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The present technique provides a system and method for improving atomization in a spray coating device by internally mixing and breaking up a desired coating fluid prior to atomization at a spray formation section of the spray coating device. An exemplary spray coating device of the present techniqu

The present technique provides a system and method for improving atomization in a spray coating device by internally mixing and breaking up a desired coating fluid prior to atomization at a spray formation section of the spray coating device. An exemplary spray coating device of the present technique has an internal fluid breakup section comprising at least one fluid impingement orifice angled toward a fluid impingement region. In operation, the internal fluid breakup section forms one or more fluid jets, which impinge one or more surfaces or one another in the fluid impingement region. Accordingly, the impinging fluid jets substantially breakup particulate/ligaments in the coating fluid prior to atomization. The resulting spray coating has refined characteristics, such as reduced mottling.

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What is claimed is: 1. A spray coating device, comprising: a fluid delivery assembly comprising a fluid tip section having a plurality of impinging liquid jets upstream of a fluid exit of the fluid tip section, wherein the plurality of impinging liquid jets are oriented in non-parallel directions;

What is claimed is: 1. A spray coating device, comprising: a fluid delivery assembly comprising a fluid tip section having a plurality of impinging liquid jets upstream of a fluid exit of the fluid tip section, wherein the plurality of impinging liquid jets are oriented in non-parallel directions; and an atomization assembly comprising at least one atomizing jet directed toward a fluid ejection area downstream of the fluid exit. 2. The spray coating device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of impinging liquid jets are oriented in acute impingement angles relative to an axis of the fluid tip section. 3. The spray coating device of claim 2, wherein the acute impingement angles are approximately 25 to 45 degrees. 4. The spray coating device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of impinging liquid jets are directed toward at least one impingement surface. 5. The spray coating device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of impinging liquid jets are directed toward one another in a fluid impingement region. 6. The spray coating device of claim 5, wherein the plurality of impinging liquid jets are positioned symmetrically with respect to one another at an impingement angle relative to an axis of the fluid tip section. 7. The spray coating device of claim 5, wherein the plurality of impinging liquid jets are positioned at approximately 50 to 90 degrees with respect to one another. 8. The spray coating device of claim 5, wherein the fluid impingement region is disposed in a diverging cavity. 9. The spray coating device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of impinging liquid jets comprises a plurality of fluid passages diverging outwardly from a longitudinal centerline of the fluid tip section. 10. The spray coating device of claim 9, wherein the plurality of fluid passages are angled toward at least one fluid impingement surface. 11. The spray coating device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of impinging liquid jets comprises a plurality of liquid passages converging toward a longitudinal centerline of the fluid tip section. 12. The spray coating device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of impinging liquid jets is fluidly coupled to a first plurality of passages that diverge outwardly from one another and a second plurality of passages that converge inwardly toward one another. 13. The spray coating device of claim 12, wherein the fluid tip section comprises a common passageway coupling the first plurality of passages and the second plurality of passages. 14. The spray coating device of claim 13, wherein the common passageway comprises a disk-shaped cavity. 15. The spray coating device of claim 1, wherein the fluid delivery assembly comprises a fluid valve assembly that opens and closes against a flow barrier having the plurality of impinging liquid jets. 16. The spray coating device of claim 1, wherein the fluid delivery assembly comprises a movable fluid valve structure having an internal fluid passage and a plurality of openings. 17. The spray coating device of claim 1, wherein the at least one atomizing jet comprises an atomization orifice disposed concentrically about the fluid exit. 18. The spray coating device of claim 1, wherein the atomization assembly comprises at least one spray-shaping orifice. 19. The spray coating device of claim 1, wherein the fluid tip section comprises a modular housing insertable into a selected spray gun of a plurality of different spray guns. 20. The spray coating device of claim 1, further comprising an engagement trigger assembly coupled to the fluid delivery assembly and the air atomization assembly. 21. The spray coating device of claim 1, further comprising at least one flow regulator. 22. The spray coating device of claim 1, further comprising a robotic control assembly. 23. The spray coating device of claim 1, wherein the non-parallel directions comprise converging directions, diverging directions, or combinations thereof. 24. The spray coating device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of impinging liquid jets are fluidly coupled to three or more coextending passages disposed through a flow barrier alongside one another and angled in different directions relative to a flow axis through the fluid tip section. 25. The spray coating device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of impinging liquid jets are fluidly coupled to two or more sequential passages disposed through a flow barrier one after another and angled in different directions relative to one another. 26. A spray coating device, comprising: a fluid delivery assembly comprising a fluid breakup section having a plurality of liquid impingement orifices upstream of a fluid tip exit, wherein the plurality of liquid impingement orifices are oriented in different directions relative to a longitudinal axis of the fluid breakup section; and a spray formation assembly coupled to the fluid delivery assembly, wherein the spray formation assembly comprises an air atomization assembly. 27. The spray coating device of claim 26, wherein the plurality of liquid impingement orifices are oriented in acute impingement angles relative to the longitudinal axis. 28. The spray coating device of claim 26, wherein the plurality of liquid impingement orifices are directed toward an impingement surface. 29. The spray coating device of claim 26, wherein the plurality of liquid impingement orifices are directed toward at least two different impingement surfaces. 30. The spray coating device of claim 26, wherein the plurality of liquid impingement orifices are directed toward one another in a fluid impingement region. 31. The spray coating device of claim 26, wherein the fluid breakup section comprises a diverging fluid passage section. 32. The spray coating device of claim 31, wherein the diverging fluid passage section comprises a plurality of fluid passages diverging outwardly from a longitudinal centerline of the fluid breakup section. 33. The spray coating device of claim 26, wherein the fluid breakup section comprises a converging fluid passage section. 34. The spray coating device of claim 33, wherein the converging fluid passage section comprises a plurality of fluid passages converging toward a collision region downstream of the converging fluid passage section. 35. The spray coating device of claim 26, wherein the fluid delivery assembly comprises a fluid mixing inducing valve structure in the fluid breakup section. 36. The spray coating device of claim 26, wherein the fluid breakup section comprises a modular housing insertable into a selected spray gun of a plurality of different spray guns. 37. The spray coating device of claim 26, wherein the air atomization assembly comprises an atomization orifice disposed concentrically about the fluid tip exit. 38. The spray coating device of claim 26, wherein the air atomization assembly comprises at least one spray-shaping orifice. 39. The spray coating device of claim 26, wherein the plurality of liquid impingement orifices are fluidly coupled to three or more coextending passages disposed through a flow barrier alongside one another and angled in different directions relative to the longitudinal axis. 40. The spray coating device of claim 26, wherein the plurality of liquid impingement orifices are fluidly coupled to two or more sequential passages disposed through a flow barrier one after another and angled in different directions relative to one another. 41. A spray coating device, comprising: an internal fluid breakup section comprising a plurality of fluid impingement orifices angled in different directions toward a fluid impingement region positioned upstream of a fluid tip exit in a spray formation region, a plurality of fluid passages converging inwardly toward one another and fluidly coupled to the plurality of fluid impingement orifices, and another plurality of fluid passages diverging outwardly from one another and fluidly coupled to the plurality of fluid impingement orifices; and a spray formation assembly coupled to the internal fluid breakup section in the spray formation region, wherein the spray formation assembly comprises an atomization mechanism and a spray shaping mechanism. 42. The spray coating device of claim 41, wherein each of the fluid impingement orifices has an acute impingement angle relative to a longitudinal centerline of the internal fluid breakup section. 43. The spray coating device of claim 41, wherein the fluid impingement region comprises an impingement surface. 44. The spray coating device of claim 41, wherein the plurality of fluid impingement orifices are directed toward one another in the fluid impingement region. 45. The spray coating device of claim 44, wherein the plurality of fluid impingement orifices are positioned symmetrically with respect to one another. 46. The spray coating device of claim 41, wherein the plurality of passages diverging outwardly diverge from a central passageway and wherein the plurality of passageways converging inwardly converge toward the central passageway. 47. The spray coating device of claim 41, wherein the internal fluid breakup section comprises a movable valve structure having an internal fluid passage and a plurality of openings. 48. The spray coating device of claim 41, wherein the atomization mechanism comprises an air orifice disposed concentrically about the fluid tip exit. 49. The spray coating device of claim 41, wherein the spray shaping mechanism comprises at least one spray-shaping orifice. 50. A spray coating method, comprising: flowing a coating fluid through an internal fluid breakup section of a coating spray device, wherein flowing the coating fluid comprises impinging a plurality of liquid jets onto one another within the internal fluid breakup section; and forming a coating spray at a fluid tip exit downstream of the internal fluid breakup section, wherein the act of forming the coating spray comprises the act of atomizing the coating fluid after particle breakup in the internal fluid breakup section, and the act of atomizing the coating fluid comprises the act of applying an atomizing air stream to the coating fluid ejecting from the fluid tip exit. 51. The spray coating method of claim 50, wherein the act of flowing the coating fluid comprises the act of impinging at least one fluid jet into an impingement region within the internal fluid breakup section. 52. The spray coating method of claim 51, wherein the act of impinging the at least one fluid jet comprises the act of refining the coating fluid. 53. The spray coating method of claim 52, wherein the act of refining the coating fluid comprises the act of breaking up ligaments in the coating fluid. 54. The spray coating method of claim 51, wherein the act of impinging the at least one fluid jet comprises the act of colliding the at least one fluid jet onto a fluid breakup surface. 55. The spray coating method of claim 50, wherein the act of impinging the plurality of fluid jets comprises the act of converging the plurality of fluid jets. 56. The spray coating method of claim 50, wherein the act of flowing the coating fluid comprises the act of passing the coating fluid through a plurality of diverging passages and a plurality of converging passages. 57. A refined coating formed by the method of claim 50. 58. A method of making a spray coating device, comprising: providing an internal fluid breakup section comprising at least one fluid impingement orifice directed toward a fluid impingement region from a plurality of fluid passages including diverging fluid passages, wherein the act of providing the internal fluid breakup section comprises the act disposing a movable valve having an internal fluid passage and openings upstream of the at least one fluid impingement orifice; and positioning the internal fluid breakup section within a fluid delivery assembly of the spray coating device. 59. The method of claim 58, wherein the act of providing the internal fluid breakup section comprises the act of orienting the at least one fluid impingement orifice at an acute impingement angle selected to facilitate fluid breakup in the fluid impingement region. 60. The method of claim 58, wherein the act of providing the internal fluid breakup section comprises the act of orienting the at least one fluid impingement orifice toward an impingement surface in the fluid impingement region. 61. The method of claim 58, wherein the plurality of fluid passages include converging fluid passages. 62. The method of claim 58, comprising the act of coupling a spray formation assembly to the spray coating device downstream of the internal fluid breakup section. 63. The method of claim 62, wherein the act of coupling the spray formation assembly comprises the act of providing at least one air atomization orifice and at least one spray shaping orifice independent from the air atomization orifice. 64. The method of claim 58, wherein the act of providing the internal breakup section comprises the act of selecting an impingement angle of the at least one fluid impingement orifice based on fluid characteristics of a desired spray coating fluid. 65. The method of claim 58, wherein the act of providing the internal breakup section comprises the act of selecting an orifice size of the at least one fluid impingement orifice based on fluid characteristics of a desired spray coating fluid.