Patent ID: 6997405

Claim:
An air assisted spray nozzle assembly comprising: a nozzle body having a liquid passage for connection to a pressurized liquid supply and an air passage for connection to a pressurized air supply, said liquid passage having a downstream liquid discharge orifice from which a pressurized liquid stream is axially discharged, an air cap disposed adjacent said nozzle body, said air cap being formed with an air chamber communicating with said air passage, said air cap being formed with an external liquid discharge and mixing chamber in a downstream end thereof and a central opening coaxial with said liquid discharge orifice communicating between said air chamber and said liquid discharge and mixing chamber, said air chamber including an annular plenum disposed in radially spaced surrounding relation to said central opening, and said air cap having a plurality of straight pressurized air discharge passages extending without bend between said annular plenum and said liquid discharge and mixing chamber at an angle to the axis of said central air cap opening and liquid discharge orifice for directing pressurized air onto a liquid flow stream discharging from said liquid discharge orifice at a location downstream of said liquid discharge orifice for further atomizing the liquid and directing discharging liquid into a predetermined spray pattern.