High pressure high flow digital valve with locking poppets and backflow prevention

    公开(公告)号:US10508513B2

    公开(公告)日:2019-12-17

    申请号:US15486221

    申请日:2017-04-12

    Abstract: A valve that allows control of each of one or more flow paths using one actuator is presented. Rotary motion of a motor is transformed into linear motion using a roller screw mechanism. The travel of the roller screw nut is predefined between front and back hard stops that prevent the roller screw from rotating when the stops are reached. A poppet is attached to the nut using a flexible connection. The nut drives a sleeve with inclined surfaces that moves relative to a locking flexure. When the sleeve is driven, it deforms flanges of the locking flexure causing a cantilever end finger of the flexure to move radially and prevent the poppet from being pushed back. If the sleeve is moved farther, a groove on the sleeve engages notches on the fingers creating a detent that prevents the spring to push the sleeve back.

    Multi-probe system for measuring height of fluid in pipes with steady-state and turbulent flow conditions

    公开(公告)号:US10578480B2

    公开(公告)日:2020-03-03

    申请号:US15957495

    申请日:2018-04-19

    Abstract: A multi-probe system for real-time measurement of a fluid level in a pipe with steady-state and turbulent flow conditions is presented. The multi-probe system includes a plurality of multiplexed transducers attached in a non-destructive fashion to walls of the pipe. Multiplexing of the transducers activate and deactivate the transducers in sequence to generate independent pairs of transmit and receive wave signals through the pipe. Each transmit and receive signal pair can be used to independently establish a time-of-flight from the transducer and back to the transducer as reflected by a surface of the fluid. The transducers can be arranged as longitudinal and/or circumferential arrays on the walls of the pipe. An algorithm that determines the time-of-flight eliminates received signals having an energy level lower than or equal to a predefined minimum energy level and eliminates any time-of-flight that is shorter than a minimum threshold time.

    Multi-stack piezo actuator
    7.
    发明授权

    公开(公告)号:US11557711B2

    公开(公告)日:2023-01-17

    申请号:US16747354

    申请日:2020-01-20

    Abstract: An ultrasonic actuator with increased radiating surface is presented. The increased radiating surface is provided by a plurality of piezoelectric stacks that are each compressed by action of a respective bolt against a common backing structure of the actuator. According to one aspect, each of the stacks includes a plurality of stacked piezoelectric rings with the respective bolt arranged through the central opening of the rings. According to another aspect, one or both of the backing structure and the horn of the actuator include tuning grooves and/or tuning slots to produce amplitude uniformity of displacement through the actuator. According to another aspect, the radiating surface has a symmetrical shape about an axial direction of the actuator with a lateral dimension that is in a range between one quarter and one half of the wavelength of operation of the actuator.

    Monolithic flexure pre-stressed ultrasonic horns

    公开(公告)号:US09352358B2

    公开(公告)日:2016-05-31

    申请号:US14590971

    申请日:2015-01-06

    CPC classification number: B06B1/06 B06B3/00 B23K20/10 Y10T29/49826

    Abstract: A monolithic ultrasonic horn where the horn, backing, and pre-stress structures are combined in a single monolithic piece is disclosed. Pre-stress is applied by external flexure structures. The provision of the external flexures has numerous advantages including the elimination of the need for a pre-stress bolt. The removal of the pre-stress bolt eliminates potential internal electric discharge points in the actuator. In addition, it reduces the chances of mechanical failure in the actuator stacks that result from the free surface in the hole of conventional ring stacks. In addition, the removal of the stress bolt and the corresponding reduction in the overall number of parts reduces the overall complexity of the resulting ultrasonic horn actuator and simplifies the ease of the design, fabrication and integration of the actuator of the present invention into other structures.

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