Sonic Flow Patents (Class 261/DIG78)
  • Patent number: 5908158
    Abstract: The device is designed for nebulizing liquids and for transporting the formed aerosols. It includes components to form a fountain of liquid that is being nebulized, a container holder (4), a container (2) with contact medium (3), an additional container (5) with liquid being nebulized (6), a nebulization chamber (7), a system for transporting the aerosol to the user, an outlet duct (11), and a mechanism for regulation of rate of delivery of aerosol. The nebulization chamber (7) is designed as a double-element structure, composed of an intake tube (8) and an expansion chamber (9). In the bottom of the expansion chamber (9) outlets (10) have been made for the drainage of the non-nebulized liquid back to the section of the container remote from the base of the fountain. This reduces the negative action of the non-nebulized liquid on the effectiveness of nebulization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 1, 1999
    Assignee: Sheiman Ultrasonic Research Foundation Party, Ltd.
    Inventor: Vladimir Cheiman
  • Patent number: 5706842
    Abstract: A system for cleaning and verifying the cleanliness of the interior surfaces of hollow items, such as small bottles, tanks, pipes and tubes, employs a rotating spray head for supplying a gas-liquid cleaning mixture to the item's surface at a supersonic velocity. The spray head incorporates a plurality of nozzles having diverging cross sections so that the incoming gas-liquid mixture is first converged within the spray head and then diverged through the nozzles, thereby accelerating the mixture to a supersonic velocity. In the preferred embodiment, three nozzles are employed; one forwardly facing nozzle at the end of the spray head and two oppositely facing angled nozzles exiting on opposite sides of the spray head which balance each other, and therefore impart no net side load on the spray head. A drive mechanism is provided to rotate the spray head and at the same time move the head back and forth within the item to be cleaned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 13, 1998
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Raoul E. B. Caimi, Eric A. Thaxton
  • Patent number: 5622655
    Abstract: A direct contact steam injection heater with a coaxial steam nozzle has a converging/diverging combining tube. The converging/diverging combining tube eliminates the need for an adjustable combining tube sleeve to accommodate various flow rates of a liquid or slurry entering into the heater. The heater is especially well suited for sanitary applications because, without the combining tube sleeve, the heater can be made so that surfaces in contact with the liquid or slurry do not have pockets or folds in which liquid or particulates can accumulate. Contact surfaces in the heater are substantially self-cleaning because of turbulent mixing action, and the heater can be quickly disassembled and reassembled for manual cleaning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 22, 1997
    Assignee: Hydro-Thermal Corporation
    Inventors: Bruce A. Cincotta, Marc K. Mueller
  • Patent number: 5395569
    Abstract: An apparatus for treating fluid products has a T-shaped tubular body which provides a longitudinal passage and an intersecting passage which intersects the longitudinal passage at a tubular body junction thereby defining and separating the longitudinal passage into first and second passage portions. The first passage portion, at a position adjacent the junction, is beveled to provide a valve seat, and a first nozzle member is mounted for reciprocative longitudinal displacement in the first passage portion and has a beveled end valve member portion for, upon displacement towards the junction, fluid-tight contact against the valve seat. A bore through the first nozzle member provides for fluid communication in the first passage portion from the bore to between the valve member portion and the valve seat when the valve member portion is displaced away from the seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 7, 1995
    Assignee: Nestec S.A.
    Inventors: Ernest Badertscher, Paul-Henri Poget
  • Patent number: 5302325
    Abstract: The dispersion of a gas in a liquid is enhanced by accelerating a gas/liquid mixture to supersonic velocity, with subsequent deacceleration, in a conical in-line mixer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 1990
    Date of Patent: April 12, 1994
    Assignee: Praxair Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Alan T. Cheng
  • Patent number: 5262091
    Abstract: A steam injector system comprises a plurality of steam injectors each being provided with with a check valve adapted for water supply, a check valve adapted for steam supply, a check valve adapted for overflow and a check valve adapted for discharge and the respective water check valves, steam check valves, overflow check valves and discharge check valves are connected. In another aspect, a steam injector system comprises a plurality of first to last stage steam injectors arranged in series with each other, the last stage steam injector being provided with a relief valve disposed at a last stage overflow drain port, and a pressure pulsation absorbing device is disposed at least between the last stage overflow drain valve and the relief valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 16, 1993
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Tadashi Narabayashi, Hiroshi Miyano, Osamu Ozaki, Wataru Mizumachi, Akira Tanabe, Akio Shioiri, Hiroshi Tonegawa, Takenori Ishiyama
  • Patent number: 5219530
    Abstract: Apparatus for initiating pyrolysis of a feedstock by establishing a continuous, standing shock wave. Several embodiments of a shock wave reactor (10, 100, 150) are disclosed; each is connected to receive an ethane feedstock and a carrier fluid comprising superheated steam. The feedstock and the carrier fluid are pressurized so that they expand into parallel supersonic streams that mix due to turbulence within a mixing section (36) of a longitudinally extending channel (12) of the shock wave reactor. The carrier fluid heats the ethane feedstock as it mixes with it, producing a mixture that flows at supersonic velocity longitudinally down the channel. A gate valve (44) disposed downstream of the channel provides a controlled back pressure that affects the position of the shock wave and the residence time for the reaction. The shock wave rapidly heats the mixture above a pyrolysis temperature, producing a desired product by cracking the feedstock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 15, 1993
    Assignee: Board of Regents of the University of Washington
    Inventors: Abraham Hertzberg, Arthur T. Mattick, David A. Russell
  • Patent number: 5211916
    Abstract: An in-line stripper has a venturi-conical mixer combination in which the annular space thereby is automatically adjustable in response to changes in viscosity or other property conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1993
    Assignee: Praxair Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Alan T. Cheng
  • Patent number: 5176855
    Abstract: An improved carburetor uses a butterfly air valve having a controlled air pressure difference across it and positions a tilt valve, proportionally to feed the liquid fuel with a predetermined pressure difference across the fuel valve and the metered fuel is picked up by air and fed into the main air stream below the throttle place through a small air passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 1991
    Date of Patent: January 5, 1993
    Assignee: David P. Ward
    Inventor: James S. Jones
  • Patent number: 5061406
    Abstract: The dispersion of a gas in a liquid is enhanced by the use of an adjustable conical mixer to control the flow of a gas/liquid mixture to a venturi device used to accelerate the mixture to a supersonic vclocity with subsequent deacceleration to subsonic velocity to produce sonic shock waves in the mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 29, 1991
    Assignee: Union Carbide Industrial Gases Technology Corporation
    Inventor: Alan T. Cheng
  • Patent number: 5045245
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for atomizing liquid with the aid of gas or for comminuting gas into small bubbles with the aid of liquid, in which the gas and the liquid are joined into a two-phase mixture in a mixing chamber and mixed, and the inflow speeds and volumetric flows of the individual phases are selected such that the outflow speed of the two-phase mixture is equal to the characteristic sonic velocity. An essential feature is that to maintain the mixing ratio, the outlet cross section is adjustable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 3, 1991
    Assignee: Caldyn Apparatebau GmbH
    Inventor: Jogindar M. Chawla
  • Patent number: 4931225
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an improved method and apparatus for dispersing a gas into a liquid. Gas is injected into a liquid and the flowing gas-liquid mixture is accelerated by a flow area contraction to at least sonic flow velocity, and subsequently decelerated by a flow area expansion to subsonic velocity. The attendant shock waves disperse the gas in the liquid. Preferred embodiments include off-centering the gas injection direction from the centerline of the contracting flow area and controlling the pressure at the exit of the expanding flow area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 5, 1990
    Assignee: Union Carbide Industrial Gases Technology Corporation
    Inventor: Alan T. Cheng
  • Patent number: 4919853
    Abstract: A method for spraying liquids involving a flow of gas which shears the liquid. A flow of gas is introduced in a converging-diverging nozzle where it meets and shears the liquid into small particles which are of a size and uniformity which can be controlled through adjustment of pressures and gas velocity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 1988
    Date of Patent: April 24, 1990
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventors: Joseph L. Alvarez, Lloyd D. Watson
  • Patent number: 4867918
    Abstract: Gas dispersion in a liquid is enhanced by combining the gas and liquid in close proximity to a venturi or other flow constriction means used to create supersonic flow velocities and subsequent deacceleration to sub-sonic velocity. When a venturi is employed, the gas-liquid mixing occurs in the converging portion of the venturi or upstream but in close proximity to said venturi. Turbulent flow conditions upstream of the venturi or other flow constriction means adequate to disperse the gas uniformly in the liquid are not required and, surprisingly, the gas and liquid need not be uniformly dispersed prior to acceleration to supersonic velocity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 19, 1989
    Assignee: Union Carbide Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuo Kiyonaga, Lawrence M. Litz, Thomas J. Bergman
  • Patent number: 4787404
    Abstract: A low flow rate-low pressure atomizer device is disclosed which is so dimensioned and operated as to accelerate a gas to substantially sonic velocity and cause it to break up a cleaning liquid into small droplets and accelerate these droplets to at least half the velocity of said gas to create shear stress at a surface closely adjacent the exit end of said device, thereby to remove contaminants or the like from said surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 1987
    Date of Patent: November 29, 1988
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Donald H. Klosterman, Sofia M. Laskowski, Scott V. Knee, Shei-Kung Shi
  • Patent number: 4708828
    Abstract: A carburetor with an idling system is designed so that the full pressure differential or gradient available between approximately ambient pressure and the vacuum in the intake tube is employed for producing a critical pressure ratio of a supersonic flow in a laval nozzle. To make this possible, a fuel air emulsion formed with primary air is introduced from a mixing duct via a constricted orifice of a tubular nozzle at a bore constriction, at which there is always a sonic velocity when there is a critical and supercritical pressure ratio, into the secondary air flow where it is superfinely atomized in the secondary air flow, with a maximum velocity differential, aided by subsequent pressure surges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 1986
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1987
    Inventor: Joseph Plannerer
  • Patent number: 4639340
    Abstract: In order to dissolve a gas such as oxygen in a liquid, typically aqueous, a stream of liquid is taken from tank 2 by a pump 10 and pressurized thereby. Oxygen is introduced into the stream via a conduit 18 upstream of a venturi 20. The resulting mixture of oxygen bubbles and liquid is accelerated from a sub-sonic to a super-sonic velocity as it flows through the venturi 20. The resultant shockwave is effective to reduce the size of the bubbles. The stream of liquid carrying oxygen bubbles dispersed therein is then transported at sub-sonic velocity along the conduit 12 to a sparge pipe 14 through which it is introduced into the main volume 4 of liquid into the tank 2. As the liquid passes through the orifices of the sparge pipe 14 so it is again accelerated to a super-sonic velocity and another shockwave is created thereby causing the bubbles to reduce in size such that they readily dissolve in or are consumed by the main volume of liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 1985
    Date of Patent: January 27, 1987
    Assignee: The BOC Group plc
    Inventor: Michael E. Garrett
  • Patent number: 4632788
    Abstract: An improved carburetor is provided wherein a bidirectional passage is provided between an air velocity reader and a location downstream of a throttle. Metered fuel flows into the bidirectional passage adjacent the air velocity reader. Flow direction in the bidirectional passage is dependent on the pressure relationship between the ends of the bidirectional passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1985
    Date of Patent: December 30, 1986
    Inventor: James S. Jones
  • Patent number: 4461425
    Abstract: A portable reservoir container storing liquid, mounts on its inflow port section a heater and a vortex mixing device in series. Liquid from the bottom of the container is fed to the vortex mixing device in response to the inflow of oxygen gas thereto producing an outflow of liquid and oxygen gas in a vortical flow pattern that is delivered to the inflow port section of the container. A flow of conditioned oxygen gas is discharged from the gas space of the container through an outflow portion section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 1982
    Date of Patent: July 24, 1984
    Assignee: Respiratory Care, Inc.
    Inventor: Kenneth G. Miller
  • Patent number: 4356801
    Abstract: A throttle body fuel injection system comprises a fuel injector which sprays fuel into an induction bore of circular cross section for mixture with induction air passing through the bore. Fuel is injected exclusively upstream of the throttle blade and apertures are provided which, when the engine is idling with the blade occupying an idle position cracked open from its closed blade position, establish communication between points upstream and downstream of the throttle blade with the apertures being of sufficient size to conduct both the induction air and the entrained fuel as a mixture, allowing sonic velocities for best fuel atomization at engine idle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 1981
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1982
    Assignee: Chrysler Corporation
    Inventor: Kenneth A. Graham
  • Patent number: 4347822
    Abstract: A single point fuel injection system for an internal combustion engine including a throttle body having first and second air intake throats corresponding to first and second intake manifold planes of the engine, the air flow through each throat being controlled by throttle plates positioned within each throat. The throttle body further includes a fuel accumulating bowl which is integrally formed with the throttle body, the bowl being enclosed by a diaphragm and cover member. Within the enclosure of the fuel bowl are positioned a pair of injectors which are adapted to inject pulsed portions of fuel through a sonic nozzle and into the air intake throat of the throttle body. The injection of pulses of fuel into the throat is timed in accordance with the sensing of the crankshaft reaching a position of 15.degree. before top dead center to enhance the distribution of fuel charge from cylinder to cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1980
    Date of Patent: September 7, 1982
    Assignee: The Bendix Corporation
    Inventor: Gary L. Casey
  • Patent number: 4336779
    Abstract: An idling circuit for a carburation device comprises an idling duct for supplying a primary air-fuel mixture downstream of the throttle and a fueled-air line having an adjustable cross-section for circulating an additional quantity of air and primary mixture from upstream to downstream of the throttle. A solenoid valve is energized by pulses having a duty cycle which is controlled so as to keep the engine speed near a set idling speed and so as to increase the amount of mixture supplied to the engine during deceleration at high speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 1980
    Date of Patent: June 29, 1982
    Assignee: Societe Industrielle de Brevets et d'Etudes S.I.B.E.
    Inventor: Pierre Semence
  • Patent number: 4318868
    Abstract: A fuel-air metering system functioning according to precise flow and geometrical equations. An air throttle valve and fuel valve are positively linked with the flow crossectional area of each valve proportional to that of the other. Fuel pressure drop across the fuel valve is regulated in precise proportion to the pressure drop across the upstream orifice of a two orifice in series air flow system which bypasses the air throttle. Careful shaping of the air throttle, the bypass system orifices, the fuel valve, passage geometry, and the servo valve fuel regulation system results in an accurate porportioning of fuel flow to air flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 1981
    Date of Patent: March 9, 1982
    Assignee: Automotive Engine Associates
    Inventors: M. Robert Showalter, John M. Clark, Jr., J. Wray Fogwell
  • Patent number: 4289104
    Abstract: An air-fuel mixture supplying device for internal combustion engines, in which sonic nozzles are disposed facing each other in such a manner that their center lines lie in the same horizontal and vertical planes so that the fuel ejected from the nozzle is pulverized and mixed with bleed air ejected from the opposing nozzle in optimum condition. During intermittent ejection of fuel, two injector valves inject fuel alternately so that the fuel particles ejected from the opposing nozzles do not collide with each other but only strike against and mix with the bleed air. This eliminates the possibility of fuel particles becoming agglomerated and produces desirable air-fuel mixtures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 1979
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1981
    Assignee: Aisan Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigetaka Takada, Masaaki Nomura, Manabu Itoh
  • Patent number: 4283354
    Abstract: The ratio air:fuel with a mixture fed to an internal combustion engine is maintained constant independent of the condition of said internal combustion engine in that the mixture is fed supercritically and the air subcritically into a by-pass line bypassing the main choke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1979
    Date of Patent: August 11, 1981
    Assignee: Pierburg GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Walter Schauer, Josef Rosgen
  • Patent number: 4281423
    Abstract: A foam bathing apparatus comprising a main body including a blower, a container mounted on the main body for containing a bath and a porous body disposed at an inner bottom portion of the container. Air from the blower is passed through the porous body to produce numerous air bubbles in the bath for the user to immerse the face or the like in the bath for cleansing or massaging. The apparatus includes a pressure chamber provided within the main body and positioned downstream from the blower in proximity thereto, the pressure chamber being provided with a pressure adjusting assembly comprising, for example, a pressure adjusting aperture and a shutter for opening or closing the aperture for smooth and fine adjustment of the amount of air bubbles to be produced. The apparatus is usable also for cleansing or massaging other part of the human body, such as the hand, elbow or foot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 1980
    Date of Patent: August 4, 1981
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masao Fukunaga, Fusao Niino, Hiroshi Nonoguchi
  • Patent number: 4280969
    Abstract: A carburetor which comprises a casing, an air inlet at the upper end thereof and an air-fuel mixture discharge at the lower end thereof, with a venturi throat located downwardly of said inlet, a sonic throat below said venturi throat, and a diffuser section interconnecting the sonic throat and the discharge. Portions of the wall of the sonic throat are provided with a plurality of indentations, projections, or surface irregularities for stabilizing the flow therethrough and conducing to the uniformity of the air-fuel mixture. At least one portion of said sonic throat is movable with respect to the fixed portions of said throat for altering the cross-section thereof responsive to fuel requirements for combustion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1978
    Date of Patent: July 28, 1981
    Inventor: Wilbur M. Swanson
  • Patent number: 4280462
    Abstract: An electronically-controlled carburetor is disclosed. This electronically-controlled carburetor is provided with a control fuel path in addition to a main fuel path opened to the venturi of the air horn. This control fuel, after being introduced to a constant pressure chamber regulated at a constant pressure, is further introduced to the air horn through a sonic flow nozzle provided at the opening of the constant pressure chamber, together with the control air introduced to the constant pressure chamber. The amount of the control fuel introduced to the air horn and the amount of the control air are regulated on the basis of control electrical signals generated by an electronic control circuit supplied with data indicative of engine running conditions. In this way, the air-fuel ratio is properly controlled over the entire range of engine running conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 1979
    Date of Patent: July 28, 1981
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kuroiwa, Yoshishige Oyama
  • Patent number: 4241877
    Abstract: Exceptional atomization of liquids is achieved by combining shock wave formation and vortex generation in a gas stream. In a vortex generating device, a flow passage is aligned with a flow axis connected between a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, and a plurality of tornado-like gas vortices are generated in the flow passage. In one embodiment, a restriction is formed in the fluid inlet, and a source of gas under sufficient pressure to cause sonic velocity at the restriction is connected to the inlet. In another embodiment, a restriction is formed in a downstream portion of a flow passage, and a pair of auxiliary flow passages connect an upstream portion of the flow passage to the restriction. In an embodiment, a fluid outlet has a concave semispherical surface opening into an ambient region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 1978
    Date of Patent: December 30, 1980
    Assignee: Hughes Sciences Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Nathaniel Hughes
  • Patent number: 4234522
    Abstract: An improvement for internal combustion engine carburetors of the variable diffuser type with a sonic throat, the diffuser having a circular intake passage leading to an obstacle in the form of a body of revolution of maximum diameter appreciably larger than the intake passage, coaxial with the passage and axially adjustable to form, with a fixed divergent circular wall prolonging the intake passage of the carburetor barrel, a circular divergent sonic-flow nozzle, the annular throat of which is formed between the intake passage and the nearest surface of the adjustable obstacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 1978
    Date of Patent: November 18, 1980
    Assignee: Regie Nationale des Usines Renault
    Inventors: Pierre Fontanet, Georges Desjardins
  • Patent number: 4231971
    Abstract: A flow device and method delivers a gaseous medium to utilization equipment having variable pressure conditions at its intake. A gaseous medium intake zone connects with structure defining a variable area throat zone for constricting the flow of the gaseous medium to increase its velocity to sonic. Wall structure downstream from the throat zone provides a gradually diverging zone for efficiently recovering the kinetic energy of the high velocity gaseous medium as static pressure. Perforations are provided in the wall structure downstream and spaced from the throat zone, and these perforations connect on the back side of the wall structure with the intake of the utilization equipment. When supersonic flow occurs the high velocity mass moving past the perforations pulls a small portion of the gaseous medium already delivered to the intake of the utilization equipment into the gradually diverging zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 1979
    Date of Patent: November 4, 1980
    Assignee: Dresser Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Kenneth R. Armstrong
  • Patent number: 4231383
    Abstract: A combustible mixture of air and minute fuel droplets is produced for supply to the cylinders of an internal combustion engine. This mixture is formed by accurately controlling both the atomization of fuel and the mass flow rate of air over substantially the entire operating range of the engine. These controls are accomplished by introducing liquid fuel into a stream of intake air and uniformly distributing the fuel in the air followed by passing the air and fuel mixture through a constricted zone to increase the velocity of the mixture to sonic. The sonic velocity air at the constricted zone divides the fuel into minute droplets that are uniformly entrained throughout the air stream. The area of the constricted zone and the quantity of fuel introduced are adjustably varied in correlation with operating demands imposed upon the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 1979
    Date of Patent: November 4, 1980
    Assignee: Dresser Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: James F. Eversole, Lester P. Berriman
  • Patent number: 4217313
    Abstract: A device for reducing noxious emissions from carburetor engines of the internal combustion type, the body of which comprises at least one main passage designed for feeding a fuel-air mixture to the engine cylinders and has an emulsion passage. The main passage accommodates a throttle valve which divides it into an upstream throttle space and a downstream throttle space, as viewed in the direction of the fuel-air mixture flow. The emulsion passage communicates with the upstream throttle space substantially in the area where the throttle valve upper edge locates when the throttle valve is in the closed position and also communicates further, as viewed in the direction of the emulsion flow, via an adjustable throttle element with a chamber which communicates via an air passage with the upstream throttle space and via a passage with the downstream throttle space. The chamber accommodates a movable element adapted to move coaxially with the passage for the purpose of closing same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 1978
    Date of Patent: August 12, 1980
    Inventors: Anatoly V. Dmitrievsky, Vladimir F. Kamenev, Jury M. Pashin, Nikolai M. Prudov, Alexandr I. Simatov, Andrei S. Tjufyakov, Jury N. Shishkin, Jury I. Yamolov
  • Patent number: 4209472
    Abstract: An apparatus for supplying aerosol fuel particles uniformly mixed with air to utilizer, as an internal combustion engine or burner. The apparatus has several fuel mixing and atomizing nozzles operable to mix one or more liquid hydrocarbon fuels and discharge the fuels through orifices in small fuel particles of uniform size. The fuel particles are mixed with air and flow through a pair of venturi throats with converging inlet walls and diverging outlet walls. The velocity of the air and fuel particles flowing through the venturi throats is at or above the speed of sound. The fuel particles are finely divided into particles between 0.5 and 1.5 micron in diameter as they move through the turbulent inlet and outlet interfaces of the air flowing through the nozzle throats at sonic and supersonic velocities and are evenly distributed into the air. The length or major dimension of one of the venturi throats is regulated with a baffle in accordance with the speed requirements of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1976
    Date of Patent: June 24, 1980
    Assignee: Child Laboratories Inc.
    Inventors: Francis W. Child, Richard O. Bartz
  • Patent number: 4206158
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for uniformly distributing fuel into the cylinders of an internal combustion engine by introducing fuel into a variable area, sonic flow, convergent-divergent nozzle type carburetor at a location below the throat in close proximity to the shock wave and always within a narrow width axially extending zone that during sonic flow engine conditions in the passage provides good fuel spray characteristics without flow separation from the walls of the passage regardless of the changes in manifold vacuum level or flow area of the nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 1976
    Date of Patent: June 3, 1980
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventor: Jack L. Wood
  • Patent number: 4198357
    Abstract: A flow device and method delivers a gaseous medium to utilization equipment having variable pressure conditions at its intake. A gaseous medium intake zone connects with structure defining a variable area throat zone for constricting the flow of the gaseous medium to increase the velocity thereof to sonic. The throat zone is adjustably varied in correlation with operating demands imposed upon the utilization equipment. Wall structure downstream from the throat zone provides a gradually diverging zone for efficiently recovering the kinetic energy of the high velocity gaseous medium as static pressure. Through such efficient recovery the velocity of gaseous medium through the throat zone is sonic over a wide range of pressure conditions at the intake of the utilization equipment. A flow splitter is spaced from the adjustable throat zone and the splitter is arranged to divide the downstream end portion of gradually diverging zone into multiple zones of reduced divergence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 1978
    Date of Patent: April 15, 1980
    Assignee: Dresser Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Lester P. Berriman, Robert D. Englert, Kenneth R. Armstrong
  • Patent number: 4192465
    Abstract: A vortex is formed in fluid flowing through a flow passage from the inlet of the passage to its outlet. A bluff body is disposed at the outlet external to the passage to interrupt vortically flowing fluid. In one embodiment, the bluff body, which could comprise one or more frustums or discs, has a flat surface facing the outlet. In another embodiment, the body comprises a sphere. In a third embodiment, the body comprises a frustum and a sphere adjacent to each other on the flow axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 1978
    Date of Patent: March 11, 1980
    Inventor: Nathaniel Hughes
  • Patent number: 4190203
    Abstract: A vortex is formed in fluid flowing through a flow passage from the inlet of the passage to its outlet. A resonator is disposed at the outlet external to the passage to intercept fluid flowing vortically through the passage. A bluff body lies between the outlet of the passage and the resonator to interrupt fluid flowing through the passage. The resonator is cylindrical having an axis aligned with the axis of the flow passage, an open end facing toward the outlet of the flow passage, and a closed end. Preferably, the bluff body is adjacent to the open end of the resonator and the length and width of the resonator are approximately multiples of the diameter of the bluff body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 1978
    Date of Patent: February 26, 1980
    Assignee: Hughes Sciences Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Nathaniel Hughes
  • Patent number: 4189101
    Abstract: A flow passage having a restriction is connected between a fluid inlet and outlet. A bluff body such as a frustum or disc is disposed in the flow passage between the inlet and the restriction. The inlet is transverse to the axis of the flow passage. The bluff body is mounted on a rod extending through the flow passage. In one embodiment, a sphere is mounted on the end of the rod beyond the outlet. The rod may be hollow and have holes near the restriction for the purpose of liquid feed. As fluid entering the inlet passes the rod and bluff body to the restriction, a vortex is generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 1978
    Date of Patent: February 19, 1980
    Inventor: Nathaniel Hughes
  • Patent number: 4186708
    Abstract: A fuel injection apparatus with wetting action for use on a spark ignition internal combustion engine has a fuel injector positioned coaxially above the upstream end of an associated upstanding cylindrical throttle bore in a throttle body so as to discharge liquid fuel in a pulsed spray pattern toward the bore wall above the circular disc type throttle valve pivotably supported in the throttle bore to control air flow therethrough. The spray pattern is such that at closed or nearly closed throttle liquid fuel droplets will travel to the bore wall and collect on the same so as to gravitate downward toward the small openings between opposite sides of the throttle and bore wall for pick up and vaporization by the then substantially sonic air flow through these openings and, under open throttle conditions, the fuel droplets are dispersed in the airstream flowing through the throttle bore before any substantial quantity can reach the bore wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 1978
    Date of Patent: February 5, 1980
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Lauren L. Bowler
  • Patent number: 4146595
    Abstract: An idling device for a carburettor having an emulsion channel with a feed nozzle, most advantageously, a de Laval nozzle, constituting the smallest section size of the emulsion channel and a concentric port surrounding the nozzle which feeds additional air from over the throttle of the carburettor by a connection channel. The emulsion channel possesses a measurement section controlled by a needle which feeds additional air from the connection channel and at times an inlet of air from the connection channel for blocking fuel outflow. The air inlet is opened by a valve when the negative pressure under the throttle is higher than the negative pressure during idling of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 1977
    Date of Patent: March 27, 1979
    Assignee: Osrodek Badawczo-Rozwojowy Samochodow Malolitrazowych "Bosmal"
    Inventors: Ryszard Szott, Wieslaw Wiatrak, Wojciech Trybus
  • Patent number: 4141939
    Abstract: This invention is directed to an aerator device and method for generating fine bubbles from a liquid and gas mixture. In particular this invention is directed to aeration of liquid to generate fine bubbles for industrial as well as for domestic use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 1977
    Date of Patent: February 27, 1979
    Inventor: Hikoji Oshima
  • Patent number: 4139581
    Abstract: A carburetor which comprises a casing, an air inlet at the upper end thereof and an air-fuel mixture discharge at the lower end thereof, with a venturi throat located downwardly of said inlet, a sonic throat below said venturi throat, and a diffuser section interconnecting the sonic throat and the discharge. Portions of the wall of the sonic throat are provided with a plurality of indentations, projections, or surface irregularities for stabilizing the flow therethrough and conducing to the uniformity of the air-fuel mixture. At least one portion of said sonic throat is movable with respect to the fixed portions of said throat for altering the cross-section thereof responsive to fuel requirements for combustion. One form of the invention embodies a plug vertically shiftable by a control shaft, having a fuel chamber with emission ports to the interior of the casing whereby said plug acts as an accelerator pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1976
    Date of Patent: February 13, 1979
    Inventor: Wilbur M. Swanson
  • Patent number: 4127627
    Abstract: The throttle for the air inlet passage of an automobile internal combustion engine comprises a variable restriction diffuser within the passage and designed for sonic velocity gas flow through its region of maximum restriction throughout substantially the entire operating range of the engine. The diffuser comprises an orifice member and a closure member movable axially in opposite direction within the passage to vary the aforesaid maximum restriction and operatively coupled with the throttle control linkage for such movement, whereby the force required to move either diffuser member against the force of the fuel and air inlet flow within the passage is counterbalanced by an oppositely directed force exerted by said flow on the other diffuser member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1977
    Date of Patent: November 28, 1978
    Assignee: Chrysler Corporation
    Inventor: Jorma O. Sarto
  • Patent number: 4110416
    Abstract: A separate throttle within each of a pair of air inlet passages for an automobile internal combustion engine comprises a variable restriction diffuser designed for sonic velocity gas flow through its region of maximum restriction throughout substantially the entire operating range of the engine. The diffuser in one of the pair of passages comprises a movable orifice member and a fixed closure member. The diffuser in the other of said passages comprises a fixed orifice member and a movable closure member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 1977
    Date of Patent: August 29, 1978
    Assignee: Chrysler Corporation
    Inventor: Jorma O. Sarto
  • Patent number: 4109862
    Abstract: A flow passage having a restriction is connected between a fluid inlet and outlet. A frustum is disposed in the flow passage between the inlet and the restriction. The frustum has a base facing away from the restriction, and an apex facing toward the restriction. The inlet is transverse to the axis of the flow passage and positioned so the base and a portion only of the frustum are directly exposed to the inlet. The frustum is mounted on a rod extending through the flow passage. In one embodiment, a sphere is mounted on the end of the rod beyond the outlet. The rod may be hollow and have holes near the restriction for the purpose of liquid feed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 1977
    Date of Patent: August 29, 1978
    Inventor: Nathaniel Hughes
  • Patent number: 4087493
    Abstract: A carburetor for gasoline internal combustion engines includes a generally cylindrical housing having a mixing channel defined by a wall converging to a point of minimum housing diameter and a wall diverging from the point of minimum diameter, an intake air receiving section and a lower section from which the liquid fuel-air mixture is discharged to the cylinders. At least twelve radially spaced liquid fuel supply ports are formed in the mixing chamber immediately below the point of minimum opening. A regulating member formed generally of two frusto-conical sections arranged with their bases end-to-end is mounted for longitudinal movement within the housing. The upper section of the regulating member deflects the intake air toward a gradually enlarging constricted zone which is defined by the upper section of the regulating member and the diverging wall of the mixing chamber and wherein the liquid fuel is mixed with and atomized by the intake air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1977
    Date of Patent: May 2, 1978
    Assignee: Carbo-Economy, S.A.
    Inventor: Walter E. Petermann
  • Patent number: 4065526
    Abstract: A combination fuel introduction, distribution and air shaping device is provided for a fuel carburetion system of an internal combustion engine. The distributor is elongated and of generally inverted tear-drop cross-section. Fuel discharge openings are spaced longitudinally near or at the bottom of the distributor. The distributor extends across the intake air duct of an air-fuel mixing and modulating device that is adapted to deliver a mixture of finely divided fuel droplets in air to the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine. The body of the distributor divides the intake air flow into two converging air streams which entrain the fuel as liquid droplets sweeping it from a helically coiled wire extending along the downstream side of the distributor and uniformly distributing the droplets in the air streams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1976
    Date of Patent: December 27, 1977
    Assignee: Dresser Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Dixon Englert, Kenneth Ronald Armstrong
  • Patent number: 4056583
    Abstract: A variable Venturi carburetor having a Venturi portion defined by movable members which are linked with and driven by an accelerating pedal so as to vary the area of its throat opening in accordance with a required engine output power thereby establishing air flow through the Venturi throat at the acoustic speed for the most part of the engine operational region. In high load operation wherein the acoustic speed is not maintained at the Venturi throat, fuel pressure is modified to compensate therefor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 1975
    Date of Patent: November 1, 1977
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuo Shinoda, Akira Ii
  • Patent number: 4054621
    Abstract: In a carburetor as for a vehicle engine, the carburetor having a throttle body with an induction passage therethrough defined in part by a two-dimensional variable rectangular nozzle having a pair of plane parallel opposite walls and a pair of convergent-divergent contoured walls, one of the contoured walls being mounted to an upstream pivot shaft and actuated by an accelerator pedal operatively connected thereto for pivotal movement relative to the other contoured wall and, a fuel injector means pivotably supported by the pivot shaft and having its fuel discharge means positioned to discharge fuel into the induction passage upstream of the throat of the nozzle, the fuel injector means being operatively linked by a fuel injector positioner linkage to the movable contoured wall so that its angular movement is one-half the angular movement of the movable contoured wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 1976
    Date of Patent: October 18, 1977
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: William C. Bubniak, Harry R. Mitchell