Vacuum controlled fluidic regulator

Claim 2

A fluidic regulator comprising: a fluidic element including an inlet channel, a venturi nozzle, and first and second outlet channels, vacuum operated aspiration control means responsive to flow conditions within the first outlet channel for regulating the amount of flow diverted to the second outlet channel, the vacuum operated aspiration control means including a first sensor within one outlet channel of the fluidic element, and a second sensor within a chamber containing a fluid bath, means interconnecting the first sensor and the chamber for affecting flow conditions within the second outlet channel and for affecting the level of the fluid bath in response to changing flow conditions within the first outlet channel, and the second sensor responding to changes in the level of the fluid bath by regulating flow conditions within the first outlet channel.

Claim 3

A fluidic regulator as claimed in claim 1 in which: the first and second sensors comprise enclosures with openings for admitting selected amounts of a control fluid, the amount of control fluid admitted through the openings being regulated by immersion of each opening into other fluids.

Claim 4

A fluidic regulator as claimed in claim 2 in which: the openings in the first and second sensors are so shaped and positioned within the other fluids to vary the relative amounts of control fluid admitted into the enclosures, depending upon the depth of immersion of the sensors into the other fluids.

Claim 5

A fluidic regulator as claimed in claim 2 in which: the control fluid is air, the other fluid for the first sensor is sewage and the other fluid for the second sensor is a liquid.

Claim 6

A fluidic regulator comprising: a fluidic element and an aspiration control system; the fluidic element further comprising: an inlet channel, a venturi nozzle intersecting the inlet channel at one end, and having a longitudinal axis, first and second outlet channels intersecting the other end of the venturi nozzle, and diverging in opposite directions from the longitudinal axis, first and second control ports on opposite sides of the venturi nozzle, spaced from one another in the direction of divergence of the outlet channels, the first control port being on the same side of the longitudinal axis as the first outlet channel, and the second control port being on the same side of the longitudinal axis as the second outlet channel; the aspiration control system further comprising: first sensor means within the first outlet channel, connected with the second control port by a first conduit for controlling aspiration through the second control port, a vented chamber, second sensor means substantially within the vented chamber, connected with the first control port by a second conduit for controlling aspiration through the first control port, a sealed chamber connected with the first conduit, and, by a common fluid connection, with the vented chaMber, a fluid bath in both the vented and sealed chambers, free to flow between the chambers through the common fluid connection, the first sensor means being so positioned within the first outlet channel that changes in flow conditions within the channel affect aspiration through the second control port, and affect a vacuum drawn in the first conduit and sealed chamber, the second sensor means being so positioned within the vented chamber that changes in the level of the fluid bath affect aspiration through the first control port, whereby flow conditions within the first channel regulate flow conditions within the second channel, and through level changes of the fluid bath, caused by the vacuum within the sealed chamber, also regulate flow conditions within the first channel.

Claim 7

A fluidic regulator comprising: a fluidic element and an aspiration control system; the fluidic element further comprising: an inlet channel, a venturi nozzle intersecting the inlet channel at one end, and having a longitudinal axis, first and second outlet channels intersecting the other end of the venturi nozzle, and diverging in opposite directions from the longitudinal axis, first and second control ports on opposite sides of the venturi nozzle, spaced from one another in the direction of divergence of the outlet channels, the first control port being on the same side of the longitudinal axis as the first outlet channel, and the second control port being on the same side of the longitudinal axis as the second outlet channel; the aspiration control system further comprising: first sensor means within the first outlet channel, connected with the second control port by a first conduit for controlling aspiration through the second control port, a vented chamber, second sensor means substantially within the vented chamber, connected with the first control port by a second conduit for controlling aspiration through the first control port, a sealed chamber connected with the first conduit, and, by a common fluid connection, with the vented chaMber, a fluid bath in both the vented and sealed chambers, free to flow between the chambers through the common fluid connection, the first sensor means being so positioned within the first outlet channel that changes in flow conditions within the channel affect aspiration through the second control port, and affect a vacuum drawn in the first conduit and sealed chamber, the second sensor means being so positioned within the vented chamber that changes in the level of the fluid bath affect aspiration through the first control port, whereby flow conditions within the first channel regulate flow conditions within the second channel, and through level changes of the fluid bath, caused by the vacuum within the sealed chamber, also regulate flow conditions within the first channel.

Claim 8

A fluidic regulator as claimed in claim 5 in which: the first and second sensors comprise enclosures with openings for admitting selected amounts of control fluid, the amount of control fluid admitted through the opening in the first sensor being regulated by the depth of fluid in the first output channel, and the amount of fluid admitted through the opening in the second sensor being regulated by the level of the fluid bath.

Claim 9

A fluidic regulator as claimed in claim 6 in which: the control fluid is air, the fluid in the first output channel is sewage, and the fluid bath is a liquid.

Claim 10

A fluidic regulator as claimed in claim 6 in which: the openings in the first and second sensors are shaped and positioned within the first outlet channel and vented chamber to vary the relative amount of control fluid admitted into the enclosures, depending upon the depth of immersion of the sensors in the fluid flowing through the first outlet channel and in the fluid bath.

Claim 11

A fluidic regulator as claimed in claim 8 in which: the control fluid is air, the fluid in the first output channel is sewage, and the fluid bath is a liquid.