Ultrasonic liquid atomizer having an axially-extending liquid feed passage

In an ultrasonic transducer assembly for atomizing a liquid including a front ultrasonic horn section, a rear ultrasonic horn section, a driving means having at least one piezoelectric element and an electrode sandwiched between the front and rear ultrasonic horn sections, means for clamping the front and rear ultrasonic horn sections against the driving means, and an output section extending from the front ultrasonic horn section and terminating in an atomizing surface, wherein the improvement comprises a driving element of a diameter less than the diameter of the front and rear sections adjacent the driving means, and wherein the means for clamping comprises a plurality of fasteners connecting the front and rear sections and extending therebetween beyond the diameter of the driving means, the driving means comprising two said piezoelectric elements which are of annular configuration, each including an opening therethrough which forms part of the axially-extending passage, the electrode having an opening therethrough which forms part of the axially extending passage and being interposed between the piezoelectric elements, and a tubular sleeve disposed extending about each of the piezoelectric elements.

In an ultrasonic transducer assembly for atomizing a liquid including a front ultrasonic horn section, a rear ultrasonic horn section, a driving means having at least one piezoelectric element and an electrode sandwiched between the front and rear sections, means for clamping the front and rear sections against the driving means, and an output section extending from the front section and terminating in an atomizing surface, wherein the improvement comprises a liquid passage axially extending through the front and rear sections and the driving means to the atomizing surface, the output and the front and rear sections being of metal material, the ultrasonic transducer including a metal decoupling sleeve extending in the axially-extending passage within the output section to or adjacent to the atomizing surface, and the decoupling sleeve including a threaded end section and the front section including a threaded section, the decoupling sleeve being threadedly received in the front section.

A transducer for atomizing liquids comprising an atomizing section having an atomizing surface, driving means disposed adjacent the atomizing section, the atomizing section and the driving means having a passage axially extending therethrough to the atomizing surface, a decoupling sleeve extending in the axially-extending passage within the atomizing section to or adjacent to the atomizing surface, the decoupling sleeve including a threaded end section and the atomizing section including a threaded section, the decoupling sleeve being threadedly received in the atomizing section, and means for coupling the driving means and the atomizing section to atomize liquid delivered to the atomizing surface through the axially-extending passage and decoupling sleeve in response to electrical excitation of the driving means.

In an ultrasonic fuel atomizer including driving means and an output section having an atomizing surface, the improvement comprising a fuel passage axially extending in the atomizer from one end thereof through the driving means to the atomizing surface and a fuel tube through which fuel is adapted to be supplied to the atomizer, the fuel tube extending in said passage and including a decoupling sleeve section extending within the output section to or adjacent to the atomizing surface, the fuel tube and decoupling sleeve section constituting a single piece, and means provided in or adjacent to the output section for securing the single piece to the output section.

In an ultrasonic fuel atomizer including an atomizing section having an atomizing surface, driving means disposed adjacent to the atomizing section and means for coupling the driving means to the atomizing section, the improvement comprising a fuel passage axially extending in the atomizer from one end thereof through the driving means to the atomizing surface, a decoupling sleeve in the axially-extending passage in the atomizing section with one end thereof extending substantially to the atomizing surface, the axially-extending passage being adapted to receive a tubular member through which liquid can be introduced into the transducer and delivered through the decoupling sleeve to the atomizing surface, and means provided in or adjacent to the atomizing section adapted to secure the tubular member to the atomizing section with one end of the tubular member adjacent to the other end of the decoupling sleeve, the securing means being spaced radially inwardly of the coupling means.

In an ultrasonic fuel atomizer including an atomizing section having an atomizing surface, driving means disposed adjacent to the atomizing section, a rear section disposed adjacent to the driving means which with the atomizing section sandwiches the driving means, and means for coupling the driving means to the atomizing section, the improvement comprising a fuel passage axially extending in the atomizer from one end thereof through the driving means and the rear means to the atomizing surface, a tubular member having a threaded portion disposed in the axially-extending passage through which liquid can be introduced into the transducer and delivered to the atomizing surface, means provided in or adjacent to the atomizing section for securing the tubular member to the atomizing section comprising threads in the axially-extending passage which receive the threaded portion of the tubular member, the securing means being spaced radially inwardly of the coupling means, and means associated with the rear section and the tubular member for drawing the rear and the atomizer sections together upon threading the tubular member to the atomizing section.

In an ultrasonic transducer assembly for atomizing a liquid including a front ultrasonic horn section, a rear ultrasonic horn section, driving means having at least one piezoelectric element and an electrode sandwiched between the front and rear sections, means spaced radially outwardly of the axis of the transducer for clamping the front and rear sections against the driving means, and an output section extending from the front section and terminating in an atomizing surface, wherein the improvement comprises a liquid passage axially extending through the front and rear sections and the driving means to the atomizing surface, a decoupling sleeve in the axially-extending passage in the front section with one end thereof extending substantially to the atomizing surface, the axially-extending passage being adapted to receive a tubular member through which liquid can be introduced into the transducer and delivered through the decoupling sleeve to the atomizing surface, and means provided in or adjacent to the front section adapted to secure the tubular member to the front section with one end of the tubular member adjacent to the other end of the decoupling sleeve.

In an ultrasonic transducer assembly for atomizing a liquid including a front ultrasonic horn section, a rear ultrasonic horn section, driving means having at least one piezoelectric element and an electrode sandwiched between the front and rear sections, means spaced radially outwardly of the axis of the transducer for clamping the front and rear sections against the driving means, and an output section extending from the front section and terminating in an atomizing surface, wherein the improvement comprises a liquid passage axially extending through the front and rear sections and the driving means to the atomizing surface, a tubular member having a threaded portion disposed in the axially-extending passage through which liquid can be introduced into the transducer and delivered to the atomizing surface, means provided in or adjacent to the front section for securing the tubular member to the front section comprising threads in the axially extending passage which receive the threaded portion of the tubular member, and means associated with the rear section and the tubular member for drawing the rear and the front sections together upon threading the tubular member to the front section.

A transducer for atomizing liquids comprising an atomizing section having an atomizing surface, driving means disposed adjacent to the atomizing section, the atomizing section and the driving means having a passage axially extending therethrough to the atomizing surface, a decoupling sleeve in the axially-extending passage in the atomizing section with one end thereof extending substantially to the atomizing surface, the axially-extending passage being adapted to receive a tubular member through which liquid can be introduced into the transducer and delivered through the decoupling sleeve to the atomizing surface, means provided in or adjacent to the atomizing section adapted to secure the tubular member to the atomizing section with one end of the tubular member adjacent to the other end of the decoupling sleeve, and means cooperating with the atomizing section spaced radially outwardly from the axially-extending passage for coupling the driving means and the atomizing section to atomize liquid delivered to the atomizing surface through the tubular member and the decoupling sleeve in response to electrical excitation of the driving means.

A transducer for atomizing liquids comprising an atomizing section having an atomizing surface, driving means disposed adjacent to the atomizing section, a rear section disposed adjacent to the driving means which with the atomizing section sandwiches the driving means, the atomizing section, the driving means and the rear section having a passage axially extending therethrough to the atomizing surface, a tubular member having a threaded portion disposed in the axially-extending passage through which liquid can be introduced into the transducer and delivered to the atomizing surface, means provided in or adjacent to the atomizing section for securing the tubular member to the atomizing section comprising threads in the axially-extending passage which receive the threaded portion of the tubular member, means associated with the rear section and the tubular member for drawing the rear and the atomizer sections together upon threading the tubular member to the atomizing section, and means for coupling the driving means and the atomizing section to atomize liquid delivered to the atomizing surface through the tubular member in response to electrical excitation of the driving means.