Patent ID: 6959879

Claim:
A nozzle arrangement which is suitable for use in the generation of an atomized spray or aerosol and which is adapted for connection to a fluid supply, the nozzle arrangement comprising a fluid inlet through which fluid enters the arrangement from the fluid supply and a fluid outlet through which the fluid is ejected from the nozzle arrangement, said fluid inlet and said fluid outlet being connected by a fluid flow passage through which, in use, fluid flows from the inlet to the outlet, the nozzle arrangement including control means provided in the passage and which, in use, acts to control the fluid droplet size in the spray or aerosol produced by the nozzle arrangement at the outlet, the control means including, in order from the inlet to the outlet, a first constriction means, a first expansion means associated with the first constriction means, a second constriction means and a second expansion means associated with the second constriction means, each constriction means comprising a region of the passage in which a dimension of the passage taken in a direction transverse to the direction of fluid flow is smaller than the equivalent dimension of a portion of the passage immediately upstream from the respective constriction means, each expansion means comprising a region of the passage in which at least a first dimension of the passage taken in a direction transverse to the direction of fluid flow is larger than the equivalent dimension of a portion of the passage immediately upstream from the respective expansion means and said expansion means forms a chamber, each constriction means being adapted to generate, in use, a spray of the fluid within its associated expansion means.