Appeal No. 2004-0551 Page 12
Application No. 09/393,256
Teachings of Kurokawa
Kurokawa's invention relates generally to an ultrasonic vibrator horn, and
particularly to an ultrasonic vibrator horn for use with ultrasonic atomizing apparatus for
atomizing liquid, such atomizing apparatus including industrial and non-industrial liquid
atomizing apparatus employed with gasoline engines, diesel engines, gas turbines and
various combustors such as industrial, commercial and domestic boilers. One
embodiment of the ultrasonic vibrator horn for an ultrasonic atomizer is illustrated in
Figure 1A. As shown, the ultrasonic vibrator horn 9 is connected at its one axial end to
an electroacoustic transducer 1 which forms part of an ultrasonic vibration generating
means. The other axially forward end portion 5 of the horn at which atomization of
liquid fuel fed from a fuel feed pipe 3 to the horn takes place when the horn is driven by
the vibration generating means is formed into a conical shape. The horn further has
one or more circumferentially spaced longitudinal grooves 7 formed in its outer
periphery. The groove 7 communicates with the forward end portion 5 for receiving
liquid fuel from the feed pipe 3 and directing the same to the end portion 5. The groove
7 is shown as being inclined progressively towards the central axis of the horn as it
proceeds towards the forward end 5, but the groove may extend parallel to the central
axis of the horn 9 and there may be provided a plurality of grooves. The groove 7 may
be either V-shaped in cross-section as shown in Figure 1B, or U-shaped as shown in
Figure 1C, or channel-shaped as shown in Figure 1D.
Page: Previous 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Next
Last modified: November 3, 2007