Abstract: A check valve for use in a section of a liquid flow line to control the intermittent flow of a liquid through the line, wherein the section of the line that is configured to received the valve has inlet and outlet ends with an opening through which liquid respectively enters or exits the section, includes a compression spring having upstream and downstream ends, wherein the spring is configured so as to allow the downstream end to press against the section outlet end. This check valve further includes a piston having bottom, top and outer side surfaces, with this piston having a cavity that extends from its top surface and is configured to allow the spring to sit and operated freely within the cavity with the spring's upstream end resting on the bottom surface of the cavity.

Abstract: A nozzle assembly for connecting to the outlet of a fluid flow source and providing a specified fluid flow spray includes: (a) a connector having a flow passage which extends between its ends, with the connector's upstream end being configured so as to mate with the fluid flow source's outlet, and with this connector passage at a point between its ends having a connector orifice, (b) a nozzle in the form of a fluidic insert configured so as to generate a specified fluid flow spray, (c) a housing having a fluid flow passage which extends between its ends and a rib which extends outwardly from the housing's exterior surface, with the portion of the housing's passage proximate its downstream end being configured so as to allow for the insertion and housing of the fluidic insert, and with the housing's upstream end being configured so as to be rotatably mounted in the connector fluid flow passage's downstream end, and (d) a retention cap having an opening extending between its ends that is configured to allow the

Abstract: A fluidic oscillator capable of generating free fluid jets having distinctive, controllable and industrially/commercially useful flow patterns has a switching chamber having an inlet port that allows a pressurized fluid to enter and flow through the oscillator, an exhaust passage having a sidewall that forms one boundary wall of the switching chamber, a container passage having a sidewall that forms the second boundary wall of the switching chamber, a compliance member connected to the distal end of the container passage, and an expansion chamber connected to the distal end of the exhaust passage, with the expansion chamber having an exhaust orifice that allows fluid to flow from the oscillator. In operation, such an oscillator yields a contained fluid jet that issues from the inlet port into the swishing chamber and alternately switches its flow direction between the container and exhaust passages.

Abstract: An improved spray head that is more effective and efficient at providing a wider range of desired spray distributions includes the following elements: (a) a plurality of fluidic oscillators, each oscillator having a fluidic circuit embedded in its top surface, with this circuit forming a path in which a fluid may flow through the oscillator, wherein these oscillators are stacked one on top of the other, with the sides of the oscillators being configured so that they stack such that the flow of fluid from adjoining oscillators in the stack have an angle of divergence between the centerlines of the planes defined by the flows from the outlets of the adjoining oscillators that is in the range of 2-5 degrees, (b) a plurality of cover plates, with each cover plate being proximate the top surface of one of the fluidic oscillators and attached to the oscillator so as to provide a seal against the flow of fluid from the oscillator's fluidic circuit, (c) a carrier assembly having a front and a rear surface and a cavit

Abstract: A backload-responsive fluidic switch having high pressure recovery of more than 50% comprises a body member with a power nozzle having a width W and a centerline CL which is adapted to be coupled to a source of fluid under pressure for issuing a jet of fluid along the centerline. A pair of diverging fluid flow passages have a common connection with the power nozzle and respective bounding walls, each respective bounding wall diverging from the centerline no more than about 50°, and a splitter defining respective inner walls of the pair of diverging walls, the splitter being spaced a distance of about 3W from the power nozzle. Inflatable bladder(s) connected to the diverging fluid flow passage(s), and a vent connected to the other of said fluid flow passages.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing oscillation of a bladder includes a three-legged fluid passage element which has first, second and third legs. An air pump is connected to one leg of the fluid passage element, an inflatable bladder connected to a second leg of the fluid passage element, and a valve having hysteresis is mounted on the third leg of the fluid passage element.

Abstract: A seat massager for massaging a person's back has, according to the present invention, a pair of inflatable, massage bladders configured so as to be received in close proximity to a person's back, each of said bladders having a front surface, with a portion of said front surfaces being overlayed so as to provide a rolling massage sensation when the bladders are inflated and deflated, a means for supplying fluid to the bladders, a fluidic having an inlet and two exhaust ports, a conduit that connects each of the fluidic exhaust ports to one of the pair of bladders, wherein the fluidic is configured so as to yield alternating flow from the exhaust ports that cyclically inflates and deflates each of the bladders so as to provide a massaging sensation to the back.

Abstract: Spa nozzles having dual fluidic nozzles capable of submerged operation and of selectively providing straight, concentrated, non-oscillating jets with air entrainment or an oscillating jet or slugs of water in water to provide a soothing massaging effect with no moving parts.

Abstract: A fluidic insert that receives fluid under pressure from a fluid inlet tube and generates a specified spatial distribution of the fluid exiting the insert includes: (1) a body member having top, bottom, front and rear outer surfaces, (2) top and bottom fluidic circuits located, respectively, at least partially within the member's top and bottom surfaces, wherein each of these circuits has at least one power nozzle, an interaction chamber, and an outlet whose exit lies within the member front surface, (3) the bottom fluidic circuit having a portion of its surface area located upstream of the power nozzle and adapted so that it can mate with a fluid inlet tube that supplies fluid to the insert, and (4) an inter-circuit flow passage that allows fluid to flow from the bottom fluid circuit to the top fluid circuit, the bottom end of this passage located such that it is downstream of the point where the inlet tube mates with the bottom circuit and upstream of the bottom circuit's power nozzle, with the top end of t

Abstract: Conveying systems and methods in which a series of inflatable bladders are inflated and deflated in such a way as to convey objects in given directions.

Abstract: A fluidic oscillator capable of generating free fluid jets having distinctive, controllable and industrially/commercially useful flow patterns has a switching chamber having an inlet port that allows a pressurized fluid to enter and flow through the oscillator, an exhaust passage having a sidewall that forms one boundary wall of the switching chamber, a container passage having a sidewall that forms the second boundary wall of the switching chamber, a compliance member connected to the distal end of the container passage, and an expansion chamber connected to the distal end of the exhaust passage, with the expansion chamber having an exhaust orifice that allows fluid to flow from the oscillator. In operation, such an oscillator yields a contained fluid jet that issues from the inlet port into the swishing chamber and alternately switches its flow direction between the container and exhaust passages.

Abstract: A fluid mixer and distribution device which comprises an oscillation/mixing chamber having an upstream end, a downstream end, top and bottom walls, sidewalls which diverge from the upstream end and then converge towards the downstream end. A power nozzle, adapted to be coupled to a source of liquid under pressure, issues a main jet of carrier fluid (a liquid, for example) into the upstream end of the oscillation/mixing chamber. The oscillation/mixing chamber has a pair of control ports symmetrically contiguous to the side of the main jet of liquid, and an exit aperture at the downstream end of the oscillation/mixing chamber for the egress of the mixed fluids from the oscillation/mixing chamber to ambient or a point of utilization.

Abstract: An air entrainment spa nozzle having a jet of water which passes over an air entrainment port with the air entrainment port having a downstream structure which enhances the air entrainment. In one embodiment, the air enhancement structure is a ramp which extends in a downstream direction from the air entrainment port. In another embodiment, the air entrainment port projects or protrudes into the jet of water by a predetermined amount.

Abstract: A submerge massaging system controlled by a no-moving part backload responsive fluidic switch.

Abstract: A fluidic nozzle having multiple operating modes comprising a fluidic oscillator circuit having an oscillation chamber having an upstream end and a downstream end and a power nozzle at the upstream end for introducing a jet of a liquid (water) into the oscillation chamber. An outlet throat at the downstream end has a width, which does not allow the oscillation circuit to fill up and start to oscillate without entrained liquid. A pair of control ports are at the upstream end of the oscillation chamber and a pair of feedback passages connect said control ports to downstream ends of said oscillation chamber adjacent said outlet throat. A pair of controllable entrainment holes are provided in the oscillation chamber at the upstream end and a valve opens and closes the entrainment holes, such that when the entrainment holes are open to air, air is entrained and the oscillator does not oscillate.

Abstract: A molded fluid device having a power nozzle with a width W and a coupling passage coupling a source of fluid to the power nozzle. The coupling passage is formed on one chip or insert surface and has a planar enlargement and a plurality of posts spaced across the enlargement, the spacing S between each post being less than the width of the power nozzle with the sum of spacing S being greater than the width W. A liquid spray nozzle is formed on an opposing chip surface and connected to the coupling passage downstream of the posts.

Abstract: A leak detection system and method for fluid operated device includes a backloaded fluidic oscillator having an interaction chamber, a power nozzle at its upstream end coupled to a source of fluid under pressure and an exit throat at its downstream end. The interaction chamber first diverges from the power nozzle and then converges towards the exit throat. A pair of outlet passages are connected to the exit throat; one of the outlet passages is connected to the fluid operated device and the other of the outlet passages is connected to a fixed volume and a vent whereby the backloaded fluidic oscillator oscillates at a rate which is a function of the leakage of the fluid operated device.

Abstract: A fluidic oscillator includes a member having an oscillation inducing chamber, at least one source of fluid under pressure, at least a pair of power nozzles connected to the at least one source of fluid under pressure for projecting at least a pair of fluid jets into the oscillation chamber, and at least one outlet from the oscillation chamber for issuing a pulsating or oscillating jet of fluid to a point of utilization or ambient. A common fluid manifold connected to said at least a pair of power nozzles. The shape of the power nozzle manifold forms one of the walls of the interaction or oscillation chamber. In some of the fluidic circuits, the length can be matched to fit existing housings. The power nozzle can have offsets which produce yaw angles in a liquid spray fan angle to the left or right depending on the direction desired.

Abstract: A vehicle washer nozzle liquid spray system having a source of washer liquid under pressure, a fluidic oscillator comprising a housing and a fluidic insert having a power nozzle, an oscillation chamber having an upstream end coupled to the power nozzle for issuing a jet of washer liquid into the oscillation chamber and a downstream end having an outlet aperture for issuing a jet of wash liquid to ambient, and side and top and bottom walls, an oscillation inducing silhouette in the oscillation chamber for causing said jet of wash liquid to rhythmically sweep back and forth between the sidewalls in the oscillation chamber. Top and bottom walls of the oscillation chamber first diverge for a predetermined distance in a downstream direction and then converge towards each other through said outlet aperture. This enables the deflection angle to be adjusted for different vehicles uses and applications by changes to the fluidic insert without changes to the housing.