US3565091A

US3565091A - Fluid pump and regulator

Info

Publication number: US3565091A
Authority: US
Inventors: Raymond N Auger
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1969-01-24
Filing date: 1969-01-24
Publication date: 1971-02-23
Anticipated expiration: 1988-02-23

Abstract

A jet pump in combination with a fluidic device or system, the jet pump receiving a small volume of high pressure fluid and supplying a larger volume at lower pressure to the fluidic device or system, utilizing the fluid at a maximum pressure of 2 p.s.i., the pump entraining fluid from an auxiliary source to provide the increased volume. Fluid under high pressure is passed through a nozzle into an expansion chamber connected to an auxiliary fluid source. The high velocity fluid stream emanating from the nozzle draws fluid from the auxiliary source and passes through a collector to an output. A feedback may be bled off the output to operate restriction means varying the fluid available from the ambient source, or the high pressure source.

Description

D United States Patent [1113,565,091

[72] Inventor Raymond N. Auger 2,151,949 3/ 1939 Turner 60/ 108X 456 Riverside Drive, New York, N.Y. 3,022,743 2/ 1962 Engholdt 137/81.5X 10027 3,078,675 2/1963 Baldwin 137/81.5X [21] Appl. No. 832,035 3,111,931 11/1963 Bodine l37/81.5X [22] Filed Jan. 24, 1969 3,139,041 6/1964 Techler 103/272 [45] Patented Feb. 23, 1971 3,143,293 8/1964 Purse 103/278X Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 3,193,197 7/1965 Bauer 137/81.5X

606545 1966 now abandoned Primary Examiner- Samuel Scott Attamey- Meyer A. Gross [54] gULATOR ABSTRACT: A jet pump in combination with a fluidic device B gs.

or system, the et pump receiving a small volume of high presm sure fluid and supplying a larger volume at lower pressure to lllt- F151; U the fluidic device or system, utilizing the fluid at a maximum [50] Field oiSearch 230/1 11, pressure of 2 P,S,I., the pump entraining fluid from an auxilia. 60/108 ry source to provide the increased volume. Fluid under high ressure is assed throu h a nozzle into an ex ansion chamber [56] References Cited gonnected t o an auxiliafy fluid source. The high velocity fluid UNYTED STATES PATENTS stream emanating from the nozzle draws fluid from the aux- 1,175,462 3/1916 LeBlanc 230/111 iliary source and passes through a collector to an output. A 1,187,719 6/1916 DesRocher. 103/271 feedback may be bled off the output to operate restriction 1,415,406 5/1922 Scanes 230/111 means varying the fluid available from the ambient source, or 2,124,620 7/1938 Kirgan 230/1 11 the high pressure source.

PATENTED FEB 23 l97| SHEET 3 OF 3 SUPPLY NOZZLE 2 .020 X .005 IN.

60 PSI. SUPPLY 30 PS1. SUPPLY l I l l I l l l l l I 3 FLOW GAIN, Qo/Qs 7 Ga w wmw 5330 O UT PUT F LOW, SCE H.

FLUID PUMP AND REGULATOR RELATED APPLICATION This application is a continuation in part of Ser. No.

606,345, filed Dec. 30, 1966 for the instant inventor and now PRIOR ART Fluidic systems are normally operated at pressures considerably lower than the pressures employed by most industrial power equipment. Fluidic devices currently in use have supply pressures ranging from one-third p.s.i. to p.s.i., whereas most industrial shop air systems are pressurized near 100 p.s.i. The pressure reduction from shop air pressure to fluidic system pressureis accomplished by a regulator or needle valve, used as a restriction, so as to provide the required volume of air by attenuating the bulk of the energy stored in the high pressure air. Thus, the reduction of I00 p.s.i. The pressure reduction from shop air pressure to fluidic system pressure is accomplished by a regulator or needle valve, used as a restriction, so as to provide the required volume of air by attenuating the bulk of the energy stored in the high pressure air. Thus, the reduction of 100 p.s.i. air to l p.s.i., for example, by means of a regulator, is very wasteful of the energy used to originally produce the 100 p.s.i.

Yet another disadvantage of the highpressure reduction technique is that the level of contamination of high pressure shop air is generally quite high, and fluidic systems perform poorly, as a rule, with contaminated air. Thus, the cost of the air used is increased by the cost of filtration equipment.

Several mechanisms to overcome these difficulties have been suggested, including an air motor designed for use with a 100 p.s.i. supply driving a low-pressure high-volume pump, or turbine driven by a high velocity air which in turn drives a low pressure fan." These suggested solutions have been discarded, being unattractive economically.

The basic operating principles of the jet pump are well known in the art and have been employed in such devices as an ejector, an aspirator, or a venturi. A recent example of such use is to be found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,279,680.

PRESENT INVENTION The present invention contemplates a jet pump having a connector coupled to a source of high pressure air in combination with a low pressure fluidic device or system. The connector is formed with a nozzle at its inner end, located within an ingestion chamber. The cross-sectional area of the nozzle may be in the shape of a slit to improve its ingestion eficiency. As the high pressure air passes through the nozzle it becomes high velocity air and is directed towards a collector portion of another connector secured within the ingestion chamber and aligned with the first connector. The chamber has filtered openings to the ambient atmosphere and the high velocity air stream passing from the nozzle draws fluid from the ambient atmosphere into the ingestion chamber and out to the collector orifice. This increased volume of low pressure air is then directed towards any desired location for connection with a fluidic device or system operated at low pressures up to a maximum of 2 p.s.i.

To help insure a constant low pressure at the consuming device, a feedback tube may be connected to the collector and directed back towards the ingestion chamber. The chamber itself may be sealed off with a single entrance opposite a diaphragm which may be biased away from the entrance by means of any biasing device, such as a spring. A feedback chamber is thus formed outside of the ingestion chamber with a filtered vent towards the ambient atmosphere. When the volume of air passing through the collector begins to rise, the increased volume also passes proportionately through the feedback arching the diaphragm upwardly towards the opening into the ingestion chamber. This tends to restrict the flow of ambient fluid into the chamber and thus causes a drop in the volume of the air passing out through the collector. Thus, variations in the high pressure source may be regulated to provide a constant output to the fluidic device or system.

A second method of accomplishing pressure regulation is to use a feedback and diaphragm to vary the cross-sectional area of the supply nozzle.

The use of the jet pump in combination with low pressure fluidic devices or systems eliminates or substantially reduces the faults previously cited as resulting from the use of shop air directly. Through the proper use of this mechanism and principle, the quantity of air required to operate a low pressure fluidic device or system can be reduced up to 20 times with a consequent reduction in contamination.

Accordingly, it is among the principal objects of the present invention to provide a structure comprising a jet pump in combination with a low pressure fluidic'device or system which will provide an efficient reduction of up to 20 times in theair volume of the source previously required to operate such device systems.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a low-pressure high-volume source of air for low pressure fluidic devices or systems which will be relatively free of contamination.

Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide a combination of the character described which will essentially prevent contamination from penetrating the fluidic device or system.

Still another object of the present invention is the utilization of transparent material to visually inspect the structure to check for contaminants.

Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide a means of constructing a regulator which incorporates a jet pump.

Additional objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view, partially cut away, illustrating the jet pump entrainment construction in its basic form.

FIG. 2 is a schematic showing of a jet pump entrainment device with a manifold and series of turbulence amplifiers connected thereto in schematic form, in an arrangement which minimizes or eliminates the need for a filter.

FIG. 3 is a side, cross-sectional, schematic view of a jet pump connected to a turbulence amplifier with its exhaust port connected to the intake of the pump.

FIG. 4 is a view somewhat similar to FIG. 3 with the exhaust venting to atmosphere, and a multiple number of inlets to the entrainment chamber.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a wall attachment-type of fluidic device in combination with a jet pump.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a jet pump with a feedback regulator.

FIG. 6A is a cross-sectional view of a jet pump combined with a stream attraction amplifier.

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of a commercial embodiment of an adjustable jet pump, partially in phantom.

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view as seen from the plane 7-7.

FIG. 9 is a side elevational view, partially in phantom, of a commercial embodiment of a jet pump and regulator device.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view as seen from the lines 9-9, and partly in phantom.

FIG. 11 is a graph showing the relationship between the output pressure and the flow gain for a specific pump at varying supply pressures; and

FIG. 12 is a graph showing the relationship between the output pressure and output flow of the jet pump at varying supply pressures.

Referring in detail to the drawings, there is shown in FIG. 1, the basic form of the fluid pump or entrainment device 10. A

source of pressure from to 120 p.s.i., and usually from 80 to 110 p.s.i., is secured by suitable means to a connector 12 which terminates in a nonle l4 defined by a neck 16 and an outlet 18. Dividing the connector from the nozzle portion is a shoulder 20 against which is secured an end wall 22 supporting a portion of a filter 24. The other portion of the filter 24 is supported by an end wall 26 having an opening 27 to receive the shoulder 28 of a collection connector 30.

The end walls 22, 26 and the filter 24 define a fluid transformer, which includes an expansion, entrainment or ingestion chamber 31. The connector 30 has a collecting portion 32 protruding into the chamber, terminating with a collector, recovery, or output orifice 33 which is aligned with the outlet 18 of the nozzle 14.

Ribs 34 may be located on the connector 30 to provide a means of securement with a hose 36 which in turn is connected to the manifold of a fluidic system 38.

It should be noted that the structure of the entrainment device, the connectors, and the manifold may take many different forms other than as shown. It is only essential that the basic units as finally designed perform the required functions.

In operation air or other fluid, depending upon the power source required for the particular fluidic system, is secured to the connector 12 so as to present the nozzle 14 with the highest stable pressure which the primary fluid supply can provide. The resultant jet stream eminating from the outlet 18 entrains or ingests molecules of the surrounding gas which then enters the collecting orifice 33 of the collecting portion 32. The total volume of fluid which enters the collecting portion 32 is many times larger than the flow passing from the nozzle 14, and this flow can be maximized if the flow out of the manifold 37 takes place at a proper rate.

The area of the outlet 18 of the nozzle 14 be related to the consumption of the fluidic devices connected to the manifold. The rate of flow out of the manifold will determine the pressure within it, up to a maximum value established by the dimensions of the entrainment device 10. In general, the lower the pressure required at the manifold, the greater the ratio of entrained fluid to primary or supply fluid. It is possible to obtain ratios as high as 20 to l by structures familiar to those knowledgeable of the art. In the present arrangement the filter 24 is essential to allow atmospheric air to be added to the primary air, the atmospheric air providing a source of entrained or ingested fluids.

The output pressure obtainable from a jet pump is limited by a number of factors, the pressure to the supply nozzle being among the first of these. Similarly, the flow output obtainable is limited by many factors, the supply jet flow being important, but also important is the static pressure maintained at the recovery or output orifice of the pump. While it is obvious that the device will produce no flow gain, that is, cease to act as a pump, when an output pressure above some level is desired at the output, exactly what this pressure is depends upon the pumps design and especially the fluid employed. The flow gain is the ratio of the flow rate at the collector orifice O0 to the flow rate at the supply nozzle Qs. In the case of air, the most widely used fluid for the operation of fluidic devices, recovery pressures above 1 p.s.i. reduce jet pump flow gains below aneconomically practical level for many applications. The cost of installing a jet pump to power a fluidic system can be justified in any case only where the cost of fluid consumed during the life of the system is reduced by more than the cost of the jet pump and its installation. In many instances, the total annual cost of the fluid consumed by a given fluidic system may be too low to justify any effort to reduce it. On the other hand, systems using large quantities of finely filtered and dried air may be able to economically justify the installation of a jet pump with a flow gain of only 1.5, in which case, pump recovery pressures of up to 3 p.s.i. may be obtained. In most cases, however, it may be that a pump flow gain of 3 or more will be required to justify its use. In these instances, the pump will be able to deliver approximately 1 p.s.i. or less when the fluid is air. The inverse relationship of flow gain and pump output pressure limits the use of the jet pump power supply concept to fluidic devices designed to operate at low supply pressures, as the higher the flow gain capacity of a pump, the lower the available output static pressure. This follows from the fact that in order to obtain high output pressures the jet pumps output "collector" must be small, as as to recover the high velocity center of the jets stream. This small area of the collector restricts flow. Conversely, a large collector obtains both the high velocity center of the stream but also the lowvelocity edges, producing greater flow but a static pressure capability which the average velocity of the stream and hence lower than the small collector which intakes only the center of the stream.

The flow gain Qout/Qin of a pneumatic jet pump decreases with increasing supply pressure above some limit established by the pumps design. The same jet pump operated at 30 p.s.i. may exhibit a flow gain of up to 3.5; but at 60 p.s.i. may have a maximum flow gain of 2.5. FIG. 1, illustrates the flow gain of a jet pump operated at these two pressures, and FIG. 2 shows the output pressure versus output flow rates for varying supply pressures measured in standard cubic feet per hour. The pump enables higher recovery pressure as well as higher output flow, but at reduced flow gain.

Were the collector diameter of the jet pump described in FIG. 2 increased in size, the flow gain for the unit would increase, but the available recovery pressure would decrease. Conversely, decreasing the collector diameter so as to increase collector pressure would decrease flow gain below the level where the use of the device provided any practical benefit, which, depending on a variety of factors might occur with flow gains of any magnitude. Instead of decreasing collector area, supply nozzle area might be increased, which would have the same effect, although with more total flow. The ratio of supply nozzle area to collector orifice area establishes the flow-gain and recovery pressure characteristics of a jet pump, however, as there are various ways to improve the pumping efficiency of a jet, no fixed mathematically invariable rule can be stated.

By varying the area of the collector, the flow gain of the jet pump can be adjusted. The area of the collector can be varied by means of a crimping arrangement such as shown for the supply nozzle of the jet pump in FIG. 8 or by substituting different diameters of collector orifices in a given jet pump. Park 142 of the jet pump shown in FIG. 8 may be unscrewed and replaced by a similar member having a different internal diameter.

FIG. 1 provides the essential dimensions of a jet pump with practical recovery pressure and flow. The supply nozzle may be located immediately at the orifice of the collector, or at a distance of up to one-sixteenth inch.

The design of the supply nozzle should produce no impediment to flow right up to the slit. There must be space between the slit and the orifice of the collector to allow entrained air to enter unimpeded. For this reason, the face of the slit should be as small as practical to manufacture. The dimensions of the entrainment chamber are not critical.

1 have found that a simple circular orifice for the supply nozzle does not produce the best pumping efficiency for a pneumatic jet pump. A narrow slit orifice is better as it exposes the maximum entrainment interface for a given volume of supply jet air. Various simple methods of controlling the area of a slit orifice may be employed, thus enabling the adjustment of the supply nozzles flow to suit various loads. Another benefit to be derived from the use of a jet pump to power a fluidic circuit is that the supply nozzle of the jet pump may be narrower than any other nozzle in the circuit so that contaminants in the air supply will tend to obstruct this nozzle first. As the nozzles contamination can be readily identified by a loss of output flow and pressure, and it can be made to be readily adjusted, cleaned or replaced, it serves the function of protecting the supply orifices of the fluidic device in the circuit whirl, if contaminants might be difficult to identify, replace or clean. The use of transparent tubing and housing for the nozzle of the jet pump may also facilitate the observation of contaminating material.

Turning to FIG. 2 there is shown in schematic form an arrangement for minimizing or eliminating the need for a filter. A high pressure supply of primary air may be directed by a conduit 40 to a jet pump 42 which in turn is connected to a manifold 46 by a conduit 44. The manifold may be connected to a bank of low pressure fluid amplifiers, such as described in my US. Pat. No. 3,234,955, issued Feb. 15, 1966. The entire structure is enclosed by an enclosure 50 and may have a filtered vent 52 located in the vicinity of the jet pump. An output conduit 54 may also pass out of the enclosure to provide operating signals. This arrangement allows air vented by the fluidic devices 48 to be returned to the jet pump to provide the required entrained or ingested fluid. The system presumably exhausts a volume of air equal to the primary volume through the vent 52 and the output lines such as 54.

Instead of providing the enclosure type arrangement of FIG. 2 where there is a general exhaust of all the fluidic devices to the jet pump, a conduit may directly connect the exhausts of the fluidic devices to the entrainment chamber of the jet pump. If there are few fluid devices so connected, such an arrangement results in the varying of the amount of fluid available to the jet pump according to the state of the fluidic devices, and in particular, the rate at which the outputs of the fluidic devices deliver fluid signals outside of the system. FIG. 3 illustrates the extreme case of the above described design, namely a single fluidic device, and in this instance a turbulence amplifier, with its exhaust port connected directly to the entrainment chamber of the jet pump.

There is shown a unit comprising in combination a single fluid amplifier and jet pump 56 having four openings including an input connector 58 for providing the primary source of fluid terminating in a nozzle 60 positioned within the entrainment chamber 62, passing in through the first opening. A collector connector 64 in the second opening receives the flow of the primary and entrained fluid in the previously described manner and is connected to a supply conduit 66 which terminates in the turbulence amplifier chamber 68. The turbulence amplifier has the standard input conduit 70 and output conduit 72 connected to standard means 73 for carrying the output signal where desired. An exhaust port 74 allows direct connection via an exhaust-entrainment chamber conduit 76 to the entrainment chamber 62 via the third opening. As is normal with the operation of all turbulence amplifiers, any air that will not pass out through the output conduit 72 will vent through the conduit 76 via the exhaust port 74 and back to the entrainment chamber 62. When the amplifier goes from the laminar to the turbulent state this flow will be greater than when it is in the laminar state if the output of the amplifier is connected to a consuming device. The filter 78 in the 4th opening allows atmospheric fluid into the entrainment chamber 62 in the event the pressure within the chamber drops below atmospheric pressure as a result of insufficient flow from the turbulence amplifiers exhaust 74. In the event that the output of the amplifier 72 fails to require as much fluid as is introduced to the jet pump via intake 58 and the entrainment chamber pressure rises above atmospheric pressure, pressure relief can then occur outwardly through the filter 78.

This particular configuration has an effect on the turbulence amplifier chamber which should be noted. When the output conduit 72 is connected to atmosphere or a device which consumes large quantities of the fluid produced by the turbulenceamplifier in its laminar state, the pressure in the jet pump entrainment chamber 62 and within the turbulence amplifier itself, will be subatmospheric, depending on the ratio of fluid expelled through the output conduit of the turbulence amplifier to the amounts ingested" by the jet pump to that which it requires from its power source, and of course, the flow resistance of the filter 78. As the enclosure 68 of the turbulence amplifier becomes subatmospheric, its input conduit 70, if effectively opened to the atmosphere, will allow a flow from the atmosphere into the amplifier enclosure. If the construction of the amplifier is such that an input pressure of 1 inch of water is required to drive the stream turbulent, for example, and a subatmospheric level of 1 inch of water is obtained within the enclosure 68, it can be seen that the amplifier will be driven off, that is, into the turbulent state. With the return of a very large percentage of the air emitted from the supply conduit 66 of the turbulence amplifier via the exhaust port 74 and conduit 76 to the jet pump chamber 62, the internal pressure of the unit will rise so that flow into the input does not take place into the turbulence amplifier chamber 68, and consequently the projected stream from conduit 66 can return to laminarity. The results. will be steady oscillations. However, if the pressure drop across the filter 78 is very low, or if the flow through the output conduit 72 is low, the oscillatory condition will not be obtained. Some negative shift of amplifier enclosure pressure can nonetheless be used to bias or sensitize the amplifiers stream.

Also, oscillation will take place only if the input conduit 70 is effectively opened to the atmosphere. In the event of a substantial flow resistance or a complete blockage of the passages connected to the input conduit 70, the flow therethrough may not be sufficient to drive the amplifier turbulent even when its enclosure is at its minimum internal pressure.

Another effect of the return of the exhaust from the turbulence amplifier to the jet pump is the increase in the ingested fluid, and consequently an increase in the output pressure of the jet pump and the tendency of the stream in the turbulence amplifier to stay turbulent, if it is operated at a pressure slightly below that which will produce instability. Consequently, the structure shown in FIG. 3 can be used to increase turbulence amplifier sensitivity when flow through the filter 78 and from the output 72 and into the supply 58, is precisely established.

FIG. 4 shows a fluid pump providing air to a tube which produces a laminar stream and which is part of a structure resembling a turbulence amplifier without an input. As the dimensional considerations which apply to the design of conventional turbulence amplifiers also applies to this structure, a conventional turbulence amplifier could be used for this portion of the structure. There is shown a turbulence amplifier type structure with a fluid pump 80 having the input connector 82 terminating in a nozzle 84 within an entrainment chamber 86. The entrainment chamber has a series of intakes 88 which will be described in detail hereafter. In a standard manner, there is provided a collector connector 90 connected to a supply conduit 92 entering a turbulence amplifier type enclosure 94 with a vent 96 and an output conduit 98. The vent 96 exhausts to atmosphere.

Similar to FIG. 3 and unlike FIGS. 1 and 2 this embodiment has a single fluid pump operating a single fluidic device. This structure is designed to take advantage of the well-known tendency of turbulence amplifiers streams to become turbulent when the pressure in their supply tubes is raised above some critical level. The inlets 88 are normally closed to atmospheric flow. If the pressure at the input connector 82 is such that the flow through the supply conduit 92 is 10 percent below that velocity at which the stream becomes turbulent in the enclosure 94 without any ingested fluid, then any flow through the inlets 88 to the entrainment chamber 85 will result in a corresponding increase in flow through the supply conduit 92, and accordingly, a flow through any of the fluid pump inlets equal to 10 percent of the flow through the supply conduit will cause an abrupt drop in the pressure in the output conduit 98. Since the flow to atmosphere from conduit 98 can be caused to be less than 20 percent of its corresponding magnitude when the stream within the enclosure is laminar, were the conduit 98 connected to inputs of fluid pumps of similar devices, the 80 to percent flow change could be used to produce a response in eight or nine similar devices. This fanout ratio is a relatively high one for a fluid amplifier, and therefore indicates that the structure illustrated by FIG. 4 represents a useful fluidic device.

For certain applications the subatmospheric pressure in the fluid pump chamber 85 is beneficial. It is possible to produce a response from the embodiment simply by opening one of the inlets 88 to atmosphere. In the case where the inlets of the chamber are opened or closed by the operation of various parts of a machine or a process which might be physically quite large, the fact that the inlet mechanism requires no separate tube or passage for a source of pressure for its operation can be a distinct advantage.

Also, the fluid pump chamber 85 has no limit on the number of inlets 88 of this type which it might have. Of course, a conventional turbulence amplifier structure could be used in place of the illustrated structure, in which case the use of conventional above-atmospheric signals can be utilized via the input conduit of the turbulence amplifier, as well as the subatmospheric signals from the inlets to the fluid pump.

FIG. illustrates the use of the fluid pump with a low pres sure wall attachment device, such as shown and described in French Pat. No. 1,278,782, with all of the exhausted fluid returning to the fluid pump. The pump and wall attachment device 100 includes an output connector 102 terminating in a nozzle 104 directed into an entrainment chamber 105. Aligned with the nozzle is the collector conduit 106 which is also connected to the interaction zone 110 of the wall attachment device. The interaction zone is connected in the well-known manner to exhaust ports 112 which are connected to the entrainment chamber 105 via the exhaust fluid pump conduit 114. The legs 115 of the attachment device end in the exit ports 116. There are also located adjacent the entrainment chamber 105 pressure equalization ports 108.

In the event that flow out of the exit ports 116 is effectively zero, as is the case when pilot operated valves, pressure switches, or similar pressure-responsive devices are connected to the output of such a unit, the static pressure in the interaction zone 110 can be varied by the exhaust rate through the equalization ports 108.

Operation is as per the standard operational procedure with air entering through the intake conduit 102 and being nozzled at 104 with the resultant stream picking up entrained molecules of gas at 105 and passing to 106 and powering the wall attachment device in its standard manner. Exhaust flow may pass through the exhaust 112 and via conduit 114 back to provide further fluids for use at 105.

The main attribute of this structure is that it provides a single-device configuration with the inclusion of a fluid pump in a sandwich type arrangement, and having provision for the return of as much supply fluid as possible from the exhaust ports 112 to the power stream.

The use of the jet pump with any type of fluidic device is possible. In addition to making the jet pump part of the configuration of coanda effect device, it may also be part of a stream-attraction device as shown in FIG. 6A. This amplifier requires the use of two

supply streams

201 and 202, which can obtain their fluid from a single jet pump, created by noale 203 and collector 204, part of the same sandwich structure. The streams produced by

nozzles

201 and 202 may follow either the inner circular stream line and vent to the atmosphere, or the outer straight stream lines which will cause the streams to enter

orifices

205 and 206, the outputs of the device. The streams may be switched from one stream line to the other by means of pressure and flows introduced through

ports

207 or 208 to create the circular stream flows, or as the result of pressure into either

ports

209 or 210, to follow the outer stream lines. The fluid ingested into the jet pump enters into passages 213 and the fluid not consumed by the

outputs

205 and 206 is vented to the atmosphere by means of the open area around the output passages.

FIG. 6 illustrates an elemental structure which enables adjustment of the inlets to the entrainment chamber to vary the amount of atmosphere ingestment into the power stream. There is shown a fluid pump 118 having a standard intake connector 120 terminating in nozzle 122 within the entrainment chamber 124 and opposite collector orifice 126 of the collector conduit 128. The entrainment chamber has an intake 130.

Adjacent the entrainment chamber 124 and penetrated by the intake 130 is a manifold 132 having bores I34 covered by filters 136 to allow ingress of atmospheric fluids into the interior of the said manifold. The manifold is divided by a diaphragm 137 having an intake surface 138 and a lower surface 139. The portion of the manifold between the intake 130 and the intake surface 138 is also the location of the bores 134 and filters 136. A feedback conduit connects the collector conduit and the portion of the manifold on the side of the lower surface 139 of the diaphgram 138.

In operation the primary fluid high pressure stream enters the entrainment chamber via the connector 120 and the nozzle 122 in the usual manner. Ingestion occurs with atmospheric fluid entering the entrainment chamber via the intake 130. The collector then takes the increased volume of air and directs it through the collector conduit 128 towards the fluidic system. Some of the volume of fluid passing through the conduit 128 passes through the feedback conduit 140 and into the lower portion of the manifold where it exerts a force against the surface 139 of the diaphragm 138. As the volume of air passing through the collector conduit 128 increases the pressure on the diaphragm 138 increases until the bias of the spring 141 which biases the diaphragm away from the intake is overcome and flow through the intake is restricted. This causes a drop in the volume of air passing through the conduit 128 and consequently the force against 137 decreases and greater amounts of atmospheric fluid are ingested through the intake 130. Thus, there is means to automatically regulate and provide a continuously constant or basically constant volume of air passing out through the collector conduit to the fluidic system.

The design of the fluid pump so as to cause it to ingest as much atmosphere as possible into the power stream is a major design objective of such a unit. Adjusting the power flow so as to cause it to consume as little fluid as possible while satisfying the requirements of the consuming device or system is another major requirement of the design of such units.

FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate a structure which enables the adjustment of the size of the power supply stream, by varying the cross-sectional area of the nozzle. There is shown a fluid pump with adjustable power supply 142. Basically, the unit shows a power supply connector 144 terminating in a nozzle 146 which as seen from FIG. 7 is oblong in shape, resembling a rectangle having rounded ends or a slit. Positioned to one side of the nonle is a movable member 148 acted on by a screwbolt 152, allowing lateral reciprocal movement of the said member.

Oppositely disposed and symmetrically shaped to the member 148 is a stationary member 154 having a rounded shaped upper surface 156 for the purpose hereinafter appearing. The

members

148 and 154 have positioned between them portion of flexible hosing 158 which forms the adjustable nozzle.

The collector connector 161 is angularly disposed from the nozzle 146, the surface of the said connector merging smoothly with the surface 156. Oppositely disposed to the nozzle 146 is the intake port 160 for supplying ambient or atmospheric fluid to the device.

In operation, the power supply fluid enters to connector 144 and passes through the nozzle 146. The area of opening of the nozzle may be adjusted by means of the bolt and movable member 148 which crimps upon the flexible hosing 158. Because of the coanda effect, the power stream follows the curvature of surface 156 after it leaves the nozzle and exits through the collector connector 161. Intake flow occurs through the intake port 160 which may be connected to a fluidic system exhaust manifold, cabinet or filter.

The bolt 152 may be replaced by a diaphragm and actuator shaft which would respond to pressures in the fluidic system connected to the pump. In this way any increase in pressure by the consuming device connected to the collector connector 161 would result in a movement of the movable member 148 so as to restrict the flow through the orifice formed by the relative position of 148 and member 154.

FIGS. 9 and 10 illustrate a commercial embodiment showing another method of constructing aregulator in combination with a fluid pump. Instead of closing off the power supply flow, it is possible to reduce the amount of fluid ingested by the fluid pump by a diaphragm which responds to pressure at the consuming device. A commercial arrangement, similar to the structure illustrated by FIG. 6, and which may take many different forms, is shown in FIGS. 9 and 10.

Turning to the FlGS., there is shown a jet pump regulator 162 having a power intake 164 terminating in a nozzle 166 having a cross-sectional area in the shape of a slit. The nozzle leads into the entrainment chamber 168 which also houses the collector 170 leading to an outlet 172 to which may be connected any suitable means of transferring the volume of fluid to a fluidic system. i

Directly connected to the entrainment chamber 168 is the accumulation chamber 174. The said chamber is divided by a truncated conical shell member 176 terminating in a lower edge 177. Positioned below the shell member 176 is a diaphragm 178 having an upper surface 179 upon which rests a plate 180, capable of making direct contact with the edge 177 of the member 176.

Passing downwardly from the collector 170 is a hole or passage 181 meeting a groove 182 and a passage 184 and communicating with the regulating chamber 186 located underneath the diaphragm 178. There is also an intake 188 for allowing ambient or atmospheric fluid to enter the system, en-

tering into'a feed chamber 190. Bias against the diaphragm and place is provided by screw 192 and spring 194.

In operation, fluid enters through the power intake 164, passes through the nozzle 166, and enters the entrainment chamber 168 where ambient fluid is ingested in the usual manner passing outwardly through the collector connector 170 and to the fluidic system through outlet 172. A portion of the departing volume of fluid passes through a passage 181, groove 182 and passage 184 into the regulating chamber 186 where a force is exerted against the diaphragm 178. The diaphragm is biased downwardly by means of the screw 192 and spring 194. Ambient fluid enters the accumulation chamber 174 by passing through the "intake 188, the feed chamber 190 and between the edge 1'77 and the plate 180 into the chamber 174. As the force in the chamber 186 builds up the bias of the spring 194 may be overcome and there may be restriction of the flow through the openings: between plate 180 and edge 177. This will cause a corresponding drop in the volume of air passing outwardly through the collector 170, and correspondingly decreasing the force in regulating chamber 186. Thus, it can be seen that by regulating the bias of the spring 194 the volume of fluid passing to the .fluidic system may be accurately and reasonably controlled.

The terms and expressions which have been employed here are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding equivalence of the features shown and described, or portions thereof, it being recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed.

1 claim: 1

1. in combination, a fluid pump for economically utilizing a high pressure fluid source to operate a low-pressure fluidic device or system with a consequent gain in volume, comprismg: I v

a. at least one low-pressure fluidic device;

b. a supply nozzle having a nozzle orifice connected to the fluid source;

c. an entrainment chamber, receiving the nozzle therein and having an opening communicating with an auxiliary fluid source, the fluid stream issuing from the nozzle and ingesting additional fluid from the auxiliary fluid source;

d. a collector connector having an output orifice connected to the input noule of the low-pressure fluidic device and receiving a portion of the expanded stream to register an output pressure at the output orifice in accordance with the requirements of the particular fluidic device or the exhaust of the fluidic device or system with the entrainment chamber, utilizing the exhaust fluid as an auxiliary fluid source.

4. The invention according to claim 1, the fluidic device or system being at least 1 fluid amplifier and the maximum output pressure being 1.5 p.s.i.

5. The invention according to claim 1, the fluidic device or system being at least one wall attachment device.

6. The invention according to claim 1, the collector orifice being adjustable to vary the cross-sectional area thereof.

7. The invention according to claim 1, the collector connector being replaceable to allow provision of collector connectors having different orifice cross-sectional areas.

8. The invention according to claim 1, the cross-sectional area of the nozzle orifice defining a slit to improve the ingestion characteristics of the fluid stream and prevent passage of contaminants therein.

9. The invention according to claim 8, means to adjust the cross-sectional area of the nozzle.

10. The invention according to claim 9, the means being automatically responsive to the supply pressure of the fluidic device or system.

11. The invention according to claim 9, the supply nozzle connected to the fluid source by a conduit, the supply nozzle and the conduit being transparent to allow visual inspection thereof.

12. The invention according to claim 9, the collector orifice being adjustable to vary the cross-sectional area thereof.

13. The invention according to claim 1, means to adjustably restrict the flow between the entrainment chamber and the auxiliary fluid source.

14. The invention according to claim 13, the means being automatically responsive to the supply pressure of the fluidic device or system.

15. A self-contained jet pump-turbulence amplifier unit for use with a high pressure, low volume fluid stream power source, comprising:

a. A nozzle coupled to the source;

b. An entrainment chamber having first, second, third and fourth openings, the nozzle passing into the chamber through the first opening;

c. A collector connector passing into the chamber through the second opening; and

d. A turbulence amplifier including a turbulence amplifier chamber, a supply conduit, input conduit, and output conduit, received therein, the turbulence amplifier chamber having an opening connected to the third opening of the entrainment chamber, wherein the excess fluid during turbulence of the turbulence amplifier is fed back into the entrainment chamber, the fourth opening providing additional fluid as required when the turbulence amplifier is in a laminar state.

16. The invention according to claim 15, the expansion within the chamber being controlled by providing means to variable control the cross-sectional area of the nozzle.

' 17. The invention according to claim 15 the expansion within the chamber being controlled by providing means to variably control the fourth opening.

Claims

1. In combination, a fluid pump for economically utilizing a high pressure fluid source to operate a low-pressure fluidic device or system with a consequent gain in volume, comprising: a. at least one low-pressure fluidic device; b. a supply nozzle having a nozzle orifice connected to the fluid source; c. an entrainment chamber, receiving the nozzle therein and having an opening communicating with an auxiliary fluid source, the fluid stream issuing from the nozzle and ingesting additional fluid from the auxiliary fluid source; and d. a collector connector having an output orifice connected to the input nozzle of the low-pressure fluidic device and receiving a portion of the expanded stream to register an output pressure at the output orifice in accordance with the requirements of the particular fluidic device or system, up to a maximum of 2 p.s.i.

2. The invention according to claim 1, the supply nozzle being transparent to allow visual inspection for the presence of contaminants.

3. The invention according to claim 1, means connecting the exhaust of the fluidic device or system with the entrainment chamber, utilizing the exhaust fluid as an auxiliary fluid source.

15. A self-contained jet pump-turbulence amplifier unit for use with a high pressure, low volume fluid stream power source, comprising: a. A nozzle coupled to the source; b. An entrainment chamber having first, second, third and fourth openings, the nozzle passing into the chamber through the first opening; c. A collector connector passing into the chamber through the second opening; and d. A turbulence amplifier including a turbulence amplifier chamber, a supply conduit, input conduit, and output conduit, received therein, the turbulence amplifier chamber having an opening connected to the third opening of the entrainment chamber, wherein the excess fluid during turbulence of the turbulence amplifier is fed back into the entrainment chamber, the fourth opening providing additional fluid as required when the turbulence amplifier is in a laminar state.

17. The invention according to claim 15, the expansion within the chamber being controlled by providing means to variably control the fourth opening.