Nozzle manifold assembly
AssigneeThe Aerospace Corporation
InventorJames M. HELT
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A nozzle manifold assembly (NMA) for a reflective lens (RFL) includes a nozzle manifold (“manifold”) and a nozzle being part of the NMA. For example, the NMA and the RFL may be used in constructing fluid-surface inspection and analysis instruments like RFL based thin film viscometers (RFL-TFVs). The manifold is configured to accept a fluid supply to form a jet, and configured to include and or mount to the nozzle. The manifold may include a plurality of sensor-control devices configured to measure and/or control one or more properties of the NMA, the RFL, and/or the jet. The NMA also includes a gas supply connected to, and supplying fluid (gas, liquid etc.) through, the manifold to form the jet.
Claims20
A reflective lens (RFL) nozzle manifold assembly (NMA) device (the “device”), comprising:
- a reflective lens assembly including at least one reflective optical element configured to manipulate and direct electromagnetic radiation to spatial coordinates within or outside the reflective lens assembly;
- and
- a nozzle manifold assembly coupled to the reflective lens assembly, the nozzle manifold assembly comprising
- a support structure,
- a second reflective optical element supported by the support structure,
- a nozzle supported by the support structure, and
- one or more fluid-flow features configured to receive a fluid and direct the fluid to the nozzle to form an impinging jet, wherein
- the reflective lens assembly and the nozzle manifold assembly are arranged such that at least one reflected beam, imaging beam and or measurement beam is alignable with the nozzle.
A reflective imaging lens (RFL) nozzle manifold assembly (NMA) device (the “device”), comprising:
- a reflective imaging lens assembly comprising a body, a primary reflective optical element, a support structure being a spider mount with spider vanes carrying a second reflective optical element, and a transparent optical element configurable to be positioned in a path of at least one reflected beam, imaging beam and or measurement beam;
- and
- a nozzle manifold assembly coupled to the reflective imaging lens assembly, the nozzle manifold assembly comprising a manifold body and a nozzle configured to receive a fluid from the fluid supply and form an impinging jet, wherein
- at least one reflected beam, imaging beam and or measurement beam is alignable with the nozzle manifold assembly, nozzle or both.
A nozzle manifold assembly (NMA), comprising:
- a nozzle coupled to or integrated with a manifold body, an optically transparent window, or a NMA component;
- one or more fluid-flow features formed in or coupled to the manifold body, a spider mount-vane feature, the optically transparent window or any combinations thereof and configured to receive a fluid and direct the fluid to the nozzle to form an impinging jet;
- one or more sensor-integration features configured to receive one or more sensor-control devices for monitoring and or controlling one or more properties of the nozzle manifold assembly, the impinging jet or both;
- and
- one or more mounting features configured to couple the nozzle manifold assembly to an optical system, an inspection system, a support structure or any combinations thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.