Ultrasonic Power Corporation

Peter J Puskas

Steven H Myers

Laszlo J Javorik

David Arata

An ultrasonic cleaning system that includes an electrical power supply, and a plurality of ultrasonic transducers coupled in parallel, wherein the plurality of ultrasonic transducers are coupled to the electrical power supply. The ultrasonic cleaning system also includes a transducer fault indicator coupled between the electrical power supply and the plurality of ultrasonic transducers, wherein the transducer fault indicator consists essentially of a current sensing portion configured to detect electrical current, and an alarm mechanism coupled to the current sensing portion. Additionally, the alarm mechanism is configured to provide a signal, indicating a failure of the ultrasonic transducer, based on the magnitude of electrical current detected by the current sensing portion.

Ultrasonic cleaning system with transducer failure indicator

A liquid condition sensor configured to monitor the condition of a liquid in an ultrasonic cleaning system tank, the liquid condition sensor including a first circuit configured to detect a signal transmitted from an ultrasonic generator to one or more ultrasonic transducers located in the tank. The liquid condition sensor further includes a second circuit coupled to the first circuit, the second circuit configured to determine if the signal is indicative of one of a suboptimal liquid level, and an unacceptably high concentration of dissolved gases in the cleaning liquid, and a third circuit coupled to the second circuit, the third circuit configured to provide a warning if one of a suboptimal liquid level, and an unacceptably high concentration of dissolved gases in the cleaning liquid is indicated by the second circuit.

Liquid condition sensing circuit and method

A generator for driving an ultrasonic transducer for use in ultrasonic cleaning. The generator is capable of maintaining substantially constant real output to a load while the output frequency of the generator is square wave frequency modulated about a wide bandwidth. Thus, the generator is capable of maintaining substantially constant real output to the load even if the output frequency is modulated substantially away from the load's resonant frequency. The square wave modulation of the output frequency causes improved cavitation of semi-aqueous cleaning solutions used in the load, and thus improves the cleaning action of the ultrasonic transducer.

Frequency modulated ultrasonic generator

A generator for driving an ultrasonic transducer for use in ultrasonic cleaning. The generator is based on a voltage controlled oscillator which drives an output circuit which includes the ultrasonic transducer. The output circuit has a resonant frequency, and a resonance follower produces a control voltage which tunes the voltage controlled oscillator to the resonant frequency. Operating in conjunction with the automatic tuning elements is a constant power control which allows the user to set a desired power level, and monitors the actual output power by means of an output wattmeter circuit, to cause the actual output power to match the level selected by the user. The constant output power circuit is effective even during resonance tracking of the system, or during frequency modulation of the ultrasonic output energy.

Variable frequency ultrasonic generator with constant power output

A wedge-shaped vibration-transmitting plate is located between the bottom wall of a cleaning tank and an ultrasonic transducer which is operable to produce vibratory energy in a liquid bath in the tank. The wedge-shaped plate diversifies the phase of initially in-phase energy waves produced by the transducer and causes waves of different phase to propagate upwardly through the liquid. As a result of the phase diversification, the concentration of high and low power levels at various depths in the bath is reduced so that cleaning action over the span of the vertical dimension is more uniform. In addition, the overall action of wave reflection at the upper surface of the bath fluctuates through a smaller range when the depth of the bath changes. This enables the transducer to be energized with a more stable input power.

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Freeport, IL, United States of America

Peter J Puskas