Patent ID: 7631820

Claim:
A spray nozzle comprising: a swirl disk formed of a sheet material substrate defining a thickness within the range of about 0.003 inch to about 0.03 inch, an etched peripheral edge, an etched first region spaced inwardly relative to the etched peripheral edge and forming a first aperture extending through the first region and defining a swirl chamber, and an etched second region extending between the swirl chamber and peripheral edge and defining a second aperture extending through the second region forming a swirl inlet to the swirl chamber; an orifice disk formed of a sheet material substrate defining a thickness within the range of about 0.005 inch to about 0.03 inch, an etched peripheral portion defining a peripheral edge, and an etched first region spaced inwardly relative to the peripheral edge and defining a first aperture extending through the first region and forming a spray orifice; a retaining body defining an inlet aperture and an outlet aperture; and a retaining member receivable within the retaining body; wherein at least one fluid passageway is formed between the inlet aperture of the retaining body and the swirl inlet to the swirl chamber; the orifice disk is positioned within the retaining body with the spray orifice aligned with and adjacent to the outlet aperture of the retaining body; the swirl disk is positioned within the retaining body upstream of and contiguous to the orifice disk with the swirl chamber aligned and in fluid communication with the spray orifice of the orifice disk; and the retaining member is positioned within the retaining body in engagement with an opposite side of the swirl disk relative to the orifice disk to secure the retaining member, the orifice disk and swirl disk within the retaining body.