Patent Publication Number: US-9884332-B2

Title: Spraying apparatus having water and air intakes

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an outlet component for liquid spraying, especially to an air-intake and focused-type spraying apparatus. 
     2. Background of the Related Art 
     In some situations, such as when showering or cleaning, a spraying apparatus is needed to apply the liquid. Such a spraying apparatus is used to discharge the liquid from the waterway, with a spraying effect, such as to provide a large spraying area. 
     How the liquid is diffused is important. One conventional method is to apply the liquid with a shower head, which is simple structurally and easily operated, but there is a disadvantage. The liquid flow is only rectified to spray so that the spraying effect is weak. 
     Thus, there is a need for a simple apparatus to discharge liquid with a large spraying area, preferably with a good sprayed water particle effect and water saving. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     For spraying a large area, the present invention is provided with an air-intake and focused-type sprayer apparatus, the technical proposal of which follows. 
     Air-intake and focused-type sprayer apparatus, wherein comprising: a convergence chamber, having along the axial direction thereof a large end and a small end, an inner wall of the large end and the small end is provided with gradual transition; at least two water inlets, which are in communication with the large end of the convergence chamber; all of the water inlets converge within the convergence chamber towards a water discharging direction of the convergence chamber; at least one air intake passage in communication with the convergence chamber from the external open space; and a rectifier opening in communication with the small end of the convergence chamber, the rectifier opening being provided with a throat for allowing water flow to form a liquid seal, the cross-sectional area of the throat is one to three times greater in size than the maximum total cross-section area of the water inlet; the rectifier opening gradually increases outwards in the cross-section size thereof from the throat. 
     In another preferred embodiment, the cross sections of the convergence chamber, the rectifier opening and the throat have a circular shaped, and the three are rotationally symmetric. 
     In another preferred embodiment, the convergence chamber has a frustoconical shape. 
     In another preferred embodiment, the connections of the water inlets and the convergence chamber are rotationally symmetric about the central axis of the convergence chamber. 
     In another preferred embodiment, the rectifier opening has a frustoconical shape. 
     In another preferred embodiment, the frustoconical shaped convergence chamber becomes smaller from top to bottom, and the furstoconical shaped rectifier opening becomes larger from top to bottom. 
     In another preferred embodiment, the apparatus comprises two water inlets and two air intake passages. The two water inlets and the two air intake passages are symmetrically arranged about the central axis of the convergence chamber. The convergence chamber, the rectifier opening and the air intake passages are forming half-to-half respectively in a left set block and a right set block; the left set block and the right set block are contacted tightly. 
     In another preferred embodiment, the outline of the surface of the left set block and the right set block when coupled to each other is rectangular. The outlets of the water inlets are in the same side of the rectangle while the outlets of the rectifier opening and the air intake passages are in the opposite side to the water inlets. 
     In another preferred embodiment, the water inlets are in the left set block while the convergence chamber, the rectifier opening and the air intake passages have equal volume in the left set block and the right set block. 
     The advantages of the present invention are as follows. 
     1. In tandem with the throat, which is capable of forming a liquid seal, and with the air intake passages, the convergence chamber has a gradual transition between the large and small ends which allows water flow to converge within the convergence chamber, thus augmenting collision between the air and the water flow, and providing an improved effect and increased range of the spraying water particles discharged. 
     2. The rectifier opening gradually increases outwardly in the cross-sectional size thereof, so that the water-air mixture from the convergence chamber is rectified and flows out with viscosity to the inner wall to become a regular splash bounded by the cross section of the rectifier opening, making it spray uniformly. 
     3. It can be formed with set blocks thus making it easy to assemble onto various kinds of waterways. It has a small size, few components, and a solid construction. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will be further described with the drawings and the embodiments. 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of a first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram of the right set block of a second embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram of the left set block of the second embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram of the waterway of the second embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The First Embodiment 
     As schematically illustrated in  FIG. 1 , disclosed is an air-intake and focused-type sprayer apparatus, in which a convergence chamber  101  and a rectifier opening  102  are connected and have smooth inner surfaces. The convergence chamber  101  has a large end in an upper portion and a small end in a lower portion along the axial direction. An inner wall is disposed with gradual transition between the large end and the small end. The rectifier opening  102  is provided with a throat  103  where the rectifier opening  102  is connected to the convergence chamber  101 . The cross-sectional area of the throat  103  is one to three times greater in size than the maximum total cross-section area of the water inlet path  210 . The throat  103  gradually increases towards a spraying opening  104 . 
     The present invention is shown with three water inlets  210 . The inlets thereof are disposed in the front of the large end of the convergence chamber  101 . The extension lines of the three water inlet paths  210  inside the convergence chamber, or the water flowing paths of the water inlet paths  210 , intersect inside the convergence chamber. This structure is very important, so that the water from the water inlets paths impact inside the convergence chamber. 
     In this embodiment, the cross sections of the convergence chamber  101 , the rectifier opening  102  and the throat  103  have a circular shape, and the three are rotationally symmetric. The convergence chamber  101  has a cavity that has a frustoconical shape. The rectifier opening  102  has a frustoconical shape. The connections of the water inlet paths  210  and the convergence chamber  101  are rotationally symmetric about the central axis of the convergence chamber. 
     An air intake passage  220  is disposed in a side wall of the convergence chamber  101  from the external open space so that air can freely enter into the convergence chamber  101 . Water from the water inlets  210  impacts inside the convergence chamber  101  and then flows to the throat  103 . Due to the shape of the convergence chamber  101 , the cross section of the water in the throat  103  decreases so that the water flow speeds up and forms a liquid seal in the throat  103 . Air from the air intake passages  220  mixes with the water thus making the mixture expand so that the impact of the water and the air is increased. Finally, the mixture sprays out from the spraying opening  104  at the end of the rectifier opening  102 . Water flows out with viscosity along the inner wall of the rectifier opening  102  to become a regular splash bounded by the inner wall of the rectifier opening thus making it spray uniformly. Meanwhile, the augmented collision enhances inside the inner wall of the rectifier opening  102  thus allowing for a more uniform water air-mixture. 
     The Second Embodiment 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 ,  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 , disclosed is another embodiment of the air-intake and focused-type sprayer apparatus. The body of the air-intake and focused-type sprayer apparatus comprises a left set block  10  and a right set block  20 , which have rectangular contact surfaces. The two set blocks contact tightly to become a hexahedron. The left set block  10  has two water inlets  210 , which have a groove shape formed in the left set block  10 . The upper set block  10  has disposed therein an upper cavity  11 , which is divided into three sections respectively disposed as half of the convergence chamber  101 , the throat  103  and the rectifier opening  104 . The side wall of the convergence chamber  101  has two symmetric air intakes  220 , which have a groove shape and are formed in the left set block  10  as well. 
     Correspondingly, the right set block  21  has a lower cavity  21 , which is coupled to the upper cavity  11  to form the complete convergence chamber  101 . The throat  103  and the rectifier opening  104 , and the tight set block  20  has air intake passages  220  the same as the left set block  10 . When the two set blocks contact tightly, the air intake passages  220  are formed. The air intake passages  220  and the outlet of the rectifier opening  103 , with respect to the outlet of the water inlet paths  210 , are respectively formed in the opposite side of the rectangle. 
     In the second embodiment, the water inlets  210 , the convergence chamber  101 , the throat  103 , the rectifier opening  104 , the air intake passage  220  are rotationally symmetric. They have equal volume in the left set block  10  and the right set block  20 . The convergence chamber  101  and the rectifier opening  103  have a frustoconical shape. Water from the water inlets  210  enters into the convergence chamber  101  and forms a liquid seal in the throat  103  and, with air from the air intake passage  220 , finally sprays out from the rectifier opening  104  with a viscosity to the inner wall. The set blocks type enables fewer components and a tight structure, is easy to assemble onto various waterways and to arrange in an array. 
     Although the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments thereof for carrying out the invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that a variety of modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention which is intended to be defined by the appended claims. 
     INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 
     The present invention provides an air-intake and focused-type sprayer apparatus including a convergence chamber having a large end and a small end. An inner wall of the large end and the small end is provided with a gradual transition. Thus, in tandem with a throat capable of forming the liquid seal and with the air intake passage, the convergence chamber has a gradual transition between the large and small ends thereof that allows water flow to converge within the convergence chamber. Collision between the air and water flow is augmented, and provides an improved effect and increased range of the sprayed water particles discharged, so that the present invention has good industrial applicability.