Abstract: A burner or torch system for mixing fuel with air and includes a fluid oscillator for forming a jet or sheet of fuel and oscillating the jet in ambient air downstream of the fluid oscillator. This mixes air with fuel and achieves a combustible mixture a distance spaced from any physical structure of the burner or torch whereby a flame front of burning combustible mixture has a shape and distance from the fluid oscillator which is determined by the sweep angle, wave pattern and frequency of the fluid oscillator. Various forms of fluidic oscillators are disclosed.

Abstract: An air discharge nozzle and method for vehicles having a grill (21') which has a high degree of visual opacity to enhance design aesthetics, low impedance to air flow so that the face velocity remains high, and which does not significantly affect directionality of the air as imparted to the air stream by an upstream control mechanism. The grill (21') is comprised of a monolayer of polygonal cells in an array of cells, each cell being bounded by planar walls having a depth "L" interstitial thickness "T" and a diameter or major dimension "D", wherein the interstitial depth L is short enough such that the planar walls do not act as vanes to significantly affect directionality of the air, the interstitial thickness T has a value such that the impedance to air flow is low, and the length to diameter ratio L/D is no greater than about 0.7 and no less than about 0.3, such that the relative visual opacity of the grill when viewed from any angle is high.

Abstract: An air discharge nozzle and method for vehicles having a grill which has a high degree of visual opacity to enhance design aesthetics, low impedance to air flow so that the face velocity remains high, and which does not significantly affect directionality of the air as imparted to the air stream by an upstream control mechanism. The grill is comprised of a monolayer of polygonal cells in an array of cells, each cell being bounded by planar walls having a depth "L" interstitial thickness "T" and a diameter or major dimension "D", wherein the interstitial depth L is short enough such that the planar walls do not act as vanes to significantly affect directionality of the air, the interstitial thickness T has a value such that the impedance to air flow is low, and the length to diameter ratio L/D is no greater than about 0.7 and no less than about 0.3, such that the relative visual opacity of the grill when viewed from any angle is high.

Abstract: A air outlet for a passenger compartment of a vehicle has a duct forming a jet of air, a pair of lateral sidewalls, bounded by the top and bottom walls diverging from each other from their upstream ends to their downstream ends at a rate sufficient to preclude a stable wall effect and for causing aperiodic oscillation of the jet into the passenger compartment of said vehicle. Various means are disclosed to further destabilize the wall effect.

Abstract: A fluidic oscillator which is free of feedback passages has an oscillation chamber having a length greater than its width, a pair of mutually facing and complementary-shaped sidewalls, planar top and bottom walls, and first and second end walls. An input power nozzle is formed in said first end wall having a width W and a depth D, for issuing a stream of fluid into the oscillation chamber, and form alternately pulsating, cavitation-free vortices in said oscillation chamber on each side of the stream. An interconnect passage or channel proximate the downstream end wall enlarges the sweep angle and improves periodicity of the oscillations. The outlet wall is hingedly connected to a chamber wall and the chamber is such that it can be molded with the outlet wall hingedly connected thereto in one molding and forms one side of the interconnect passage or channel.

Abstract: A fluidic oscillator which is free of feedback passages has an oscillation chamber having a length greater than its width, a pair of mutually facing and complementarily-shaped sidewalls and planar top and bottom walls, and first and second end walls. An input power nozzle is formed in said first end wall having a width W and a depth D, for issuing a stream of fluid into the oscillation chamber, and form alternately pulsating, cavitation-free vortices in said oscillation chamber on each side of the stream. An outlet opening formed in the downstream end wall and axially aligned with the power nozzle and has a width and depth such that internal pressure in the oscillation chamber is greater than ambient. The outlet wall is hingedly connected to a chamber wall and the chamber is such that it can be molded with the outlet wall hingedly connected thereto in one molding.

Abstract: A fluidic oscillator which is free of feedback passages has an oscillation chamber having a length greater than its width, a pair of mutually facing and complimentary-shaped sidewalls and planar top and bottom walls, and first and second end walls. Stabilization ribs are formed on at least one of the top and bottom walls. An input power nozzle is formed in said first end wall having a width W and a depth D, for issuing a stream of fluid into the oscillation chamber, and form alternately pulsating, cavitation-free vortices in said oscillation chamber on each side of the stream. An outlet opening formed in the downstream end wall and axially aligned with the power nozzle and has a width and depth such that internal pressure in the oscillation chamber is greater than ambient. The outlet wall is hingedly connected to a chamber wall and the chamber is such that it can be molded with the outlet wall hingedly connected thereto in one molding.

Abstract: A torch system stoichiometrically mixes combustible fuel and includes a fluid oscillator for forming a jet of said fluid fuel and oscillating said jet in ambient air downstream of the fluid oscillator to mix air with said fuel and achieve the stoichiometric combustible mixture a distance spaced from any physical structure of the torch whereby a flame front of burning combustible mixture has a shape and distance from said fluid oscillator which is determined by the sweep angle, wave pattern and frequency of the fluidic oscillator.

Abstract: A bistable fluidic switch is switched from its stable state by a pin inserted in the power nozzle of the bistable fluidic switch, the pin being controlled by an electromagnetic actuator which is controlled from an electronic computer. The fluidic switch element has a cross-over type interaction region and a common outlet leading to a pair of output passageways, one of which returns fuel to the supply tank, and the other of which leads to the air intake manifold of the engine. Air is introduced into the output passageway leading to the engine so as to air atomize the fuel before injection of same into the air intake manifold.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of maximizing transfer of thermal energy to or from an oscillating or swept air jet propogated over a windshield. The air jet is projected through short distances in ambient from a nozzle properly aimed at said windshield. The wavelength of the oscillating or swept jet is caused to be greater than the nozzle distance from windshield and smaller than the length extent of windshield in the direction of air jet propogation across it whereby there is less of loss or gain of thermal energy from said air jet in the space between said nozzle and said windshield and a maximum transfer of thermal energy between the windshield and air jet by lessening the thickness of any insulating boundary layer.

Abstract: A fluid dispersal device utilizes alternately pulsating vortices to cyclically oscillate a fluid stream transversely of its flow direction in a desired flow pattern. A pair of pulsating fluid streams, which may issue from a fluidic oscillator are projected into an output region or chamber defined in a body member the output region or chamber having inlets for the pulsating fluid streams and at least one outlet opening with the outlet opening being positioned to issue pressurized fluid from the chamber into an ambient atmospher. Vortices formed in the chamber are alternately oppositely rotating and cause the flow pattern to cyclically sweep across the outlet. The vortices have axes normal to the direction of fluid flow and alternately spin in first and second directions in response to inflowing of the first and second pulsating fluid streams to the chamber and the output flow is cyclically swept back and forth as each vortex spins in the first and second directions respectively.

Abstract: There is disclosed improvements in oscillating reeds particularly for use in generating a sweeping or oscillating air flow pattern. The oscillating reeds of this invention are constituted by a plurality of spaced apart resilient reed elements which, preferably, are made from graphite fibers bonded together by an epoxy resin matrix reinforced by a scrim of fiber glass. To minimize the effect of torsion and/or forces which can cause the reed elements to buckle and hence create noise, a plurality of undulations are formed in the graphite strip. Thus, the oscillating reed according to the present invention offers the following four major advantages, (1) reduction in noise from buckling, (2) amplitude modulation, i.e. oscillation amplitude insensitivity to wide ranges of flow rates (3) easier starting of oscillation, and, (4) improved fatigue strength.

Abstract: A vehicle windshield defrost system utilizes a fluidic oscillator for sweeping a jet of heated air across the windshield. The fluidic oscillator is of the type having an interaction chamber with sidewalls which converge to a common outlet to form a cross over type output region and thereby reduce the amount of space on the dashboard normally occupied by an output funnel.

Abstract: A fluidic oscillator is relatively short in length (under about 2.5 W where "W" is the width of the power nozzle) and has a leaky splitter located proximate the center of the outlet flare so as to divide the outlet into essentially two alternating slug flows. The floor and/or ceiling of the oscillator diverge between about six degrees and ten degrees to allow the jet stream to expand and thereby avoid creating a back pressure to control ports. When used as a windshield defrost/defog nozzle, vanes forming part of the leaky splitter are laterally shifted so that the largest opening is on the driver side and the smaller opening is on the passenger side so as to direct more defrost energy towards the driver's side.

Abstract: A fluidic oscillator for issuing a sweeping jet of air has a continuous inertance loop which has a section passing through the power nozzle of the fluidic oscillator. The continuous inertance loop is essentially coplanar with the plane of the fluidic oscillator so the basic oscillator element can be two identical molded parts which snap fit together.

Abstract: An air distribution system, particularly for automobiles, in which the depth of the unit is relatively short and in which control over the direction of air flow can be achieved by movement of an element in a plane orthogonal to the direction of air flow. A main air flow outlet is formed in a wall member and a parallel flow path is formed adjacent the outlet and has diverging walls which are relatively short so that there is no wall attachment or coanda effects per se. Flow of fluid through the adjacent parallel flow path exits through an opening that directs the air in a direction generally parallel to the short wall direction of the adjacent flow path. By controlling the entry of air into the parallel flow path, the main air flow vector is deflected and the direction of flow is thereby controlled. The deflection is greater when an obstacle slightly intrudes the side of the outlet opposite the parallel flow path.

Abstract: Air is detected from opposing ends of a trough-like continuous contour which defines a guide path for the two opposing streams. The air streams will be attached to flow along the trough and where the oppositely directed streams impact or impinge upon each other, they will be deflected normal to their path and the two combined streams will be projected or directed perpendicularly outwardly from the trough in the form of a fan-shaped jet. By controlling the velocity of the two opposing jets, the point of impact or impingement of the two jets can be moved along the trough with the trough defining the path of movement of the point or virtual outlet of outward projection of the combined jets. In preferred embodiments, the defrost and heating and air conditioning outlets for automobiles incorporate the invention so as to avoid protrusions and provide a continuous clean and unbroken appearance.

Abstract: Liquid fan spray system for cyclically deflecting a liquid jet between extreme positions defined by a pair of end walls is assured of cold weather operation by expanding the liquid power jet. In the preferred embodiment, one boundary wall of the oscillator is tapered about 5.degree. from the power nozzle to the outlet throat, and the outlet or throat has the substantially same cross-sectional area maintained for a given oscillatory angle by closing down the lateral extremities of the outlet throat. This assures cold weather starting when the liquid has increased surface tension and viscosity while at the same time maintaining essentially the same fan angle of the cyclically deflected power jet. The invention is particularly useful in providing all weather oscillation in windshield washer systems for automobiles.

Abstract: A defrost/defog air supply system for issuing a sweeping jet of air upon a windshield or other surface to be defrosted or defogged comprises a fluidic oscillator having a power nozzle coupled to receive the defrost/defog air and an outlet for issuing a sweeping stream of defrost/defog air onto the surface. The fluidic oscillator is short in length (in the preferred embodiment the distance from the power nozzle to the end of the outlet is less than twice the width of the power nozzle) and has a pair of control ports immediately adjacent the downstream side of the power nozzle of the fluidic and a continuous inertance loop interconnecting the control ports with the continuous inertance loop being of a length and cross-section such as to maintain the frequency of oscillation below about 12 Hz to thereby avoid mixing with ambient air prior to impingement upon the surface to be defrost.

Abstract: The fluidic oscillator consists of a resonant fluid circuit having a fluid inertance and a dynamic fluid compliance. The inertance is a conduit interconnecting two locations of a chamber on each side of a working fluid jet issuing into one end of the chamber, the inertance conduit serving to transfer working fluid between the two locations. Through one or more output orifices located approximately at the opposite end of the chamber, the fluid exits from a chamber exit region which is shaped to facilitate formation of a vortex (the dynamic compliance) from the entering fluid. The flow pattern in the chamber and particularly the vortex in the chamber exit region provide flow aspiration on one side and surplus of flow on the opposite side of the chamber, which effects accelerate and respectively decelerate the fluid in the inertance conduit such as to cause reversal of the vortex after a time delay given by the inertance.