Nozzle assembly with external baffles

Abstract

Provided are nozzle assemblies and related methods for a spraying apparatus. The nozzle assembly includes a fluid side wall defining a fluid passageway that extends longitudinally along a fluid axis and terminates in a fluid aperture; an air cap side wall extending around the fluid side wall and partially defining an air passageway that terminates in an atomizing aperture adjacent the fluid aperture. A pair of diametrically opposed air horns protrude past the fluid aperture from the air cap side wall and define respective air horn cavities in communication with the air passageway, each air horn having an external surface and a fan control aperture extending along a fan control axis through the external surface to flow air against a fluid stream discharged from the fluid aperture. The fan control aperture has a certain aperture shape defined along a reference plane perpendicular to the fan control axis, and for each air horn, a baffle projects into a volumetric shape defined by extruding the certain aperture shape outwardly along the fan control axis. The baffle modifies the shaping air jets between the fan control apertures and the atomized fluid stream to provide a refined spray pattern.