US4153201A — Transducer assembly, ultrasonic atomizer and fuel…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 58 words

A transducer assembly comprising: a first section in the form of a symmetrical double-dummy ultrasonic horn having a driving element sandwiched therein, said first section having an empirically measured characteristic resonant frequency and a second section including an amplification step, wherein the theoretical resonant frequency of the second section matches the empirically measured frequency of the first section.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 58 words

A transducer assembly comprising: a first section in the form of a symmetrical double-dummy ultrasonic horn having a driving element sandwiched therein, said first section having an empirically measured characteristic resonant frequency and a second section including an amplification step, wherein the theoretical resonant frequency of the second section matches the empirically measured frequency of the first section.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 64 words

An ultrasonic transducer including a first driver section and a second half-wavelength output section having a large diameter segment of length A extending from the driver section, a small diameter segment of length B extending from said large diameter segment, and a displacement antinode at the free end of the small diameter section comprising a flanged tip of thickness C, the improvement wherein A/B+C>1.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 64 words

An ultrasonic transducer including a first driver section and a second half-wavelength output section having a large diameter segment of length A extending from the driver section, a small diameter segment of length B extending from said large diameter segment, and a displacement antinode at the free end of the small diameter section comprising a flanged tip of thickness C, the improvement wherein A/B+C>1.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 32 words

An ultrasonic transducer according to claim 2 wherein said flanged tip comprises an atomizing surface, said flange being of sufficient thickness to move as a rigid plane during vibration of the transducer.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 162 words

An ultrasonic transducer assembly including a front ultrasonic horn section, a rear ultrasonic horn section, a driving element having at least one piezoelectric disc sandwiched between the front and rear ultrasonic horn sections, means for clamping the front and rear ultrasonic horn sections against the driving element, and an output section extending from the front ultrasonic horn section and terminating in an atomizing surface, wherein the improvement comprises: annular sealing means of compressible elastomeric material surrounding the at least one piezoelectric disc between the front and rear ultrasonic horn sections, said sealing means having an inner periphery which, in the unstressed condition, conforms to the shape of but is slightly greater than the periphery of the piezoelectric disc, and the compression exerted by the clamping means being sufficient to provide good acoustic coupling between the driving element and the front and rear ultrasonic horn sections when the inner periphery of the sealing means lightly contacts the outer periphery of the piezoelectric disc.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 162 words

An ultrasonic transducer assembly including a front ultrasonic horn section, a rear ultrasonic horn section, a driving element having at least one piezoelectric disc sandwiched between the front and rear ultrasonic horn sections, means for clamping the front and rear ultrasonic horn sections against the driving element, and an output section extending from the front ultrasonic horn section and terminating in an atomizing surface, wherein the improvement comprises: annular sealing means of compressible elastomeric material surrounding the at least one piezoelectric disc between the front and rear ultrasonic horn sections, said sealing means having an inner periphery which, in the unstressed condition, conforms to the shape of but is slightly greater than the periphery of the piezoelectric disc, and the compression exerted by the clamping means being sufficient to provide good acoustic coupling between the driving element and the front and rear ultrasonic horn sections when the inner periphery of the sealing means lightly contacts the outer periphery of the piezoelectric disc.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 163 words

A transducer assembly comprising: a first section including a rear ultrasonic horn having a flanged portion at one end thereof, a front ultrasonic horn having a flanged portion at one end thereof, a driving element comprising a pair of piezoelectric discs and an electrode positioned therebetween, said driving element being positioned between the flanged portions of said front and rear horns, and means for clamping the flanged portions of said front and rear horns in compression against said driving element, said first section having an empirically measured characteristic resonant frequency; and a second section including a large diameter portion of length A integrally formed with the front horn of said first section, a small diameter portion of length B extending from said large diameter portion, the interface between said large diameter and small diameter portions constituting a step for amplifying vibratory motion at said atomizing surface, said second section having a theoretical resonant frequency matching the empirical resonant frequency of said first section.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 163 words

A transducer assembly comprising: a first section including a rear ultrasonic horn having a flanged portion at one end thereof, a front ultrasonic horn having a flanged portion at one end thereof, a driving element comprising a pair of piezoelectric discs and an electrode positioned therebetween, said driving element being positioned between the flanged portions of said front and rear horns, and means for clamping the flanged portions of said front and rear horns in compression against said driving element, said first section having an empirically measured characteristic resonant frequency; and a second section including a large diameter portion of length A integrally formed with the front horn of said first section, a small diameter portion of length B extending from said large diameter portion, the interface between said large diameter and small diameter portions constituting a step for amplifying vibratory motion at said atomizing surface, said second section having a theoretical resonant frequency matching the empirical resonant frequency of said first section.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 41 words

An ultrasonic transducer according to claim 5 comprising a rigid flanged tip of thickness C on the forward end of said small diameter portion, said tip having an atomizing surface, wherein the second section is a half wavelength section and A>B+C.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 82 words

An ultrasonic transducer according to claim 5 wherein the second section has a flanged tip comprising a vibrating surface capable of causing atomization in a liquid, and the transducer further comprises means for delivering liquid to said atomizing surface, said liquid delivery means including a passage extending through said second section to said atomizing surface and a decoupling sleeve mounted within said passage and extending to said atomizing surface for acoustically isolating the interior surface of said passage from liquid flowing therethrough.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 50 words

A transducer assembly according to claim 5 wherein the means for clamping the flanged portions of said front and rear horns in compression against the driving element comprises a plurality of assembly bolts inserted in spaced relation through corresponding holes in the flanged portions of the front and rear horns.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 102 words

A transducer assembly according to claim 8 further comprising: annular sealing means of compressible elastomeric material surrounding the piezoelectric discs between the flanges of the front and rear horns for preveinting liquid from contacting the piezoelectric discs, said sealing means having an inner diameter which, in the unstressed condition, is larger than the outer diameter of each piezoelectric disc, such that predetermined compression exerted by the assembly bolts sufficient to provide good acoustic coupling between the driving element and the front and rear horns causes the inner circumference of the sealing means to lightly contact the outer circumference of each piezoelectric disc.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 62 words

A transducer assembly according to claim 8 further comprising a mounting ring having a plurality of threaded holes aligned with the assembly bolt holes in the flanged portions of the front and rear horns, the mounting ring being clamped to the front face of the flanged portion of the front horn by engagement of the assembly bolts in the respective threaded holes.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 17 words

A transducer assembly according to claim 8 wherein the first and second sections are half wavelength sections.

Claim 16

Independent Claim 119 words

A method of making a high efficiency piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer comprising the steps of constructing a first transducer assembly section in the form of a double-dummy ultrasonic horn comprising a driving element, two identical front and rear horn sections, and means for clamping the horn sections to the driving element; empirically measuring the resonant frequency of said first assembly section; and constructing a high efficiency ultrasonic transducer comprising a first section identical to the first transducer assembly section and a second section added to the front horn section of the first transducer assembly section, the second section including an amplification step and having a theoretical resonant frequency equal to the empirically measured frequency of the first transducer assembly section.

Claim 17

Independent Claim 119 words

A method of making a high efficiency piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer comprising the steps of constructing a first transducer assembly section in the form of a double-dummy ultrasonic horn comprising a driving element, two identical front and rear horn sections, and means for clamping the horn sections to the driving element; empirically measuring the resonant frequency of said first assembly section; and constructing a high efficiency ultrasonic transducer comprising a first section identical to the first transducer assembly section and a second section added to the front horn section of the first transducer assembly section, the second section including an amplification step and having a theoretical resonant frequency equal to the empirically measured frequency of the first transducer assembly section.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 17 words

The method of claim 11 wherein the second section is constructed integrally with the front horn section.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1982-05-07	1982-11-06	1983-05-08	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1986-05-07	1986-11-06	1987-05-08	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1990-05-07	1990-11-06	1991-05-08	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Transducer assembly, ultrasonic atomizer and fuel burner

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