Electricity-fluid pressure converter

Claim 1

An electrically controlled pressure control device comprising a fluid delivery nozzle, a fluid pressure receiving nozzle spaced from and coaxial with said fluid delivery nozzle, a fluid pressure feeding means in communication with said fluid delivery nozzle, a fluid pressure responsive operator member in communication with said fluid pressure receiving nozzle, a movable shield plate disposed between said fluid delivery nozzle and said pressure receiving nozzle at right angles to the axis of said nozzles, said shield plate comprising an elongate blade member having a free end disposed in the space between said nozzles and having a plane surface facing said fluid delivery nozzle normal to the axis of said fluid delivery nozzle, and electromagnetic control means for controlling displacement of said shield plate, responsive to electrical input signals, in a direction at right angles to the axes of said nozzles so as to vary the effective area of passage between said nozzles for a free fluid jet generated by a pressure difference between the fluid delivery nozzle and the fluid pressure receiving nozzle, said electromagnetic control means comprising a permanent magnet including a central aperture through which said elongate blade member extends and an annular slot, a movable coil disposed in said annular slot in said permanent magnet, a coil support member for mounting said coil, said elongate blade member extending outwardly from said coil support member and being formed integrally therewith, and leaf spring means for resiliently supporting said coil support member relative to said permanent magnet.