US3842862A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Digitally tuneable fluidic oscillator
Assignee: Automatic Switch Co
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Filing: 1973-06-14
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Granted: 1974-10-22
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Expires: 1993-06-14
Abstract
Abstract An oscillator system includes a multivibrator; means responsive to the 0 and 1 output binary states of the multivibrator for charging and discharging, respectively, a volume chamber; and means responsive to the pressure in the chamber and to a pair of logic signals for periodically changing the output states of the multivibrator. The means responsive to the pressure include a plurality of isolators whose input ports are connected to the volume chamber, each of the isolators being biased with a different pressure to provide a binary signal which changes state when the pressure in the chamber rises above or drops below the applied bias. Logic circuits responsive to the logic signals apply drive signals to the input ports of the multivibrator which are related to the state changes of the isolator biased with the lowest pressure and another of the isolators, thereby cycling the state of the output port of the multivibrator. The bias difference between the isolators whose state changes are used to drive the multivibrator, and the charge and discharge rates of the chamber determine the rate at which the output states of the multivibrator change. Where four isolators are provided, three differently biased isolators can be combined, separately, with the isolator biased with the low pressure to provide state changes, and hence the system can provide three frequencies. The state of the logic signals determines which of the isolators will be used to provide state changes for driving the multivibrator and therefore the frequency of oscillation of the system.
Inventors
- 👤 Keefe R O
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 19:32
CPC Classifications
F; F15; F15C; F15C1/00; F15C1/22; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T137/00; Y10T137/206; Y10T137/212; Y10T137/8593; Y10T137/86389; Y10T137/86405; Y10T137/86413
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
131 words
A system responsive to various fluidic logic signals for providing a periodic fluidic signal, comprising: a. a fluidic bistable device having two input ports and an output port; b. means responsive to the logic signals for providing fluidic control signals, said responsive means including at least a pair of inverters responsive to the logic signals, and a plurality of NOR gates coupled to the inverters for providing the control signals; and c. means, coupling the output port to the input ports, for sensing the binary states of the output port and applying fluid signals to the input ports to change the sensed state, thereby providing a periodic fluidic signal, said coupling means being responsive to said control signals for varying the rate at which fluid signals are applied to the inputs.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
131 words
A system responsive to various fluidic logic signals for providing a periodic fluidic signal, comprising: a. a fluidic bistable device having two input ports and an output port; b. means responsive to the logic signals for providing fluidic control signals, said responsive means including at least a pair of inverters responsive to the logic signals, and a plurality of NOR gates coupled to the inverters for providing the control signals; and c. means, coupling the output port to the input ports, for sensing the binary states of the output port and applying fluid signals to the input ports to change the sensed state, thereby providing a periodic fluidic signal, said coupling means being responsive to said control signals for varying the rate at which fluid signals are applied to the inputs.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
55 words
A system as defined in claim 1 wherein the bistable device includes first and second NOR gates, and means coupling the output port of the first NOR gate to an input port of the second NOR gate and the output port of the second NOR gate to an input port of the first NOR gate.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
144 words
A system responsive to various fluidic logic signals for providing periodic fluidic signals, comprising: a. a fluidic bistable device having two input ports and an output port; b. means responsive to the logic signals for providing fluidic control signals; and c. means, coupling the output port to the input ports, responsive to the control signals for sensing the binary states of the outport port and applying fluid signals to the input ports to change the sensed state, thereby providing a periodic fluidic signal, said means for sensing and applying fluidic signals including a volume chamber; means responsive to the binary state of the output port for charging and discharging the volume chamber at predetermined rates; and means responsive to the pressure in the chamber and to the control signals for changing the state of the signals applied to the bistable device at predetermined times.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
144 words
A system responsive to various fluidic logic signals for providing periodic fluidic signals, comprising: a. a fluidic bistable device having two input ports and an output port; b. means responsive to the logic signals for providing fluidic control signals; and c. means, coupling the output port to the input ports, responsive to the control signals for sensing the binary states of the outport port and applying fluid signals to the input ports to change the sensed state, thereby providing a periodic fluidic signal, said means for sensing and applying fluidic signals including a volume chamber; means responsive to the binary state of the output port for charging and discharging the volume chamber at predetermined rates; and means responsive to the pressure in the chamber and to the control signals for changing the state of the signals applied to the bistable device at predetermined times.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
53 words
A system as defined in claim 3 wherein said means for charging and discharging the volume chamber includes a fluidic amplifier coupled to the output port of the bistable device, a fluid pressure source coupled to the fluidic amplifier, and a restrictor coupling the output port of the amplifier to the volume chamber.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
A system as defined in claim 4 wherein the restrictor is variable, thereby providing variable charging and discharging rates.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
58 words
A system as defined in claim 3 wherein said means responsive to the pressure in the volume chamber and to the control signals includes a plurality of isolators coupled to the volume chamber, means for biasing said plurality of isolators, and a fluidic logic circuit, responsive to the control signals, for coupling the isolators to the bistable device.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
41 words
A system as defined in claim 6 wherein said means for biasing the isolators includes a fluid pressure source, a plurality of pressure dividers, each of the dividers coupling to a different one of the isolators fluid under a different pressure.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
109 words
A system as defined in claim 7 wherein the logic circuit includes means coupling one of the control signals and one of the output signals of the inverter biased with the lowest pressure to one of the inputs of the bistable device; and means responsive to all but said one of the control signals for coupling a signal related to the output signal of one of the inverters biased with a pressure greater than said lowest pressure, whereby the frequency of the periodic fluidic signal is related to the difference in bias pressures applied to the inverters whose output signals are coupled to the inputs of the bistable device.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
42 words
A system as defined in claim 8 wherein said means responsive to the logic signals includes at least a pair of inverters responsive to the logic signals, and a plurality of NOR gates coupled to the inverters for providing the control signals.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
140 words
A fluidic oscillator responsive to various fluidic logic input signals for providing periodic fluidic signals, comprising: a. a fluidic bistable device having input and output ports, b. means for applying fluidic logic signals to said bistable device, to change the binary state of the output from said device, c. means responsive to the binary state of the output from said bistable device for causing said applying means (b) to apply fluidic logic signals to said bistable device at a predetermined rate dependent upon the last fluidic logic input signal applied to the oscillator, and d. means responsive to different fluidic logic input signals for changing the predetermined rate at which said applying means (b) applies fluid logic signals to said bistable device and hence for changing the rate at which the output of said bistable device changes its binary state.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
140 words
A fluidic oscillator responsive to various fluidic logic input signals for providing periodic fluidic signals, comprising: a. a fluidic bistable device having input and output ports, b. means for applying fluidic logic signals to said bistable device, to change the binary state of the output from said device, c. means responsive to the binary state of the output from said bistable device for causing said applying means (b) to apply fluidic logic signals to said bistable device at a predetermined rate dependent upon the last fluidic logic input signal applied to the oscillator, and d. means responsive to different fluidic logic input signals for changing the predetermined rate at which said applying means (b) applies fluid logic signals to said bistable device and hence for changing the rate at which the output of said bistable device changes its binary state.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
99 words
A fluidic oscillator as defined in claim 10 wherein said responsive means (c) includes a volume chamber which is connected to and disconnected from a source of pressurized fluid depending upon the binary state of the output from said bistable means, and said applying means (b) includes a plurality of isolator means each having an input communicating with said volume chamber and an output, and means biasing each of said isolator means at a different pressure so that the binary state of the output of each isolator means changes in response to a different pressure applied to its input.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
43 words
A fluidic oscillator as defined in claim 11 wherein said responsive means (d) includes means responsive to different fluidic logic input signals for selectively inhibiting the effect on said bistable device of all but two of said isolator means at any one time.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-10-21 | 1978-04-22 | 1978-10-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-10-21 | 1982-04-22 | 1982-10-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-10-21 | 1986-04-22 | 1986-10-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |