Patent Description:
The present application relates to a nozzle, and in particular relates to a nozzle used in the field of electronic processing.

With the continuous miniaturization of electronic products, higher requirements are put forward for the printing process of printed circuit boards. Therefore, a device which can more precisely distribute processing materials is required to distribute a very small volume of processing materials of printed circuit boards. Some processing materials are viscous fluids, for example, solder paste and resin. A solution for distributing such a viscous fluid is as follows: A chamber is provided, the chamber communicates with a nozzle, the chamber contains a fluid, and the fluid in the chamber is extruded through reciprocating movements of a piston so that the fluid is extruded out of the nozzle. Since the flowability of viscous fluids is low, such a fluid distribution solution has certain defects, for example, a low distribution efficiency, a low controllability and a blockage tendency. <CIT> relates to contactless application of a fluid, especially a thermoplastic or molten hot melt adhesive, onto a moving strip and applying head with a housing containing a chamber and a rotating roll slide. <CIT> relates to an apparatus for applying a hot-melt adhesive to a substrate. <CIT> relates to a tissue sealant applicator system. <CIT> relates to an application head.

To overcome the problems above, the present application provides a nozzle according to claim <NUM> and a nozzle assembly.

According to the first aspect of the present application, a nozzle is provided and the nozzle comprises:.

According to the above-mentioned nozzle, the nozzle passage further has a fluid inlet, and
the fluid passage outlet communicates with the fluid inlet of the nozzle passage so that a fluid can enter the nozzle passage.

According to the above-mentioned nozzle, the fluid is a viscous fluid and the viscosity of the fluid ranges from <NUM> cps to <NUM>,<NUM> cps.

The above-mentioned nozzle further comprises a piston chamber, the piston chamber being used to accommodate a piston and the piston chamber communicating with the airflow inlet of the nozzle passage.

According to the above-mentioned nozzle, the piston chamber and the fluid passage are separately arranged.

According to the above-mentioned nozzle, the bottom of the piston chamber is in the shape of a smoothly-transitioned curved surface.

According to the above-mentioned nozzle, the airflow inlet is located below the piston chamber.

According to the above-mentioned nozzle, the fluid passage inlet is arranged on the side wall of the nozzle.

According to the above-mentioned nozzle, the fluid passage extends aslant downward from the fluid passage inlet to the fluid passage outlet.

According to the above-mentioned nozzle, the nozzle passage has an upper nozzle passage section and a lower nozzle passage section, and the lower nozzle passage section is thinner than the upper nozzle passage section, wherein the upper nozzle passage section communicates with the airflow inlet.

According to the second aspect of the present application, a nozzle assembly according to claim <NUM> is provided and the nozzle assembly comprises:.

According to the above-mentioned nozzle assembly, the piston has a head portion, the shape of the head portion is configured to match the shape of the piston chamber of the nozzle so that the piston can draw in and discharge air through the nozzle passage when reciprocating relative to the nozzle.

According to the above-mentioned nozzle assembly, the casing has an inlet and the inlet communicates with the fluid chamber.

According to the above-mentioned nozzle assembly, the sleeve is seal-connected to the nozzle and the sleeve is seal-connected to the casing.

According to the above-mentioned nozzle assembly, the nozzle assembly is seal-connected to the casing.

The nozzle provided by the present application can distribute a small volume of a viscous fluid and is not apt to get blocked.

Various specific implementation modes of the present invention will be described by reference to the drawings which constitute a part of the present description. It should be understood that although the terms indicating directions, such as "before", "behind", "on", "below", "left", "right", "top" and "bottom" are used to describe various exemplified structural parts and components in the present application, these terms are used solely for the convenience of illustrations and are determined based on the exemplified directions in the drawings. Since the embodiments disclosed in the present application can be set in different directions, these terms indicating directions are only used as illustrations, instead of restrictions.

<FIG> is a side view of one embodiment of the nozzle assembly of the present application. As shown in <FIG>, the nozzle assembly <NUM> comprises a body <NUM>, a piston <NUM> and a fluid transport pipe <NUM>, and a body fluid outlet <NUM> is arranged at the bottom of the body <NUM>. A fluid enters the body <NUM> from the fluid transport pipe <NUM> and the fluid in the body <NUM> can be pressed out of the body fluid outlet <NUM> through up-and-down movements of the piston relative to the body <NUM>. The nozzle assembly (<NUM>) of the present application is applicable to the distribution of a viscous fluid, with a viscosity of <NUM> cps to <NUM>,<NUM> cps, for example. The viscous fluid may be a solder paste or conductive material in the field of electronic processing.

<FIG> is an exploded view of the nozzle assembly <NUM> shown in <FIG>. As shown in <FIG>, the body <NUM> comprises a casing <NUM>, a sleeve assembly <NUM> and a nozzle <NUM>. The sleeve assembly <NUM> and the nozzle <NUM> are located in the casing <NUM>, and the piston <NUM> can be inserted into the sleeve assembly <NUM> and the nozzle <NUM>. One end of the fluid transport pipe <NUM> can be inserted into the casing <NUM>. The piston <NUM> has a cylindrical rod portion <NUM> and a round head portion <NUM>, and the head portion <NUM> can be inserted into the nozzle <NUM>. A nozzle seal <NUM> is further arranged between the nozzle <NUM> and the casing <NUM>.

<FIG> is a <NUM>-D view of the casing <NUM> of the nozzle assembly <NUM> shown in <FIG> in one direction, and <FIG> is an axial cutaway view of the casing <NUM> shown in <FIG> in a direction passing through the inlet <NUM> in <FIG> and is used to show the structure of the casing. As shown in <FIG>, the casing <NUM> is roughly in the shape of a cylinder. The casing <NUM> has an outer wall <NUM> and an inner wall <NUM>, and the inner wall <NUM> defines the chamber <NUM> of the casing <NUM>. The chamber <NUM> has an upper opening <NUM> and a lower opening <NUM>. The chamber <NUM> is roughly in the shape of a cylinder.

The casing <NUM> comprises a lower casing portion <NUM> and an upper casing portion <NUM>, and an inlet <NUM> communicating with the chamber <NUM> is arranged on the side wall of the upper casing portion <NUM>. One end of the fluid transport pipe <NUM> is inserted into the inlet <NUM> so that the fluid transport pipe <NUM> can communicate with the chamber <NUM>. The thickness of the side wall of the upper casing portion <NUM> is larger so that the fluid transport pipe <NUM> can be installed. In one embodiment of the present application, the outside diameter of the upper casing portion <NUM> is larger than the outside diameter of the lower casing portion <NUM> to form the thicker side wall of the upper casing portion <NUM>.

The chamber <NUM> comprises an upper section <NUM>, a middle section <NUM> and a lower section <NUM>. The upper section <NUM> communicates with the upper opening <NUM>, and the lower section <NUM> communicates with the lower opening <NUM>. The diameter of the middle section <NUM> is less than the diameter of the upper section <NUM>, and thus a nozzle-limiting step <NUM> is formed between the middle section <NUM> and the upper section <NUM>. The diameter of the lower section <NUM> is less than the diameter of the middle section <NUM>, and thus a seal-limiting step <NUM> is formed between the lower section <NUM> and the middle section <NUM>. The nozzle-limiting step <NUM> is used to prevent the nozzle <NUM> mounted in the chamber <NUM> of the casing <NUM> from falling off the lower opening <NUM> of the casing <NUM>. The seal-limiting step <NUM> is used to prevent the nozzle seal <NUM> between the nozzle <NUM> and the casing <NUM> from falling off the lower opening <NUM> of the casing <NUM>.

<FIG> are respectively a <NUM>-D view and an exploded view of the sleeve assembly <NUM>, and <FIG> is an axial cutaway view of the sleeve assembly shown in <FIG> and is used to show the structure of the sleeve assembly <NUM>. As shown in <FIG>, the sleeve assembly <NUM> comprises a sleeve <NUM> and a plurality of seals. The sleeve <NUM> is roughly in the shape of a cylinder, a chamber <NUM> extending in the axial direction of the sleeve <NUM> and passing through the sleeve <NUM> is formed in the sleeve <NUM>, and the chamber <NUM> forms a piston passage <NUM> and is used to accommodate the piston <NUM>. In one embodiment of the present application, the sleeve <NUM> has an upper sleeve portion <NUM> and a lower sleeve portion <NUM>. The upper sleeve portion <NUM> has an upper chamber <NUM>, the lower sleeve portion <NUM> has a lower chamber <NUM>, and the upper chamber <NUM> and the lower chamber <NUM> communicate with each other and jointly define the piston passage <NUM>. The upper sleeve portion <NUM> comprises a head portion <NUM> and an end portion <NUM>, wherein the end portion <NUM> extends downward from below the head portion <NUM>. The outside diameter of the head portion <NUM> is roughly equal to the diameter of the upper section <NUM> of the chamber <NUM> of the casing, and the outside diameter of the end portion <NUM> is less than the outside diameter of the head portion <NUM>. The outside diameter of the lower sleeve portion <NUM> is also less than the outside diameter of the head portion <NUM> of the upper sleeve portion <NUM>.

An annular groove <NUM> circumferentially extending on the head portion <NUM> is arranged on the head portion <NUM>, and the annular groove <NUM> is recessed inward from the surface of the outer side of the head portion <NUM>. The annular groove <NUM> is used for mounting a head portion seal <NUM>, and the head portion seal <NUM> is used for the sealing between the upper sleeve portion <NUM> and the casing <NUM>. The diameter of the lower chamber <NUM> is larger at the upper end and lower end of the lower sleeve portion <NUM> to form seal accommodating portions <NUM> and <NUM>, which are used to accommodate a lower sleeve portion first seal <NUM> and a lower sleeve portion second seal <NUM>, respectively. The lower sleeve portion first seal <NUM> is used for sealing between the upper sleeve portion <NUM> and the lower sleeve portion <NUM>, and the lower sleeve portion second seal <NUM> is used for sealing between the lower sleeve portion <NUM> and the nozzle <NUM>. In the present embodiment, the head seal <NUM>, the lower sleeve portion first seal <NUM> and the lower sleeve portion second seal <NUM> are all O-ring seals made of an elastic material, for example, rubber.

In another embodiment of the present application, the sleeve <NUM> is a one-piece structure, and in this case no seal is required between the upper sleeve portion and the lower sleeve portion.

<FIG> are respectively <NUM>-D views of the nozzle <NUM> in two directions, and <FIG> is an axial cutaway view of the nozzle <NUM> in the direction of the fluid passage inlet <NUM> and is used to show the specific structure of the nozzle. As shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, the nozzle <NUM> is roughly in the shape of a cylinder and has an upper nozzle section <NUM>, a middle nozzle section <NUM> and a lower nozzle section <NUM>. The outside diameter of the lower nozzle section <NUM> is less than the outside diameter of the middle nozzle section <NUM> so that the middle nozzle section <NUM> forms a flange <NUM> relative to the lower nozzle section <NUM>. When the lower nozzle section <NUM> is inserted into the lower opening <NUM> of the casing from the top down, the flange <NUM> is stopped by the nozzle-limiting step <NUM> of the casing <NUM>, and thus the nozzle <NUM> will not fall off the lower opening <NUM> of the casing <NUM>. In addition, the diameter of the middle nozzle section <NUM> is greater than the diameter of the upper nozzle section <NUM> so that a certain distance exists between the upper nozzle section <NUM> and the inner side wall of the upper section <NUM> of the chamber <NUM> of the casing <NUM> when the nozzle <NUM> is mounted into the casing <NUM>.

The nozzle <NUM> has a piston chamber <NUM>, a nozzle passage <NUM> and a fluid passage <NUM>, wherein the nozzle passage <NUM> communicates with the piston chamber <NUM> and the fluid passage <NUM> communicates with the nozzle passage <NUM>. The piston chamber <NUM> is recessed inward from the upper surface <NUM> of the nozzle <NUM> and is used to accommodate the piston <NUM>. The shape of the piston chamber <NUM> matches the shape of the piston <NUM> so that the piston <NUM> can touch closely against the inner wall of the piston chamber <NUM>. The inner wall of the upper portion <NUM> of the piston chamber <NUM> is in the shape of a cylinder, the inner wall of the lower portion <NUM> is a smoothly-transitioned spherical surface extending downward from the inner wall of the upper portion <NUM>, and an opening <NUM> is arranged on the lower portion <NUM>. The nozzle passage <NUM> is located below the piston chamber <NUM> and has an airflow inlet <NUM>, an airflow outlet <NUM> and a fluid inlet <NUM>. Wherein, the fluid inlet <NUM> is arranged below the airflow inlet <NUM> and the airflow outlet <NUM> is arranged below the fluid inlet <NUM>. The airflow inlet <NUM> communicates with or is aligned with the opening <NUM> of the piston chamber <NUM> so that the piston chamber <NUM> communicates with the nozzle passage <NUM>. The fluid passage <NUM> has a fluid passage inlet <NUM> and a fluid passage outlet <NUM>, the fluid passage inlet <NUM> communicates with a fluid source to lead the fluid into the fluid passage <NUM>, and the fluid passage outlet <NUM> communicates with or is aligned with the fluid inlet <NUM> of the nozzle passage <NUM> so that the fluid can enter the nozzle passage <NUM> from the fluid passage <NUM>. The nozzle passage <NUM> has an upper nozzle passage section <NUM> and a lower nozzle passage section <NUM>, and the lower nozzle passage section <NUM> is thinner than the upper nozzle passage section <NUM>. The airflow inlet <NUM> is arranged at the top of the upper nozzle passage section <NUM>, and the airflow outlet <NUM> is arranged at the bottom of the lower nozzle passage section <NUM>. The fluid inlet <NUM> communicates with the upper nozzle passage section <NUM> and the fluid inlet <NUM> is arranged near the joint between the upper nozzle passage section <NUM> and the lower nozzle passage section <NUM> on the side wall of the upper nozzle passage section <NUM>. Air can be accelerated to press the fluid out of the nozzle passage <NUM> after flowing from the thicker upper nozzle passage section <NUM> into the thinner lower nozzle passage section <NUM>.

The nozzle <NUM> further comprises a groove <NUM> recessed inward from the bottom surface <NUM> of the nozzle <NUM>, a protruding portion <NUM> extends toward the bottom surface <NUM> of the nozzle <NUM> from the bottom <NUM> of the groove <NUM>, the nozzle passage <NUM> passes through the protruding portion <NUM>, and thus the airflow outlet <NUM> of the nozzle passage <NUM> is located at the lower end of the protruding portion <NUM>. The airflow outlet <NUM> is located in the groove <NUM>, that is to say, the position of the airflow outlet <NUM> is higher than the bottom surface <NUM> of the nozzle <NUM> in the horizontal direction shown in <FIG>.

In one embodiment of the present application, one fluid passage <NUM> exists, and in other embodiments, a plurality of fluid passages <NUM> may exist.

It should be noted that although the sleeve <NUM> and the nozzle <NUM> are separated components in the above-mentioned embodiments of the present application, the sleeve <NUM> and the nozzle <NUM> may be made into a one-piece component according to the present application in other embodiments.

<FIG> is a cutaway view of the nozzle assembly <NUM> shown in <FIG> in the A-A direction and shows the connections between different components of the nozzle assembly. As shown in <FIG>, the sleeve <NUM> and the nozzle <NUM> are mounted in the chamber <NUM> of the casing <NUM>, and the sleeve <NUM> is mounted on the nozzle <NUM> so that the piston passage <NUM> can communicate with the piston chamber <NUM>. The piston <NUM> is inserted into the piston passage <NUM> and the piston chamber <NUM> and can reciprocate in the piston passage <NUM> and the piston chamber <NUM>. The shape of the head portion <NUM> of the piston matches the shape of the piston chamber <NUM> so that the surfaces between them can fit each other and the piston <NUM> can draw in and discharge air through the nozzle passage <NUM> when reciprocating relative to the nozzle <NUM>.

Since the outside diameter of the head portion <NUM> of the upper sleeve portion <NUM> is roughly equal to the diameter of the upper section <NUM> of the chamber <NUM> of the casing, the outer side of the head portion <NUM> of the upper sleeve portion <NUM> touches the inner wall of the casing <NUM>. The lower nozzle section <NUM> passes through the opening <NUM> of the casing <NUM>, and the middle nozzle section <NUM> is mounted on the nozzle-limiting step <NUM> in the casing <NUM>. Thus, a fluid chamber <NUM> is formed between the outer sides of the nozzle <NUM> and the sleeve <NUM> and the inner side of the casing <NUM>, and the fluid chamber <NUM> is used to accommodate the fluid which is led in from the outside of the casing <NUM>. A fluid transport pipe <NUM> is mounted at the inlet <NUM> of the casing <NUM>, one end of the fluid transport pipe <NUM> communicates with a fluid source, and the other end communicates with the fluid chamber <NUM> to lead the fluid into the fluid chamber <NUM>. The fluid inlet <NUM> of the fluid passage <NUM> communicates with the fluid chamber <NUM> so that the fluid can enter the fluid passage <NUM> from the fluid chamber <NUM>.

A head portion seal <NUM> is arranged at the joint between the sleeve <NUM> and the casing <NUM>, the head portion seal <NUM> will be deformed if it receives a pressure between the inner wall <NUM> of the casing <NUM> and the outer side of the sleeve <NUM>, and thus sealing is formed between the casing <NUM> and the sleeve <NUM> to prevent the fluid in the fluid chamber <NUM> from leaking out of the joint to the outside of the casing <NUM>. A nozzle seal <NUM> is arranged at the joint between the nozzle <NUM> and the casing <NUM>. After the nozzle <NUM> and the nozzle seal <NUM> are mounted into the casing <NUM>, the nozzle seal <NUM> is confined between the flange <NUM> of the middle nozzle section <NUM> and the seal-limiting step <NUM> and will be deformed if it receives a squeeze between the lower portion of the middle nozzle section <NUM> and the seal-limiting step <NUM>, and thus sealing is formed between the casing <NUM> and the nozzle <NUM> to prevent the fluid in the fluid chamber <NUM> from leaking out of the joint to the outside of the casing <NUM>. A second seal <NUM> is arranged at the joint between the lower sleeve portion <NUM> and the nozzle <NUM>, and the second seal <NUM> will be deformed to form sealing to prevent the fluid from entering the piston passage <NUM> and the piston chamber <NUM> if it receives a pressure between the lower sleeve portion <NUM> and the upper surface <NUM> of the nozzle <NUM>. Thus, the fluid can enter the fluid chamber <NUM> only from the inlet <NUM> and flow out of the fluid passage <NUM> of the nozzle <NUM>, but will not leak to the outside of the casing <NUM> or enter the piston passage <NUM> or the piston chamber <NUM>.

In one embodiment of the present application, the seal <NUM> is put on the lower nozzle section <NUM> of the nozzle <NUM> and is close to the middle nozzle section <NUM>, and thus the flange <NUM> of the seal <NUM> touches against the seal-limiting step <NUM> to form sealing. In another embodiment, the seal <NUM> is arranged below the flange <NUM> of the middle nozzle section <NUM> and touches the nozzle-limiting step <NUM> to form sealing. In a further embodiment, the seal <NUM> may be arranged on the outer side of the middle nozzle section <NUM>, and thus the radial outer side of the seal <NUM> touches against the inner wall <NUM> of the casing to form sealing.

The following steps are involved when the nozzle assembly of the present application is used to distribute a fluid:.

Before the fluid is distributed, the piston <NUM> is in a position higher than the nozzle <NUM>, namely, the initial position of the piston <NUM>. At this time, the head portion of the piston <NUM> does not fully occupy the piston chamber <NUM> and the piston chamber <NUM> contains air. Since the viscosity of the fluid is usually very large, the fluid cannot spontaneously flow into the nozzle passage <NUM> from the fluid chamber <NUM>, and a proper pressure can be applied at the fluid source to which the fluid transport pipe <NUM> is connected to press a proper amount of the fluid into the nozzle passage <NUM>. The pressure applied varies with the properties of the fluid. In addition, in some special cases in which the fluid can enter the nozzle passage <NUM> by gravity, no pressure needs to be applied at the fluid source.

When the nozzle assembly moves to the position to be processed, move the piston <NUM> down to squeeze the air in the piston chamber <NUM>, and the squeezed air drives the fluid to flow out of the nozzle passage <NUM> and fall upon the position to be processed, thus completing one fluid distribution.

After completing the fluid distribution, move the piston <NUM> up to return to the initial position to prepare it for the next fluid distribution. Since the viscosity of the fluid is large, the fluid cannot spontaneously flow into the nozzle passage <NUM> in the short moment after the fluid in the nozzle passage <NUM> is extruded by the air squeezed by the movement of the piston <NUM>. At this time, the piston <NUM> moves up immediately and draws the ambient air into the nozzle chamber <NUM> through the nozzle passage <NUM> to complete the air suction process of the piston <NUM>. The piston <NUM> returns to the initial position and gets ready for the next fluid distribution.

Claim 1:
A nozzle, wherein the nozzle comprises:
a nozzle passage (<NUM>), the nozzle passage (<NUM>) having an airflow inlet (<NUM>) and an airflow outlet (<NUM>), and
a fluid passage (<NUM>), the fluid passage (<NUM>) having a fluid passage inlet (<NUM>) and a fluid passage outlet (<NUM>), wherein the fluid passage inlet (<NUM>) communicates with a fluid source so that a fluid can enter the fluid passage (<NUM>), and the fluid passage outlet (<NUM>) communicates with the nozzle passage (<NUM>) so that the fluid can enter the nozzle passage (<NUM>),
wherein the airflow exerted from the airflow inlet (<NUM>) can press the fluid in the nozzle passage (<NUM>) out of the airflow outlet (<NUM>), wherein
the fluid is a viscous fluid and the viscosity of the fluid ranges from <NUM> cps to <NUM>,<NUM> cps and characterized in that the nozzle further comprises:
a piston chamber (<NUM>), the piston chamber (<NUM>) accommodating a piston and the piston chamber (<NUM>) communicating with the airflow inlet (<NUM>) of the nozzle passage (<NUM>).