Abstract A fluid flow control device in which a housing is provided with a flat chamber having two parallel sides, a supply passage communicating with one end of the chamber and dimensioned to pass between the parallel sides of the chamber a stream of fluid in a substantially laminar flow condition to an aligned output passage on the opposite chamber end, the stream contacting the two flat sides to form a fluid diaphragm and dividing the chamber into two lateral chambers, each communicating with different control pressure passages for pressuring the two lateral chambers at different static pressure levels to provide a differential pressure gradient acting on the full free length of the fluid stream across the chamber, bending the stream an amount determined by the pressure gradient to deliver a portion of the stream to a second output passage adjacent the first output passage.
A fluid flow control device, comprising: a. a housing having a flat chamber therein, b. said chamber including a pair of flat, parallel sides, c. an inlet passage in said housing communicating with said chamber and having a configuration and disposition such that, when pressurized by a fluid, will project across said chamber in a straight path a stream of said fluid in a laminar flow condition, said stream joining said two flat parallel sides along said path to form a fluid diaphragm, dividing said chamber into a pair of sub-chambers, d. a first outlet passage in said housing and communicating with said chamber in alignment with said inlet passage and said fluid stream, e. a second outlet passage communicating with said chamber adjacent said first outlet passage to one side of said straight path, f. at least one control passage communicating with one of said sub-chambers which when pressurized by a fluid provides in said one sub-chamber a static fluid pressure higher than in the other of said pair of sub-chambers to effect a pressure gradient along said path for deviating said fluid stream toward said second outlet, g. said fluid stream comprises a liquid and said fluid provided through said one control passage comprises a gas, h. said first outlet passage having a cross-sectionally enlarged area at the outlet end thereof, and i. the effective minimum cross-sectional area of said one control passage is larger than the effective minimum crosssectional area of said first outlet passage.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
248 words
A fluid flow control device, comprising: a. a housing having a flat chamber therein, b. said chamber including a pair of flat, parallel sides, c. an inlet passage in said housing communicating with said chamber and having a configuration and disposition such that, when pressurized by a fluid, will project across said chamber in a straight path a stream of said fluid in a laminar flow condition, said stream joining said two flat parallel sides along said path to form a fluid diaphragm, dividing said chamber into a pair of sub-chambers, d. a first outlet passage in said housing and communicating with said chamber in alignment with said inlet passage and said fluid stream, e. a second outlet passage communicating with said chamber adjacent said first outlet passage to one side of said straight path, f. at least one control passage communicating with one of said sub-chambers which when pressurized by a fluid provides in said one sub-chamber a static fluid pressure higher than in the other of said pair of sub-chambers to effect a pressure gradient along said path for deviating said fluid stream toward said second outlet, g. said fluid stream comprises a liquid and said fluid provided through said one control passage comprises a gas, h. said first outlet passage having a cross-sectionally enlarged area at the outlet end thereof, and i. the effective minimum cross-sectional area of said one control passage is larger than the effective minimum crosssectional area of said first outlet passage.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
A fluid flow control device, as recited in claim 1, in which said effective minimum cross-sectional area of said one control passage is substantially 1.5 times larger than the effective minimum cross-sectional area of said first outlet passage.