Abstract: A spraying mechanism configured to form uniform and thin coatings on foodstuffs and food packaging materials. The spraying mechanism includes a nozzle and a surface positioned adjacent to the nozzle, wherein the surface is configured to support at least one of a foodstuff and a food packaging material. The nozzle includes an atomizing section including a ceramic material and an intermediate section configured to promote ultrasonic-frequency mechanical motion in the atomizing section.

Abstract: An ultrasonic generator is provided. The ultrasonic generator includes an amplifier for outputting a drive signal to an ultrasonic atomizing nozzle, and a microcontroller, coupled to the amplifier, to control an output power of the amplifier. The microcontroller includes a load leveling operating mode in which the output power of the amplifier fluctuates to match changing load conditions of the ultrasonic atomizing nozzle.

Abstract: An ultrasonic suspension delivery system is provided. The system includes an ultrasonic energy source and an ultrasonic resonating syringe electrically coupled thereto. The ultrasonic resonating syringe includes a barrel with a nozzle, and an ultrasonic resonating plunger slidingly displaceable within the barrel. The ultrasonic resonating syringe includes front and rear bodies, front and rear transducers, and front and rear horns. A support member or a transition member may also be included.

Abstract: An ultrasonic suspension delivery system is provided. The system includes an ultrasonic energy source and an ultrasonic resonating syringe electrically coupled thereto. The ultrasonic resonating syringe includes a barrel with a nozzle, and an ultrasonic resonating plunger slidingly displaceable within the barrel. The ultrasonic resonating syringe includes front and rear bodies, front and rear transducers, and front and rear horns. A support member or a transition member may also be included.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for applying wave energy of an ultrasonic frequency to agitate particles in a sample. The agitated sample is then delivered via a syringe or a resonating syringe plunger attachment of an applicator. More particularly, the present invention relates to establishing and maintaining a liquid suspension delivery system that prevents dispersed particles from precipitating out of suspension while the sample is delivered through to various applicators, such as resonating syringe plungers.

Abstract: An ultrasonic nozzle configured to form relatively small drops of liquid at relatively high rates. The nozzle includes two horns, at least one of which includes a ceramic material. The nozzle also includes one or more transducers that cause mechanical motion in at least one of the horns. In addition, a method of forming micrometer-scaled drops of liquid at relatively high rates is provided.

Abstract: New and improved ultrasonic spray shaping assemblies, components thereof, and methods for using the assemblies. An ultrasonic spray shaping assembly includes jet block and impact jet components to receive and redirect a single gas stream, whereby to use the single gas stream to shape an ultrasonic spray plume in a desired shape, particularly into a desired width of the plume. Modifications to the components, such as relative positioning, can be used to alter the shape of the spray plume. The present invention can be fabricated in a compact, lightweight design. It has many applications, including but not limited to, the deposition of flux onto a printed circuit board.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for applying wave energy of an ultrasonic frequency to agitate particles in a sample. The agitated sample is then delivered via a syringe or a resonating syringe plunger attachment of an applicator. More particularly, the present invention relates to establishing and maintaining a liquid suspension delivery system that prevents dispersed particles from precipitating out of suspension while the sample is delivered through to various applicators, such as resonating syringe plungers.

Abstract: A spraying mechanism configured to form uniform and thin coatings on foodstuffs and food packaging materials. The spraying mechanism includes a nozzle and a surface positioned adjacent to the nozzle, wherein the surface is configured to support at least one of a foodstuff and a food packaging material. The nozzle includes an atomizing section including a ceramic material and an intermediate section configured to promote ultrasonic-frequency mechanical motion in the atomizing section.

Abstract: An apparatus and method generates a stream of atomized fluid for applying a substantially uniform coating of atomized fluid to a surface, such as the application of a liquid flux coating to circuit boards. An ultrasonic atomizer discharges a conical spray pattern of atomized fluid, and an air horn discharges a stream of air intersecting the path of the atomized stream of fluid for entraining the atomized stream of fluid within the stream of air. Two air jets are located on either side of the ultrasonic atomizer relative to each other, and each discharges a low pressure jet of air in a direction substantially opposite to the direction of the other. Each jet of air in turn shears the conical spray pattern of atomized fluid into a respective plume of atomized fluid. The two plumes of atomized fluid are then entrained into the moving sheet of air discharged by the air horn, thus forming a substantially uniform linear dispersion of atomized fluid for coating a surface with the atomized fluid.

Abstract: An axial flow tube ultrasonic atomizer in which the front horn section and axial flow section are of unitary construction. The device further comprises five sealing rings and two grooves cut into the unitary flow tube structure for receipt of the sealing rings. This structure results in better sealing and facilitates assembly.

Abstract: An ultrasonic atomizing transducer assembly includes cylindrical front atomizing and rear dummy sections clamped to a sandwich of an annular electrode between two annular piezoelectric disks by a central tubular bolt. Liquid to be atomized enters the rear of the transducer assembly through a feed tube forming a rearward extension of the central bolt and flows through an axial passage to exit onto an atomizing surface on the tip of an amplifying probe extending from the front end of the front cylindrical section. An annular sealing member disposed between a sealing surface at the front end of the bolt and the passage prevents liquid flowing through the passage from contacting the inner surfaces of the piezoelectric disks. To protect the outer surfaces of the piezoelectric disks, an enclosed shell surrounds and supports the transducer via O-rings loaded purely in radial compression.

Abstract: A drive circuit for an ultrasonic atomizer comprising a switching mode power driver circuit and an oscillator circuit to drive the power driver circuit with a signal proportional to the phase response of the atomizer's transducer element so as to fix the frequency of the power delivered to the atomizer at the frequency of the transducer. The oscillator circuit has an oscillator which generates and supplies said drive signal, an integrated circuit phase-locked loop in a feedback loop arrangement to detect the transducer's phase response and signal the oscillator to shift its drive signal frequency to the transducer's frequency and a second order low pass filter to control the rate of the oscillator frequency shift.

Abstract: An ultrasonic liquid atomizer particularly for high volume flow rates is disclosed. An enlarged tip with a plurality of orifices is provided to increase the flow rate. A gradual transition to the enlarged atomizer tip can also be provided to enhance performance. A barrier disposed adjacent the atomizing surface of the atomizer tip enhances proper atomization of liquid, particularly when the enlarged atomizer tip is used, and particularly when such an atomizer is vertically oriented with the tip facing downwardly. A lip extending about the atomizer surface prevents unatomized liquid from leaving the atomizing surface in radial directions.

Abstract: An ultrasonic liquid atomizer is disclosed in which the liquid feed to the atomizing surface extends axially through the atomizer. This arrangement enables improved and simplified coupling of the liquid supply tube to the atomizer. In a disclosed embodiment, rear and front horn sections sandwich a driver, and an atomizing section is coupled to the front horn section. A passage axially extends through the rear section, the driver, the front section and the atomizing section to an atomizing surface. The driver includes piezoelectric elements of annular configuration. A tubular member or a liquid supply tube itself is received in the passage. In a preferred embodiment, the tubular member of the liquid supply tube includes a decoupling sleeve section and a stepped portion adapted to engage a stepped portion in the rear section upon coupling the tubular member or liquid supply tube to the atomizer to draw the front and rear sections together.

Abstract: An ultrasonic atomizer having a stepped amplifying section with a flanged atomizing tip. The face of the flange is frusto-conical for providing a cone-shaped spray pattern. The lengths of the amplifying section and flange tip portions are interrelated to provide optimum results.

Abstract: A transducer assembly includes a first half wavelength double-dummy section having a pair of quarter wavelength ultrasonic horns and a driving element sandwiched therebetween. A second half wavelength stepped amplifying section extends from one end of the first section and has a theoretical resonant frequency equal to the actual resonant frequency of the first section. When used as a liquid atomizer, the small diameter portion of the stepped amplifying section has a flanged tip to provide an atomizing surface of increased area. To maintain efficiency, the length of the small diameter portion of the second section with a flange should be less than its length without a flange. A decoupling sleeve within an axial liquid passageway eliminates premature atomization of the liquid before reaching the atomizing surface. In a fuel burner incorporating the atomizer, ignition electrode life is increased by locating the electrodes outside the normal flame envelope.

Abstract: A transducer assembly includes a first half wavelength double-dummy section having a pair of quarter wavelength ultrasonic horns and a driving element sandwiched therebetween. A second half wavelength stepped amplifying section extends from one end of the first section and has a theoretical resonant frequency equal to the actual resonant frequency of the first section. When used as a liquid atomizer, the small diameter portion of the stepped amplifying section has a flanged tip to provide an atomizing surface of increased area. To maintain efficiency, the length of the small diameter portion of the second section with a flange should be less than its length without a flange. A decoupling sleeve within an axial liquid passageway eliminates premature atomization of the liquid before reaching the atomizing surface. In a fuel burner incorporating the atomizer, ignition electrode life is increased by locating the electrodes outside the normal flame envelope.