Patent Publication Number: US-2016243564-A1

Title: Internally adjustable spray angle rotary nozzle

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/119,462 filed Feb. 23, 2015, entitled Internally Adjustable Spray Angle Rotary Nozzle, the content of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     The present disclosure is directed to high pressure fluid rotary nozzle systems. In particular, embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to an internally adjustable spray angle rotary nozzle. 
     Rotary nozzles provide a means of directing a concentrated high pressure stream of fluid over a relatively large surface area by directing the stream in a continuously changing direction about a central axis through the nozzle assembly. One such nozzle is described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,820,659 B2. A rotary nozzle body within a housing rotates around the interior of the housing causing the stream of fluid exiting the nozzle to cover a large area. However, the spray angles of such nozzles are not adjustable. It would be advantageous in some applications to be able to adjust the spray angle of such a high pressure nozzle apparatus without having to physically change the rotary nozzle for one with a narrower or wider spray angle. 
     SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     The present disclosure directly addresses such needs. The present disclosure addresses this by providing a rotary nozzle apparatus that is infinitely adjustable from an axial stream to a wide spray angle. One exemplary embodiment of such a nozzle apparatus includes a cup shaped outer housing having a central axis, a wall portion and a bottom portion. A tubular inner housing is disposed in and centered on the central axis within the outer housing and has a feature engaging the wall portion of the outer housing. This feature may be threads, a cam, a friction strip or other mechanical linkage orienting the inner and outer housings. An elongated nozzle body is carried within the inner housing. This nozzle body has a tubular stem. A distal end of the stem carries a nozzle head that extends through an axial passage out of the inner housing and in to the bottom portion of the outer housing. The nozzle body is configured to rotate around the central axis along a conical inner wall portion of the inner housing and direct fluid through the nozzle body, out through the nozzle head, and out through an opening in the bottom portion of the outer housing. An angle of the nozzle body with respect to the central axis may be adjusted by changing an axial spacing between the bottom portion of the outer housing and the inner housing. 
     One embodiment of a nozzle apparatus according to the present disclosure includes an inlet nut to which is connected a high pressure fluid supply hose, such as one carrying water, under pressures that can range from 50 psi to 20,000 psi. This inlet nut is generally tubular with a substantially closed distal end. This distal end is threaded into the inner housing of the apparatus and the distal end has one or more peripheral openings that direct high pressure fluid tangentially into the interior of the inner housing. The tubular inner housing has a cylindrical inner wall portion and a conical inner wall portion that joins a passage out of the inner housing. 
     The nozzle body is captured between the inner housing and an inlet nut fastened to a proximal end of the inner housing. The inlet nut is configured to direct fluid out of the inlet nut tangentially to a periphery of the cylindrical wall portion so as to create a rotational flow of high fluid about the central axis and rotating around a proximal end of the nozzle body. This rotational flow of fluid is what causes the nozzle body to rotate around the conical wall portion of the inner housing. 
     The proximal end of the nozzle body has a plurality of axially extending vanes. These vanes extend through the proximal end to substantially reduce rotational flow of fluid passing into the nozzle body such that fluid flow into the nozzle head is substantially axial rather than rotational. 
     The cup shaped outer housing is preferably threaded onto and over the inner housing. A bottom portion of the outer housing has a central bore therethrough and an annular valve seat disposed in the bore. This valve seat receives the nozzle head on the nozzle stem and preferably the nozzle head is captured within the valve seat by an O-ring disposed in the valve seat. 
     The axial spacing between the inner housing and the outer housing is changed by changing orientation of the feature engaging inner housing with respect to the outer housing about the central axis. This feature may be the exterior of the inner housing and the interior of the outer housing having complementary features such as threads to facilitate this rotation. The stem of the nozzle body has an enlarged diameter mid portion for engaging the conical wall portion of the inner housing. The mid portion of the stem substantially closes the passage out of the inner housing so as to direct fluid spray only along the central axis when the inner housing is fully spaced from the outer housing. As the space between the outer and inner housings is reduced, the nozzle body begins to rotate in wider and wider circles due to the rotational high pressure fluid flow around the nozzle body. Therefore the widest spray path is achieved when there is no space left between the inner and outer housings. 
     An embodiment of a nozzle in accordance with the present disclosure may include a cylindrical cup shaped outer housing having a central axis. This outer housing has a tubular wall portion and an annular disc shaped bottom portion. A tubular inner housing is centered on the central axis within the outer housing and threadably engages the tubular wall portion of the outer housing. An elongated generally tubular nozzle body is carried within the inner housing. This nozzle body has a tubular stem. A distal end of the stem carries a generally conical nozzle head that extends through a passage out of the inner housing to the bottom portion of the outer housing. The nozzle body has a thickened mid portion and is configured to rotate around the central axis along a conical inner wall portion of the inner housing and direct fluid through the nozzle body and out through the nozzle head. The angle of the nozzle body with respect to the central axis, and hence the spray angle of ejected fluid passing through the nozzle may be adjusted simply by changing the axial spacing between the bottom portion of the outer housing and the inner housing. 
     Further features, advantages and characteristics of the embodiments of this disclosure will be apparent from reading the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawing figures. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a longitudinal sectional view of a nozzle apparatus in accordance with the present disclosure with the inner housing abutting against the bottom portion of the outer housing to provide a wide spray angle about the apparatus central axis. 
         FIG. 2  is a longitudinal sectional view of the nozzle apparatus shown in  FIG. 1  with the inner housing intermediately spaced from the bottom portion of the outer housing to provide a narrower spray angle about the central axis. 
         FIG. 3  is a longitudinal sectional view of the nozzle apparatus shown in  FIG. 1  with the inner housing fully spaced from the bottom portion of the outer housing to provide an axial fluid flow path. 
         FIG. 4  is a forward cross sectional view of the nozzle apparatus shown in  FIG. 1  taken along the line  4 - 4  in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is forward cross sectional view of the nozzle apparatus shown in  FIG. 1  taken along the line  5 - 5  in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 6  is an exploded longitudinal sectional view of the nozzle apparatus shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 7  is an exploded exterior view of the nozzle apparatus shown in  FIG. 6 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     A longitudinal sectional view of a nozzle apparatus  100  in accordance with the present disclosure is shown in  FIG. 1 . The apparatus  100  is generally symmetrical about a central axis A through the apparatus  100 . The apparatus  100  includes a cup shaped outer housing  102  having a cylindrical wall portion  104  and a generally flat radially extending bottom portion  106  extending outward to the wall portion  104  from a central opening  108 . 
     A tubular inner housing  110  is carried within the outer housing  102  via complementary features, preferably internal ACME threads  112  on the wall portion  104  of the outer housing  102  and external ACME threads  114  on the exterior of the inner housing  110 . The inner housing  110  has a proximal end portion  116 , a conical inner wall portion  118  and a distal end portion  120  that has a central passage  122  therethrough. The inner housing  110  further has an inner cylindrical wall portion  124  between the proximal end portion  116  and the conical inner wall portion  118 . 
     Closing the proximal end portion  116  is an inlet nut  126  that is threaded into the proximal end portion  116 . The inlet nut  126  is, in turn, fastened to a high pressure fluid supply hose, not shown. The inlet nut  126  is tubular with a closed distal end  128  preferably having a conical external shape. The distal end  128  has at least a pair of peripheral tangential port bores  130  to direct fluid exiting the inlet nut  126  into the inner housing tangentially round the cylindrical wall portion  124 . This method of directing fluid entry into the inner housing  110  causes the fluid to flow in a rotating direction indicated by arrows  132 , shown in the sectional view of  FIG. 4 . 
     Captured within the inner housing  110  is a nozzle body  134 . Nozzle body  134  includes a tubular stem  136 , a distal end  138  and a proximal end  140 . The distal end  138  carries a convergent nozzle head  142 . The nozzle body stem  136  has an enlarged diameter mid portion  144  which, in operation, rolls the nozzle body  134  along and around the conical inner wall portion  118  of the inner housing  110  in response to the rotational fluid flow within the inner housing  110 . A pair of O-rings  156  around the mid portion  144  facilitates smooth rotation of the nozzle body  134  as it rolls around the inner wall portion  118  of the inner housing  110  during operation. 
     The nozzle head  142  has a rounded, semispherical end portion  146  that abuts into an annular cup shaped nozzle seat  148  that is pressed into the opening  108  of the outer housing  102 . The head  142  has a tubular sleeve portion  150  and a flange  152  between the semispherical end portion  146  and the sleeve portion  150 . The nozzle seat  148  has an annular recess carrying an O-ring  154 . The flange  152  of the head  142  engages the O-ring  154  to prevent removal of the head  142  from the seat  148 . The sleeve portion  138  of the nozzle head  142  is press fit into the distal end  138  of the stem  136 . 
     Inside the stem  136  at its proximal end  140  is an axial vane structure  158 . This vane structure  158 , typically made of sheet metal, is designed to straighten the rotational fluid flow present in the inner housing  110  into axial fluid flow as the high pressure fluid passes into and through the nozzle body  134 . 
       FIGS. 1-3  illustrate how the flow through the nozzle apparatus  100  is manually adjusted by an operator.  FIG. 1  shows the inner housing  110  butted up against the bottom portion  106  of the outer housing  102 . When high pressure fluid is applied to the inlet nut  126 , fluid flows through the ports  130  tangentially into the cylindrical wall portion of the inner housing  110  setting up a strong rotational flow of fluid. This position between the inner and outer housings permits the nozzle body  134  to rotate around the large diameter end of the conical inner surface  118  of the inner housing  110 . Thus a large angle between the nozzle body and the central axis A is generated and a wide arc of high pressure fluid flow stream results coming out of the nozzle head  142 . 
       FIG. 2  shows the same nozzle apparatus  100  with the inner and outer housings  110  and  102  rotated relative to each other such that the inner housing  110  is spaced part way from the bottom portion  106  of the outer housing  102 . The nozzle body  134  still remains with the nozzle head  142  abutted against the nozzle seat  148 . However, the mid portion  144  of the nozzle body  134  now rotates around a narrower diameter portion of the conical wall portion  118  of the inner housing  110 . Hence the arc generated by the fluid flowing through the nozzle head  142  is much narrower than that shown in  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 3  shows the nozzle apparatus  100  in a fully withdrawn configuration where the nozzle body  134  is fully aligned with axis A and the mid portion  144  no longer rotates about the conical wall portion  118  of the inner housing  110 . In this position, the mid portion  144  of the nozzle body stem  136  essentially plugs the passage  122  out of the inner housing  110  except for a bypass passage  166 . This bypass passage  166  ensures pressure equalization between the interior of the inner housing  110  and the space between the inner and outer housings  110  and  102 . 
     Cross sectional views through the apparatus  100  are shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 .  FIG. 4  shows the layout of the tangential ports  130  out of the inlet nut  126  into the interior of the inner housing  110  along with directional arrows  132  depicting fluid flow direction within the housing  110  around the inlet end  140  of the nozzle body  134 .  FIG. 5  shows the equalization passage  166  along with the nozzle body  134  and direction arrows  168  indicating the direction of rotation of the nozzle body  134  around the conical surface  118  of the inner housing  110 . 
       FIGS. 6 and 7  show exploded views both sectional and external of the component parts already discussed. Also shown in  FIGS. 1-7  is a cup shaped external shroud  170  that is preferably installed over the outer housing  102  and a mating collar  172  that together surround the inner and outer housings. The collar  172  is threaded onto the proximal end  178  of the outer housing  102  and shroud  170  is pinned to the outer housing  102  via a tubular pin  174  to ensure that the housing  102  rotates with the shroud  170  when shroud  170  is manually turned about axis A and the inlet nut  126  to change the spacing between the housings  102  and  110  as shown in  FIGS. 1-3 . 
     Inlet nut  126  has external threads which engage internal threads in the proximal end  116  of the inner housing  110 . An O-ring  176  around the base portion  106  of the outer housing  102  engages a corresponding recess in the shroud  170  to axially keep the shroud  170  on the outer housing  102 . The collar  172  has internal threads which engage external threads on the proximal end  178  of the outer housing  102 . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , assembly of the nozzle apparatus  100  is explained. First the seat  148  is pressed into the opening  108  through the bottom portion  106  of the outer housing  102  and the O-ring  154  installed in the seat  148 . Next, the inner housing  110  is fully inserted into the outer housing  102  to the position shown in  FIG. 1 . The nozzle body  134  is then installed with the nozzle head  142  pressed past the O-ring  154  such that the flange  152  retains the nozzle head  142  within the seat  148 . The inlet nut  126  is then threaded into the proximal end of the inner housing  110 . Finally, the collar  172  is threaded onto the proximal end  178  of the outer housing  102  and the shroud  170  snapped in place over the outer housing  102  and rotated such that the pin  174  engages a corresponding recess in the base of the shroud  170 . 
     A number of changes may be made to the nozzle apparatus in accordance with the present disclosure. For example, the passage  166  may be eliminated in certain applications. The mid portion  144  of the stem  146  may be a separate sleeve fastened around the stem  146  so as to form the external spherical ball shape shown. The vane structure  158  may be formed otherwise than specifically shown. For example, the sheet metal vane structure  158  as seen in  FIG. 5  may have a triangular or star shape rather than a  FIG. 8  cruciform shape as shown. The entire valve body  134  may be constructed out of one piece of tubular material. The conical wall  118  may extend further along the interior of the inner housing  110  and at a different angle from axis A than as shown in the figures. The distal end  128  of the inlet nut  126  may be tapered as is shown or untapered or may have a different cross sectional shape than as shown. The distal end of the inlet nut  126  may be shaped in a more elongated cone and the proximal end of the valve body  134  shaped in a complementary divergent cone to enhance the swirl of incoming fluid around the cylindrical portion of the inner housing  110  in direction  132 . The engaging feature between the inner and outer housings  110  and  102  may be a friction strip or a slot and key configuration. Alternatively different threads  112  and  114  other than ACME threads may be utilized in the mating of inner and outer housings  110  and  102 . For example, a rotary cam linkage or other mechanical linkage configuration may be utilized in place of ACME threads to change the spacing between the inner housing  110  and outer housing  102 . Finally, a different number of O-rings may be utilized throughout than as particularly shown, and the shroud  170  may be eliminated in some alternative designs without departing from the essence of the present disclosure. 
     All such changes, alternatives and equivalents in accordance with the features and benefits described herein, are within the scope of the present disclosure. Such changes and alternatives may be introduced without departing from the spirit and broad scope of my invention as defined by the claims below and their equivalents.