Patent ID: 8985051
Filing Date: 2015-03-24
Classification: B05B,B05C,B05D,D21H

Abstract:
1. An apparatus that produces a spray of charged droplets of an aqueous liquid that comprises: (a) a reservoir containing the aqueous liquid; (b) a spray device that atomizes the aqueous liquid, that is pumped from the reservoir at a liquid flow rate that is regulated by a pressure controller, into a spray of droplets which exits a spray nozzle of the spray device at a spray angle of travel; (c) a d.c. voltage generator that is connected to the aqueous liquid in the reservoir to impart an electrical charge to the aqueous liquid so as to generate a charged aqueous liquid that is supplied to the spray device such that the spray of droplets which exits the spray nozzle contains charged droplets that are charged at the same polarity; (d) means for controlling flow of the charged aqueous liquid from the reservoir to the spray device wherein the charged aqueous liquid is electrically isolated from the spray device; (e) an inductive element disposed at a location traversed by the spray of droplets and a first potential source that applies a first electrical potential to the inductive element wherein the first potential has a polarity that is either equal to or opposite that of the charged droplets wherein the inductive element has a ring-shaped distal portion that defines an aperture through which the spray of droplets travels; (f) means for changing a level of current flowing through the inductive element in order to change the spray angle of travel of the charged droplets exiting the spray nozzle; and (g) means for moving the inductive element configured to change the spray angle of travel of the charged droplets exiting the spray nozzle which is spaced apart from the ring-shaped distal portion.