US PATENT SUBCLASS 137 / 803
FLOW AFFECTED BY FLUID CONTACT, ENERGY FIELD OR COANDA EFFECT (E.G., PURE FLUID DEVICE OR SYSTEM)

Current as of: June, 1999
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137 /   HD   FLUID HANDLING

803FLOW AFFECTED BY FLUID CONTACT, ENERGY FIELD OR COANDA EFFECT (E.G., PURE FLUID DEVICE OR SYSTEM) {11}
804  DF  .~> Responsive to condition external of system {1}
806  DF  .~> Utilizing diverse fluids
807  DF  .~> Utilizing particular fluid
808  DF  .~> Means to cause rotational flow of fluid (e.g., vortex generator) {4}
814  DF  .~> System comprising plural fluidic devices or stages {1}
822  DF  .~> Plural power inputs to single device {1}
825  DF  .~> Means to regulate or vary operation of device {3}
833  DF  .~> Structure of body of device
834  DF  .~> Device including passages having V over T configuration {5}
841  DF  .~> Device including passages having V over gamma configuration
842  DF  .~> Device including linearly-aligned power stream emitter and power stream collector

DEFINITION

Classification: 137/803

(under the class definition) Subject matter wherein movement of a stream of fluid is controlled by one or more devices, at least one of the devices having the following characteristics:(A) the stream is caused to flow into the device through a passage or along a path of flow, or the stream is caused to flow in a predetermined condition or amount of flow into the device; (B) the stream is caused to flow out of the device through a passage or along a path of flow, and the stream is diverted to flow out of the device through a different passage or along a different path of flow, or the stream is caused to flow in an altered condition or amount of flow out of the device; (C) the diversion of alteration (referred to in (B) above) is caused by one or more of the following,(1) direct contact of at least one other stream of fluid with the inflow stream, or (2) application of an energy field directly to the inflow stream, or (3) application of the Coanda effect.

(1) Note. Devices known in the art as "pure fluid devices" or "fluid amplifiers" and which act to control or vary high energy flows by relatively low energy flow or fields are here included.

(2) Note. The phenomenon known as the Coanda effect occurs when a jet of fluid is injected into a wide container and due to some disturbance in flow or shape of the container the jet stream moves to one wall or other of the container and continues to flow along that wall. As long as the flow is not otherwise disturbed the flow remains "locked" onto the wall of the container. Patents having claims directed to subject matter involving this effect will be found in this subclass even though no means is claimed to provide for an additional control of the stream by another stream or an energy field.

(3) Note. As a general rule, the device of this and indented subclasses have no moving parts for effecting the control function. Necessary exceptions to the "no-moving-parts" rule are in the use of valves to regulate the amount or direction of control input fluid, or in the use

of mechanism to cause the generation of control input energy field, or in the use of a surface or element extending generally along or adjacent the path of any of the streams in the device, which surface or element is moved to cause a diversion or variance of the power output relative to the power input by the "Canada" or "locking" effect referred to in (2) Note above. See subclasses 829+ for devices referred to herein.

(4) Note. Line between Class 235 subclass 200+ and Class 137 subclasses 803+. Patents in Class 235 subclasses 200 and 201 were screened for inclusion into these subclasses (803+) as original patents. Those patents having structural characteristics of a fluidic device as defined in this subclass (803) and/or provided for in the subclasses hereunder were transferred into the appropriate subclasses in accordance with their structure. The functional characteristics of said patents were further indexed into the coordinate index dual system in accordance with their named function(s). Patents claiming significant computer structure or function were excluded from Class 137 and were retained in Class 235. Examples of what is "not significant" and "significant" will help to clarify the line dividing the classes. The mere statement in a claim of "a binary counter" or "a half-adder", or "converter" comprising one or more fluidic devices is "not-significant" (and thus is proper for subclasses 803+) even though the fluidic devices are described by such exemplary fluidic terms as "logic element", "bi-stable or flip-flop element", "and element" (as well as similar "logic" terms) and "amplifier".

Such terms have acquired acceptance in the fluidic arts as well as the electronic and computer arts. However, the further inclusion in such a claim of mathematical functions performed by the circuit, (e.g., "exponential function", "square-root", "integration") or mathematical equations or numerical values of results achieved by the device or circuit, would be "significant" computer terminology, and thus be not proper for Class 137. Note, however that a claimed equation defining the configuration of fluidic passages or walls does not define a mathematical result achieved, thus the patent containing such equation is proper for Class 137; and further note that the specific binary numbers "one" and "zero" define merely conditions of "on" and "off" in a fluidic device, thus the patent containing such numbers is also proper for Class 137. SEE OR SEARCH CLASS

60, Power Plants,

231+, for a reaction motor having fluidic means to deflect the jet stream of the motor.

91, Motors: Expansible Chamber Type,

3, for an expansible chamber motor controlled by a fluidic

device or system.

116, Signals and Indicators, especially

137+, for sound generating apparatus including a fluidic device or system therein.

123, Internal-Combustion Engines, especially

378+, for an engine having a fuel supply and a fluidic device for controlling the fuel supply to thereby regulate the engine speed.

128, Surgery, especially

204.24, for a forced-inhalation respirator having a fluidic device to control the respirator. 138, Pipes and Tubular Conduits, especially

37+, for a flow regulator.

200, Electricity: Circuit Makers and Breakers, especially

81+, for an electric switch actuated by fluid pressure.

235, Registers,

200+, for a computer using a fluidic device or system, and see (5) Note above for a line between Class 235 and Class 137.

239, Fluid Sprinkling, Spraying, and Diffusing, especially

265.19+, 398+, and 533.1 for apparatus having a discharge nozzle from which nozzle a discharge stream issues and the discharge stream is varied, (e.g., as to its direction or amount) by a stream of control fluid, wherein the discharge stream and the control fluid, or the control fluid alone, pass through a fluidic device. The fluidic device, per se, is found in Class 137 subclasses 803+, but the combination of fluidic device and discharge nozzle is properly in Class 239.

251, Valves and Valve Actuation,

12+, for a valve that is actuated by a fluidic device.

261, Gas and Liquid Contact Apparatus, especially

36, for an apparatus having a carburetor for mixing liquid fuel and air to form a fuel vapor, in which carburetor either fluid passes through a fluidic device. 417, Pumps, especially

151+, for a jet pump used for pumping fluid.

For purposes of simplification, the following terms will be used in the definitions hereafter, and the definitions of these used terms will not require repetition in the subclass definitions that follow:

CONTROL INPUT

Stream or energy field, referred to in the subclass definition, (C) (1) and (C) (2) above, that causes the diversion or alteration of the output stream.

PASSAGE

Channel or duct that surrounds and guides a stream of fluid or energy in a desired path or direction.

POWER INPUT

Stream, referred to in the subclass definition, (A), above, that flows into the devices.

POWER OUTPUT

Stream, referred to in in the subclass definition, (B), above, that flows out of the device;