Fluid sprinkling – spraying – and diffusing – Processes – Including mixing or combining with air – gas or steam
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-22
2001-11-20
Evans, Robin O. (Department: 3752)
Fluid sprinkling, spraying, and diffusing
Processes
Including mixing or combining with air, gas or steam
C239S290000, C239S291000, C239S296000, C239S298000, C239S299000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06318642
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a nozzle assembly and more particularly, to a nozzle assembly which selectively emits material and which substantially prevents and/or which substantially reduces the amount of turbulence occurring within certain portions of the emitted material, thereby allowing the emitted material to be selectively deposited upon a surface and/or upon a targeted location in a desired manner.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Nozzle assemblies selectively emit various types of materials, such as and without limitation paint, thereby allowing the selectively emitted material to be placed or deposited upon various objects and/or upon one or more “targeted locations” in some desired pattern and/or concentration.
It is oftentimes desirable to cause the deposited material to form or include substantially “well-defined”, substantially straight, “crisp”, and/or “clean” edges or borders in order to allow the deposited material to create an overall aesthetically pleasing appearance and/or to substantially ensure that only the targeted location(s) or object(s) actually receive the emitted material. For example, vehicle paint striping should normally have relatively well-defined and relatively straight edges in order to properly enhance the overall appearance of the vehicle.
While prior nozzle assemblies selectively emit material and allow the selectively emitted material to be placed upon various objects and/or targeted locations, they do not readily provide such well-defined or substantially straight edges due to the creation and/or existence of a relatively turbulent “shear layer” of material which typically occurs at and/or along the edges and/or at and/or along the extremities of the emitted material, and which is typically formed by the entrainment of ambient air into the edge and/or boundary/extremity portions of the emitted material.
There is therefore a need for a new and improved nozzle assembly which allows material to be selectively emitted and deposited upon a targeted location and/or object; which allows the selectively deposited material to form substantially well-defined, relatively straight, and/or “crisp” and/or “clean” edges and/or boundaries which allow the deposited material to provide an overall aesthetically pleasing appearance; and which reduces the likelihood that the selectively emitted material is inadvertently deposited upon non-targeted objects and/or locations.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a first object of the invention to provide a nozzle assembly which overcomes some or all of the previously delineated disadvantages of prior nozzle assemblies.
It is a second object of the invention to provide a nozzle assembly which overcomes some or all of the previously delineated disadvantages of prior nozzle assemblies, which selectively emits material, and which includes a shroud member or portion which substantially reduces and/or eliminates turbulent flow within the emitted material, thereby allowing the selectively emitted material to be deposited in a desired and/or overall aesthetically pleasing manner.
It is a third object of the invention to provide a nozzle assembly which overcomes some or all of the previously delineated disadvantages of prior nozzle assemblies, which selectively emits material, and which includes a shroud member or portion which allows a second material to be emitted which is effective to cause the selectively emitted material to form and/or include substantially well-defined, relatively straight, and/or “clean” and/or “crisp” edges.
According to a first aspect of the present invention a member is provided for use with a nozzle of the type which selectively receives and which selectively emits material having a turbulent shear layer portion. The member is selectively coupled to the nozzle, is generally hollow, and selectively receives and emits a second material, effective to substantially eliminate the shear layer portion.
According to a second aspect of the present invention a nozzle assembly is provided. The nozzle assembly includes a first portion which selectively receives and which selectively emits material in a certain spray pattern, the certain spray pattern having at least one edge; and a second portion which selectively receives and which selectively emits a second material substantially along the at least one edge, effective to allow the emitted material to be deposited upon a certain location.
According to a third aspect of the present invention a method for use in combination with emitted material having a turbulent portion is provided. The method includes the steps of providing a second material; and causing the second material to form a laminar flow shroud which substantially surrounds the emitted material, thereby substantially eliminating the turbulent portion.
These an other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention, by reference to the following claims, and by reference to the attached drawings.
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Goenka Lakhi Nandial
Skender Malgorzata M.
Evans Robin O.
Visteon Global Tech., Inc
Visteon Global Technologies, Inc.
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