Device, method, and assembly for loading nozzles with fluid

An assembly for loading fluid, the assembly comprising:

• a cylindrical nozzle-bearing body having a body surface defining one or more orifices for receiving the fluid into one or more nozzles;
• and
• a device for loading fluid into one or more nozzles of the cylindrical nozzle-bearing body, the device and the nozzle-bearing body assembled into the working configuration in which the device is held proximate to the nozzle-bearing body such that the second member of the device protrudes toward the body surface and the first surface and the body surface form a pocket having an opening for receiving the fluid, the device comprising:
• a first member having a first surface, and
• a second member protruding from the first member, the second member having a second surface and a third surface, the second surface extending from the first surface at an interior angle in a range of 20 degrees to 160 degrees,
• wherein the first surface is shaped to substantially complement the shape of the body surface,
• wherein a tangent to the third surface, in a region of the third surface proximate to where the second surface meets the third surface, is substantially parallel to a tangent to the first surface, in a region of the first surface where the first surface meets the second surface, when the device is in the working configuration,
• wherein the device has a recess defined therein at least in part by the first surface and the second surface, the recess configured to form a pocket for receiving the fluid when the device is assembled into the working configuration, and
• wherein the first surface has a cylindrical curvature and is positionable to be substantially concentric with the cylindrical body surface of the nozzle-bearing body and to define an opening with the cylindrical body surface for receiving the fluid when the device is in the working configuration being held proximate to the nozzle-bearing body with the second member protruding toward the cylindrical body surface of the nozzle-bearing body;
• wherein, in the working configuration, the nozzle-bearing body is movable relative to the device in a direction from the opening toward the second surface such that a gap formed between the first surface and the body surface and a gap formed between the third surface and the body surface remain substantially constant, thereby allowing the device to at least partially load the one or more nozzles with the fluid received into the pocket via the opening.

A method for loading fluid, into one or more nozzles of a cylindrical nozzle-bearing body having a body surface defining one or more orifices for receiving fluid into the one or more nozzles, the method comprising:

• assembling a device for loading fluid into a working configuration with the nozzle-bearing body, the device comprising:
• a first member having a first surface, and
• a second member protruding from the first member,
• the second member having a second surface and a third surface, the second surface extending from the first surface at an interior angle in a range of 20 degrees to 160 degrees, the first surface being shaped to substantially complement the shape of the body surface, the device having a recess defined at least in part by the first surface and the second surface,
• wherein the first surface has a cylindrical curvature and is positionable to be substantially concentric with the cylindrical body surface of the nozzle-bearing body and to define an opening with the cylindrical body surface for receiving the fluid when the device is in the working configuration being held proximate to the nozzle-bearing body with the second member protruding toward the cylindrical body surface of the nozzle-bearing body,
• wherein assembling comprises:
• holding the device, proximate to the nozzle-bearing body such that the second member protrudes toward the body surface, the first surface of the first member and the body surface form a pocket having an opening for receiving the fluid, and a tangent to the third surface, in a region of the third surface proximate to where the second surface meets the third surface, is substantially parallel to a tangent to the first surface, in a region of the first surface where the first surface meets the second surface;
• and
• while the device is in the working configuration:
• supplying the fluid into the pocket via the opening, and
• moving the nozzle-bearing body relative to the device in a direction from the opening toward the second surface while maintaining a gap formed between the first surface and the body surface and a gap formed between the third surface and the body surface substantially constant to load the fluid from the pocket into the one or more nozzles.

A device for loading fluid into one or more nozzles of a nozzle-bearing body when the device is assembled into a working configuration with the nozzle-bearing body, the nozzle-bearing body having a body surface defining one or more orifices for receiving the fluid into the one or more nozzles, the device comprising:

• a first member having a first surface;
• a second member protruding from the first member, the second member having a second surface and a third surface, the second surface extending from the first surface at an interior angle in a range of 20 degrees to 160 degrees;
• a third member extending from the first member and the second member, the third member having a fourth surface configured to face the body surface when the device is in the working configuration;
• and
• a fourth member extending from the first member and the second member opposite the third member, the fourth member having a fifth surface configured to face the body surface when the device is in the working configuration, wherein:
• the first surface is shaped to substantially complement the shape of the body surface, a tangent to the third surface, in a region of the third surface proximate to where the second surface meets the third surface, is substantially parallel to a tangent to the first surface, in a region of the first surface where the first surface meets the second surface, when the device is in the working configuration,
• the device has a recess defined therein at least in part by the first surface and the second surface, the recess configured to form a pocket for receiving the fluid when the device is assembled into the working configuration, and
• at least a portion of the fourth surface and at least a portion of the fifth surface extend from the opposite sides of the third surface to form with the third surface a single surface configured to conform to the body surface of the nozzle-bearing body when the device is in the working configuration.