion, the contact plate being located in the lower portion, the opening being located in the upper portion.
The method according to claim 1,
Further comprising an arcuate barrier extending from a lower portion of the contact plate about a portion of the brush along a path along the first radial direction, the arcuate barrier collecting a portion of the liquid ejected from the filament, Is in fluid communication with a liquid source.
The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the brush is driven by a motor.
The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the diameter of the capillary opening comprises 2.0 mm and 0.5 mm and comprises a range therebetween.
The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the filament is one inch in length and the filament is nylon.
The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the atomizing device is configured to convert 0.25 mL of liquid to a spray per hour per filament.
The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the atomizing device is adapted to produce liquid particles, wherein at least 50% of the liquid particles have a diameter size of less than or equal to 100 microns.
The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the atomizing apparatus is adapted to produce liquid particles including a range of 20 [mu] m to 350 [mu] m and a range therebetween.
The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the atomizing device is adapted to produce liquid particles comprising a range of 20 [mu] m to 100 [mu] m and a range therebetween.
The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the capillary opening comprises a liquid and a portion of the liquid carried by the filament is ejected from the filament about 180 degrees from the contact plate and the about 180 degrees is measured along a radial path of the rotating brush.
The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the liquid source controls the injection of liquid so as to keep the amount of liquid in the capillary opening smaller than the total capacity of the capillary opening.
The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the liquid source comprises a positive pressure source and wherein the static pressure maintains an amount of liquid between the top plate and the bottom plate.
A top plate and a bottom plate defining a space therebetween, said top plate comprising a plurality of capillary openings extending from the top surface of the top plate through the bottom surface of the top plate, Containing, contact plate;
A brush including a plurality of filaments emitted from a central axis of the rotary brush; And
A liquid source in fluid communication with the space, the liquid source including a liquid source adapted to supply liquid to the space and the plurality of capillary openings;
Rotating the brush in a first radial direction such that the filament contacts the contact plate, the filament absorbing a portion of the liquid from the capillary opening,
Wherein a portion of the contact plate includes a helical curved surface in contact with the filament, the radius is reduced along a path along the first radial direction,
As the brush rotates, the filaments are bent as the filaments contact the contact plate, and the filaments relax when the contact with the contact plate is released and the liquid is ejected from the filaments
≪ / RTI >
16. The method of claim 15,
Wherein the capillary opening comprises a diameter of 1 mm and the liquid in the capillary opening forms a meniscus and after the filament has contacted the liquid in the capillary opening the height of the meniscus is in the range of between 0.9 mm and 1.5 mm / RTI >
16. The method of claim 15,
Wherein the liquid is sprayed about 180 degrees from the contact plate and about 180 degrees is measured along a radial path of the rotary brush.
16. The method of claim 15,
Wherein the liquid is sprayed as liquid particles having a range of 20 mu m to 350 mu m and a range therebetween.
16. The method of claim 15,
Wherein the filament is 1 inch long and the filament is nylon.
16. The method of claim 15,
Wherein when the contact of the filament with the contact plate is released, the filament vibrates between the forward and backward bending positions through the linear position and the liquid is injected whenever the filament is in the forward bending position.

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