# Patent

## Title
Air nozzle closure for a spray gun

## Abstract

An air nozzle closure for a spray gun with an air cap, which has at least one axial borehole for the passage of exiting air and a first annular flange, which is radially directed outward, and an air nozzle ring surrounding the air cap, with a second annular flange radially directed inward, and an inside thread for the screwing on of the air nozzle closure with an outside thread of the spray gun. The air cap in the screwed state, with annular flanges adjacent to one another, is clamped in between the spray gun and the air nozzle ring, and a first annular groove with a locking ring, which secures the air nozzle ring in the unscrewed state against the loosening of the air cap. The locking ring has at least one elastic snap-in element projecting inward to snap into the annular groove.

## Background
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention concerns an air nozzle closure for a spray gun.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the area of varnishing and painting technology, so-called spray guns are used. These are devices that are supplied with both varnish or paint in liquid form as well as compressed air, and that distribute the varnish or the paint, with the addition of compressed air, in very small drops, the so-called spray jet with which the surface to be coated is covered. The addition of paint can, for example, take place with a paint hose, with so-called flow cups placed above, or with so-called siphon cups, suspended below. The paint is supplied from these cups or supply lines of a so-called paint nozzle, whose opening can be regulated by the user via a nozzle needle. The paint nozzle is surrounded by an air nozzle, which is designed as a ring nozzle and which is supplied with the compressed air. This leaves the ring nozzle at a high speed and thereby carries along the paint exiting from the paint nozzle, atomizes it, and in this way produces the fine spray jet. Such a varnishing or painting gun is the subject of EP 0710506 A1, whose disclosure content is made the subject of this description. The publication also shows, in FIG. 2, the precise structure of the paint nozzle and the ring nozzle, together with an air nozzle closure, which has an air cap.
With modern paint spray guns, the air nozzle closure is designed in such a way that it has an air cap, which has an axial borehole to hold the paint nozzle when screwed on, with the formation of an annular slot for the passage of exiting air and a first annular flange, directed radially outward. Furthermore, the air nozzle closure has an air nozzle ring surrounding the air cap, with a second annular flange directed radially inward and an inner thread for screwing on the air nozzle closure with an outer thread of the spray gun. The air cap, when screwed on, is snapped in, with annular flanges adjacent to one another, between the spray gun and the air nozzle ring. Furthermore, an annular groove with a locking ring is provided on the outside of the air cap; it locks the air nozzle ring against a loosening of the air cap when it is not screwed on wherein, therefore, the air nozzle ring is removed from the spray gun.
Such air nozzle closures have the disadvantage that the locking ring is hard to handle and thus, during the cleaning of the spray gun, it is hard to remove the air nozzle ring from the air cap.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One embodiment of the invention provides a more manageable and easier-to-clean air nozzle closure for a spray gun. Other embodiments are also disclosed.
If the locking ring has an elastic snapping element that projects inward to snap into the annular groove, it can be easily set and removed, so that a breakdown of the air nozzle closure can be carried out faster and more easily and thus the cleaning of the spray gun is facilitated.
The design of the locking ring as a continuous plastic ring with at least one elastic fastening lug projecting inward to snap into the annular groove is thereby particularly advantageous, since it can be removed and reset quickly and simply. Several surrounding fastening lugs can also be designed along the inside of the locking ring.
In order to make possibly an easy assembly and dismantling, the width of the annular groove should at least slightly exceed the thickness of the locking ring.
In another preferred embodiment, the width of the annular groove exceeds the thickness of the locking ring by approximately 20% or more, wherein the locking ring can be moved axially within the annular groove. The level of the locking ring can hereby be about three times the depth of the annular groove or more, wherein the locking ring can be clearly seen. The user can thus see at first glance that the air nozzle closure is secured with a locking ring, Moreover, with a suitable selection of color for this locking ring, a marking can be carried out at the same time, for example, an indication as to a certain spray gun or a spray gun with a specific nozzle size.
In another advantageous embodiment, the outside edge of the locking ring is designed so as to be enlarged axially in the direction of the air nozzle ring, and with this enlargement is firmly connected with the air nozzle ring. In this way, a particularly significant marking possibility is produced, in particular if the outside edge of the locking ring in the area of the air nozzle ring has an additional extension pointing radially inward and the air nozzle ring is connected with the locking ring in a tight fit, and if the locking ring has a surface that is optically different from the surface of the air nozzle ring and the air cap.



BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
An embodiment example of the invention is explained in more detail below, with reference to the accompanying drawings. The figures show the following:
FIG. 1, a perspective representation of an assembled spray gun according to the state of the art;
FIG. 2, the spray gun shown in FIG. 1, with the air nozzle closure shown in an exploded view;
FIG. 3, the spray gun shown in FIG. 1, in a longitudinal section;
FIG. 4, the detail Y shown in FIG. 3;
FIG. 5, a perspective representation of a first embodiment of a spray gun with an air nozzle closure in accordance with the invention;
FIG. 6, a representation of the spray gun in accordance with FIG. 5, with an exploded view of the air nozzle closure;
FIG. 7, the spray gun shown in FIG. 5, in a longitudinal section;
FIG. 8, the detail Y shown in FIG. 7;
FIG. 9, a perspective representation of a second embodiment of a spray gun in accordance with the invention;
FIG. 10, the spray gun in accordance with FIG. 9, with the air nozzle closure in an exploded view;
FIG. 11, the spray gun shown in FIG. 9, in a longitudinal section; and
FIG. 12, the detail Y designated in FIG. 11.



DETAILED DESCRIPTION
FIGS. 1-4 show a spray gun according to the state of the art, whereas FIGS. 5-8 show a first embodiment of a spray gun with an air nozzle closure in accordance with the invention, and FIGS. 9-12 show a second embodiment of a spray gun with an air nozzle closure in accordance with the invention.
In the following description, the details of a spray gun, which are, in fact, known, are not discussed, but rather the discussion deals only with its air nozzle closure, that is, first, the description of an air nozzle closure from the state of the art, in accordance with FIGS. 1-4. The air nozzle closure of a spray gun 1 shown there has an air nozzle ring 5, which can be screwed on an outside thread 8 of the spray gun. Within this air nozzle ring 5 and when screwed by this on the spray gun 1, there is an air cap 2 with an axial borehole 3 for the passage of exiting air during the operation of the spray gun 1. Within this axial borehole 3, there is the paint nozzle, which is not described and depicted in detail here and which is provided with the reference number 14 in the drawings. For the sake of completion, reference is made to the fact that the air exiting from the borehole 3 during the operation of the spray gun 1 draws out the paint exiting from the paint nozzle, produces a fine atomization, and thus creates the spray jet. In the example shown in FIGS. 1-4, according to the state of the art, the air cap 2 has, moreover, so-called lateral horns, which are not designated individually and which likewise have boreholes for the exiting of air, which, during the operation of the spray gun 1, serve to flatten the spray jet, which is, in fact, conical.
The air nozzle ring 5 has a second annular flange 6, which is directed radially inward, which works together with a first annular flange 4 of the air cap 2, directed radially outward. In the screwed-on state, as is depicted in detail in FIG. 4, this second annular flange 6 of the air nozzle ring 5 presses on the first annular flange 4 of the air cap 2 and thus presses the air cap 2 on the paint nozzle 14 when the air nozzle ring 5 is firmly screwed on the outside thread 8 of the spray gun 1. An automatic centering also takes place hereby, so that the air cap 2 lies right against the spray gun 1.
In order to prevent the unit consisting of the air nozzle ring 5 and air cap 2 from separating from one another in the unscrewed state of the air nozzle ring 5, the spray gun 1 has a locking ring 10 in accordance with the state of the art; it is fixed in an annular groove 9 of the air cap 2 and protrudes over the outside diameter of the air cap 2, so that the air nozzle ring 5 cannot fall off from the air cap 2, but rather is affixed by the locking ring 10. This locking ring can be an open snap-in ring made of spring steel.
In the first embodiment of the invention, in accordance with FIGS. 5-8, an air nozzle ring 5 is likewise provided, which presses a comparable air cap 2 against the spray gun 1 when it is screwed on the outside thread 8 of the spray gun 1. Furthermore, this embodiment has a locking ring 10, which likewise prevents the falling off of the air nozzle ring 5 from the air cap 2 in the unscrewed state. As can be seen from FIG. 6, this locking ring 10, however, has several elastic snap-in means, which protrude inward, in the shape of plastic lugs, since the entire locking ring 10 is made of plastic. In this way, the locking ring 10 can be brought into the position shown in FIG. 8 for every snap-in operation after the air nozzle ring 5 has been set on the air cap 2, and is affixed there by the fastening lugs 11 acting as snap-in means. As can be seen from FIG. 8, the locking ring 10 is equipped with a larger outside diameter, as is common in the state of the art according to FIGS. 1-4, wherein the level of the locking ring 10 in the embodiment example under consideration is approximately three times the depth of the annular groove 9 of the air cap 2. Moreover, the locking ring 10 advantageously differs in the area of its surface from the surface of the air nozzle ring 5 and the surface of the air cap 2.
In this way, a secure snapping-in of the locking ring 10 is made possible via the fastening lugs 11, and the locking ring 10 can simultaneously serve as a marking, for example, as a color ring, so as to distinguish different air nozzle closures or spray guns 1 from one another. In this respect, it fulfills a double function as a locking ring 10 and a marking ring.
With so-called HVLP guns, the locking ring 10 can be green and with so-called RP guns, it can be blue, and the surface of the air nozzle ring 5 can, for example, have a silver color. In every case, contrasting colors and/or patterns are selected for the locking ring and the air nozzle ring so that the presence of a locking ring can be recognized without any problem.
Another embodiment of this locking ring 10 is shown in FIGS. 9-12, wherein, in this case, the locking ring 10 has an outside edge 12, which is designed axially enlarged in the direction of the air nozzle ring 5 and, with this enlargement, is firmly connected with the air nozzle ring 5. Here, therefore, the air nozzle ring 5 and the air cap 2 form a unit, but in this way remain movable toward one another, so that the width of the annular groove 9 is larger than the width of the locking ring 10 in the area in which it engages in the annular groove. With this embodiment, the outside edge 12 of the locking ring 10, which can be seen well in FIG. 12, in the area of the air nozzle ring 5, has an additional extension 13 pointing radially inward, and the air nozzle ring 5 is connected with the locking ring 10 there in a tight fit. Thus, the locking ring 10 and the air nozzle ring 5 are rigidly connected with one another, and the locking ring 10 meshes, via the snap-in means or the fastening lug 11, in the annular groove 9 of the air cap 2.
With this embodiment also, the locking ring 10 advantageously has a surface that differs optically from the surface of the air nozzle ring 5 and the air cap 2, so that it can also be used, in addition to its function as the locking ring, as an optical identification, and thus fulfills a double function.
The locking ring 10 can be designed as a continuous or interrupted ring. It can be made of plastic or metal or another suitable, sufficiently elastic material. Material combinations are likewise conceivable with the locking ring 10; for example, metal/plastic in a type that the ring is made of a relatively nonelastic metal and has at least one elastic plastic nub or vice versa. It is essential that it is able, at least in areas, to enter into a locking connection, a snapping connection, a clamping connection, or the like, with the air nozzle ring 5.
The locking ring 10 can have only one elastic snap-in means, in the shape of a fastening lug 11, or a number of such fastening lugs 11, which are preferably situated at a distance to one another. In the embodiment example under consideration, the width of the annular groove 9 exceeds the thickness of the locking ring 10 by at least 20%, wherein the locking ring 10 can be moved axially within the annular groove 9 without any problems, which makes possible an exceedingly easy assembly and dismantling. On the other hand, a very slight, for example, 1% wider annular groove 9, or a very much, for example, 90% wider annular groove 9 makes possible a relatively good holding of the locking ring 10. Theoretically, there are no upper limits, except that there must still be material present to support the locking ring 10.
The level of the locking ring 10 must be at least twice to three times the depth of the annular groove 9 if the locking ring 10 is to simultaneously have a marking character.

## Claims

1. Air nozzle closure for a spray gun with an air cap, which has at least one axial borehole for the passage of exiting air and a first annular flange, which is radially directed outward, and an air nozzle ring surrounding the air cap, with a second annular flange radially directed inward, and an inside thread for the screwing on of the air nozzle closure with an outside thread of the spray gun, wherein the air cap in the screwed state, with annular flanges adjacent to one another, is clamped in between the spray gun and the air nozzle ring, and a first annular groove with a locking ring, which secures the air nozzle ring in the unscrewed state against the loosening of the air cap, wherein the locking ring has at least one elastic snap-in means projecting inward to snap into the annular groove.

2. Air nozzle closure according to claim 1, wherein the locking ring is a continuous plastic ring.

3. Air nozzle closure according to claim 1, wherein the elastic snap-in means is at least one fastening lug projecting inward.

4. Air nozzle closure according to claim 3, wherein the fastening lug is a surrounding lug.

5. Air nozzle closure according to claim 3, wherein a plurality of fastening lugs are located at a distance from one another.

6. Air nozzle closure according to claim 1, wherein the width of the annular groove exceeds the thickness of the locking ring, wherein the locking ring can be moved axially within the annular groove, and the level of the locking ring is at least slightly greater than the depth of the annular groove.

7. Air nozzle closure according to claim 6, wherein the width of the annular groove exceeds the thickness of the locking ring by approximately 20%.

8. Air nozzle closure according to claim 5, wherein the level of the locking ring is approximately three times the depth of the annular groove.

9. Air nozzle closure according to claim 1, wherein the outside edge of the locking ring is designed axially enlarged in the direction of the air nozzle ring, and with this enlargement, is firmly connected with the air nozzle ring.

10. Air nozzle closure according to claim 1, wherein the outside edge of the locking ring in the range of the air nozzle ring has an additional extension pointing radially inward, and the air nozzle ring is connected with the locking ring in a tight fit.

11. Air nozzle closure according to claim 1, wherein the locking ring has a surface which is optically different from the surface of the air nozzle ring and the air cap.