Vibrating element liquid discharging apparatus having gas pressure sensing
First Claim
1. A method for use with a discharging means discharging a fluid substance into a receiving gas, said method determining the pressure of the receiving gas, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) placing the discharging means in fluid communication with the receiving gas so that a bidirectional mechanical-electrical conversion element is subjected to mechanical loading responsive to the gas pressure of the receiving gas, the element mechanically vibrating responsive to the application of alternating electrical energization to the element, the element having an admittance, the admittance of the element at a given frequency of alternating electrical energization being alterable by a mechanical loading of the element;
(b) applying alternating electrical energization to the element at a selected frequency;
(c) subjecting the element to mechanical loading responsive to the pressure of the receiving gas;
(d) measuring the admittance exhibited by the element in the loaded condition when energized by the electrical energization of the selected frequency; and
(e) determining the difference between the admittance measured in step (d) and another value as an indication of the pressure of the receiving gas.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A nebulizer determines the pressure and flow direction of the receiving gas for atomized liquid. A member of the apparatus is subjected to pressure exerted by the gas. The member is coupled to a bi-directional mechanical-electrical conversion element, such as a piezoelectric element, to form a pressure transducer. The member exerts a mechanical loading on the element responsive to the gas pressure to which it is subjected. In one embodiment, the element mechanically vibrates responsive to alternating electrical energization to discharge the liquid into the gas. The electrical admittance of the element is alterable by the mechanical loading applied to the element by the member. The difference between admittances measured in the loaded condition of the element and in an unloaded condition at the selected energization frequency is an indication of the pressure of the gas. By observing whether the magnitude of the admittance in the loaded state is greater or less than that in the unloaded state, the flow direction of the gas may also be determined. Or the flow direction may be determined by observing the changes in admittance as the frequency of the electrical energization is varied. In another embodiment, the piezoelectric element is not energized. The electrical output of the element, when subjected to a mechanical loading from the gas pressure, is used to detect gas pressures and/or as an indication of the gas pressure.
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Citations
87 Claims
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1. A method for use with a discharging means discharging a fluid substance into a receiving gas, said method determining the pressure of the receiving gas, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) placing the discharging means in fluid communication with the receiving gas so that a bidirectional mechanical-electrical conversion element is subjected to mechanical loading responsive to the gas pressure of the receiving gas, the element mechanically vibrating responsive to the application of alternating electrical energization to the element, the element having an admittance, the admittance of the element at a given frequency of alternating electrical energization being alterable by a mechanical loading of the element;
(b) applying alternating electrical energization to the element at a selected frequency;
(c) subjecting the element to mechanical loading responsive to the pressure of the receiving gas;
(d) measuring the admittance exhibited by the element in the loaded condition when energized by the electrical energization of the selected frequency; and
(e) determining the difference between the admittance measured in step (d) and another value as an indication of the pressure of the receiving gas. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 86)
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33. A method for use with a discharging means discharging a fluid substance into a receiving gas, said method determining the flow direction of the receiving gas, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) placing the discharging means in fluid communication with the receiving gas so that a bidirectional mechanical-electrical conversion element is subjected to mechanical loading responsive to the gas pressure of the receiving gas, the element mechanically vibrating responsive to the application of alternating electrical energization to the element, the element having an admittance, the admittance of the element at a given frequency of alternating electrical energization being alterable by a mechanical loading of the element, opposite directions of flow of the receiving gas subjecting the element to differing pressures and exerting differing mechanical loading on the element;
(b) applying alternating electrical energization to the element at a selected frequency;
(c) subjecting the element to mechanical loading responsive to the pressure of the receiving gas;
(d) measuring the admittance exhibited by the element in the loaded condition when energized by the electrical energization of the selected frequency;
(e) altering frequency of the alternating electrical energization applied to the element to a frequency higher or lower than that applied in step (b);
(f) measuring the admittance exhibited by the element in the loaded condition when energized by the electrical energization of altered frequency;
(g) using the relative magnitudes of the admittances measured in steps (d) and (f) and the direction of the frequency shift in alternating electrical energization to determine the nature of the mechanical loading on the element and the direction of flow of the receiving gas.
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34. A method for use with a discharging means discharging a fluid substance into a receiving gas, said method determining the flow direction of the receiving gas, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) placing the discharging means in fluid communication with the receiving gas so that a bidirectional mechanical-electrical conversion element is subjected to mechanical loading responsive to the gas pressure of the receiving gas, the element mechanically vibrating responsive to the application of alternating electrical energization to the element, the element having an admittance, the admittance of the element at a given frequency of alternating electrical energization being alterable by a mechanical loading of the element, opposite directions of flow of the receiving gas subjecting the element member to differing pressures and exerting differing mechanical loading on the element;
(b) applying alternating electrical energization to the element at a selected frequency;
(c) measuring the admittance exhibited by the element in an unloaded condition when energized by the electrical energization of the selected frequency;
(d) subjecting the element to mechanical loading responsive to the pressure of the receiving gas;
(e) measuring the admittance exhibited by the element in the loaded condition when energized by the electrical energization of the selected frequency;
(f) comparing the admittance obtained in step (c) with the admittance obtained in step (e) to determine the relative magnitude of the measured admittances; and
(g) determining from the relative magnitudes of the measured admittances, the direction of flow of the receiving gas. - View Dependent Claims (35)
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36. Apparatus for discharging a fluid substance into a receiving gas, said apparatus determining the pressure of the receiving gas, and comprising:
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(a) fluid discharging means in fluid communication with the receiving gas, said discharging means having a bidirectional mechanical-electrical conversion element subjected to mechanical loading responsive to the gas pressure of the receiving gas, the element mechanically vibrating responsive to the application of alternating electrical energization to the element, the element having an admittance, the admittance of the element at a given frequency of alternating electrical energization being alterable by a mechanical loading of the element;
(b) means for measuring the admittance exhibited by said element, the admittance exhibited by said element being measured at a selected frequency of alternating electrical energization when said element is subject to a mechanical loading; and
(c) means for comparing the measured the admittance of said element when subjected to a mechanical loading with another value to provide an indication of the pressure of the receiving gas. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 87)
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56. Apparatus for discharging a fluid substance into a receiving gas, said apparatus determining the flow direction of the receiving gas, and comprising:
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(a) fluid discharging means in fluid communication with the receiving gas, said discharging means having a bidirectional mechanical-electrical conversion element subjected to mechanical loading responsive to the gas pressure of the receiving gas, the element mechanically vibrating responsive to the application of alternating electrical energization to the element, the element having an admittance, the admittance of the element at a given frequency of alternating electrical energization being alterable by a mechanical loading of the element;
(b) means for measuring the admittance exhibited by said element, the admittance exhibited by said element being measured at a selected frequency of alternating electrical energization in the unloaded condition, said means measuring the admittance of said element at a frequency higher or lower than the selected frequency when said element is subjected to a mechanical loading; and
(c) means for comparing the measured admittance of said element when said element is in the unloaded condition and the admittance of said element when said element is subjected to a mechanical loading to provide an indication of the flow direction of the receiving gas.
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57. Apparatus for discharging a fluid substance into a receiving gas, said apparatus determining the flow direction of the receiving gas, and comprising:
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(a) fluid discharging means in fluid communication with the receiving gas, said discharging means having a bidirectional mechanical-electrical conversion element, a pressure transducer including said element having a resonance frequency at which the admittance of the element has a peak value, the element being subjected to a mechanical loading responsive to the gas pressure of the receiving gas, the element mechanically vibrating responsive to the application of alternating electrical energization to the element, the element having an admittance, the alternating electrical energization to the element being at a frequency other than the resonance frequency, the admittance of the element at a given frequency of alternating electrical energization being alterable by a mechanical loading of the element;
(b) means for measuring the admittance exhibited by said element, the admittance exhibited by said element being measured in the unloaded condition and when said element is subjected to a mechanical loading on cud element; and
(c) means for comparing the measured admittance of said element when said element is in the unloaded condition and the admittance of said element when said element is subjected to mechanical loading to provide an indication of the flow direction of the receiving gas.
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58. A method for use with a discharging means discharging a fluid substance into a receiving gas, said method detecting the pressure of the receiving gas, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) placing the discharging means in fluid communication with the receiving gas so that a bidirectional mechanical-electrical conversion element is subjected to a mechanical loading on said element responsive to the gas pressure of the receiving gas;
(b) subjecting the element to mechanical loading responsive to the pressure of the receiving gas; and
(c) measuring an electrical output of the element in the loaded condition. - View Dependent Claims (59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72)
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73. Apparatus for discharging a fluid substance into a receiving gas, said apparatus detecting the pressure of the receiving gas, and comprising:
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(a) fluid discharging means in fluid communication with the receiving gas, said discharging means having a bidirectional mechanical-electrical conversion element subjected to a mechanical loading responsive to the gas pressure of the receiving gas; and
(b) means for measuring an electrical output of said element to detect the pressure of the receiving gas. - View Dependent Claims (74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85)
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Specification