Fluid sprayer and air cap for a fluid sprayer

A spray cap assembly for use with a spray gun, the spray cap assembly comprising:

• a spray tip including:
• a tip body having a spray orifice formed therethrough;
• and
• a tip notch formed in the tip body, the tip notch extending laterally such that a spray pattern emitted from the spray tip is laterally elongate, wherein the spray orifice opens into the tip notch;
• and
• an air cap comprising:
• a cap body supporting the spray tip, the cap body having a central aperture therethrough, the central aperture disposed on a body axis of the cap body;
• a plurality of projections extending from an outer side of the cap body;
• and
• a first set of passages extending through the cap body, the first set of passages extending to a plurality of ports open on the outer side, wherein the plurality of ports include:
• a first subset of ports disposed circumferentially between a first projection of the plurality of projections and a second projection of the plurality of projections;
• and
• a second subset of ports disposed circumferentially between the first projection and the second projection;
• wherein the first subset of ports oriented to direct a first plurality of airflows towards the body axis and towards a first broad face of the spray pattern;
• and
• wherein the second subset of ports opposing the first subset of ports such that the second subset of parts are oriented to directed a second plurality of airflows towards the body axis and towards a second broad face of the spray pattern.

A method of spraying a coating liquid, the method comprising:

• outputting the coating liquid through a spray tip, the spray tip atomizing the coating liquid into a liquid spray shaped to have a width between a first pattern side and a second pattern side and a thickness between a first pattern face and a second pattern face, the width greater than the thickness;
• outputting compressed gas through an air cap and towards the spray pattern such that:
• a first portion of the compressed gas is output through a first plurality of ports and towards the first pattern face;
• and
• a second portion of the compressed gas is output through a second plurality of ports and towards the second pattern face;
• and
• adjusting flow of the first portion of the compressed gas and the second portion of the compressed gas to change the width of the spray pattern, wherein increasing the flow of the first portion of the compressed gas and the second portion of the compressed gas increases the width and decreasing the flow of the first portion of the compressed gas and the second portion of the compressed gas decreases the width.