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WO2025224065A1 - Unité de pulvérisation et sortie comprenant une unité de pulvérisation, et procédé de fonctionnement de l'unité de pulvérisation - Google Patents

Unité de pulvérisation et sortie comprenant une unité de pulvérisation, et procédé de fonctionnement de l'unité de pulvérisation

Info

Publication number
WO2025224065A1
WO2025224065A1 PCT/EP2025/060868 EP2025060868W WO2025224065A1 WO 2025224065 A1 WO2025224065 A1 WO 2025224065A1 EP 2025060868 W EP2025060868 W EP 2025060868W WO 2025224065 A1 WO2025224065 A1 WO 2025224065A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
sprayer
sprayers
spray
cluster
sprayer unit
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Pending
Application number
PCT/EP2025/060868
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Fanny LUDER
Patrick RAEBER
Florence LOUIS
Alexis MARETTE
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
LOreal SA
Original Assignee
LOreal SA
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by LOreal SA filed Critical LOreal SA
Publication of WO2025224065A1 publication Critical patent/WO2025224065A1/fr
Pending legal-status Critical Current
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
    • B05B—SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES
    • B05B1/00—Nozzles, spray heads or other outlets, with or without auxiliary devices such as valves, heating means
    • B05B1/14—Nozzles, spray heads or other outlets, with or without auxiliary devices such as valves, heating means with multiple outlet openings; with strainers in or outside the outlet opening
    • B05B1/18—Roses; Shower heads
    • B05B1/185—Roses; Shower heads characterised by their outlet element; Mounting arrangements therefor
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
    • B05B—SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES
    • B05B1/00—Nozzles, spray heads or other outlets, with or without auxiliary devices such as valves, heating means
    • B05B1/26—Nozzles, spray heads or other outlets, with or without auxiliary devices such as valves, heating means with means for mechanically breaking-up or deflecting the jet after discharge, e.g. with fixed deflectors; Breaking-up the discharged liquid or other fluent material by impinging jets

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a sprayer unit, for use in an outlet for spraying a liquid such as water or a water-based mixture, for example in a washing installation as used in the field of domestic plumbing installations.
  • WO 2004/101163 Al discloses a showerhead with a large number of nozzle pairs, each nozzle pair creating impinging jets of water with the goal of creating a spray of water.
  • the showerhead is supposed to operate well over a range of pressures, 25-1000 kPa, that is, from 0.25 to 10 bar. However, there is no disclosure which physical dimensions correspond to a particular pressure or pressure range.
  • the exit aperture of the nozzles is between 0.8 and one millimetre.
  • the nozzles are formed between two plates placed against one another. The nozzles are oriented to have an included angle between 40° and 140°.
  • the nozzles of a nozzle pair are arranged to collide with 20% to 80% crossover, that is, they are designed to be misaligned.
  • Nozzle pairs can be arranged in concentric rings. Each ring of nozzles is offset from the adjacent ring by half a pitch angle to reduce interference of the sprays with each other. Given the nozzle dimensions and the relatively large number of nozzle pairs (30 or more), the total flow rate is relatively high.
  • US 8458826 discloses an outlet for a shower or tap wherein water is dispensed at a low flow rate and at a high pressure, typically more than 10 bar, through impinging jets. As opposed to WO 2004/101163 Al cited above, only one or two nozzle pairs are sufficient for an outlet in a showerhead. A good washing experience, that is, a feeling of a full water flow and good rinsing in spite of the low flow rate, is obtained by atomisation of the water by means of the colliding jets, which in turn is a result of the high pressure.
  • WO 2011/054120 Al discloses, for example in embodiments according to Figures 4 to 6 and Figures 20 to 23, cartridges for generating a spray of a liquid, such as water or water-based mixture, from colliding jets.
  • a liquid such as water or water-based mixture
  • Such cartridges can be integrated units for atomising and spraying such a liquid a water-based mixture, by means of impinging jets of the liquid under high pressure.
  • WO 2019/233958 Al discloses a cartridge for use in a showerhead or tap, comprising a set of at least two nozzles arranged to create colliding jets of the liquid and thereby create a spray of droplets of the liquid, and a spray shaper for guiding the spray.
  • the spray shaper can have the form of a hollow cylinder.
  • a nozzle diameter is disclosed to be from 0.8 to 1.5 or 2 millimetres, preferably approximately 1.3 millimetres.
  • An angle between longitudinal axes of the nozzles is 90° +/- 20°.
  • a distance between a collision point of the jets and a front surface is more than 14 or 17 or 20 millimetres, and in particular less than 30 or 25 or 22 millimetres,
  • a maximum distance between spray shaper back end and the front surface is more than 18 or 21 or 24 millimetres, and in particular less than 33 or 28 or 25 millimetres.
  • An inner diameter of spray shaper is 10 to 18 millimetres, preferably 14 millimetres.
  • WO 2019/233958 Al also discloses the operating principles of generating a spray of a liquid by impinging jets and of forming the spray by means of the spray shaper, and is herewith incorporated in its entirety by reference.
  • An outlet comprises one or more atomisers.
  • An atomiser comprises, for example, a nozzle set with two or more nozzles for creating impinging jets of liquid.
  • an atomiser generates a flow of a mixture of air and microscopic liquid droplets rather than macroscopic drops.
  • An outlet can be a part of a tap, or can be a shower head attached to a handle, or a shower head fixedly installed at the end of a pipe or sunk in a wall.
  • An outlet thus is a unit that can be transported, handled and installed as a single unit, in contrast to a shower installation:
  • a shower installation may comprise more than one shower heads, arranged, for example, at the top of and in side walls of a shower cabin, with additional plumbing providing the shower heads with water.
  • a further possible object is to provide a method for operating the sprayer unit. At least some of these objects are achieved by a sprayer unit and an outlet comprising a sprayer unit, and a method for operating the sprayer unit.
  • the sprayer unit is for use in an outlet, in particular in showerhead or tap, for dispensing a liquid, in particular water or a water-based mixture, comprising a set of sprayers,
  • each sprayer comprising a set of at least two nozzles arranged to create colliding jets of the liquid and thereby create an initial spray of the liquid
  • the sprayers form at least one cluster of sprayers, wherein the cluster comprises all the sprayers that are arranged for their initial sprays to interact with one another,
  • a cluster comprising all the sprayers that are arranged for their initial sprays to interact with one another means that a sprayer is part of the cluster if its initial spray interacts with the initial spray of at least one sprayer of the cluster. Conversely, a sprayer is not part of a cluster if its initial spray interacts with none of the initial sprays of the cluster.
  • the initial sprays of two of the sprayers of a cluster can be arranged to collide and interact with one another, creating a combined spray.
  • the combined sprays generated by pairs of sprayers together form a cluster spray.
  • Characteristics of the combined spray and cluster spray are the degree to which the spray fans out (spread out vs. focused spray), or, in other words, the distribution of the spray density over an area covered by the combined spray and cluster spray. If more than one cluster is present, the sum of all cluster sprays shall be called total spray.
  • each sprayer comprises exactly two nozzles, and wherein each of the nozzles comprises a longitudinal nozzle axis and the nozzle axes of the two nozzles lie in a common plane, to be called nozzle plane, and wherein a bisecting plane of the sprayer lies at a right angle to the nozzle plane and comprises a bisecting line between the nozzle axes.
  • the jets of the nozzles overlap one another entirely. That is, a cross-over of the two jets is 100%. This is a targeted value for the cross-over, whereas in reality it may be slightly less due to manufacturing imperfections.
  • the overlap is not perfect, and the nozzle axes are parallel to but slightly distanced, in opposite directions, from the nozzle plane.
  • the nozzles lying in a common plane has the effect that in each sprayer, the initial spray created by the colliding jets starts out as an initial sheet of liquid, in the bisecting plane.
  • the initial sheets of liquid of two of the sprayers of a cluster can be arranged to collide and interact with one another, creating a combined spray.
  • the sheets have a defined orientation, determined by the orientation of the pair of nozzles. The distance between sprayers and the relative orientation of two or more sheets allows to control the interaction of the sheets and characteristics of the resulting combined spray, and further of the cluster spray and total spray.
  • the sprayer comprises a sheet shaper, a sheet shaper being a spray shaper that is shaped to form the initial spray to have a flat shape or to maintain a flat shape of an initial spray.
  • the sheet of liquid after breaking apart into droplets, can still be called a sheet, that is, a sheet of droplets.
  • the sprayer does not comprise a spray shaper.
  • a directionality of the spray can be achieved by a relatively small half angle, leading to a larger impulse of the spray in the direction of its axis.
  • the cluster is a ring-like arrangement of sprayers around a common central point
  • the centre of the sprayer is distanced from the common central point by a distance Rc, wherein the distance Rc is between once and twenty times a collision distance De, the collision distance being the distance from the exit of each nozzle to the collision point of the colliding jets, in particular between 1.5 times and ten times, in particular between two and six times the collision distance De, in particular wherein the distance Rc lies between three mm and fifty mm, in particular between four mm and thirty mm, in particular between five mm and twenty mm.
  • the distance Rc need not be the same for each sprayer of the cluster.
  • the sprayers of a cluster being relatively close to one another allows the initial sprays of different sprayers to interact at a point of their trajectory at which they are concentrated and the kinetic energy of the liquid is still relatively high. This increases mixing and homogenisation of the combined spray, and/or its concentration. In other words, it is possible to achieve a higher spray force and higher tonicity as opposed to having sprayers separated by a higher distance. It also becomes possible to have an increased force of the spray at a point of interaction of the initial sprays.
  • the centre of the sprayer is distanced from the centre of the nearest other sprayer by a distance Rs, wherein the distance Rs is between once and twenty times a collision distance De, the collision distance being the distance from the exit of each nozzle to the collision point of the colliding jets, in particular between 1.5 times and ten times, in particular between two and six times the collision distance De, in particular wherein the distance Rs lies between three mm and fifty mm, in particular between four mm and thirty mm, in particular between five mm and twenty mm.
  • each of the sprayers of a cluster its bisecting plane intersects the bisecting plane of at least one other sprayer, in particular wherein the bisecting planes are oriented to form a symmetric pattern.
  • an angle y between its bisecting plane and a line connecting the centre of the sprayer to a common central point is ninety degrees, or wherein the angle lies between ten and ninety degrees, in particular between twenty and eighty degrees, in particular between forty-five and seventy degrees.
  • Variation of the angle y allows to tailor the geometry and other characteristics of the cluster spray and/or total spray without changing optimised parameters of the sprayers themselves.
  • the sprayers 10 have at least one of the following parameters: • nozzle diameter D2 of the sprayers: between 0.3 and 1 mm, in particular between 0.4 and 0.9 mm, in particular 0,6 mm;
  • half-angle a between nozzles between 5° and 55°, in particular between 15° and 45°, in particular at least approximately 25°;
  • a relatively small angle has the effect of directing the spray generated by the impinging jets forward. This gives a better efficiency in creating the droplets, compared to larger angles.
  • a cluster flow rate for a cluster, or a total flow rate of a sprayer unit is obtained by multiplying the above flow rates with the corresponding number of sprayers.
  • the multiple sprayers of a cluster are oriented in the same direction. This allows to focus the combined spray in a given direction. This is useful in, for example, professional hair care applications, where the combined spray should be focused on a client's scalp, and spraying or splashing other regions should be avoided.
  • At least sprayers at a periphery of a cluster, or all sprayers of a cluster are angled, with an offset angle p relative to a main longitudinal axis of the cluster, so that the longitudinal axes of these sprayers diverge from the main longitudinal axis, in particular wherein the offset angle P is between 2° or 4° and 10°, in particular between 3° and 7°, in particular at least approximately 3°,
  • the sprayers of a cluster have the same parameters. It can be the case that a first subset of the sprayers has a first combination of parameters and a second subset has a second combination of parameters.
  • the sprayer unit comprises two or more clusters.
  • the sprayer unit comprises, in addition to at least one cluster, at least one shaping sprayer, a shaping sprayer being a sprayer that has a spray shaper for guiding the initial spray, the spray shaper being a cavity through which the spray passes and by which the initial spray is formed before exiting the shaping sprayer.
  • the sprayer unit comprises a ring of shaping sprayers surrounding one or more clusters. This allows to create a total spray that includes sprays from the shaping sprayers, The sprays form the shaping sprayers constrain the spray from the other sprayers and thereby prevent the cluster spray or sprays from deviating too much.
  • the sprayer unit has at least one of the following parameters:
  • diameter D of the sprayer unit between 5 and 200 mm, in particular between 10 and 100 mm, in particular between 25 and 50 mm;
  • total number of sprayers in the sprayer unit including both clustered sprayers and sprayers having spray shapers: between 3 and 50, in particular between 5 and 30, in particular between 10 and 20.
  • Corresponding embodiments represent sprayer units that create a cluster spray or a total spray with defined characteristic, with small overall dimensions.
  • each of the sprayers the nozzles of the sprayer are arranged to run into in a dome shaped structure.
  • the dome shaped structure allows to arrange the nozzles to run through a wall of the dome with a well-defined geometry of the nozzles that can be precisely manufactured.
  • the sprayer unit comprises a plurality of sprayers arranged to form a ring of sprayers, and so close to one another that recesses or dome shaped structures, into which the nozzles of each sprayer lead, combine to form a circular groove in the front surface of the sprayer unit. This allows to create a dense spray of interacting sheets without a lower limit to the proximity of the sprayers being imposed by the dimension of the domes.
  • the sprayers of the set of sprayers are formed as a single part, in particular as a single part comprising a single component or comprising two or more components moulded together, in particular wherein at least one component is made of a plastic material or of a metal material.
  • the nozzles can be shaped in the process of moulding the sprayer unit, or they can be created later, in the moulded sprayer unit.
  • several such sprayer units are combined in a single outlet, such as a showerhead.
  • a showerhead comprises an outlet body that can be used as a handle, with a conduit leading from an outlet supply section with an outlet supply connector to a sprayer unit connection section or showerhead.
  • the showerhead comprises two or more sprayer units, each with a set of sprayers.
  • the sprayer units can be attached to the showerhead, for example, by screwing, a snap fit, glueing, welding etc
  • distance of each sprayer from a common central point of the cluster between three mm and fifty mm, in particular between four mm and thirty mm, in particular between five mm and twenty mm;
  • an angle y between its bisecting plane and a line connecting the centre of the sprayer to a common central point is ninety degrees, or wherein the angle lies between ten and ninety degrees, in particular between twenty and eighty degrees, in particular between forty-five and seventy degrees;
  • nozzle diameter D2 of the sprayers between 0.4 and 1 mm, in particular between 0.3 and 0.9 mm, in particular 0.6 mm;
  • the method is for operating the sprayer unit described herein, for dispensing a liquid, in particular water or a water-based mixture.
  • the method comprises the steps of providing the liquid to the sprayer unit with a pressure between 0.5 bar and 1.5 bar or 2 bar or 3 bar, in particular of at least approximately one bar, and with a resulting flow rate of between 0.1 and 0.4 litres per minute in each sprayer, and more in particular, with a flow rate in each sprayer being at least approximately 0.1 litres per minute at a pressure of 0.5 bar.
  • the outlet can be in particular a showerhead or tap. It comprises the sprayer unit of one of claims 1 to 16, comprising an outlet body with a conduit leading from an outlet supply section to a sprayer unit connection section at which the sprayer unit is attached.
  • one or more or all sprayers comprise an associated spray shaper for guiding the spray, the spray shaper being a cavity through which the spray passes before exiting the sprayer unit. So, there is preferably a one-to one correspondence between the sprayers and the spray shapers.
  • the cavity is empty, that is, it is free from internal obstacles that would otherwise affect the spray apart from a peripheral lateral wall for shaping said spray.
  • the nozzles have longitudinal axes, coaxial with the jets generated by the nozzles.
  • a set of nozzles generates a spray that has a longitudinal axis or spray axis, which is the main direction of the spray. It usually also is the axis bisecting the axes of the nozzles, and shall also be called the longitudinal axis of the sprayer.
  • the spray shaper is arranged with its longitudinal axis, which usually also is its axis of symmetry, to coincide with the spray axis and thus the longitudinal axis of the sprayer.
  • the complete sprayer unit has a main longitudinal axis, which is a longitudinal axis of the total spray that is generated by the entirety of sprayers of the sprayer unit.
  • the longitudinal axes of the sprayers can be all parallel to the main longitudinal axis, or at least some of them can be at an angle to the main longitudinal axis.
  • the sprayers of the set of sprayers are not formed as a single part. That is, they are formed or assembled from two or more separate parts. In this case they can be inseparably attached to one another, for example, by welding or bonding (glueing). Or they can be separably attached to one another, that is, they are designed to be disassembled and reassembled. In other words, the sprayer unit is not formed as a single part.
  • the sprayers can be operated at a lower pressure, e.g. around one bar or even less.
  • the flow rate for each sprayer is lower, but the combination of multiple sprayers achieves a required total flow rate.
  • the design and manufacturing process for a sprayer unit operating at a particular pressure can be optimised for mass production.
  • the sprayer unit can be used over a large range of pressures by combining it with a pressure reducing element.
  • Dividing the flow over multiple sprayers can be used to approximate the feel of a traditional shower, while keeping the water-saving advantage of the impinging jets.
  • the individual sprayers can be made smaller, and in particular their spray shapers can be made shorter, the thickness of the entire sprayer unit can be made smaller than existing solution. This gives more freedom when designing an outlet, e.g. a showerhead.
  • the general shape of the sprayer unit can be that of a flat plate, preferably with parallel front and back surfaces.
  • the sprayers are arranged to guide liquid from the side with the back surface through the sprayer unit to the side with the front surface.
  • the sprayer unit has the shape of a bent plate, preferably with parallel front and back surfaces.
  • one of the front and back surfaces of the plates is flat, and the other one has a convex or a concave shape.
  • the characteristics of a sprayer unit can be tailored by varying the number of sprayers and their individual characteristics.
  • the design using a plurality of small sprayers rather than a single sprayer, allows for a greater variability of the properties of the combined set of sprayers, implemented by the sprayer unit.
  • the sprayers can be optimised for a given water pressure, and the number of sprayers can be chosen according to a desired total flow rate.
  • the shape of a cluster spray or a total spray generated by the combination of multiple sprayers can be controlled by varying the arrangement of the sprayers, in particular by clustering them.
  • a distance between a point at which the jets collide and an outlet opening of the spray shaper lies between three and twenty millimetres, in particular between three and ten millimetres, in particular between three and seven millimetres, in particular between four and five millimetres.
  • an inner diameter Ds of the spray shaper lies between one and a half and fourteen millimetres, in particular between two and eight millimetres, in particular between two and four millimetres.
  • the aspect ratio between the length and inner diameter of the spray shaper can be made relatively large, e.g. with the length being two times the inner diameter, or even longer.
  • Such high aspect ratios result in a relatively focused spray, as opposed to a spray that widens quickly. This is particularly advantageous in professional hair care applications.
  • the bouncing of droplets off the scalp and hair is smaller than with less focused and larger sprayers.
  • the absolute dimensions of the individual spray shapers can be chosen to be relatively small, the aspect ratio can be realised with a relatively small length of the spray shaper and thus of the entire sprayer and sprayer unit.
  • the required total flow rate and a desired cluster spray or total spray is achieved by the combination of multiple sprayers.
  • the shape of the nozzles is such that with the liquid provided to the sprayer unit with a pressure between 0.5 bar and 1.5 bar or 2 bar or 3 bar, in particular of at least approximately one bar, and flow rate of between 0.1 and 0.4 litres per minute in each sprayer results.
  • the number of sprayers is such that given this pressure a total flow rate is between one and ten litres per minute, in particular between three and six litres per minute, in particular at least approximately 4 litres per minute.
  • Sprayer units are disclosed in the unpublished priority application CH 000439/2024 filed on 23.04.2024.
  • Sprayer units comprising sprayers having spray shapers are disclosed in the unpublished application CH 000954/2023 filed 04.09.2023.
  • the disclosure of the two aforementioned applications is herewith incorporated by reference.
  • Sprayer units according to the two aforementioned applications are designed for use in an outlet, in particular in showerhead or tap, for dispensing a liquid, in particular water or a water-based mixture.
  • Such a sprayer unit comprises a set of sprayers, each sprayer comprising a set of at least two, in particular exactly two, nozzles arranged to create colliding jets of the liquid and thereby create a spray of droplets of the liquid, and wherein the number of the sprayers in the set of sprayers is at least three, wherein the sprayers of the set of sprayers are formed as a single part or are assembled from two or more separate parts.
  • Figure la- lb a sprayer unit 11 with a cluster 99 with four sprayers 10;
  • Figure 2 a sheet 94 generated by jets 93 of fluid
  • FIG. 4a-4b elements and dimensions of a sprayer 10
  • Figure 5 a sprayer unit 11 with a cluster 99 with three sprayers 10;
  • Figure 9-10 clusters 99 surrounded by sprayers 10 having spray shapers 84;
  • Figure 11 a sectional view of a sprayer 10 with a spray shaper 84;
  • Figure 12 a sprayer unit 11 with multiple clusters 99;
  • Figure 13 a sprayer unit 11 with intersecting sprayers 10;
  • Figure 16 an outlet 7 comprising a sprayer unit 11.
  • Figure la-lb show a first embodiment of a sprayer unit 11 in a front view and a sectional view.
  • the sprayer unit 11 can be used in an outlet of a showerhead or tap or other type of dispenser for liquids. It comprises a number of individual sprayers 10 shaped in a single body, typically of moulded plastic, with one or more mould components. In other embodiments, the sprayers 10 are shaped in a single body of a metal material.
  • the sprayer unit 11 has a generally cylindrical shape, with a generally circular front surface 88 and a back surface 89.
  • the sprayer unit 11 can comprise an indexing element 17 such as a key or keyway, in order to ensure assembly in a desired orientation.
  • One or more sprayer units 11 are installed in an outlet such as a showerhead, A liquid, in particular water, is guided into a volume faced by the back surface 89.
  • Each sprayer 10 comprises two nozzles 12 through which the liquid is forced, creating colliding jets.
  • FIG. 2 schematically shows the structure of a sheet of liquid created by the colliding jets 93 of a sprayer.
  • the nozzles 12 are arranged for the nozzle axes 12a to intersect, defining a collision point at the intersection,
  • the nozzle axes 12a lie in a common plane or nozzle plane, and therefore define a bisecting line between the two nozzle axes and in the nozzle plane.
  • the bisecting line coincides with a longitudinal axis of symmetry of the sprayer.
  • a half angle between the jets 93 is denoted a (alpha).
  • the colliding jets 93 create a thin sheet 94 of liquid. At a certain distance from the collision point, the sheet breaks up into a spray of droplets (not shown).
  • the sheet 94 lies in a bisecting plane or sheet plane of the sprayer 10. The spray of droplets remains in or near the bisecting plane,
  • a radius at which the centre of a sprayer 10 is distanced from a common central point is denoted Rc.
  • An angle between the bisecting plane and a line connecting the centre of the sprayer 10 with the common central point is denoted y (gamma), to be called twist angle.
  • Figure 3 schematically shows main parameters describing the shape of a nozzle 12.
  • the nozzle 12 is shaped in a nozzle set body 9 of a sprayer 10 of a sprayer unit 11 as described herein.
  • the nozzle 12 is arranged in the nozzle set body 9 for a liquid, typically water or a water-based mixture, to flow - in this sequence - from an inlet 1 through a converging section 2, a throat 3, and an outlet 6.
  • the liquid can flow, as a first jet of liquid, into a recess forming a spray shaper back end 85 of a spray shaper 84. There it can collide with a second jet of liquid and form a spray.
  • a diameter of the nozzle is reduced from a first diameter DI to a second diameter D2.
  • the surface can exhibit a smooth and rounded transition between the converging section 2 and the throat 3.
  • the surface in the converging section 2 in a radial cross section, at least approximately follows a quarter circle that runs smoothly into an outer surface of the nozzle set body 9 at one side, and smoothly into the throat 3 on the other.
  • the converging section 2 has a first length LI.
  • the throat 3 has a second length L2.
  • the total length of the nozzle is the sum of LI and L2.
  • the total length is at least 1.5 times D2, typically the total length is two times D2.
  • the diameter D2 in the throat 3 - generally called the diameter or the hydraulic diameter of the nozzle -corresponds to the diameter of the waterjet after exiting the nozzle 12 under ideal conditions, that is, with laminar flow and no diverging of the liquid after exiting the discontinuity 5 and the nozzle outlet 6, e.g. caused by adhesion.
  • Typical values of D2 are between 0.4 and 1 mm, in particular between 0.3 and 0.9 mm, in particular 0.6 mm.
  • the nozzle set body 9 is typically manufactured from a plastic material that is the same as the material of the entire sprayer unit 11.
  • Figures 4a-4b show further details and parameters of a sprayer 10 in a sprayer unit 11.
  • the sprayer 10 is free from elements that affect the spray after the collision point. In other words, it does not comprise a spray shaper as shown in Figure 11.
  • Figure 4a is a detail view showing just a single sprayer 10.
  • Figure 4b is the same, showing dimensions.
  • the arrangement of sprayers 10 in the plane of the sprayer unit 11 can be as in any of the embodiments of the remaining figures.
  • the point of collision of the jets defined by the intersection of the longitudinal axes of the nozzles 12, lies approximately near or forward of the front surface 88.
  • a distance from the exit of each nozzle to the collision point of the colliding jets shall be denoted collision distance De.
  • the spray created by the collided jets does not interact with a solid body that is part of the sprayer unit 11, as would be the case if a spray shaper 84 were present.
  • the nozzles 12 are arranged in the nozzle set body 9 that forms at least approximately part of a dome, with a dome inner surface 91 facing the direction of the spray, and a dome outer surface 92 facing the opposite direction, that is, the same direction as the back surface 89.
  • the multiple sprayers are not oriented in the same direction. Instead, at least sprayers 10 at the periphery of a cluster 99 or of the sprayer unit 11 are angled, with an offset angle p of the longitudinal axis of the respective sprayers 10 relative to a main longitudinal axis of the sprayer unit 11 , so that the longitudinal axes of these sprayers diverge from the main longitudinal axis.
  • a diameter Ddl of the dome inner surface 91 can be approximately 3 mm. In embodiments, Ddl equals or is at least approximately the same as the collision distance De.
  • a diameter Dd2 of the dome outer surface 92 can be approximately 5 mm.
  • a radius of a transition surface in the converging section 2 between the dome outer surface 92 and the throat 3 of each nozzle 12 can be approximately 0,4 mm.
  • Figures 5 through 7 show how spraying patterns can be controlled in a cluster 99 of sprayers 10 by varying the arrangement of the sprayers 10 without necessarily varying the parameters of the sprayers 10 themselves.
  • Figure 5 shows a sprayer unit 11 with a single cluster 99 comprising three sprayers 10.
  • the sprayers 10 are oriented such that their nozzle planes intersect at central point of the cluster 99 (seen in a projection onto a plane parallel to a plane in which the sprayer unit 11 extends). Conversely, the bisecting planes of the sprayers 10 run in tangential directions.
  • Figure 6 shows sprays resulting from a relatively close arrangement of the sprayers
  • a shape of resulting sprays is schematically represented by idealised cross- sectional shapes, in a plane parallel to the plane in which the sprayer unit 11 extends. In other words, these planes are normal to a main longitudinal axis of the sprayer unit
  • cluster spray 96 is identical to the total spray 97.
  • the sprayers 10 lie close to one another.
  • the pairwise intersection of sheets 94 creates combined sprays 95 that overlap one another within a relatively short distance from the sprayer unit 11.
  • the cluster spray 96 is a focused, dense spray.
  • the sprayers 10 lie further away from one another.
  • the pairwise intersection of sheets 94 creates combined sprays 95 that initially do not overlap one another.
  • the combined sprays 95 with increasing distance from the sprayer unit 11, fan out, they form a wider and less dense cluster spray 96, compared to the one of Figure 6. The less dense a spray is, the lower its tonicity is.
  • Figure 8 shows sprayer units 11 with clusters 99 with five, six and seven sprayers 10.
  • the centres of the sprayers 10 lie on a circle with radius Rc around a common central point of the cluster 99.
  • the centres of the sprayers 10 lie at different distances Rc from the common centre of the cluster.
  • the sprayers 10 are oriented for their bisecting planes to be tangential to a circle around the common central point, or at an angle (twist angle) y of 90° to a line connecting the centre of the sprayer to the common central point.
  • Figures 9 and 10 show sprayer units 11 in which a cluster 99 is surrounded by sprayers 10 each of which comprises a spray shaper 84, which is a cavity guiding and shaping the the respective spray.
  • Figure 11 shows a cross section of such a sprayer 10 having a spray shaper 84.
  • the spray shaper 84 can be a cylindrical volume. At an outer end of the spray shaper 84, it terminates in a flow guiding edge 86. Seen in a longitudinal cross section, the flow guiding edge flow guiding edge 86 has an acute angle Phil relative to the front surface 88. This prevents the spray from adhering to the surface of the spray shaper 84 as it transitions to the front surface 88.
  • dome shaped nozzle set bodies 9 with inlets to nozzles 12 are each part of an individual sprayer 10.
  • the nozzle set bodies 9 project from the back surface 89 of the sprayer unit 11.
  • a length Ls and diameter Ds of the spray shapers 84 is indicated .
  • the spray shaper 84 is shaped to form the initial spray 94 to have a flat shape or to maintain a flat shape of an initial spray or sheet 94.
  • a spray shaper 84 shall be called sheet shaper.
  • it can have an elongated cross section, for example, an oval cross section, seen in a projection along the spray shaper’s 84 longitudinal direction. In the embodiment of Figure 11, this would mean that in a direction normal to the plane of the cross section, the spray shaper 84 would be significantly wider than the value of Ds.
  • Figure 12 shows a sprayer unit 11 with multiple clusters 99 of sprayers 10.
  • Figure 13 shows a sprayer unit 11 in which the sprayers 10 are be so close to one another that their dome inner surfaces 91 overlap. With sufficient overlap, a continuous groove can be formed along the circumference of the circle on which the sprayers 10 are arranged.
  • Figures 14 and 15 show variations of the twist angle.
  • the twist angle is only slightly smaller, resulting in a similar spray than that of Figure 6 (for all other parameters being the same), but with a different distribution of the spray density within the cluster spray.
  • the twist angle is such that each sheet 94 contains the longitudinal axis of an adjacent sprayer 10. The twist angle provides a further parameter that allows to control the overall shape and the distribution of the spray density of the cluster spray (that is, its homogeneity or inhomogeneity).
  • a cluster spray or a total spray can comprise a combination of high- density focused regions for eroding material and low density regions for rinsing away the eroded material.
  • the sprayers 10 of a cluster all have the same twist angle.
  • the twist angle can be between 90° and 0°. In embodiments, it is between 30° and 60°.
  • FIG 16 shows an outlet 7 for use with a sprayer unit 11 as described above.
  • the outlet 7 comprises an outlet body 73 with a conduit 75 leading from an outlet supply section 71b with an outlet supply connector 71 to a sprayer unit connection section 72b at which the sprayer unit 11 is attached.
  • the connection is not shown in detail, it can be made by screwing, a snap fit, glueing, welding etc.
  • a pressure reducer 76 (shown only schematically) can be present. It reduces a pressure at the supply section 71b to a standard operating pressure of the sprayer unit 11. As a result, the flow rate through the sprayer unit 11 is largely independent of the pressure at the supply section 71b. While the invention has been described in present embodiments, it is distinctly understood that the invention is not limited thereto, but may be otherwise variously embodied and practised within the scope of the claims.

Landscapes

  • Nozzles (AREA)

Abstract

Une unité de pulvérisation (11) est destinée à être utilisée dans une sortie, en particulier dans la pomme de douche ou le robinet, afin de distribuer un liquide, en particulier de l'eau ou un mélange à base d'eau. L'unité de pulvérisation comprend de multiples pulvérisateurs (10). Chaque pulvérisateur (10) comprend au moins deux buses (12) agencées pour créer des jets de collision (93) du liquide et créer ainsi une pulvérisation initiale (94) du liquide, le nombre de pulvérisateurs (10) dans l'ensemble de pulvérisateurs est d'au moins deux, les pulvérisateurs (10) forment au moins un groupe (99) de pulvérisateurs (10), le groupe (99) comprenant tous les pulvérisateurs (10) qui sont agencés pour que leurs pulvérisateurs initiaux (94) interagissent les uns avec les autres, le nombre de pulvérisateurs (10) dans le ou les groupes est inférieur à dix.
PCT/EP2025/060868 2024-04-23 2025-04-22 Unité de pulvérisation et sortie comprenant une unité de pulvérisation, et procédé de fonctionnement de l'unité de pulvérisation Pending WO2025224065A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CHCH000439/2024 2024-04-23
CH4392024 2024-04-23
CH9092024 2024-08-29
CHCH000909/2024 2024-08-29

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2025224065A1 true WO2025224065A1 (fr) 2025-10-30

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PCT/EP2025/060868 Pending WO2025224065A1 (fr) 2024-04-23 2025-04-22 Unité de pulvérisation et sortie comprenant une unité de pulvérisation, et procédé de fonctionnement de l'unité de pulvérisation

Country Status (1)

Country Link
WO (1) WO2025224065A1 (fr)

Citations (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20030222159A1 (en) * 2002-05-30 2003-12-04 Hitachi Unisia Automotive, Ltd. Fuel injection valve
WO2004101163A1 (fr) 2003-05-14 2004-11-25 Methven Limited Procede et appareil permettant de produire un jet en gouttelettes
WO2011054120A2 (fr) 2009-11-06 2011-05-12 Creaholic S.A. Dispositif de sortie pour installation de toilette ou de nettoyage
US8458826B2 (en) 2005-11-29 2013-06-11 Creaholic S.A. Washing device
CN107866338A (zh) * 2017-12-08 2018-04-03 广州市澳万生物科技有限公司 一种改良的花洒
WO2019233958A1 (fr) 2018-06-04 2019-12-12 Gjosa Sa Cartouche, procédé de fonctionnement de la cartouche, insert de buse d'eau et orifice de sortie
WO2020070159A1 (fr) * 2018-10-02 2020-04-09 Gjosa Sa Atomiseur et pomme de douche
WO2021048425A1 (fr) * 2019-09-11 2021-03-18 Gjosa Sa Insert de pomme de douche
WO2023227530A1 (fr) * 2022-05-24 2023-11-30 Gjosa Sa Sortie pour liquide de pulvérisation

Patent Citations (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20030222159A1 (en) * 2002-05-30 2003-12-04 Hitachi Unisia Automotive, Ltd. Fuel injection valve
WO2004101163A1 (fr) 2003-05-14 2004-11-25 Methven Limited Procede et appareil permettant de produire un jet en gouttelettes
US8458826B2 (en) 2005-11-29 2013-06-11 Creaholic S.A. Washing device
WO2011054120A2 (fr) 2009-11-06 2011-05-12 Creaholic S.A. Dispositif de sortie pour installation de toilette ou de nettoyage
CN107866338A (zh) * 2017-12-08 2018-04-03 广州市澳万生物科技有限公司 一种改良的花洒
WO2019233958A1 (fr) 2018-06-04 2019-12-12 Gjosa Sa Cartouche, procédé de fonctionnement de la cartouche, insert de buse d'eau et orifice de sortie
WO2020070159A1 (fr) * 2018-10-02 2020-04-09 Gjosa Sa Atomiseur et pomme de douche
WO2021048425A1 (fr) * 2019-09-11 2021-03-18 Gjosa Sa Insert de pomme de douche
WO2023227530A1 (fr) * 2022-05-24 2023-11-30 Gjosa Sa Sortie pour liquide de pulvérisation

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