Nozzle with lateral spray

A nozzle with lateral spray includes a longitudinal bore with an open first end at a proximal end of the body of the nozzle and a dead second end in a distal portion of the body of the nozzle; a recess defined within a lateral wall of the body of the nozzle, which has a bottom and side walls extending perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the body; and a lateral bore that fluidly connects the longitudinal bore to an opening in the recess and has a diameter smaller than the diameter of the longitudinal bore. A nozzle according to the invention provides a lateral spray that is stronger and better focused than nozzles according to the prior art.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention concerns a nozzle providing a lateral spray. More particularly, the present invention concerns a nozzle providing a lateral spray against underlying surfaces that is more powerful than nozzles known in the art.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Surface cleaning machines, such as floor cleaning machines, generally include a bar supporting nozzles that spray a cleaning solution against a surface to be cleaned. The sprayed cleaning solution, together with any removed dirt particles, is then removed by vacuum generated by the cleaning machine.

FIG. 1depicts an example of a floor cleaning machine2according to the prior art, which includes a nozzle bar4that supports a plurality of nozzles6that deliver a cleaning solution8against a surface to be cleaned.

Nozzles for surface cleaning machines known in the art are configured to deliver the cleaning solution either though an opening provided at a longitudinal end of the nozzle, therefore, in a longitudinal direction, or through an opening provided in a side of the nozzle, therefore, in a lateral direction.

Nozzles with longitudinal delivery are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,641,509 and 3,747,155. Those nozzles generate a spray in a longitudinal direction, which impinges on and can loosens dirt particles attached to a surface to be cleaned, for example, to strands of a floor carpet, by impact. This type of nozzle, however, is poorly suited for a surface cleaning machine such as that illustrated inFIG. 1, where nozzles6are arranged parallel to the surface to be cleaned. With that arrangement, nozzles with a longitudinal delivery would provide a liquid spray that is parallel to the surface to be cleaned, so that the cleaning solution would necessarily impinge horizontally against a facing surface, and then percolate downward onto the surface to be cleaned. That arrangement would deliver the cleaning solution to the surface to be cleaned with low strength and would have a poor capability to remove dirt particles by physical impact.

Nozzles with lateral delivery are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,326,473 and 3,935,896. Those documents describe either a multi-part nozzle where the traveling fluid is first slowed into an internal chamber and then deviated toward a lateral conduit, from which it is ejected as a conical spray; or a nozzle where the fluid travels horizontally and is the ejected from the nozzle through a slit in a lateral wall of the nozzle.

Another nozzle with lateral delivery is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,813,087, which describes a type of nozzle that is commonly used in current floor cleaning machines. In that type of nozzle, a cleaning solution travels longitudinally along the nozzle and is ejected longitudinally through an opening that faces an angularly disposed wall, against which the cleaning solution impinges. After impact, the cleaning solution is deflected toward the underlying surface to be cleaned. The deflected fluid, however, becomes atomized and loses a significant portion of its strength. Consequently, the cleaning solution loses the ability to dislodge dirt particles from the surface to be cleaned, in particular, the deflected cleaning solution loses the ability to break the surface tension of a dirt film formed on carpet strands.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect, the present invention relates to a nozzle with lateral spray that has a longitudinal bore with an open first end at a proximal end of the nozzle body and a dead second end positioned in a distal portion of the nozzle body; a recess defined within a lateral wall of the nozzle body, with a bottom and side walls extending perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the body; and a lateral bore that fluidly connects the longitudinal bore to an opening in the recess and has a diameter smaller than the diameter of the longitudinal bore. A nozzle according to the invention provides a lateral spray that is stronger and better focused than nozzles according to the prior art.

The opening in the recess is positioned at an apical end of a triangular slit within the bottom of the recess, defined between the side walls of the recess. The bottom of the recess may be convex and have a plurality of faces, and the triangular slit may be defined in a central position within the bottom of the recess.

In one embodiment, the longitudinal bore has proximal section of larger diameter and a distal section of smaller diameter, which are connected by a frusto-conical section so as to create a Venturi effect on the traveling fluid.

A side bore, coaxial with the lateral bore, may extend from the distal section of the longitudinal bore to an aperture in a lateral wall of the body that is opposite to the recess. Therefore, a fluid or a tool entering the side bore may be able to travel along a straight line to the lateral bore and to the opening in the recess. The side bore may be threaded, so as to connect to a conduit feeding a fluid into the nozzle, or receive a tool, or, when not in use, engage a plug closing the side bore.

In one embodiment, the body of the nozzle has a distal portion with a plurality of lateral walls, and a proximal portion that is adapted to engage an opening in a nozzle bar. For example, the proximal portion may be configured to provide a threaded, flanged, quick-connect, or bayonet connection of the nozzle to the nozzle bar. In one embodiment, the plurality of lateral walls extends along the entire distal portion of the nozzle body, from the proximal portion of the nozzle body till the distal end.

A notch may be defined in the distal portion of the nozzle body and extend from a longitudinal mid-point of the distal portion till the distal end of the nozzle body. Such notch facilitates access to a tool engaging the nozzle. In that configuration, the recess is housed within at least a portion of the notch.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Detailed descriptions of embodiments of the invention are provided herein. It is to be understood, however, that the present invention may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, the specific details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but rather as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art how to employ the present invention in virtually any detailed system, structure, or manner.

FIG. 2illustrates a nozzle with a lateral spray according to the invention. Nozzle10includes a body12that is defined by a base14at a proximal end16, a proximal portion22extending longitudinally from base14and having a cylindrical configuration, and a distal portion20extending from proximal portion22and having a hexagonal cross-section defined by six lateral walls18, as shown inFIG. 9. In other embodiments, distal portion may have a cylindrical cross-section defined by a single lateral wall, or may have other cross-sectional shapes, such as square or octagonal.

In the illustrated embodiment, lateral walls18extend for the entirety of distal portion20, beginning at an end of proximal portion22and ending at distal end24. Having a nozzle10with a plurality of lateral walls in its distal portion, such as lateral walls18in distal portion20in the illustrated embodiment, facilitates the use of a wrench when nozzle10is engaged into a nozzle bar or other support member.

Proximal portion22is configured to be inserted in a nozzle bar or other support member. To that end, proximal portion22may be threaded and have threads, as shown inFIG. 3. In other embodiments, proximal portion22may be configured to provide a flanged, quick-connect, or bayonet connection. In still other embodiments, proximal portion22may not be cylindrical but may instead be defined by a plurality of lateral wall in polyhedron configuration.

With reference now toFIGS. 3 and 4, body12defines a longitudinal axis26. A longitudinal bore28extends along body12parallel to longitudinal axis26and has an open first end46situated in base14, and a dead second end30situated in distal portion20of body12. “Parallel” is defined herein to include both coaxial or offset positions.

In the illustrated embodiment, longitudinal bore28has a proximal section32, beginning at open first end46, and a distal section34, ending at dead second section30. Proximal section32has a larger diameter than distal section34, and proximal section32is fluidly connected to distal section34by frusto-conical section36, which creates a Venturi effect between distal section34and proximal section32and increases the velocity of a fluid54traveling from first open end46toward dead second end30.

A recess36is carved on a side of distal portion20within lateral walls18. Recess36is defined by a bottom38and side walls40, which extend perpendicularly to longitudinal axis26. In the illustrated embodiment, bottom38is convex and defined by a plurality of faces56, so as to have a pattern similar to that of lateral walls18. In other embodiments, however, bottom38may have a different configuration, for example, bottom38may have a convex arcuate shape.

A lateral bore42fluidly connects distal section34of longitudinal bore28to recess36, beginning at or near dead second end30and ending at an opening44situated in recess36. Lateral bore42has a diameter smaller that the diameter of distal portion20, which causes an additional increase in the velocity of fluid54traveling from first open end46of longitudinal bore28toward opening44.

Opening44is defined within a triangular slit50defined centrally within bottom38of recess36, perpendicularly to longitudinal axis26and between side walls40. Triangular slit50has an apical end48, which extends inwardly into body12, and a base end52defined in bottom38of recess36between side walls40. Opening44is positioned at apical end48, so at to cause fluid54exiting opening44to be projected into triangular slit50and between side walls40.

In one embodiment, opening44is tubular and has a circular shape at its inward end facing the interior of nozzle10, and an essentially rectangular shape at its outward end, facing the outside environment. This design of opening44can be seen inFIG. 3. Overall, the configuration of nozzle10causes fluid54, after being injected into longitudinal bore28at open first end46, to accelerate through frusto-conical section36, travel along distal section34at a higher speed, and further accelerate along lateral bore42until exiting body12at opening44. As shown inFIG. 5, the speed acquired by fluid54, as well as the configuration and position of triangular slit50and side walls40, causes fluid54to be projected from nozzle10onto an underlaying surface as a forceful spray, which increases the cleaning power of fluid54due to the impacting strength on the underlaying surface.

The shapes and positions of opening44, triangular slit50and side walls40insure that fluid54is ejected as a spray having a triangular blade shape with essentially flat tops and bottoms, so as to maximize its impact strength against dirt particles attached to a surface to be cleaned and break the surface tension of a dirt film formed on carpet strands.

With reference now toFIGS. 4, 7, and 8, body12may further include a side bore58, which is coaxial with lateral bore42, and which fluidly connects the outer environment with distal section34of longitudinal bore28. Therefore, fluid54or a tool entering the side bore may be able to travel along a straight line to lateral bore42and opening44. Side bore58may be internally threaded with threads60, or have other engaging means such as a flanged, quick-connect or bayonet connection to receive and engage a device attached thereto.

For example, side bore58may be engaged to a conduit so as to provide a second fluid inlet for a fluid to be also sprayed through opening44, which becomes carried toward opening44by the flow of fluid56. In another application, side bore58may be engaged to a tool that either drills out lateral bore42during the manufacture of nozzle10, or that unplugs or anyway operates on lateral bore42for maintenance purposes.

When not in use, side bore58may be plugged with a plug62, which has a side wall correspondingly threaded to threads60, so as to firmly close side bore58and prevent loss of fluid and pressure. Preferably, plug62is so configured that its outer end is flush with the corresponding lateral wall18.

In one embodiment, body12includes a notch on distal portion20of body12. In the illustrated embodiment, notch12is configured as an inward lowering of one of lateral walls18, parallel to longitudinal axis26and extending from a middle portion of body12to distal end24of the body12. One of the advantages of notch12is to provide an easier access to a tool engaging nozzle10, when nozzle10is affixed to a nozzle bar or other surface and access space to nozzle10is tight.

While the invention has been described in connection with the above described embodiments, it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention to the particular forms set forth, but on the contrary, it is intended to cover such alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included within the scope of the invention. Further, the scope of the present invention fully encompasses other embodiments that may become obvious to those skilled in the art and the scope of the present invention is limited only by the appended claims.