Spray nozzle for a spray tool

Abstract

In a spray nozzle with a nozzle housing including a dosing chamber for accommodating a release agent to be sprayed into a mold via a discharge line including a check valve and a nozzle body and a venting unit integrated into the nozzle housing for venting air from the spray nozzle, the volume of the dosing chamber is adjustable and the venting unit is activatable by an activation signal by which the venting unit is moved from a dysfunctional position to a venting and opening position in which the check valve is held open by the venting unit for venting the dosing chamber and the discharge line, via the nozzle body.

Claims

1. A spray nozzle (1) for a spraying tool for spraying a release agent into a mold, comprising a nozzle housing (2) with a dosing chamber (10) into which the release agent can be introduced, a dosing member (9) in the form of a dosing piston insertable into the dosing chamber (10) for changing the volume thereof and resulting in a displacement of the release agent from the dosing chamber (10) via a discharge channel (11) including a check valve (15) to a nozzle body (3) via which the release agent is to be discharged, the check valve (15) having an open and a blocking position, and an active venting unit (14) integrated into the nozzle housing (2) for venting the dosing chamber (10), the venting unit (14) is in the form of a venting piston which is movable along its longitudinal axis between a dysfunctional position and a venting and opening position, the venting piston (14) being operable by application of an activation value capable of automatically transferring the venting piston (14) from the dysfunctional position to the venting and opening position in which the check valve (15) is held in an open position by the venting piston (14), wherein for holding the check valve (15) in the open position in a venting and opening state, the venting piston (14) is adapted to engage the check valve (15), wherein an activation value of the venting piston (14) is the same as an activation value of the dosing piston (9) for changing the volume of the dosing chamber (10), wherein the venting piston (14) is activatable by exceeding a particular threshold of the activation value; wherein the activation value for the venting piston (14) is the pressure of a pressurized control air; wherein the pressurized control air for the dosing piston (9) and for the venting piston (14) is supplied via a common control air supply passage, wherein the venting piston (14) becomes activated upon exceeding a particular threshold of the activation value of pressurized control air of the common control air supply passage, and, wherein, at a certain common lower control air threshold pressure value of the common control air supply passage, only the dosing piston (9) is movably activated for changing the dosing chamber (10) volume while the venting piston (14) remains stationary and, at a certain common higher control air threshold pressure value of the common control air supply passage, both, the dosing piston (9) and the venting piston (14) are both movably activated and the venting piston (14) moves the check valve (15) from the blocking position to the open position for venting the dosing chamber (10).

2. The spray nozzle according to claim 1, wherein the check valve (15) comprises a check valve ball arranged in the discharge channel (11).

3. The spray nozzle according to claim 1, wherein the venting unit (14) is biased toward its dysfunctional position by a spring element (20).

4. A spraying tool with a spray nozzle (1) according to claim 1.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a spray nozzle for a spray tool for spraying a release agent via a nozzle body.

(2) FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the spray nozzle shown in FIG. 1.

(3) FIG. 3 is a top view of the spray nozzle shown in FIG. 1.

(4) FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the spray nozzle taken along line A-A of FIG. 3 showing a dosing member in the spray nozzle for the expulsion of the release agent in a base position.

(5) FIG. 5 is a representation of the spray nozzle as shown in FIG. 4 wherein however the dosing member is shown in the activated position.

(6) FIG. 6 is a view like FIG. 3 showing a different cross-sectional line B-B.

(7) FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the spray nozzle of FIG. 1 taken along the line B-B of FIG. 6.

(8) FIG. 8 shows the spray nozzle as shown in FIG. 7 with the venting unit in the venting and opening position.

(9) FIG. 9 is a bottom view of the spray nozzle indicating the location of cross-section lines M-M and N-N.

(10) FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the spray nozzle taken along line M-M of FIG. 9 showing a dosing member and a check valve in the inlet area of the release agent, and

(11) FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along line N-N of FIG. 9 showing an operating chamber and the inlet opening for the compressed control air.

DESCRIPTION OF A PARTICULAR EMBODIMENT

(12) In the figures identical components are designated by the same reference numerals.

(13) FIGS. 1 and 2 are perspective views of a spray nozzle 1 for spraying a release agent, for example an oil, into a cavity or onto the surface of a mold. The spray nozzle 1, which may be part of a spraying tool, comprises a nozzle housing 2 from which a nozzle body 3 extends which is in the form of a nozzle body ball and is supported in the nozzle housing 2 in a corresponding ball joint so that the nozzle body 3 can be pivoted about up to three rotational axes. Via the nozzle body 3 the release agent is sprayed out in the discharge direction 4 in the form of a spray cloud.

(14) As apparent from the perspective view of the spray nozzle according to FIG. 2 there are several inlet openings 5 to 8 at the bottom side of the spray nozzle 1 via which different media can be supplied to the spray nozzle 1. Via the inlet opening 5 spray air is introduced which is mixed with the release agent to generate a spray cloud which is discharged via the nozzle body 3. The spray air and the release agent are mixed in the nozzle body 3 within an outwardly open cavity 18 or already upstream of the nozzle body 3 in a passage 19 via which the release agent is supplied to the nozzle body 3.

(15) The release agent is supplied to the nozzle housing 2 via another inlet opening 6. There are further two more inlet openings 7 and 8 via which control air is supplied to the spray nozzle 1. The control air is pressurized and is used for controlling the movement of a dosing member for changing the volume of the release agent to be discharged and for controlling the movement of the venting unit in the spray nozzle.

(16) FIGS. 4 and 5 are sectional views taken along line A-A of FIG. 3. They show a cross-section of the nozzle housing 2 of the spray nozzle 1. Shown therein is a dosing member 9 in the nozzle housing 2, in FIG. 4 in the initial position and in FIG. 5 in the displacement position, which dosing member is used for the displacement of the release agent from a dosing chamber 10 via a discharge channel 11 to the nozzle body 3. The dosing member is in the form of a dosing piston 9 whose front end delimits the dosing chamber 10 so that an axial displacement along the longitudinal piston axis of the dosing piston 9 results in a volume reduction of the dosing chamber 10 and a release agent displacement of the same volume out of the dosing chamber 10 toward the nozzle body 3. The dosing piston 9 is axially movably supported in an operating chamber 12 provided in the nozzle housing 2. In the area above the dosing piston 9 control air under an operating or control pressure of for example 6 bar is admitted to the operating chamber 12 whereby the dosing piston 9 is moved from its initial position as shown in FIG. 4 to its displacement position as shown in FIG. 5. This movement is performed against the force of a spring element 13 (FIG. 4) which is supported in the nozzle housing 2 so as to bias the dosing piston 9 into its initial position. After completion of the spraying procedure the pressure of the control air in the upper area of the operating chamber 12 above the dosing piston 9 is reduced whereby the dosing piston 9 is returned by the force of the spring element 13 to its initial position.

(17) The volume of the dosing chamber 10 can be adjusted by a set screw 21 (FIG. 4) which forms a control element. The set screw 21, can be adjusted from without for changing the position of the set screw 21 within the housing. The front end of the set screw 21 forms a stop—or support surface for the dosing piston 9, so that its initial position depends on the position of the set screw 21.

(18) FIGS. 7 and 8 are further cross-sectional views of the spray nozzle taken along line B-B of FIG. 6. The cross-sectional area of the view is angularly displaced with regard to the cross-sectional views of FIGS. 3 to 5. In FIGS. 7 and 8 a venting unit 14 is shown which serves to vent the dosing chamber 10 and possibly also the discharge channel 11 if air has collected in the dosing chamber 10 or, respectively, in the discharge channel 11. In that case normal operation of the spray nozzle that is the spraying of release agent is not possible since, because of the high compressibility of the air in the dosing chamber, the movement of the dosing piston 9 does not result in a proper discharge of the release agent but essentially only to a compression of the air or gas volume in the dosing chamber 10.

(19) The venting unit 14 is in the form of a venting piston which extends in the nozzle housing 2 parallel to the dosing piston but in spaced relationship therefrom. The venting piston 14 is axially movable between the dysfunctional position shown in FIG. 7 and the venting and opening position shown in FIG. 8. The front end of the venting piston 14 faces a check valve 15 in the form of a check valve ball which is arranged in the flow passage of the release agent from the dosing chamber 10 to the nozzle body 3 in a section 11a of the discharge channel 11. The check valve ball 15 is movable between a blocking position and an opening position. In the blocking position (FIG. 7) a flow of release agent or air through the discharge channel 11 is prevented; in the opening position (FIG. 8) the flow is possible.

(20) During regular operation—that is without any air in the dosing chamber 10—the release agent is discharged by the operating movement of the dosing piston 9 via the discharge channel 11 and the nozzle body 3. Herewith the check valve ball 15 is lifted out of the blocking position as shown in FIG. 7 to the opening position as shown in FIG. 8. The opening position is above the blocking position. Upon completion of the discharge procedure the check valve ball 15 moves spring-based from the opening position back to the blocking position.

(21) The venting piston 14 is normally in the retracted initial position as shown in FIG. 7, in which the venting piston does affect the movement of the check valve ball 15. But by the movement of the venting piston 14 out of the dysfunctional position as shown in FIG. 7 to the venting and opening position as shown in FIG. 8 in which the venting piston is raised. The top end of the venting piston 14 pushes the check valve ball 15 off its blocking position to its opening position in which the flow passage through the discharge channel 11 is cleared. With an operating movement of the dosing piston 9 the free volume of the dosing chamber 10 is reduced and air present in the dosing chamber 10 and possibly in the discharge channel 11 is discharged via the now open discharge channel 11 and the nozzle body 3. The venting procedure is terminated when the dosing piston 9 returns again to its initial position and the venting piston 14 returns to its dysfunctional position.

(22) The venting piston 14 is lifted from the dysfunctional position as shown in FIG. 7 to the venting and opening position as shown in FIG. 8 by means of control air. The venting piston 14 is movably supported in an operating chamber 16 within the nozzle housing 2. Into the area of the operating chamber 16 at the bottom side of the venting piston 14 control air can be introduced which lifts the venting piston 14 out of the dysfunctional position into the venting and opening position.

(23) The lifting level of the venting piston 14 depends on the pressure of the control air at the bottom side of the venting piston. Advantageously the control air needs to reach or exceed a pressure threshold value of for example 8 bar in order to lift the venting piston 14. This pressure threshold value is above the normal pressure of for example 6 bar which is applied to the dosing piston to move it against the force of the spring element 13. The pressure difference between the normal control pressure for the operation of the spray nozzle (the lower air pressure threshold value) and the higher air pressure threshold value for the lifting of the venting piston 14 into the venting and opening position ensures that the venting piston remains during normal operation in its lower dysfunctional position. During normal operation a control pressure is also effective at the lower side of the venting piston 14 which, however is not high enough to lift the venting piston into the venting and opening position. Only when the control pressure exceeds the upper air pressure threshold value can the venting piston 14 be moved to the venting and opening position.

(24) Upon completion of the venting procedure the pressure of the control air is reduced whereby the venting piston 14 is returned by the spring element 20 from the raised venting and opening position to the lower dysfunctional position. Subsequently the normal operating mode of the spray nozzle can again be resumed.

(25) FIG. 10 is a cross sectional view of the spray nozzle 1 taken along line M-M of FIG. 9, and FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the spray nozzle 1 taken along line N-N of FIG. 9. The cross-sections extend through the inlet opening 6 for the release agent (FIG. 10) and, respectively, the inlet opening 7 for the control air (FIG. 11). The release agent is supplied via the inlet opening 6 and a check valve 17 to the dosing chamber 10. The control air is supplied via the inlet opening 7 and—via the additional inlet opening 8—to the operating chamber 12 above the dosing piston 9 and to the operating chamber 16 below the venting piston 14.