Abstract:
A water cleaning nozzle and more specifically, a long reach water cleaning nozzle for accessing narrow and small places within a manufactured part.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This utility patent application claims the priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/383,366 filed on Sep. 16, 2010, entitled “Long Reach Impingement Nozzle For Use In Robotic Water Cleaning Systems,” the entire disclosure of the application being considered part of the disclosure of this application and hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Technical Field 
         [0003]    The present invention is directed to a water cleaning nozzle and more specifically, a long reach water cleaning nozzle for accessing narrow and small places deep within a manufactured part, such as a cast part and more specifically, a turbine. 
         [0004]    2. Related Art 
         [0005]    Currently, there is a lack of long reach water cleaning nozzles able to reach deep into small openings, while providing accurate placement of spray. Some issues experienced with long reach water nozzles formed from a narrow diameter tube is that under pressure the nozzle may bend or bow, thereby changing the expected area of impingement of the water and reducing accuracy. Any reduction in accuracy may cause spots to be missed. In some circumstances, if the water is cycled off and on while the nozzle is inserted into the part, the bending motion may cause undesirable contact with the part. Also, all current nozzles able to access well into a part through narrow openings must be replaced regularly at great expense due to their design characteristics and currently none have replaceable nozzle tips that allow only the orifice eto be replaced when it wears out. 
         [0006]    Another issue with current nozzles is that the water passing through the nozzle experiences turbulence, pressure variations and therefore does not exit the nozzle tip cleanly. This provides less than desirable spray patterns, and in particular, reduced cleaning efficiency. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The present invention is directed to a water cleaning nozzle having elongated nozzle body and a removeable nozzle tip including the orifice. The nozzle body is formed in an elongated shape having a tapered portion extending to a narrow and small cross section near the nozzle tip which allows access to hard to reach locations for high pressure water cleaning. 
         [0008]    The present invention uses the nozzle body which has a tapered portion and an elongated portion extended therefrom with a nozzle tip attached to the far end of the elongated portion. The nozzle body also includes an interior cavity that has tapered inner walls that reduce in size before extending predominantly along a substantially unchanging diameter for the greater portion of the nozzle body. The transition between the tapered inner walls and the non-tapered inner walls is specifically configured to occur within the tapered portion of the nozzle body. 
         [0009]    The nozzle tip is configured to be replaceable and is coupled to the nozzle body. The nozzle tip generally includes an attachment portion with interior passages or inner cavities that extend to an orifice which provides the pattern of spray. The nozzle tip also includes tapered inner tip walls that taper to an orifice. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of nozzle; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a first side view of the nozzle; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a second side view of the nozzle; 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a first end view of the nozzle; 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is a second end view of the nozzle; 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  is a cross sectional view of a nozzle body of the nozzle in  FIG. 2  along lines  6 - 6 ; and 
           [0016]      FIG. 7  is a cross sectional view of the nozzle tip of the nozzle in  FIG. 2  along lines  7 - 7 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0017]    The present invention is generally directed to a nozzle  10  as illustrated in the Figures. The nozzle  10  is specifically configured for an elongated reach into narrow or small openings on various manufactured parts and is specifically designed for water cleaning applications. Water cleaning applications typically use a pressure of 3,000 to 20,000 psi as compared to water cutting applications which use pressures in the excess of 40,000 psi. The nozzle  10  illustrated in  FIGS. 1-5  generally further includes a nozzle body  20  which is specifically illustrated in  FIGS. 6-8  and a nozzle tip  50  which is specifically illustrated in  FIGS. 9-10 . 
         [0018]    The nozzle body  20  is formed out of a single member and generally includes an outer surface  22  and an inner cavity  38  extending therethrough. The outer surface  22  of the nozzle body  20  is specifically configured to minimize bowing or bending under pressure while still providing a minimal cross section area to allow the nozzle  10  to extend deep into hard to reach locations and through small openings. In some circumstances the openings are overall not small but due to the configuration of the workpiece, such as a turbine, had to reach inside without the nozzle of the present invention. The nozzle body  20  generally includes an attachment portion  24  which attaches to the end effector typically of a robot or a CNC machine (not illustrated). The attachment portion  24  may use any desirable method of attachment to an end effector but is typically accomplished through a threaded portion  26  as illustrated in  FIGS. 1-3  and  8 . Extending from the attachment portion  24  is the tapered portion  28  which engages the end effector and then tapers at about a 4°-25° angle and preferably above a 12° angle in a reducing diameter as it extends away from the attachment portion  24 . The tapered portion  28  may include wrench surfaces  30  in some embodiments which allow for easy installation and removal from the end effector (not illustrated). From the tapered portion  28 , an elongated portion  32  extends to an exit end  36 . The elongated portion  32  is generally of consistent diameter along its length although minor variations may occur and a very minor taper of course could also occur. The elongated portion  32  is illustrated to have a length of approximately 45-75% and more specifically, 50-65% of the overall length of the nozzle body  20 . 
         [0019]    The nozzle body  20  includes an entrance end  34  proximate to the threaded portion  36  or attachment portion  24  and an exit end  36  which is proximate to a threaded end portion  36  where the nozzle tip  50  is installed. Extending between the entrance end  34  and exit end  36  is an interior cavity  38 . 
         [0020]    The interior or inner cavity  38  includes tapered inner walls  40  for at least a portion of the inner cavity  38 . Extending from the tapered inner walls  40  is an elongated inner cavity wall  42 . The elongated inner cavity wall  42  generally has a substantially consistent or slightly reducing diameter. In comparison, the tapered inner walls  40  generally are reducing at an approximately 2° angle as they extend into the nozzle body from the entrance end  34 . As illustrated in  FIG. 6 , a transition  44  may be seen between the tapered inner walls  40  and the elongated cavity walls  42 . It is important to note that this transition  44  occurs within the tapered portion  28  of the nozzle body  20 . As the walls  40  taper, pressure and velocity may change which by placing the transition  44  within the thicker tapered portion  28  minimizes any effects of bowing or bending from the tapered inner walls  40 . The elongated cavity  38  extends to the threaded end portion  46  which is illustrated as a female end but of course could be a male end in some embodiments. 
         [0021]    The tapered inner walls  40  extend starting within the attachment portion to the transition point  44  which occurs within the tapered portion  28 . The elongated cavity walls  42  extend at least 20% preferably 30% and more preferably, at least 40% into the tapered portion  28 , or that the transition point  44  is located that distance from the transition of the tapered portion  28  to the elongated portion  32 . It has been found that approximately 40.5%, ±2% works well. Of course, the above numbers could change if inner walls  40  within the attachment portion  24  were not tapered, the type of material was changed, or the relative angles, but it is expected that they would be close. In no event would the location of the transition point be spaced more than 60% from the outer transition point  29 , preferably less than 50%. However, if the round portion  23  was eliminated, and the tapered portion  28  extended to the attachment portion  24 , then the transition point  44  would be set back from the outer transition point  29  by at least 18%, preferably 25%, and more preferably at least 30% of the total tapered portion  28 . 
         [0022]    The nozzle tip  50  may be generally any nozzle tip having similar dimensions in diameter to the elongated portion  32  which is configured to be inserted into or onto the nozzle body  20 . The nozzle tip  50  generally includes an attachment portion  52  which is illustrated as a threaded portion  54  and an outer surface  56  having wrench surfaces  58 . As described above, the outer surface  56  generally has an outside diameter that is approximately the same or slightly smaller than the outside diameter of the elongated portion  32 . The wrench surfaces  58  are also configured to allow easy installation and removal of the nozzle tip  50  from the nozzle body  20 . The nozzle tip  50  also includes an inner tip cavity  60  which includes a first portion  62  having tapered inner tip walls and a second portion  64  having substantially straight inner tip walls. The inner tip cavity  60  generally extends between an entrance end  66  and an exit end  68  on the nozzle tip  50 . The second portion  64  generally forms or includes what is called the orifice  70  on the nozzle tip  50 . The orifice may be formed of any size, shape, or configuration and may even be a separate member formed of any desirable material, including diamond. The tapered first portion wall  62  allows for consistent spray and reduced cavitation and uses an approximately 4° taper or twice the amount of taper as compared to the tapered inner walls  40  on the nozzle body. 
         [0023]    The tapered inner walls  40  in the nozzle body and the tapered inner tip walls  62  in the nozzle tip  50  extend some distance apart, to allow for the desired pressures and reduced cavitation to provide consistent, precise, and accurate results. In addition, the reduced diameter of the outer surface of the nozzle tip  50  as well as the elongated portion  32  allows the nozzle body to reach into areas previously not possible and when combined with the structure of the inner cavity  38  and the inner tip cavity  60 , allow for a very narrow, elongated nozzle  10  that does not bow or bend under pressure. The length of the elongated inner cavity wall  42  is equal to or greater than the length of tapered portion  28  and more specifically greater than or equal to the sum of the tapered portion  28  and the tapered walls  40 . 
         [0024]    The foregoing discussion discloses and describes an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. One skilled in the art will readily recognize from such discussion, and from the accompanying drawings and claims that various changes, modifications and variations can be made therein without departing from the true spirit and fair scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.