Patent ID: 8789492

Claim:
An industrial-scale atomizing apparatus for applying a liquid coating, the apparatus comprising: a hopper containing the liquid coating; a discharge nozzle having an elongated slot outlet having a length that extends along a longitudinal axis, the discharge nozzle fluidly coupled to the hopper so that the liquid coating flows from the hopper and through the elongated slot outlet by gravity; a first air stream having an elongated slot outlet that extends substantially parallel to the elongated slot outlet of the discharge nozzle; a second air stream having an elongated slot outlet that extends substantially parallel to the elongated slot outlet of the discharge nozzle, the first and second air streams positioned proximate the discharge nozzle; the elongated slot outlets of the first and second air streams positioned above the elongated slot outlet, wherein the elongated slot outlet of the discharge nozzle discharges a liquid stream of atomized droplets of the liquid coating at a substantially uniform velocity along the length of the elongated slot outlet of the discharge nozzle in a longitudinally extending fan pattern; and wherein the first air stream is isolated from the liquid coating prior to exiting the elongated slot outlet of the first air stream, and the second air stream is isolated from the liquid coating prior to exiting the elongated slot outlet of the second air stream; wherein each of the first and second air streams extend longitudinally and in parallel relation to the discharge nozzle.