Adjustable Scalloped Needle Valve for a Spray Nozzle

Abstract

An adjustable spray nozzle adapted to fit a pressurized aerosol can. The nozzle includes a body, a fluid passage defined within the nozzle body, and an adjustable needle valve with a tip disposed within a portion of the fluid passage. The needle valve regulates flow within the fluid passage. The tip of the needle valve has a contoured surface to define a predetermined flow path in the fluid passage to prevent resonance of the tip in the flow path and to facilitate passage of semi-solids in the flow path. In one embodiment, the contoured surface of the tip includes at least one longitudinally oriented flat surface segment defined in the surface of the tip. In another embodiment, the contoured surface of the tip includes at least one longitudinally oriented concave surface segment defined into the conical surface of the tip of the adjustable needle valve.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An adjustable spray nozzle adapted to fit a pressurized aerosol can comprising:
 a nozzle body adapted to couple onto the pressurized aerosol can;   a nozzle defined in the nozzle body;   a fluid passage defined within the nozzle body and communicating with the nozzle;   an adjustable needle valve disposed in the nozzle body, wherein the adjustable needle valve comprises a tip disposed within a portion of the fluid passage,   where the needle valve is adjusted to regulate flow within the fluid passage and where the tip of the needle valve has a contoured surface to define a predetermined flow path between the contoured surface of the tip of the needle valve and an adjacent portion of the fluid passage to prevent resonance of the tip in the flow path and to facilitate passage of semi-solids in the flow path.   
     
     
         2 . The spray nozzle of  claim 1  where the tip has a longitudinal axis and the contoured surface of the tip of the adjustable needle valve comprises a tip with a conical surface and with a longitudinally oriented flat surface segment defined in the conical surface of the tip of the adjustable needle valve. 
     
     
         3 . The spray nozzle of  claim 1  where the tip has a longitudinal axis and the contoured surface of the tip of the adjustable needle valve comprises a tip with a conical surface and a plurality of longitudinally oriented flat surfaces segments defined in the conical surface of the tip of the adjustable needle valve. 
     
     
         4 . The spray nozzle of  claim 3  where the plurality of longitudinally oriented flat surfaces segments are defined in the conical surface of the tip symmetrically about the longitudinal axis of the tip of the adjustable needle valve. 
     
     
         5 . The spray nozzle of  claim 1  where the tip has a longitudinal axis and the contoured surface of the tip of the adjustable needle valve comprises a tip with a conical surface and a longitudinally oriented concave surface segment defined into the conical surface of the tip of the adjustable needle valve. 
     
     
         6 . The spray nozzle of  claim 1  where the tip has a longitudinal axis and the contoured surface of the tip of the adjustable needle valve comprises a tip with a conical surface and a plurality of longitudinally oriented concave surface segments defined into the conical surface of the tip of the adjustable needle valve. 
     
     
         7 . The spray nozzle of  claim 6  where the plurality of longitudinally oriented concave surface segments are defined symmetrically into the conical surface about the longitudinal axis of the tip of the adjustable needle valve. 
     
     
         8 . The spray nozzle of  claim 1  where the fluid passage comprises a valving portion and an orifice portion fluidicly communicated to the valving portion of the fluid passage, where the contoured surface of the adjustable needle valve is disposed between the valving portion and the orifice portion of the fluid passage. 
     
     
         9 . The spray nozzle of  claim 8  where the orifice portion of the fluid passage is oriented at an acute angle with respect to the valving portion of the fluid passage. 
     
     
         10 . The spray nozzle of  claim 1  where the adjustable needle valve comprises a plurality of threads for advancing and retreating the tip of the adjustable needle valve within the fluid passage. 
     
     
         11 . The spray nozzle of  claim 8  further comprising an orifice body removably coupled to the orifice portion of the fluid passage. 
     
     
         12 . An adjustable spray nozzle for a pressurized aerosol spray can having a top stem valve comprising:
 a nozzle body adapted to couple and seal with the top stem valve;   a fluid passage defined within the nozzle body in communication with the stem valve; and   a adjustable needle valve coupled to the nozzle body,   wherein the adjustable needle valve comprises a plastic tip disposed within a portion of the fluid passage, the plastic tip further comprising contoured surface to define a predetermined flow path between the contoured surface of the tip of the needle valve and an adjacent portion of the fluid passage to prevent resonance of the tip in the flow path and to facilitate passage of semi-solids in the flow path.   
     
     
         13 . The spray nozzle of  claim 12  where the contoured surface of the tip comprises at least one flat surface defined into the surface of the tip of the adjustable needle valve. 
     
     
         14 . The spray nozzle of  claim 12  where the contoured surface comprises at least one scalloped surface defined into the surface of the tip of the adjustable needle valve. 
     
     
         15 . The spray nozzle of  claim 12  where the fluid passage includes an orifice portion and a valving portion and where the adjustable needle valve comprises a plurality of threads for advancing and retreating the means to regulate a flow within the fluid passage between the orifice portion of the fluid passage and the valving portion of the fluid passage. 
     
     
         16 . The spray nozzle of  claim 15  where the contoured surface further comprises means for preventing vibration of the tip of the adjustable needle valve caused by flow of fluid in the fluid passage. 
     
     
         17 . A method for adjusting a fluid flow through a pressurized spray nozzle for an aerosol can comprising:
 advancing a tip of a needle valve into a fluid pathway defined in the spray nozzle coupled to the aerosol can;   exposing a defined relief surface of the tip of the needle valve to the flow of fluid through the fluid pathway; and   adjusting the disposition of the defined relief surface of the tip of the needle valve within the flow of fluid to prevent vibration of the tip of the needle valve to define a predetermined flow path between the defined relief surface of the tip of the needle valve and an adjacent portion of the fluid passage to prevent resonance of the tip in the flow path and to facilitate passage of semi-solids in the flow path.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  where exposing the defined relief surface of the tip of the needle valve to the flow of fluid comprises:
 exposing at least one scalloped surface defined on the tip of the needle valve to the flow of fluid; or 
 exposing at least one flat surface defined on the tip of the needle valve to the flow of fluid. 
 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17  where advancing the tip of the needle valve into the fluid pathway comprises advancing the needle valve by rotation of the needle valve in a threaded coupling defined between the needle valve and the spray nozzle. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17  where adjusting the disposition of the defined relief surface of the tip of the needle valve within the flow of fluid to prevent vibration of the tip of the needle valve comprises rotating the needle valve in a threaded coupling defined between the needle valve and the spray nozzle.