Lorentz-Force Actuated Cleaning Device

• US 20110143310A1
• Filed: 12/15/2010
• Published: 06/16/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Original Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Hunter, Ian W.
• Application Number:
  US12/969,448
• Publication Number:
  US 20110143310A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 433/89
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/024 with constant liquid flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 19/063 Medicament applicators for teeth or gums, e.g. treatment with fluorides

Abstract

A method of surface treatment includes sensing a surface condition and controlling ejection of a fluid jet against the surface to treat the surface based on the sensed condition. The fluid may be a liquid and may be carried in a self-contained reservoir in a handle of a fluid ejection device. The liquid can be a cleansing solution and may contain cleaning particles. The ejection can be controlled to clean a part of the surface at high pressure and to reduce pressure applied to another part of the surface, for example, to clean the surface. The method may further include automatically scanning the fluid jet relative to a handle of an injection device. In an embodiment, the fluid is ejected by means of a fluid ejector comprising a stationary magnet assembly providing a magnetic field and a coil assembly, slidably disposed with respect to the magnet assembly, the coil assembly driving ejection of the fluid jet. Sensing the surface condition can include measuring a response of the surface to a mechanical perturbation and may include sensing an acoustic signal reflected from the surface. The mechanical perturbation can include applied force and the measured response can include deformation of the surface. The method may further include mechanically disturbing the surface with the fluid jet. A surface treatment device includes a fluid ejector that ejects fluid against a surface and a servo controller controlling pressure of ejected fluid in response to a sensed surface condition. The fluid jet can have a diameter of less than 500 microns, a peak relative pressure of at least 1 kilopascal and velocity of at least 1 meter per second.

Claims

1. A method of surface treatment comprising:

sensing a surface condition; and

controlling ejection of a fluid jet against a surface to treat the surface based on the sensed condition.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the fluid is liquid.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the fluid is carried in a self-contained reservoir in a handle of a fluid ejection device.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the reservoir is less than 100 milliliters.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the liquid is a cleansing solution.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein the liquid contains cleaning particles.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the jet is of a diameter of less than 500 microns.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the jet is of a diameter of less than 200 microns.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the ejection is controlled at a bandwidth of at least 10 hertz.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the ejection is controlled at a bandwidth of at least 50 hertz.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the ejection is controlled at a bandwidth of at least 100 hertz.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the ejection is controlled at a bandwidth of at least 1 kilohertz.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the fluid is ejected at a peak relative pressure of at least 1 kilopascal.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the fluid is ejected at a peak relative pressure of at least 100 kilopascals.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the fluid is ejected at velocity of at least 1 meter per second.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the fluid is ejected at velocity of at least 10 meters per second.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the ejection is controlled to clean a part of the surface at high pressure and to reduce pressure applied to another part of the surface.

18. The method of claim 17 to clean the surface.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein less than 100 milliliters of liquid is ejected per cleaning session.

20. The method of claim 1 further comprising automatically scanning the fluid jet relative to a handle of an injection device.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein the fluid is ejected by means of a fluid ejector comprising a stationary magnet assembly providing a magnetic field and a coil assembly, slidably disposed with respect to the magnet assembly, the coil assembly driving ejection of the fluid jet.

22. The method of claim 1 wherein sensing the surface condition comprises measuring a response of the surface to a mechanical perturbation.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the mechanical perturbation comprises applied force and the measured response comprises deformation of the surface.

24. The method of claim 22 further comprising mechanically disturbing the surface with the fluid jet.

25. The method of claim 22 wherein measuring a response comprises measuring pressure of the fluid.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein measuring pressure comprises sensing strain of a fluid reservoir.

27. The method of claim 25 wherein measuring pressure comprises sensing position of an actuator driving the ejection of the fluid.

28. The method of claim 1 wherein sensing the surface condition comprises generating an acoustic signal and sensing the acoustic signal reflected from the surface.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein the acoustic signal travels through the fluid jet.

30. The method of claim 28 wherein the acoustic signal is sensed using a piezo-electric transducer.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein the acoustic signal is generated and sensed using a piezo-electric transducer.

32. The method of claim 28 wherein the acoustic signal comprises a stochastic signal.

33. The method of claim 28 wherein sensing the surface condition further comprises measuring surface deformation with applied force using the sensed acoustic signal.

34. The method of claim 33 wherein the force is applied using the fluid jet.

35. The method of claim 1 further comprising sensing motion of a fluid ejector and controlling the ejection of the fluid jet based on the sensed motion.

36. The method of surface treatment comprising:

ejecting a fluid jet against a surface, the jet having a diameter of less than 500 microns, a peak relative pressure of at least 1 kilopascal and velocity of at least 1 meter per second.

37. The method of claim 36 wherein the fluid is liquid.

38. The method of claim 37 wherein the fluid is carried in a self-contained reservoir in a handle of a fluid ejection device.

39. The method of claim 38 wherein the reservoir is less than 100 milliliters.

40. The method of claim 36 wherein the jet is of a diameter of less than 200 microns.

41. The method of claim 36 wherein the fluid is ejected at a peak relative pressure of at least 100 kilopascals.

42. The method of claim 36 wherein the fluid is ejected at velocity of at least 10 meters per second.

43. The method of claim 36 wherein the fluid jet is controlled at a bandwidth of at least 10 hertz.

44. The method of claim 36 wherein the fluid jet is controlled at a bandwidth of at least 50 hertz.

45. The method of claim 36 wherein the fluid jet is controlled at a bandwidth of at least 100 hertz.

46. The method of claim 36 wherein the fluid jet is controlled at a bandwidth of at least 1 kilohertz.

47. The method of claim 36 for removing any combination of grime, grease, lime scale, bacterial film and mildew from the surface.

48. The method of claim 36 further comprising automatically scanning the fluid jet relative to a handle of an injection device.

49. The method of claim 36 wherein the fluid is ejected by means of a fluid ejector comprising a stationary magnet assembly providing a magnetic field and a coil assembly, slidably disposed with respect to the magnet assembly, the coil assembly driving ejection of the fluid jet.

50. A hand-held surface treatment device comprising:

a housing configured to be held on hand;

a fluid ejector positioned at an end of the housing that ejects fluid against a surface in a scanning movement relative to the housing.

51. The device of claim 50 wherein the fluid is liquid.

52. The device of claim 51 further comprising a self-contained reservoir of the liquid in the housing.

53. The device of claim 52 wherein the reservoir is less than 100 milliliters.

54. The device of claim 50 wherein the scan is greater than 1 millimeter.

55. The device of claim 50 further comprising a servo controller controlling pressure of ejected fluid in response to a sensed surface condition.

56. The device of claim 55 wherein the sensed surface condition comprises a mechanical property of the surface.

57. The device of claim 55 further comprising a pressure sensor that senses pressure of the fluid in the ejector.

58. The device of claim 57 wherein the pressure sensor comprises a strain gauge that senses strain of a reservoir of the ejector.

59. The device of claim 57 wherein the pressure sensor comprises a position sensor that senses position of an actuator driving the ejection of the fluid.

60. The device of claim 50 further comprising a distance sensor that senses distance of the ejector from the surface.

61. The device of claim 60 wherein the distance sensor comprises a piezo-electric transducer and the distance is sensed using an acoustic signal.

62. The device of claim 50 further comprising a servo controller controlling pressure of ejected fluid in response to a sensed motion of the ejector.

63. A method of surface treatment comprising:

ejecting a fluid jet against a surface; and

scanning the fluid jet relative to a handle of an injection device.

64. The method of claim 63 wherein the fluid is liquid.

65. The method of claim 63 further comprising controlling pressure of ejected fluid based on a sensed surface condition.

66. The method of claim 63 further comprising controlling pressure of ejected fluid based on a sensed motion of the injection device.

67. The method of claim 63 for removing any combination of grime, grease, lime scale, bacterial film and mildew from the surface.

68. A surface treatment device comprising a fluid ejector that ejects a fluid jet against a surface, the jet having a diameter of less than 500 microns, a peak relative pressure of at least 1 kilopascal and velocity of at least 1 meter per second.

69. The device of claim 68 wherein the fluid is liquid.

70. The device of claim 69 further comprising a housing configured to be held on hand, the fluid ejector being positioned at an end of the housing.

71. The device of claim 70 further comprising a self-contained reservoir of the liquid in the housing.

72. The device of claim 71 wherein the reservoir is less than 100 milliliters.

73. The device of claim 68 further comprising a servo controller controlling pressure of ejected fluid in response to a sensed surface condition.

74. The device of claim 73 wherein the sensed surface condition comprises a mechanical property of the surface.

75. The device of claim 73 further comprising a pressure sensor that senses pressure of the fluid in the ejector, and wherein the surface condition is sensed based on the sensed pressure.

76. The device of claim 73 further comprising an acoustic transducer that senses an acoustic signal reflected off the surface, and wherein the surface condition is sensed based on the reflected acoustic signal.

77. A surface treatment device comprising:

a fluid ejector that ejects fluid against a surface to treat the surface; and

a servo controller controlling pressure of ejected fluid in response to a sensed surface condition.

78. The device of claim 77 wherein the fluid is liquid.

79. The device of claim 77 wherein the sensed surface condition comprises a mechanical property of the surface.

80. The device of claim 77 further comprising a pressure sensor that senses pressure of the fluid in the ejector, and wherein the surface condition is sensed based on the sensed pressure.

81. The device of claim 77 further comprising an acoustic transducer that senses an acoustic signal reflected off the surface, and wherein the surface condition is sensed based on the reflected acoustic signal.