Abstract: A piezoelectrically actuated fluid pump including a pump housing, a pump chamber, inlet and outlet ports for communicating the pump chamber with the exterior of the pump housing, valves for opening and closing the ports, two prestressed piezoelectric diaphragm members which are self-actuated, and a power source is provided. The diaphragm members include a prestressed piezoelectric element which is durable, inexpensive and lightweight as compared with prior diaphragm pumps of comparable discharge capacity, and is actuated via electrical signals from an outside power source. No exterior mechanical parts for driving the diaphragm members are necessary. A modification is disclosed in which a central computer independently controls the phase angle of oscillation of the two diaphragm members, providing precise flow rate control.

Abstract: A disposable pumping cassette having an integral auxiliary flow control and pressure monitoring member is used for delivering a medicinal fluid to a patient. The pumping cassette includes an elastomeric member mounted in a rigid body having an inlet and an outlet. An inlet valve and an outlet valve on the cassette are opened, and the flow control is positioned to allow the medicinal fluid to flow freely through the cassette, priming it before the outlet is connected to the patient. The cassette is then coupled to an associated pump driver, closing the flow control to disable free fluid flow through the cassette, and the outlet to the cassette is coupled in fluid communication with the patient's body.

Abstract: An electrically driven hermetic compressor comprises a hermetic casing, an electric motor unit encased in the casing, and a compression mechanism encased by the casing and drivingly connected to the electric motor unit through a crankshaft. The compression mechanism includes a cylinder, a piston reciprocatingly slidable in the cylinder, a valve plate having formed therein a suction port and a discharge port and providing valve seats around the ports, suction valve and a discharge valve cooperating with the suction and discharge ports. The cylinder, the piston and the valve plate cooperate to define a compression chamber. The compressor further has a passage system providing separate passages for a gas to be compressed and the gas after compression, and a motion converting mechanism for converting rotary motion of the crankshaft into linear reciprocating motion of the piston.

Abstract: A thrust reverser is disclosed in which a panel is pivotally attached to the cowling downstream of the movable thrust reverser door and is connected to the door such that movement of the thrust reverser door causes the panel to pivot about its attachment to the cowling. When the door is in its forward thrust position, the inner wall of the door and an inner wall of the panel form a portion of the boundary of the duct through which pass pressurized gases. The pressurized gases exert forces on the inner wall of the door and the inner surface of the panel such that the forces urge the thrust reverser door toward its forward thrust position. Thus, the thrust reverser door is prevented from being inadvertently deployed toward its reverse thrust position even upon failure or malfunction of the door locking or latching mechanisms.

Abstract: An external-combustion heat engine pump, one version consisting of four chambers, one liquid and one gas pumping chamber, a gas heating chamber and a gas cooling chamber. The two pumping chambers are connected by two tubes, one near the bottom of the chambers and one at the top of the chambers. The liquid pumping chamber, which contains a cycling container, is connected to a reservoir with tubing and a one way valve allowing liquid to enter. The gas pumping chamber is fitted with a bellows, which rises or falls as determined by the location of the cycling container. Gas enters the bellows through a one way valve connected to the bellows with tubing. The bellows is also connected to the heating chamber with tubing and with a one way gas valve which allows gas to enter this chamber.

Abstract: A hydraulic piston machine is disclosed, having a cylinder body, which has at least one cylinder, in which a piston is arranged to move back and forth and bears by way of a slide shoe against a control surface, and having a pressure plate which holds the slide shoe in engagement with the control surface. It is desirable to be able to operate such a machine also with a fluid that has no or only poor lubricating properties. To that end, the pressure plate and/or the control surface is provided with a layer of a friction-reducing plastics material at least in one of the regions with which in operation they rub against other parts.

Abstract: A method for providing thrust to a space borne vehicle uses an ion beam current to deliver a continuous stream of mass to the vehicle. The mass stream is decelerated thereby transferring its momentum to the vehicle as thrust. The vehicle reaccelerates the mass stream projecting it back to it origin, and thus receives further thrust in reaction to the departing mass stream. The mass stream may be set up between two particle beam accelerators so that thrust is realized by both accelerators, or the beam may be merely received continuously by one accelerator. In both cases the thrust may be used for deep space acceleration to high velocities by a vehicle not carrying fuel or propellant and not near any natural energy source.

Abstract: A positive displacement pump assembly which has an hydraulically controlled intake check valve that is controlled by a three-way solenoid control valve. The intake valve contains a one-way check valve that opens when the pump piston is on an intake stroke and normally closes when the pump piston is on a power stroke. The check valve further contains an hydraulically controlled piston that can open the check valve during the power stroke so that the output fluid of the pump flows to drain. The piston is controlled by the solenoid control valve. The control valve has a pair of digitally latched solenoids. The output pressure of the pump can be regulated by energizing one of the solenoids and applying hydraulic pressure to the piston to open the check valve during the power stroke of the pump. The pump is preferably a dual piston wobble plate pump that incorporates a pair of hydraulically controlled intake check valves that are both controlled by a single solenoid control valve.

Abstract: The invention relates to a displacement pump, e.g. a vane cell pump, with a flow control valve (13) on the control piston (22) which acts on the pump pressure on the one hand and the consumer pressure taken via a choke device on the other. The control piston (22) acts as a pressure controller in which the pressure difference as the pump speed rises acts as a measure of the adjusted quantity conveyed. The choke device for setting the pressure difference contains a throttle piston (17) movable against the force of a spring (16) in a piston bore (15), which closes off an aperture (14) on the pressure side in a control plate (7) in the basic position. According to the invention, the piston bore (15) has a by-pass channel (18) which continuously connects the pump with a spring chamber (15A) in the throttle piston (17).

Abstract: A swash plate type axial piston pump improved in respect to wear or abrasion-resistant capability of sliding members of the pump adapted to rotate relative to each other for protecting them from rapid wearing even upon high rotation of the pump. The axial piston pump includes a housing (1), a rotatable shaft (3) supported rotatably within the housing (1), an axial piston pump including a cylinder block (15) mounted on the shaft (3) axially slideably therealong and co-rotatably therewith and a plurality of pistons (21) accommodated axially reciprocatively within a corresponding number of cylinders, respectively, which extend axially, being arrayed around the rotatable shaft (3), a swash plate (23) disposed for moving reciprocatively the pistons (21) in axial direction as the shaft (3) is rotated, and a plurality of sliding members which are incorporated slideably relative to one another for constituting parts of the pump.

Abstract: A multiple bypass turbofan engine including a core engine assembly has a fan bypass duct radially outward of the core engine assembly and has first and second inlets disposed between forward and aft fans driven by a low pressure turbine and a core engine turbine respectively. An inlet duct having an annular duct wall is disposed radially inward of the bypass duct and connects the second inlet to the bypass duct and has disposed within a supercharger means for compressing air which is drivingly connected to the core turbine. One embodiment of the aft fan may have radially inner and outer rows of aft fan vane airfoils separated by a non-rotatable portion of the annular duct wall such that the outer row of aft fan vane airfoils are disposed in the inlet duct and at least one of the aft fan vane airfoils is and, preferably, all of which are, independently variable.

Abstract: A pump is disclosed having a variable cam arrangement under the influence of which a plunger is reciprocable. The variable cam arrangement comprises a plurality of cam rings which in an embodiment of the pump are relatively moveable in order to adjust the shape of the effective cam surface of the cam arrangement, and hence adjust the delivery rate of the pump.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for evacuating gas from a chamber to reduce the pressure therein utilizes a housing having a lower, downwardly facing wall and an upper, upwardly facing wall, a first gas flow director of truncated conical shape having a larger end facing downwardly and a smaller end facing upwardly and disposed within the housing coupled to the lower wall. A plurality of stationary vanes is disposed adjacent the smaller end of the first gas flow director, for imparting a vortex flow to gas flowing therethrough. A second gas flow director of truncated conical shape and having a larger end facing downwardly and disposed within the housing and a smaller end facing upwardly is coupled to the upper wall, the surface of the second gas flow director within the housing including a plurality of longitudinal slits, each slit including outer and inner guide flaps to guide the flow of gas through the slit.

Abstract: An ejector pump for the transport of materials or mixtures of materials capable of flowing with the aid of a fluid driving medium is provided. The ejector pump includes at least one flow management profile which is placed in the flow channel of the ejector pump and which displaces the fluid that is flowing against the profile in a lateral direction component away from the original direction of flow. Therefore, the fluid in the middle of the flow channel makes its way closer to one of the flow channel walls thus limiting the areas of turbulence that occur during the mixing of material that is to be transported with the driving medium.

Abstract: A multiple bypass turbofan engine including a core engine assembly has a fan bypass duct radially outward of the core engine assembly and has first and second inlets disposed between forward and aft fans driven by a low pressure turbine and a core engine turbine respectively. An inlet duct having an annular duct wall is disposed radially inward of the bypass duct and connects the second inlet to the bypass duct and has disposed within a supercharger means for compressing air which is drivingly connected to the core turbine. The engine has an duct with an afterburner in an upstream portion and at a downstream end it has an exhaust nozzle with a fixed geometry throat. The nozzle may also have a fixed geometry exhaust nozzle outlet with or without a means for blowing at the throat.

Abstract: There is provided a variable displacement type piston machine capable of reducing noise and vibration through reduction of pulsation of discharge fluid by reducing the variation of the rate of operating fluid that is flowing from a high pressure port to a low pressure port and a drain. On a slide surface (1a) of a valve plate (1) is provided an intermittent drain passage (5) in a manner that it directly communicates with neither a high pressure port (3a) nor an oil guide groove (4). When the high pressure port (3a) and a cylinder port (54a) are communicated with each other via the oil guide groove (4) and a back flow from the high pressure port (3a) to the cylinder port (54a) is generated, the intermittent drain passage (5) communicates with neither the high pressure port (3a) nor the cylinder port (54a). When a cylinder block (55) further rotates from the above state, the intermittent drain passage (5) communicates with the high pressure port (3a) via the cylinder port (54a).

Abstract: An ambulatory volumetric pump apparatus includes a housing defining a channel therethrough having an inlet for receiving a fluid and an outlet for discharging a fluid, a pump operable to pump fluid through the channel, a motor for operating the pump in response to control signals, and a programmable microprocessor for selectively supplying control signals to the motor to cause the motor to operate. The programmable microprocessor is "programmed" by manually setting rotatable knobs having faces which extend through but are generally flush with the housing exterior surface. The knobs include indicia to provide a visual display of the setting of the knobs and thus of the parameters of operation of the pump. An under-pressure sensor is disposed after the inlet of the channel to detect a suction or vacuum in the channel and to signal the microprocessor if such condition is detected.

Abstract: An infusion device with a disposable administration set which is inexpensive to manufacture. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention the disposable administration set has a plurality of elongated cam followers connected to a plate assembly, wherein the cam followers are displaced in a predetermined sequence and forced against a delivery tube by cam means driven by rotary drive means. The disposable administration set is injection molded as a single integral piece. The disposable administration set includes adjustment spacers disposed between the plate assembly and the cam followers which adjust the distance between them to keep the device accurate. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention the cam means are configured to provide fluid delivery at a consistent and uniform rate. The device may also incude a pressure sensing pin positioned on the cam assembly which contacts the tubing during the pumping cycle.

Abstract: A clean room fan unit is used to provide a continuous flow of air to a clean room, where the air flow is substantially free of undesired impurities. The fan unit includes a rectangular housing that defines a cavity. A fan unit is located inside the cavity for drawing air into the housing and into the clean room. The fan has blades with pitch angles selected to provide a particular flow path and flow rate that reduces the amount of noise generated by the fan unit while increasing the efficiency of the fan unit. A perforated plate is situated within the air flow path in the fan unit housing such that the perforations diffuse the air flow before it passes through a filter and exits the housing. The uniform air flow provided by the perforated plate produces a reduced noise level.

Abstract: A centrifugal blood pump used for heart-lung machines or the like comprising an impeller provided with pump vanes and a magnet means such as permanent magnets, a casing having an inlet port and an outlet port and rotatably accommodating the impeller, and a magnet drive means disposed outside the casing, wherein the impeller is supported by at least three balls above the bottom plate of the casing, held at the center of the bottom plate and rotated around the center axis of the impeller by the magnet means and the magnet drive means. When the upper and lower ends of the rotation shaft of the impeller are supported by the casing, the upper end of the rotation shaft is supported by a bearing embeddedly disposed at the top section of the conical section of the casing, and the inlet port of the casing is disposed adjacent to and eccentric from the top section.