Micro Fluidic Oscillator Nozzle for Viscous Fluid Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fluidic oscillator-equipped nozzle assemblies are ineffective in spraying cold, viscous fluids at low flow and pressure, requiring large package sizes and failing to provide adequate coverage and cleaning performance, especially in limited space automotive applications.
Innovation Solution
A micro-sized nozzle assembly with a compact package size (3 mm x 3 mm x 7 mm) that uses a housing with internal fluid passages and a rectangular insert to create opposing fluid jets, which interact to generate oscillating flow vortices and produce a uniform spray fan with a wide angle (15°-80°) and low flow rate (50-350 ml/min at 22 psi), suitable for use with cold viscous fluids.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional fluidic oscillator nozzles are used to spray cold viscous fluids, then spray coverage and velocity are improved, but package size must be large (at least 6 mm linear distance)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent embeds the fluidic oscillator circuit within the nozzle housing itself, nesting the fluid manipulation components inside the structural housing rather than requiring separate external components. This integration allows the entire fluidic oscillator assembly to fit within a compact 3mm x 3mm x 7mm package while maintaining the oscillating spray function for effective cold fluid coverage
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from traditional linear fluidic circuit arrangements to a three-dimensional integrated structure where the fluidic oscillator is embedded within the housing volume. By utilizing vertical stacking and internal cavity optimization, the design achieves oscillating spray performance in a compact footprint that reduces the linear distance requirement from 6mm to just 7mm total length
2Volume of moving object
If jet spray nozzles are used to reduce package size, then package size is reduced, but spray pattern becomes narrow and cleaning effectiveness decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a fluidic oscillator that dynamically switches the spray direction between left and right nozzles, creating an oscillating spray pattern. This dynamic operation allows a compact nozzle to achieve wide effective coverage by rapidly alternating between spray directions, effectively replacing the need for a physically large stationary spray pattern while maintaining cleaning effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The fluidic oscillator creates periodic oscillations in the spray pattern, alternating between left and right spray directions at high frequency. This periodic action enables a small package size to achieve the coverage of a larger nozzle by temporally distributing the spray across a wider area, maintaining cleaning effectiveness through repeated passover of the spray pattern
3Ease of operation
If traditional nozzles are used for camera lens cleaning, then cleaning function is provided, but aesthetic appearance is compromised due to visible nozzle
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the nozzle assembly with the camera housing by integrating the fluidic oscillator and spray nozzles directly into the camera body structure. The nozzle components are concealed within the housing, making them invisible from the exterior while maintaining full cleaning functionality through the oscillating spray pattern that reaches the lens surface
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The micro nozzle assembly achieves effective and economical spray performance in small automotive applications, including camera lens and sensor cleaning, with improved spray distribution and coverage, while maintaining a small size that integrates seamlessly into vehicle designs without impairing aesthetic or functional aspects.
Implementation Method 1
fluidic oscillator-equipped spray assemblies
Implementation Method 2
interact to generate oscillating flow vortices and produce a uniform spray fan
Data Source
AI summary
A micro-sized structure and construction method for a fluidic oscillator wash or spray nozzle (100 or 250) has a nozzle housing (110 or 252) enclosing an interior cavity (112 or 262) which receives an insert (114 or 254) having internal fluid passages defining first and second power nozzles (120, 122 or 280, 282). The power nozzles receive pressurized fluid (130) flowing through the interior cavity of the housing, where the fluid flows into the cavity at the bottom of the housing and flows upwardly to inlets (140, 142) for the power nozzles so that accelerating first and second fluid flows are aimed by the power nozzles toward one another in an interaction region (154 or 284) which exhausts laterally along a spray axis through a horn-shaped throat defined partly within the insert and partly within the flared spray outlet orifice (160 or 290) defined through the sidewall (162) in the housing.