MULTI-STREAM HOLLOW-CONE NOZZLE

Abstract

A nozzle body and a method of forming the nozzle body. The nozzle body includes at least two hollow-cone nozzle geometries. The nozzle body includes an injection molded or a 3D printed thermoplastic material.

Claims

1. A nozzle body comprising: at least two hollow-cone nozzle geometries, wherein the nozzle body comprises an injection molded or a 3D printed thermoplastic material.

2. The nozzle body according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the hollow-cone nozzle geometries is asymmetrical.

3. The nozzle body according to claim 2, wherein a nozzle bore of the at least one asymmetrical hollow-cone nozzle geometries has a longitudinal axis oriented at an angle less than 90° to a nozzle outlet surface.

4. The nozzle body according to claim 2, wherein the longitudinal axis is oriented at an angle that is: greater than or equal to 500 and less than or equal to 88° to the nozzle outlet surface; or greater than or equal to 700 and less than or equal to 870 to a nozzle outlet surface.

5. The nozzle body according to claim 1, wherein the at least two hollow-cone nozzle geometries each comprise a nozzle bore having a diameter less than or equal to 300 μm.

6. The nozzle body according to claim 5, wherein each nozzle bore has a diameter that is: less than or equal to 200 μm; or less than or equal to 100 μm.

7. The nozzle body according to claim 1, wherein the at least two hollow-cone nozzle geometries are arranged symmetrically with one another.

8. The nozzle body according to claim 1, wherein the injection molded or a 3D printed thermoplastic material comprises a material having at least one principal component from the group PMMA, POM, PP, PE, ABS, COC, PA, PC, PBT, PEEK, PEI, PET, and/or PPE.

9. The nozzle body according to claim 1, wherein the at least two hollow-cone nozzle geometries are at least partially produced by a laser processing.

10. The nozzle body according to claim 3, wherein at least one of the hollow-cone nozzle geometries is symmetrical and includes a nozzle bore having a longitudinal axis oriented perpendicular to the nozzle outlet surface.

11. A method for producing the nozzle body according to claim 1, the method comprising: forming the nozzle body from a thermoplastic material in one of an injection molding process or a 3D printing process; and at least partially creating at least two hollow-cone nozzle geometries by laser processing.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the laser processing comprises at least one of laser ablation, laser drilling, and/or 3D laser ablation.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein, via the laser processing, the at least two hollow-cone nozzle geometries comprise at least one asymmetrical hollow-cone nozzle geometry.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising creating a nozzle bore via the laser for the at least one asymmetrical hollow-cone nozzle geometry having a longitudinal axis oriented at an angle less than 90° to an outlet surface.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the longitudinal axis is oriented at an angle that is: greater than or equal to 500 and less than or equal to 88° to the nozzle outlet surface; or greater than or equal to 70° and less than or equal to 870 to a nozzle outlet surface.

16. The method according to claim 11, further comprising producing, via the laser processing, a nozzle bore for each of the at least two hollow-cone nozzle geometries with a diameter less than or equal to 300 μm.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein each nozzle bore has a diameter that is: less than or equal to 200 μm; or less than or equal to 100 μm.

18. The method according to claim 11, wherein the at least two hollow-cone nozzle geometries are created to be symmetrical with one another.

19. The method according to claim 11, wherein a thermoplastic material in one of an injection molding process or a 3D printing process comprises a material having at least one principal component from the group PMMA, POM, PP, PE, ABS, COC, PA, PC, PBT, PEEK, PEI, PET, and/or PPE.

20. The method according to claim 13, wherein, via the laser processing, the at least two hollow-cone nozzle geometries further comprise at least one symmetrical hollow-cone nozzle geometry having a nozzle bore created via the laser with a longitudinal axis oriented perpendicular to the outlet surface.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] The present invention is further described in the detailed description which follows, in reference to the noted plurality of drawings by way of non-limiting examples of exemplary embodiments of the present invention, in which like reference numerals represent similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings, and wherein:

[0036] FIG. 1 shows a schematic top view of a nozzle body of a first exemplary embodiment,

[0037] FIG. 2 shows a schematic sectional view of a nozzle body of the first exemplary embodiment,

[0038] FIG. 3 shows a schematic top view of a nozzle body of a second exemplary embodiment,

[0039] FIG. 4 shows a schematic sectional view of a nozzle body of the second exemplary embodiment,

[0040] FIG. 5 shows a schematic sectional illustration of an asymmetrical hollow-cone nozzle geometry,

[0041] FIG. 6 shows a schematic sectional illustration of a symmetrical hollow-cone nozzle geometry.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0042] The particulars shown herein are by way of example and for purposes of illustrative discussion of the embodiments of the present invention only and are presented in the cause of providing what is believed to be the most useful and readily understood description of the principles and conceptual aspects of the present invention. In this regard, no attempt is made to show structural details of the present invention in more detail than is necessary for the fundamental understanding of the present invention, the description taken with the drawings making apparent to those skilled in the art how the several forms of the present invention may be embodied in practice.

[0043] FIG. 1 shows a nozzle body 1 with five asymmetrical hollow-cone nozzle geometries 2 which respectively comprise a nozzle bore 3 and a turbulence chamber 4. The asymmetrical hollow-cone nozzle geometries 2 are respectively connected to a turbulence channel 5. In FIG. 1, a sectional plane A-A is furthermore illustrated which simultaneously represents a plane of symmetry of the hollow-cone nozzle geometry arrangement.

[0044] Identical elements are labeled with the same reference numerals, regardless of the exemplary embodiment.

[0045] FIG. 2 shows a sectional view of the nozzle body 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 along section plane A-A. The asymmetrical hollow-cone nozzle geometry 2 shown is arranged such that it is essentially oblique to a nozzle outlet surface 6.

[0046] FIG. 3 shows a second exemplary embodiment of the nozzle body 1 with asymmetrical hollow-cone nozzle geometries 2 and symmetrical hollow-cone nozzle geometries 7. The arrangement of the hollow-cone nozzle geometries 2, 7 is symmetrical with the sectional plane or plane of symmetry B-B, e.g., in point symmetry, rotational symmetry or mirror symmetry. Each of the hollow-cone nozzle geometries 2, 7 respectively comprises a turbulence chamber 4 and a nozzle bore 3. Furthermore, each of the hollow-cone nozzle geometries 2, 7 is respectively connected to one turbulence channel 5.

[0047] FIG. 4 shows the second exemplary embodiment of the nozzle body 1 along the sectional plane B-B. A longitudinal axis 8 of the nozzle bore 3 of the asymmetrical hollow-cone nozzle geometry 2 has an angle α to a perpendicular line of nozzle outlet surface 6. The longitudinal axis 8′ of the symmetrical hollow-cone nozzle geometry 7 is arranged parallel to the perpendicular line of the outlet surface 6.

[0048] FIG. 5 shows the detailed portion of the asymmetrical hollow-cone nozzle geometries 2 in FIG. 4. The longitudinal axis 8 of the nozzle bore 3 thereby has an angle of <90° relative to the nozzle outlet surface 6. In addition to the nozzle bore 3, the asymmetrical hollow-cone nozzle geometry 2 also comprises the turbulence chamber 5. The turbulence chamber 5 thereby has an asymmetrical cone geometry. In this description, asymmetrical means not rotationally symmetrical. However, other symmetries, such as a mirror symmetry for example, are possible.

[0049] FIG. 6 shows the detailed portion of the symmetrical hollow-cone nozzle geometry 7 in FIG. 4. The symmetrical hollow-cone nozzle geometry comprises a turbulence chamber 5 and a nozzle bore 3, wherein the nozzle bore 3 has a longitudinal axis which is arranged perpendicularly to the outlet surface 6.

[0050] The nozzle body 1 comprises thermoplastic material as a principal component, preferably at least one of PMMA (poly(methyl methacrylate)), POM (polyoxymethylene), PP (polypropylene), PE (polyethylene), ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer), COC (cycloolefin copolymer). PA (polyamide), PC (polycarbonate), PBT (poly(butylene terephthalate)), PEEK (poly(ether ether ketone)), PEC (polyetherimide), PET (poly(ethylene terephthalate)), and/or PPE (poly(phenylene ether)). The plastic is processed to form the nozzle body 1 by an injection molding process or a 3D printing process, and the hollow-cone nozzle geometries 2, 7 are then created by laser processing, e.g., via at least one of laser ablation, laser drilling, and/or 3D laser ablation.

[0051] With the laser processing, nozzle bores 3 with diameters≤300 μm, preferably ≤200 μm, and particularly preferably ≤100 μm can be produced. These dimensions refer to the smallest diameter of the nozzle bore 3.

[0052] The longitudinal axis 8 of the asymmetrical hollow-cone nozzle geometry 2 has an angle<90° to the outlet surface 6, and a preferred angle of 85°. Accordingly, as illustrated in FIG. 4, the longitudinal axis 8 of the asymmetrical hollow-cone nozzle geometry 2 is inclined by the angle α to a perpendicular line of the outlet surface 6. In the present exemplary embodiment, the angle α is 5° so that the longitudinal axis 8 of the asymmetrical hollow-cone nozzle geometry 2 has an angle of 85° to the nozzle outlet surface 6. Alternative angles lie, for example, in the range of greater than or equal to 50° and less than or equal to 88°, or alternatively, for example, in the range of greater than or equal to 70° and less than or equal to 87°, in reference to the outlet surface 6.

[0053] It is noted that the foregoing examples have been provided merely for the purpose of explanation and are in no way to be construed as limiting of the present invention. While the present invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment, it is understood that the words which have been used herein are words of description and illustration, rather than words of limitation. Changes may be made, within the purview of the appended claims, as presently stated and as amended, without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention in its aspects. Although the present invention has been described herein with reference to particular means, materials and embodiments, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the particulars disclosed herein; rather, the present invention extends to all functionally equivalent structures, methods and uses, such as are within the scope of the appended claims.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0054] 1 Nozzle body [0055] 2 Asymmetrical hollow-cone nozzle geometry [0056] 3 Nozzle bore [0057] 4 Turbulence chamber [0058] 5 Turbulence channel [0059] 6 Nozzle outlet surface [0060] 7 Symmetrical hollow-cone nozzle geometry [0061] 8 Longitudinal axis of the nozzle bore of the asymmetrical hollow-cone nozzle geometry [0062] 8′ Longitudinal axis of the nozzle bore of the symmetrical hollow-cone nozzle geometry