Oscillating high energy density output mechanism

• US 6,648,242 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2001
• Issued: 11/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Advanced Systems Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Advanced Systems Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Rogers, Thomas W., Mitchell, Clifford V., Weatherly, Garry W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Dinh Q.
• Application Number:
  US09/783,473
• Publication Number:
  US 20020109017A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,007 Days
• Field of Search: 239/223, 239/225.1, 239/231, 239/237, 239/240, 239/244, 239/245, 239/255, 239/260, 239/261, 239/263.3, 239/264, 239/380
• US Class Current: 239/227
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 3/00 Spraying or sprinkling apparatus with moving outlet elements or moving deflecting elements
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 3/02 with rotating elements electric spraying discharge apparatus characterised by having rotary outlet or deflecting elements B05B5/04
• CPC Class Codes: B24C 3/04 stationary

Abstract

A mechanism that steers a high energy density output(s) in a shaking motion other than a rotating motion that when translated across a surface evenly affects the surface. One application can be used as an end effector. A pivot on the mechanism induces an angular motion that eliminates the tops and bottoms of the pattern produced by the shaking motion. As a waterjet stripping mechanism which may be an end effector, a nozzle or output manifold with one or more orifices or outputs is attached to a non-rotating tube eccentrically mounted within a rotating tube that shakes the nozzle or output manifold so as to direct the stream of water to the target in a skewed circular pattern.

Claims

1. Mechanism that maneuvers one or more small high energy density outputs for working a surface of a substrate including a housing, said housing producing a shaking motion to said one or more small high energy density outputs so as to be linear in one or more directions to allow any combination of two dimensional motions of said one or more small high energy density outputs including straight lines, circles or any Lissajous figure pattern, at least one of said small high energy motions being circular and an actuator for moving said housing to create a skewed motion of the circle produced thereby and said housing being moved at a fixed rate, and said output is a waterjet.

2. Mechanism that maneuvers one or more high energy density outputs for working the surface of a substrate including a housing having a bore, a rotating tube mounted in said bore around a fixed axial axis, a fixed hollow tube mounted in said rotating tube about a different axial axis, drive mechanism to rotate the rotating tube at a given rotational speed so as to shake the fixed hollow tube at a given shake pattern, an energy receiving device having said one or more output devices mounted on said fixed hollow tube whereby said energy receiving device is imparted a shaking motion and said energy receiving device discharging the energy to a target for working the surface of the substrate.

3. Mechanism that maneuvers one or more high energy density outputs for working the surface of a substrate as claimed in claim 2 including a pivot, said mechanism mounted on said pivot so as to pivot the fixed hollow tube and the rotating tube in an oscillating movement at predetermined periods of time so as to impart an angular movement thereto so as skew the shake pattern.

4. Mechanism that maneuvers one or more high energy density outputs for working the surface of a substrate as claimed in claim 3 wherein said housing includes a fore end and an aft end, said rotating tube extending beyond said fore end, a pulley or gear mounted on said fore end and being affixed to said rotating tube, a driving mechanism including an interconnection for driving said driving mechanism and said rotating tube, and bearing in said bore supporting said rotating tube.

5. Mechanism that maneuvers one or more high energy density outputs for working the surface of a substrate as claimed in claim 4 wherein said rotating tube is subjected to thrust loads, said rotating tube having a fore end and an aft end, said rotating tube includes a flange portion carried at a location intermediate said fore end and said aft end and extending in an enlarged diameter of said bore, thrust bearings supporting said flange to absorb a thrust load imparted to said rotating tube.

6. Mechanism that maneuvers one or more high energy density outputs for working the surface of a substrate as claimed in claim 5 wherein said fixed tube extends beyond said rotating tube, a collar affixed to said fixed tube mounted adjacent to said rotating tube and a thrust washer surrounding said fixed tube and being mounted between said collar and said rotating tube for securing said rotating tube in a fixed axial position relative to said fixed tube.

7. Mechanism that maneuvers one or more high energy density outputs for working the surface of a substrate as claimed in claim 6 including a bottom plate, a trunnion support member sandwiching said housing and defining said pivot, said pivot connecting said housing to said bottom plate, opposing bumpers mounted on said bottom plate and located so that said housing abuts opposing bumpers as said housing oscillates about said pivot when said pulley or gear is being rotated.

8. Mechanism that maneuvers one or more high energy density outputs for working the surface of a substrate as claimed in claim 7 wherein said driving mechanism includes a second pulley or gear eccentrically mounted relative to said pulley and a belt made from a resilient material interconnecting said second pulley or gear and said pulley or gear to cause said housing to oscillate about said pivot.

9. Mechanism that maneuvers one or more high energy density outputs for working the surface of a substrate as claimed in claim 8 wherein said rotating tube extends beyond said aft portion of said housing, a hand wheel affixed to said rotating tube at the juncture where said rotating tube extends beyond said aft portion so as to manually rotate said rotating tube.

10. A waterjet oscillating mechanism for producing an ultra high energy stream of water aimed at a target intended to be treated comprising a housing, a fixed tube extending through a through bore in said housing and having one end connected to a source of an ultra high energy water and the opposite end communicating with an output and being disposed along a central axis, a rotating tube surrounding said fixed tube disposed in said bore and disposed along a different but parallel axis, bearings means for supporting said fixed tube inside said rotating tube and supporting said rotating tube in said bore and said rotating tube being rotatable relative to said housing and said fixed tube, and means for imparting rotary motion to said rotating tube and means for directing ultra high energy stream of water from said source, though said fixed tube, through said output in a predefined pattern to the target for stripping material from a substrate.

11. A waterjet oscillating mechanism for producing an ultra high energy stream of water aimed at a target intended to be treated as claimed in claim 10 including a bottom plate being attached to said housing by a pivot for pivotally supporting said housing, diametrically opposed bumpers mounted on said bottom plate, said housing being oscillated about said pivot to alternately bump up against said diametrically opposed bumpers to change the pattern of said ultra high energy stream of water.

12. A waterjet oscillating mechanism for producing an ultra high energy stream of water aimed at a target intended to be treated as claimed in claim 11 wherein said housing having a fore end and an aft end, said rotating tube extends beyond the fore end of said housing and said fixed tube extends beyond said rotating tube extending beyond said fore end, a collar affixed to said fixed tube for affixing said rotating tube in said bore of said housing.

13. A waterjet oscillating mechanism for producing an ultra high energy stream of water aimed at a target intended to be treated as claimed in claim 12 wherein said bearing means supporting said fixed tube inside said rotating tube is journal bearings and for supporting said rotating tube to be rotatable relative to said fixed tube and said housing is needle bearings.

14. A waterjet oscillating mechanism for producing an ultra high energy stream of water aimed at a target intended to be treated as claimed in claim 13 wherein said fixed tube and said hollow tube extend beyond the aft end of said housing, and a thrust washer disposed on said fixed tube adjacent to said aft end of said rotating tube for supporting said rotating tube.

15. A waterjet oscillating mechanism for producing an ultra high energy stream of water aimed at a target intended to be treated as claimed in claim 14 wherein said means for imparting rotary motion includes a drive pulley and a driven pulley, said driven pulley being affixed to said rotating tube and said drive pulley being driven by a motor and a drive belt interconnecting said drive pulley and said driven pulley.

16. A waterjet oscillating mechanism for producing an ultra high energy stream of water aimed at a target intended to be treated as claimed in claim 15 wherein said drive belt subjected to vary levels of force, said drive pulley being eccentrically mounted relative to said driven pulley to cause said drive belt to vary the level of force between said drive pulley and said driven pulley so as to cause said housing to oscillate about said pivot.

17. A waterjet oscillating mechanism for producing an ultra high energy stream of water aimed at a target intended to be treated as claimed in claim 16 including a hand wheel connected to said rotating tube at the aft end of said housing for rotating said tube when said motor is inoperative condition.

18. A waterjet oscillating mechanism for producing an ultra high energy stream of water aimed at a target intended to be treated as claimed in claim 17 wherein said rotating tube includes a flange extending in an increased diameter portion of said bore and thrust bearings adapted to absorb thrust loads mounted in said increased diameter to bear against said flange to absorb thrust loads imposed by the high energy stream of water.

19. A waterjet oscillating mechanism for producing an ultra high energy stream of water aimed at a target intended to be treated comprising a housing, a fixed tube extending through a through bore in said housing and having one end connected to a source of an ultra high energy water and the opposite end communicating with an output and being disposed along a central axis, a rotating tube surrounding said fixed tube disposed in said bore and disposed along a different but parallel axis, bearings for supporting said fixed tube inside said rotating tube and supporting said rotating tube in said bore and said rotating tube being rotatable relative to said housing and said fixed tube, and means for imparting rotary motion to said rotating tube and means for directing ultra high energy stream of water from said source, though said fixed tube, through said output in a predefined pattern to the target for stripping material from a substrate, a bottom plate being attached to said housing by a pivot for pivotally supporting said housing, diametrically opposed bumpers mounted on said bottom plate, said housing being oscillated about said pivot to alternately bump up against said diametrically opposed bumpers to change the pattern of said ultra high energy stream of water.

20. A waterjet oscillating mechanism for producing an ultra high energy stream of water aimed at a target intended to be treated as claimed in claim 19 wherein said housing includes a fore end and an aft end, said rotating tube extends beyond said fore end of said housing and said fixed tube extends beyond said rotating tube and said fore end, a collar affixed to said fixed tube for affixing said rotating tube in said bore of said housing.

21. A waterjet oscillating mechanism for producing an ultra high energy stream of water aimed at a target intended to be treated as claimed in claim 20 wherein said bearing means supporting said fixed tube inside said rotating tube is journal bearings and for supporting said rotating tube to be rotatable relative to said fixed tube and said housing is needle bearings.

22. A waterjet oscillating mechanism for producing an ultra high energy stream of water aimed at a target intended to be treated as claimed in claim 21 wherein said fixed tube and said hollow tube extend beyond said aft end of said housing, and thrust washer disposed on said fixed tube for supporting said rotating tube.

23. A waterjet oscillating mechanism for producing an ultra high energy stream of water aimed at a target intended to be treated as claimed in claim 22 wherein said means for imparting rotary motion includes a drive pulley and a driven pulley, said driven pulley being affixed to said rotating tube and said drive pulley being driven by a motor and a drive belt interconnecting said drive pulley and said driven pulley.

24. A waterjet oscillating mechanism for producing an ultra high energy stream of water aimed at a target intended to be treated as claimed in claim 23 wherein said drive belt is subjected to varying levels of force, said drive pulley being eccentrically mounted relative to said driven pulley to cause said drive belt to vary the level of force between said drive pulley and said driven pulley so as to cause said housing to oscillate about said pivot.

25. A waterjet oscillating mechanism for producing an ultra high energy stream of water aimed at a target intended to be treated as claimed in claim 24 including a hand wheel connected to said rotating tube at the aft end of said housing for rotating said tube when said motor is inoperative condition.

26. A waterjet oscillating mechanism for producing an ultra high energy stream of water aimed at a target intended to be treated as claimed in claim 25 wherein said rotating tube includes a flange extending in an increased diameter portion of said bore and thrust bearings adapted to absorb thrust loads mounted in said increased diameter to bear against said flange to absorb thrust loads imposed by the high energy stream of water.

27. An end effector including an output manifold having one or more outlets for impinging water on a surface intended to be treated at a predefined pattern, waterjet oscillating mechanism for producing an ultra high energy stream of water to flow through said one or more outlets aimed at a target intended to be treated comprising a housing, a fixed tube extending though a bore in said housing and having one end connected to a source of an ultra high energy water and the opposite end communicating with said output manifold and being disposed along a central axis, a rotating tube surrounding said fixed tube disposed in said bore and disposed along a different but parallel axis, bearing means for supporting said fixed tube inside said rotating tube and supporting said rotating tube in said bore and said rotating tube being rotatable relative to said housing and said fixed tube, and means for imparting rotary motion to said rotating tube and means for directing ultra high energy stream of water from said source, though said fixed tube, though said output manifold and though one or more outlets in a predefined pattern to the target for stripping material from a substrate, a bottom plate being attached to said housing by a pivot for pivotally supporting said housing, diametrically opposed bumpers mounted on said bottom plate, said housing being oscillated about said pivot to alternately bump up against said diametrically opposed bumpers to change the pattern of said ultra high energy stream of water discharging from said output manifold.

28. An end effector including a nozzle having one or more outputs a claimed in claim 27 wherein said housing includes a fore end and an aft end, said rotating tube e ends beyond the fore end of said housing and said fixed tube extends beyond said rotating tube where said rotating tube extends beyond said fore end, a collar affixed to said fixed tube for affixing said rotating tube in said bore of said housing.

29. An end effector including a nozzle having one or more outputs as claimed in claim 28 wherein said bearing means supporting said fixed tube inside said rotating tube is journal bearings and for supporting said rotating tube to be rotatable relative to said fixed tube and said housing is needle bearings.

30. An end effector including a nozzle having one or more outputs a claimed in claim 29 wherein said fixed tube and said hollow tube extend beyond the aft end of said housing, and thrust washer disposed on said fixed tube for supporting said rotating tube.

31. An end effector including a nozzle having one or more outputs as claimed in claim 30 wherein said means for imparting rotary motion includes a drive pulley and a driven pulley, said driven pulley being affixed to said rotating tube and said drive pulley being driven by a motor and a drive belt interconnecting said drive pulley and said driven pulley.

32. An end effector including a nozzle having one or more outputs a claimed in claim 31 wherein said drive belt being subjected to varying levels of force, said drive pulley being eccentrically mounted relative to said driven pulley to cause said drive belt to vary the level of force between said drive pulley and said driven pulley so as to cause said housing to oscillate about said pivot.

33. An end effector including a nozzle having one or more outputs as claimed in claim 32 including a hand wheel connected to said rotating tube at the aft end of said housing for rotating said tube when said motor is inoperative condition.

34. An end effector including a nozzle having one or more outputs as claimed in claim 32 wherein said rotating tube includes a flange extending in an increased diameter portion of said bore and thrust bearings mounted in said increased diameter to bear against said flange to absorb the thrust loads imposed by the high energy stream of water.