Flow International Corporation

Charles M Wakefield

Felice M Sciulli

Michael Knaupp

Robert J Mann

Andreas Meyer

Andrew P Sterne

Chidambaram Raghavan

Glenn A Erichsen

Larry G Pearson

Aki Tanuma

A contour follower includes a plurality of sensors spaced around a waterjet nozzle, each of the sensors being configured to measure a distance between a working surface and a first plane, perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the nozzle. The sensors may include hall-effect sensors lying in the first plane and magnets lying in a second plane, parallel to the working surface. A detecting circuit processes signals from the sensors to determine an angle of the working surface, relative to the first plane, and a distance between an aperture of the nozzle and the working surface. A collision detection sensor provides a signal in the event the device approaches to within a selected distance of an obstruction in the plane of the working surface. A shield plate blocks and dampens secondary spray-back of cutting fluid occurring at low angles above the working surface.

Method of using a contour follower

A collision detection sensor for a waterjet system provides a signal in the event the device approaches to within a selected distance of an obstruction in the plane of the working surface. An annular pressure switch lying in a first plane provides the signal when radial pressure is applied to a perimeter of the pressure switch via an annular trigger skirt, the trigger skirt applying the radial pressure in response to a collision of the device with an obstacle.

Contour follower

Sensor leg assembly for a contour follower

Contour follower for tool

A fluid pump system includes a pump having a plurality of cylinders, each having an outlet port coupled to a high-pressure manifold. A pressure transducer is coupled to the manifold and configured to convert pressure levels of fluid in the manifold to a voltage signal at an output of the transducer. The system further includes a digitizer configured to convert the voltage signal from the transducer to a digital signal at a digitizer output, such that when a value of the voltage signal is less than a selected reference voltage a first digital value is produced, and when the voltage level exceeds the selected reference voltage a second digital value is produced. A diagnostic circuit having an input coupled to the digitizer output is configured to detect malfunctions of the pump based upon characteristics of the digital signal.

Apparatus and method for detecting malfunctions in high-pressure fluid pumps

Growing community of inventors

Puyallup, WA, United States of America

Charles M Wakefield