Conformal coating applicator and method

An applicator for dispensing a coating material onto a substrate, the applicator comprising:

• a body comprising
• a distal end,
• a liquid flow passage having a liquid inlet adapted to receive the coating material, and
• a fluid passage having a fluid inlet adapted to receive a pressurized fluid;
• a needle extending through the liquid flow passage;
• an extension comprising a longitudinal throughbore contiguous with the liquid flow passage and receiving the needle therethrough;
• a needle guide disposed in the throughbore near a distal end of the extension and having inner surfaces that receive, align and laterally support the needle;
• a nozzle disposed at the distal end of the extension, the nozzle comprising
• a distal end,
• a bore receiving the needle, and
• a taper at the distal end of the nozzle extending beyond other structure of the applicator;
• a seat disposed at the distal end of the nozzle;
• a dispensing orifice extending through the seat, one end of the needle being movable into contact with the seat and through the dispensing orifice to terminate a flow of the coating material through the dispensing orifice and eliminate any coating material flow path downstream of the seat;
• and
• a tubular cap disposed around the extension and the nozzle the tubular cap comprising
• a proximal end removably mounted to the body, and
• a distal end of the cap comprising a conical outer surface substantially conforming to the taper of the distal end of the nozzle, the cap forming with the extension and the nozzle a fluid path contiguous with the fluid passage, the fluid path having a fluid outlet at the distal end of the cap.

An applicator for dispensing a coating material onto a substrate, the applicator comprising:

• a body comprising
• a distal end,
• a liquid flow passage having a liquid inlet adapted to receive the coating material, and
• a fluid passage having a fluid inlet adapted to receive a pressurized fluid;
• a needle extending through the liquid flow passage;
• an extension comprising
• a proximal end removably mounted to the body,
• an internal passage contiguous with the liquid flow passage and receiving the needle, and
• a distal end,
• a nozzle disposed at the distal end of the extension, the nozzle comprising a bore receiving the needle and a distal end;
• a seat disposed 1 in the distal end of the nozzle;
• a dispensing orifice extending through the seat, the needle being movable into contact with, and away from, the seat;
• a tubular cap disposed around the extension and the nozzle comprising
• a proximal end removably mounted to the body,
• a distal end,
• the cap forming a fluid path with the extension and the nozzle, the fluid path being contiguous with the fluid passage;
• an upper alignment guide disposed in the fluid path near the proximal ends of the extension and the cap, the upper alignment guide coaxially aligning the proximal ends of the extension and the cap;
• and
• a lower alignment guide disposed in the fluid path near the distal ends of the extension and the cap, the lower alignment guide coaxially aligning the distal ends of the extension and the cap.

An applicator for dispensing a coating material onto a substrate, the applicator comprising:

• a body comprising
• a distal end,
• a liquid flow passage having a liquid inlet adapted to receive the coating material, and
• a fluid passage having a fluid inlet adapted to receive a pressurized fluid;
• a needle extending through the liquid flow passage;
• an extension comprising
• a proximal end removably mounted to the body,
• an internal passage contiguous with the liquid flow passage and receiving the needle,
• a distal end, and
• lower splines extending outward from an outer surface of the extension at its distal end;
• a nozzle disposed at the distal end of the extension, the nozzle comprising a bore receiving the needle and a distal;
• a seat disposed in the distal end of the nozzle;
• a dispensing orifice extending through the seat, the needle being movable into contact with, and away from, the seat;
• and
• a tubular cap disposed around the extension and the nozzle comprising
• a proximal end removably mounted to the body,
• upper splines extending inward from an inner surface at the proximal end of the cap, the upper splines coaxially aligning the respective proximal ends of the extension and the cap,
• a distal end, the distal end of the cap being coaxially aligned with the distal end of the extension by the lower splines,
• the cap forming a fluid path with the extension and the nozzle, the fluid path being contiguous with the fluid passage.

An applicator for dispensing a coating material onto a substrate, the applicator having a body with a liquid flow passage for receiving the coating material and a fluid passage for receiving a pressurized fluid, a nozzle is mounted at a distal end of the body, and a dispensing valve is disposed in the nozzle, the applicator comprising a tubular air cap

• disposed around the nozzle and comprising
• an inner surface,
• a proximal end removably mountable to the body,
• an alignment guide disposed on the inner surface at the proximal end of the cap for coaxially aligning the cap with the body, the cap forming a fluid path with the nozzle contiguous with the fluid passage, and
• a distal end forming a fluid outlet with nozzle.

An applicator for dispensing a coating material onto a substrate, the applicator having a body with a liquid flow passage for receiving the coating material and a fluid passage for receiving a pressurized fluid, a nozzle having a dispensing valve disposed therein, and a cap disposed around the nozzle and forming a fluid path conducting the pressurized fluid, the applicator further comprising:

• a tubular extension comprising
• a proximal end adapted to be removably mounted to the body,
• a distal end, and
• an alignment guide disposed at the distal end of the extension and adapted to coaxially align the extension with the cap, the extension having an inner bore adapted to be contiguous with the liquid flow passage and conduct the coating material through the extension.

An apparatus for dispensing a coating material onto a substrate, the apparatus comprising:

• a body comprising
• a liquid flow passage having a liquid inlet adapted to receive the coating material,
• a fluid passage comprising a fluid inlet adapted to receive a pressurized fluid, and
• a fluid outlet discharging the pressurized fluid at a distal end of the body;
• a nozzle mounted in the distal end of the body, the nozzle having a tapered distal end;
• a dispensing valve disposed in the nozzle;
• and
• a cap disposed around the nozzle comprising
• a proximal end removably mounted to the body,
• a distal end comprising tapered inner and outer surfaces forming a conical cross-sectional profile substantially conforming with the tapered distal end of the nozzle, and
• the cap and nozzle forming a fluid path therebetween contiguous with the fluid passage.