Patents by Inventor Chunling Zhao
Chunling Zhao has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20240116061Abstract: Provided is a fluidic oscillator circuit for a nozzle assembly configured to generate oscillating sprays of fluid from an outlet of the nozzle assembly and to improve spray performance of fluid having low temperatures or high viscosity. In one embodiment, provided is an interaction region for a fluidic oscillator circuit that includes an apex protrusion shaped to assist with generating vortices within the interaction region. In another embodiment, provided is an interaction region for a fluidic oscillator having a power nozzle that includes at least one finger protrusion that lengthens the power nozzle to create jets of fluid in the interaction region that are less diffused to improve cold performance of the fluidic oscillator circuit.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 19, 2023Publication date: April 11, 2024Inventor: Chunling Zhao
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Patent number: 11872574Abstract: Provided is a fluidic oscillator circuit for a nozzle assembly configured to generate oscillating sprays of fluid from an outlet of the nozzle assembly and to improve spray performance of fluid having low temperatures or high viscosity. In one embodiment, provided is an interaction region for a fluidic oscillator circuit that includes an apex protrusion shaped to assist with generating vortices within the interaction region. In another embodiment, provided is an interaction region for a fluidic oscillator having a power nozzle that includes at least one finger protrusion that lengthens the power nozzle to create jets of fluid in the interaction region that are less diffused to improve cold performance of the fluidic oscillator circuit.Type: GrantFiled: October 19, 2020Date of Patent: January 16, 2024Assignee: DLHBOWLES, INC.Inventor: Chunling Zhao
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Publication number: 20230364624Abstract: Disclosed is a shear type fluid spray nozzle having a small size for use on a vehicle to produce a desired shear spray that includes a body made from one piece of material that defines an inlet, a cavity, and an outlet. In an embodiment, the cavity may be aligned along an inlet axis and the outlet is aligned along an outlet axis that is generally transverse to the inlet axis. The geometry of the fluid spray nozzle may act to separate a main flow of fluid within the cavity to maintain the spray aim and spray fan shape at a desirable condition.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 12, 2023Publication date: November 16, 2023Inventors: Chunling Zhao, Robert Kasson
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Patent number: 11806733Abstract: A low flow compact spray head design for cleaning applications, especially for camera lens wash includes a miniature spray nozzle head which is about 5 mm in diameter or less for a single direction spray nozzle and about 8 mm in diameter of less for a nozzle with multiple sprays. The washer fluid is fed from the bottom of nozzle along a flow axis and is separated into two flows via two power nozzles or inlets which turn the flows 90° to become opposing jets impinging upon each other inside an interaction region. Uniform stream lines are generated by the two direct facing jets and converge at the nozzle throat to become a uniform spray fan, which is on a plane perpendicular to the axis of cylindrical nozzle head. This fluidic circuit design enables a miniature size low flowrate nozzle to operate well consistently with low flow rate (e.g.Type: GrantFiled: August 16, 2021Date of Patent: November 7, 2023Assignee: DLHBOWLES, INC.Inventor: Chunling Zhao
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Patent number: 11712707Abstract: Provided is a compact sized low flow rate fluidic nozzle insert. The fluidic nozzle insert may include a fluidic oscillator chip on a front face having a flat-top interaction region, and a manifold on a back face, located opposite the front face, to house fluid. The fluidic nozzle insert may further include at least one feed having a u-shape connecting the front face and back face for the transport of fluid from the manifold, at least one power nozzle oriented toward the front face for directing fluid from the at least one feed to the interaction region of the fluidic oscillator chip, and a v-shaped outlet at the bottom of the interaction region defined by two flat walls for the passage of fluid from the interaction region to the outside of the fluidic nozzle insert in a fan pattern. The produced spray fan pattern may be uniform and fluid nozzle may work well with high viscosity fluids.Type: GrantFiled: November 9, 2020Date of Patent: August 1, 2023Assignee: DLHBOWLES, INC.Inventor: Chunling Zhao
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Publication number: 20230166273Abstract: A fluidic oscillator insert is designed to project a full circumference spray pattern from a single outlet that is characterized by slightly convex or outwardly curving radius and a combination of full and partial protrusions immediately in front of the outlet, in combination with curved walls defining the throat of the outlet (and even outer surfaces of the housing), surprisingly produces full circumference, oscillating spray pattern. Further aspects of the invention include a system and a double exit insert, both of which also produce full circumference oscillating spray patterns.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 1, 2022Publication date: June 1, 2023Inventors: Evan Hartranft, Chunling Zhao, Sridhar Gopalan, Gregory A. Russell, Reza Ronghian
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Publication number: 20230010574Abstract: Disclosed includes embodiments of a pulsed spray nozzle assembly, comprising a nozzle housing having a cavity with an inlet configured to receive a flow of fluid therein. A flow conditioning insert configured to be inserted inside the cavity of the housing to communicate fluid from the inlet to an interaction region downstream from the flow conditioning insert along an inlet axis within the housing, a step may extend from an inner surface of the cavity to assist to create turbulent flow in the interaction region. An outlet along the housing in communication with the interaction region, wherein the fluid is configured to be dispensed from the outlet having a pulsed spray pattern along an outlet axis that is generally perpendicular to the inlet axis.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 6, 2022Publication date: January 12, 2023Inventors: Chunling Zhao, Aakash Deora
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Patent number: 11548479Abstract: A micro-sized structure and construction method for a fluidic oscillator wash or spray nozzle (100 or 250) has a nozzle housing (110 or 252) enclosing an interior cavity (112 or 262) which receives an insert (114 or 254) having internal fluid passages defining first and second power nozzles (120, 122 or 280, 282). The power nozzles receive pressurized fluid (130) flowing through the interior cavity of the housing, where the fluid flows into the cavity at the bottom of the housing and flows upwardly to inlets (140, 142) for the power nozzles so that accelerating first and second fluid flows are aimed by the power nozzles toward one another in an interaction region (154 or 284) which exhausts laterally along a spray axis through a horn-shaped throat defined partly within the insert and partly within the flared spray outlet orifice (160 or 290) defined through the sidewall (162) in the housing.Type: GrantFiled: October 19, 2016Date of Patent: January 10, 2023Assignee: DLHBOWLES, INC.Inventors: Shridhar Gopalan, Chunling Zhao, Zachary Kline
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Patent number: 11472375Abstract: A unitary or one-piece integral image sensor and washing nozzle assembly or module 100, 300, 400 is configured to enclose, protect, and aim multiple image sensors and effectively clean multiple lenses (e.g., 102, 104) simultaneously while using only one nozzle head (e.g., 120, 320 or 420) with at least one optimized spray pattern (e.g., 122). The module includes a housing with a cover or bezel (e.g., 106) that supports and orients the lenses and the nozzle head aims spray at the lenses along a spray axis, with the relative heights and spacings of the nozzle's outlet orifice (e.g., 174) and the surfaces of the lenses (e.g., 102, 104) selected so that a particular spray either glances across and washes a nearest lens (e.g., 102) or impacts and washes over a farthest lens (e.g., 104).Type: GrantFiled: January 6, 2020Date of Patent: October 18, 2022Assignee: DLHBOWLES, INC.Inventors: Chunling Zhao, Bryan Fung
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Patent number: 11465595Abstract: The present disclosure relates to automated or remotely controlled methods and apparatuses for cleaning and drying soiled external 2-D or 3-D image sensor surfaces such as objective lenses on Light Detection and Ranging (“LIDAR”) sensors when mounted in a configuration that is exposed to dirty environments.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2018Date of Patent: October 11, 2022Assignee: DLHBOWLES, INC.Inventors: Chunling Zhao, Shridhar Gopalan
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Patent number: 11305297Abstract: The invention relates to various low flow rate fluidic nozzle inserts having a reverse mushroom-shaped mushroom insert geometry that are useful for a wide range of spraying and cleaning applications. In one embodiment, the present invention relates to fluidic nozzle inserts that are able to perform at low flow rates with geometrical and dimensional limitations. In still another embodiment, the present invention relates to compact fluidic nozzle inserts that provide a manner by which to attain a desired level of performance in a fluidic nozzle assembly for small scale applications at low flow rates.Type: GrantFiled: June 5, 2018Date of Patent: April 19, 2022Assignee: DLHBOWLES, INC.Inventors: Edward Han, Shridhar Gopalan, Chunling Zhao
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Publication number: 20210370322Abstract: A low flow compact spray head design for cleaning applications, especially for camera lens wash includes a miniature spray nozzle head which is about 5 mm in diameter or less for a single direction spray nozzle and about 8 mm in diameter of less for a nozzle with multiple sprays. The washer fluid is fed from the bottom of nozzle along a flow axis and is separated into two flows via two power nozzles or inlets which turn the flows 90° to become opposing jets impinging upon each other inside an interaction region. Uniform stream lines are generated by the two direct facing jets and converge at the nozzle throat to become a uniform spray fan, which is on a plane perpendicular to the axis of cylindrical nozzle head. This fluidic circuit design enables a miniature size low flowrate nozzle to operate well consistently with low flow rate (e.g.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 16, 2021Publication date: December 2, 2021Inventor: Chunling ZHAO
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Patent number: 11141742Abstract: A low flow compact spray head design for cleaning applications, especially for camera lens wash includes a miniature spray nozzle head which is about 5 mm in diameter or less for a single direction spray nozzle and about 8 mm in diameter of less for a nozzle with multiple sprays. The washer fluid is fed from the bottom of nozzle along a flow axis and is separated into two flows via two power nozzles or inlets which turn the flows 90° to become opposing jets impinging upon each other inside an interaction region. Uniform stream lines are generated by the two direct facing jets and converge at the nozzle throat to become a uniform spray fan, which is on a plane perpendicular to the axis of cylindrical nozzle head. This fluidic circuit design enables a miniature size low flowrate nozzle to operate well consistently with low flow rate (e.g.Type: GrantFiled: January 23, 2019Date of Patent: October 12, 2021Assignee: DLHBOWLES, INC.Inventor: Chunling Zhao
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Patent number: 11104305Abstract: The present disclosure relates to automated or remotely controlled methods and apparatuses for cleaning and drying soiled external 2-D or 3-D image sensor surfaces such as objective lenses on Light Detection and Ranging (“LIDAR”) sensors when mounted in a configuration that is exposed to dirty environments.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2018Date of Patent: August 31, 2021Assignee: DLHBOWLES, INC.Inventors: Chunling Zhao, Shridhar Gopalan
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Publication number: 20210138493Abstract: Provided is a compact sized low flow rate fluidic nozzle insert. The fluidic nozzle insert may include a fluidic oscillator chip on a front face having a flat-top interaction region, and a manifold on a back face, located opposite the front face, to house fluid. The fluidic nozzle insert may further include at least one feed having a u-shape connecting the front face and back face for the transport of fluid from the manifold, at least one power nozzle oriented toward the front face for directing fluid from the at least one feed to the interaction region of the fluidic oscillator chip, and a v-shaped outlet at the bottom of the interaction region defined by two flat walls for the passage of fluid from the interaction region to the outside of the fluidic nozzle insert in a fan pattern. The produced spray fan pattern may be uniform and fluid nozzle may work well with high viscosity fluids.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 9, 2020Publication date: May 13, 2021Inventor: Chunling ZHAO
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Patent number: 10987681Abstract: A miniature low-flow, fluid conserving washer nozzle has an elongated housing enclosing an interior volume aligned along an inlet axis which receives an elongated insert member with internal fluid passages defining first and second power nozzles, so that accelerating first and second fluid flows are aimed by the first and second power nozzles toward one another in an interaction region defined within the insert with an insert throat to aim spray laterally or transversely along a spray axis through an aligned sidewall aperture in the nozzle housing. The nozzle may generate a planar oscillating sweeping fan of spray, produced by fluidic oscillations at low flow rates, typically 150-300 ml/min at 25 psi. The fan of spray generated may be varied from 20° to 70° or about 15°-60°. The outer dimensions of spray head could be as small as 3.5 mm. The fluidic geometry is also capable of spraying high viscosity liquids up to 25 CP or up to 15 CP.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2017Date of Patent: April 27, 2021Assignee: DLHBOWLES, INC.Inventors: Chunling Zhao, Shridhar Gopalan, Zachary Kline
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Publication number: 20210114044Abstract: Provided is a fluidic oscillator circuit for a nozzle assembly configured to generate oscillating sprays of fluid from an outlet of the nozzle assembly and to improve spray performance of fluid having low temperatures or high viscosity. In one embodiment, provided is an interaction region for a fluidic oscillator circuit that includes an apex protrusion shaped to assist with generating vortices within the interaction region. In another embodiment, provided is an interaction region for a fluidic oscillator having a power nozzle that includes at least one finger protrusion that lengthens the power nozzle to create jets of fluid in the interaction region that are less diffused to improve cold performance of the fluidic oscillator circuit.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 19, 2020Publication date: April 22, 2021Inventor: Chunling Zhao
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Publication number: 20210094048Abstract: The disclosure relates to various fluid nozzles possessing the ability to produce a keystone-shaped spray pattern. In one embodiment, the present disclosure relates to one or more fluid nozzles that are able to produce a keystone-shaped spray pattern. In another embodiment, the present disclosure relates to two or more fluid nozzles that are able to be stitched together to produce a keystone-shaped spray pattern. In still another embodiment, the fluid nozzle, or nozzles, of the present disclosure are able to produce a desired spray pattern at low flow rates.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 28, 2020Publication date: April 1, 2021Inventors: Russell Hester, Zachary Kline, Chunling Zhao
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Publication number: 20200156594Abstract: A unitary or one-piece integral image sensor and washing nozzle assembly or module 100, 300, 400 is configured to enclose, protect, and aim multiple image sensors and effectively clean multiple lenses (e.g., 102, 104) simultaneously while using only one nozzle head (e.g., 120, 320 or 420) with at least one optimized spray pattern (e.g., 122). The module includes a housing with a cover or bezel (e.g., 106) that supports and orients the lenses and the nozzle head aims spray at the lenses along a spray axis, with the relative heights and spacings of the nozzle's outlet orifice (e.g., 174) and the surfaces of the lenses (e.g., 102, 104) selected so that a particular spray either glances across and washes a nearest lens (e.g., 102) or impacts and washes over a farthest lens (e.g., 104).Type: ApplicationFiled: January 6, 2020Publication date: May 21, 2020Inventors: Chunling ZHAO, Bryan FUNG
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Patent number: 10532367Abstract: A nozzle assembly includes a fluidic oscillator 100 operating on a pressurized fluid to generate an oscillating spray of fluid droplets, and the oscillator aims fluid jets from first, second and third power nozzles 114A, 114B, 114C into an interaction chamber 118 and toward an upwardly projecting island protuberance 126 defining first, second and third island wall segments. The outermost jets 114A, 114B are aimed at an obtuse angle of 100 to 140 degrees along axes which intersect beyond the island at a Jet intersection point, J1. The upstream end of interaction chamber 118 is defined by first and second laterally offset concave wall surfaces 142, 152 which define left side and right side vortex generating areas so that fluid jet steering vortices may be alternately formed and then displaced distally and shed to steer the fluid jet laterally within interaction chamber 118.Type: GrantFiled: January 14, 2017Date of Patent: January 14, 2020Assignee: DLHBOWLES, INC.Inventors: Shridhar Gopalan, Chunling Zhao, Andrew Cameron