Dlhbowles, Inc.

Bowles Fluidics Corporation

Melnor, Inc.

Abc Technologies Inc.

Chunling Zhao

Shridhar Gopalan

Juergen Nies

Ha Van Duong

Alan Romack

Bryan Fung

Andrew Cameron

Zachary Downing Kline

Russell Hester

Praveen Pai

Nicholas Bryce Watkins

Edward Han

Zachary D Kline

Aakash Deora

Jürgen Nies

Provided is a fluidic oscillator circuit for a nozzle assembly configured to generate oscillating sprays of fluid from an outlet of the nozzle assembly and to improve spray performance of fluid having low temperatures or high viscosity. In one embodiment, provided is an interaction region for a fluidic oscillator circuit that includes an apex protrusion shaped to assist with generating vortices within the interaction region. In another embodiment, provided is an interaction region for a fluidic oscillator having a power nozzle that includes at least one finger protrusion that lengthens the power nozzle to create jets of fluid in the interaction region that are less diffused to improve cold performance of the fluidic oscillator circuit.

Fluidic oscillator for a nozzle assembly for enhanced cold performance

Disclosed includes embodiments of a pulsed spray nozzle assembly, comprising a nozzle housing having a cavity with an inlet configured to receive a flow of fluid therein. A flow conditioning insert configured to be inserted inside the cavity of the housing to communicate fluid from the inlet to an interaction region downstream from the flow conditioning insert along an inlet axis within the housing, a step may extend from an inner surface of the cavity to assist to create turbulent flow in the interaction region. An outlet along the housing in communication with the interaction region, wherein the fluid is configured to be dispensed from the outlet having a pulsed spray pattern along an outlet axis that is generally perpendicular to the inlet axis.

Pulsating spray cleaning nozzle assembly and method

A low flow compact spray head design for cleaning applications, especially for camera lens wash includes a miniature spray nozzle head which is about 5 mm in diameter or less for a single direction spray nozzle and about 8 mm in diameter of less for a nozzle with multiple sprays. The washer fluid is fed from the bottom of nozzle along a flow axis and is separated into two flows via two power nozzles or inlets which turn the flows 90&#xb0; to become opposing jets impinging upon each other inside an interaction region. Uniform stream lines are generated by the two direct facing jets and converge at the nozzle throat to become a uniform spray fan, which is on a plane perpendicular to the axis of cylindrical nozzle head. This fluidic circuit design enables a miniature size low flowrate nozzle to operate well consistently with low flow rate (e.g., a flow rate of about 150 mL/min to about 300 mL/min at 25 psi, or even a flow rate of about 250 mL/min at 25 psi or above, at a viscosity of about 25 CP) at cold temperate (&#x2212;4&#xb0; F. or lower) with 50 percent ethanol. This nozzle design is capable of generating two or more different oriented spray fans (e.g., fans spraying in opposing directions) from one single nozzle.

Cold weather low flow miniature spray nozzle assembly and method

Provided is a compact sized low flow rate fluidic nozzle insert. The fluidic nozzle insert may include a fluidic oscillator chip on a front face having a flat-top interaction region, and a manifold on a back face, located opposite the front face, to house fluid. The fluidic nozzle insert may further include at least one feed having a u-shape connecting the front face and back face for the transport of fluid from the manifold, at least one power nozzle oriented toward the front face for directing fluid from the at least one feed to the interaction region of the fluidic oscillator chip, and a v-shaped outlet at the bottom of the interaction region defined by two flat walls for the passage of fluid from the interaction region to the outside of the fluidic nozzle insert in a fan pattern. The produced spray fan pattern may be uniform and fluid nozzle may work well with high viscosity fluids.

Uniform cold performance reverse mushroom

A micro-sized structure and construction method for a fluidic oscillator wash or spray nozzle (or) has a nozzle housing (or) enclosing an interior cavity (or) which receives an insert (or) having internal fluid passages defining first and second power nozzles (or). The power nozzles receive pressurized fluid () flowing through the interior cavity of the housing, where the fluid flows into the cavity at the bottom of the housing and flows upwardly to inlets () for the power nozzles so that accelerating first and second fluid flows are aimed by the power nozzles toward one another in an interaction region (or) which exhausts laterally along a spray axis through a horn-shaped throat defined partly within the insert and partly within the flared spray outlet orifice (or) defined through the sidewall () in the housing.

Micro-sized structure and construction method for fluidic oscillator wash nozzle

A unitary or one-piece integral image sensor and washing nozzle assembly or moduleis configured to enclose, protect, and aim multiple image sensors and effectively clean multiple lenses (e.g.,) simultaneously while using only one nozzle head (e.g.,or) with at least one optimized spray pattern (e.g.,). The module includes a housing with a cover or bezel (e.g.,) that supports and orients the lenses and the nozzle head aims spray at the lenses along a spray axis, with the relative heights and spacings of the nozzle's outlet orifice (e.g.,) and the surfaces of the lenses (e.g.,) selected so that a particular spray either glances across and washes a nearest lens (e.g.,) or impacts and washes over a farthest lens (e.g.,).

Integrated multi image sensor and lens washing nozzle assembly and method for simultaneously cleaning a plurality of image sensors

The present disclosure relates to automated or remotely controlled methods and apparatuses for cleaning and drying soiled external 2-D or 3-D image sensor surfaces such as objective lenses on Light Detection and Ranging ('LIDAR') sensors when mounted in a configuration that is exposed to dirty environments.

Automotive image sensor surface washing and drying system and method

The invention relates to various low flow rate fluidic nozzle inserts having a reverse mushroom-shaped mushroom insert geometry that are useful for a wide range of spraying and cleaning applications. In one embodiment, the present invention relates to fluidic nozzle inserts that are able to perform at low flow rates with geometrical and dimensional limitations. In still another embodiment, the present invention relates to compact fluidic nozzle inserts that provide a manner by which to attain a desired level of performance in a fluidic nozzle assembly for small scale applications at low flow rates.

Compact low flow rate fluidic nozzle for spraying and cleaning applications having a reverse mushroom insert geometry

Automotive image sensor surface washing and drying system

A miniature low-flow, fluid conserving washer nozzle has an elongated housing enclosing an interior volume aligned along an inlet axis which receives an elongated insert member with internal fluid passages defining first and second power nozzles, so that accelerating first and second fluid flows are aimed by the first and second power nozzles toward one another in an interaction region defined within the insert with an insert throat to aim spray laterally or transversely along a spray axis through an aligned sidewall aperture in the nozzle housing. The nozzle may generate a planar oscillating sweeping fan of spray, produced by fluidic oscillations at low flow rates, typically 150-300 ml/min at 25 psi. The fan of spray generated may be varied from 20&#xb0; to 70&#xb0; or about 15&#xb0;-60&#xb0;. The outer dimensions of spray head could be as small as 3.5 mm. The fluidic geometry is also capable of spraying high viscosity liquids up to 25 CP or up to 15 CP.

Low-flow miniature fluidic spray nozzle assembly and method

A nozzle assembly includes a fluidic oscillatoroperating on a pressurized fluid to generate an oscillating spray of fluid droplets, and the oscillator aims fluid jets from first, second and third power nozzlesA,B,C into an interaction chamberand toward an upwardly projecting island protuberancedefining first, second and third island wall segments. The outermost jetsA,B are aimed at an obtuse angle of 100 to 140 degrees along axes which intersect beyond the island at a Jet intersection point, J. The upstream end of interaction chamberis defined by first and second laterally offset concave wall surfaceswhich define left side and right side vortex generating areas so that fluid jet steering vortices may be alternately formed and then displaced distally and shed to steer the fluid jet laterally within interaction chamber

Three-jet fluidic oscillator circuit, method and nozzle assembly

A low profile, integrated camera wash nozzle assemblyis readily and unobtrusively integrated into a vehicle's exterior trim surfacesto make a more visually appealing exterior design while not compromising spray performance. A system and nozzle assembly (e.g.,) for cleaning an exterior objective lens or wide-angle sensor's exterior surfaceto remove accumulated debris sprays washer fluid at a selected shallow angle which is substantially transverse to the lenses central viewing axis. A low-profile conformal housing fixtureis adapted to receive and aim a very compact fluidic circuit insertthat can generate a wide spray which substantially covers the lens surface, despite being very close to the edge of the lens

Integrated automotive system, compact, low-profile nozzle assembly and compact fluidic circuit for cleaning a wide-angle image sensor's exterior surface

Growing community of inventors

Ellicott City, MD, United States of America

Chunling Zhao