Oscillator and shower head for use therewith

Claim 2

In combination: a. a body having a first output region and a second output region, one of said output regions being disposed around the other of said output regions; b. said body including a device for producing oscillatory lateral deflection of fluid flow upon application of a pressurized fluid thereto; c. said device having an output region capable of delivering to said first output region of said body said fluid having an oscillatory lateral deflection; d. said body having at least one passage terminating in said second output region, said second output region having a plurality of small fluid passages; e. selectively operable means having a first position and a second position; f. said means in said first position being arranged to direct fluid to said device to issue oscillatory fluid through said first output region of said body; and g. said means in said second position being arranged to cause fluid to issue through said plurality of small apertures in said second output region of said body.

Claim 3

The combination according to claim 1: wherein said device is a pure fluid oscillator for laterally oscillating a stream between two extreme positions.

Claim 4

The combination according to claim 1: a. wherein said device has an input passage for receiving fluid under pressure; b. wherein said body is provided with a passage for delivering substantially all of said fluid supplied to said body to said input passage of said device; and c. wherein said selectively operable means in said second position diverts fluid issuing from said device to said at least one passage of said body.

Claim 5

The combination according to claim 3: a. wherein said selectively operable means comprises; b. a member having at least one aperture therethrough; c. said member being movable between a first and a second position; d. said aperture in said member being positioned in line in the direction of flow of fluid from said device when said member is in said first position; e. said member having a wall presenting a solid barrier along the direction of flow of fluid from said device when said member is in said second position; and f. wherein said at least one passage extends from a region between said output region of said device and said member and said plurality of small fluid passages.

Claim 6

The combination according to claim 4: a. wherein said member is a slide having a region at each end thereof extending outwardly from said body; and b. wherein said body has channel means formed therein for slideably receiving said slide.

Claim 7

The combination according to claim 4: a. wherein said member is an end plate; b. wherein means are provided for rotatably securing said end plate to said body; c. said end plate having formed therein a plurality of passages communicating with said at least one passage in said body; and d. said end plate having passage means in line with said output region of said device.

Claim 8

The combination according to claim 1: a. wherein said selectively operable means in said second position comprises further operable means for varying the cross-sectional area of said small fluid passages.

Claim 9

The combination according to claim 2: a. comprising deflector means disposed in said first output region of said body for rendering the flow of fluid through said region more uniform between said two extreme positions than in the absence of said means.

Claim 10

The combination according to claim 1: a. wherein said device has an input passage for receiving fluid under pressure; b. wherein said body is provided with an input passage for receiving fluid under pressure; and c. wherein said selectively operable means in said first position directs the pressurized fluid to said input passage of said device and in said second position directs the fluid under pressure in said input passage of said body only to said at least one passage in said body.

Claim 11

The combination according to claim 9: a. further comprising means for mounting said device in said body for at least translatory movement; b. said selectively operable means adapted to translate said device between a first and a second position; c. means adapted to seal said input passage of said device and divert fluid to said at least one passage when said means is in said second position; and d. means adapted to direct fluid to said input passage of said device when said means is in said first position.

Claim 12

The combination according to claim 10: a. wherein said selectively operable means is a lever; b. said lever rotatably about a centerline and having an eccentric member in engagement with said device.

Claim 13

The combination according to claim 10: a. wherein said device is slidably received in said body; and b. means adapted to be engaged by the hand of the user to translate said device.

Claim 14

The combination according to claim 10: a. wherein said device is in threaded engagement with said body; and b. wherein said device is provided with a hand engageable member whereby translation of said device relative to said body is affected by rotation of said device.

Claim 15

The combination according to claim 10: a. wherein there is provided in said body a hollow region between said input passages of said body a said device; b. said region having an outwardly flared interior wall having predetermined angle such that said fluid flows as a solid stream to said input passage in the absence of back pressure in said region, and said stream attaches to said flared wall in the presence of back pressure in said region due to sealing of said input passage to said device.

Claim 16

The combination according to claim 10: a. wherein there is provided in said body a hollow region between said input passages of said body a said device; b. an annular wall extending from the outer periphery of said device toward said input passage of said body to define a region upstream of said input passage to said device in which pressurized fluid egressing from said input passage of said body may be collected and at least partially confined.

Claim 17

The combination according to claim 9 wherein said selectively operable means comprises: a. an outer part of said body arranged for rotation about the remainder of said body; b. said outer part having in a first rotational position, first passage means interconnecting said input passages; and c. said outer part having in a second rotational position, second passage means interconnecting said input passage of said body and said at least one passage and means for blocking flow between said input passages.

Claim 18

The combination according to claim 16 wherein said outer part includes means for blocking all output flow from said input passage of said body in a third position of said outer part.

Claim 19

A gas-liquid fluidic oscillator comprising: a. a power nozzle for issuing a power stream of liquid; b. a chamber generally symmetrical with respect to the centerline of said power nozzle and having a narrow entry region at one end and a throat region at the other end of said chamber; c. an interaction region lying between said nozzle and said entry region of said chamber; d. said chamber having continuous walls diverging outwardly at a small angle from said narrow entry region and converging at a relatively sharp curved angle to said throat region; e. a pair of control passages opening into said interaction region from opposite sides thereof; f. an output region extending from immediately downstream of said throat region into a gaseous region; g. said output region having outwardly extending walls; h. a pair of feedback channels each extending between a different control passage and said output region through opposed locations in said walls of said output region; i. said chamber and said region having contours such that the power stream flows over the ends of said feedback channels entering said output region each in turn, such as to prevent entry of gas therein; and j. said passages entering said output region at an angle such that the pressure in the interaction region on one side of said stream resulting from feedback of operating fluid through one of said channels is less then the pressure on the other side of the power stream resulting from the feedback of ambient gas in said output region through the other of said feedback passages.

Claim 20

A gas-liquid fluidic oscillator comprising: a. a power nozzle for issuing a power stream of liquid; b. a chamber generally symmetrical with respect to the centerline of said power nozzle and having a narrow entry region at one end and a throat region at the other end of said chamber; c. an interaction region lying between said nozzle and said entry region of said chamber; d. said chamber having continuous walls diverging outwardly at a small angle from said narrow entry region and converging at a relatively sharp curved angle to said throat region; e. a pair of control passages opening into said interaction region from opposite sides thereof; f. an output region extending from immediately downstream of said throat region into a gaseous region; g. said output region having outwardly extending walls; h. a pair of feedback channels each extending between a different control passage and said output region through opposed locations in said walls of said output region; i. said chamber and said region having contours such that the power stream flows over the ends of said feedback channels entering said output region each in turn, such as to prevent entry of gas therein; and j. said passages entering said output region at an angle such that the pressure in the interaction region on one side of said stream resulting from feedback of operating fluid through one of said channels is less then the pressure on the other side of the power stream resulting from the feedback of ambient gas in said output region through the other of said feedback passages.

Claim 21

The combination according to claim 18 wherein the interrelationship of dimensions of the width, W, of said power nozzle, the distance, D, from said power nozzle to said throat region and the width, T, of the throat region, are such as to lie within the lines A and B of the graph of FIG. 2 of the accompanying drawings.

Claim 22

A gas-liquid oscillator comprising: a. a power nozzle for issuing a power stream of liquid; b. an output region having walls diverging outwardly from an upstream to a downstream region; c. an interaction region lying between said nozzle and said output region; d. a pair of control passages entering from opposite sides of said interaction region adjacent said power nozzle; e. a pair of feedback channels each extending from a different wall of said output region to a different one of said control passages; f. means for directing fluid of said stream from said interaction region to said output region such that the stream of fluid flows selectively over one and the other of said walls of said output region to seal the entry of first one and then the other of said feedback passages into said output region against entry of gas thereinto; and G. said output region opening into a gaseous region at its downstream end and having a centrally located body defining with said walls a pair of discrete output passages.

Claim 23

A gas-liquid oscillator comprising: a. a power nozzle for issuing a power stream of liquid; b. an output region having walls diverging outwardly from an upstream to a downstream region; c. an interaction region lying between said nozzle and said output region; d. a pair of control passages entering from opposite sides of said interaction region adjacent said power nozzle; e. a pair of feedback channels each extending from a different wall of said output region to a different one of said control passages; f. means for directing fluid of said stream from said interaction region to said output region such that the stream of fluid flows selectively over one and the other of said walls of said output region to seal the entry of first one and then the other of said feedback passages into said output region against entry of gas thereinto; and G. said output region opening into a gaseous region at its downstream end and having a centrally located body defining with said walls a pair of discrete output passages.

Claim 24

A gas-liquid oscillator comprising: a. a fluidic flip-flop having sidewalls defining an interaction region, a pair of control passages entering said interaction region through said sidewalls from opposite sides thereof and a power nozzle for issuing a stream of liquid through said interaction region; b. an output region located downstream of and in communication with said interaction region; c. said output region having walls diverging outwardly from its upstream to its downstream region; d. a pair of ports extending into said walls of output region at opposed locations relative to the axis of said power nozzle; e. a pair of passages each extending from a different one of said ports to a different one of said control passages; f. said output region opening at its downstream end into a gaseous region; g. means directing said fluid stream across the one of said ports connected to said control passages opposite the sidewall to which the fluid stream is attached; h. the stream of fluid sealing the port across which it is directed to prevent flow of gas thereinto whereby the volume of fluid entering said last mentioned port is less than the volume of fluid entering the other of said ports.

Claim 25

A gas-liquid oscillator comprising: a. a fluidic flip-flop having sidewalls defining an interaction region, a pair of control passages entering said interaction region through said sidewalls from opposite sides thereof and a power nozzle for issuing a stream of liquid through said interaction region; b. an output region located downstream of and in communication with said interaction region; c. said output region having walls diverging outwardly from its upstream to its downstream region; d. a pair of ports extending into said walls of output region at opposed locations relative to the axis of said power nozzle; e. a pair of passages each extending from a different one of said ports to a different one of said control passages; f. said output region opening at its downstream end into a gaseous region; g. means directing said fluid stream across the one of said ports connected to said control passages opposite the sidewall to which the fluid stream is attached; h. the stream of fluid sealing the port across which it is directed to prevent flow of gas thereinto whereby the volume of fluid entering said last mentioned port is less than the volume of fluid entering the other of said ports.

Claim 26

A gas-liquid oscillator comprising: a. a power nozzle for issuing a power stream of liquid; b. an output region having walls diverging outwardly from an upstream to a downstream region; c. an interaction region lying between said nozzle and said output region; d. a pair of control passages entering from opposite sides of said interaction region adjacent said power nozzle; e. a pair of feedback channels each extending from a different wall of said output region to a different one of said control passages; f. said output region opening into a gaseous region at its downstream end and having a centrally located body defining with said walls a pair of discrete output passages; and g. means for directing fluid of said stream from said interaction region to said output region: i. such that the stream of fluid selectively flows over the entry of only one and then the other of said walls of said output region to permit liquid to be entrained into one and then the other respectively of said pair of feedback passages; and ii. such that gas only is entrained into said other and then said one of said pair of feedback channels respectively.

Claim 27

A gas-liquid oscillator comprising: a. a power nozzle for issuing a power stream of liquid; b. an output region having walls diverging outwardly from an upstream to a downstream region; c. an interaction region lying between said nozzle and said output region; d. a pair of control passages entering from opposite sides of said interaction region adjacent said power nozzle; e. a pair of feedback channels each extending from a different wall of said output region to a different one of said control passages; f. said output region opening into a gaseous region at its downstream end and having a centrally located body defining with said walls a pair of discrete output passages; and g. means for directing fluid of said stream from said interaction region to said output region: i. such that the stream of fluid selectively flows over the entry of only one and then the other of said walls of said output region to permit liquid to be entrained into one and then the other respectively of said pair of feedback passages; and ii. such that gas only is entrained into said other and then said one of said pair of feedback channels respectively.