초록 ▼

An apparatus and method for the production of small, uniform sized droplets. The apparatus is a droplet generator including a housing defining a chamber for holding a material to be ejected therefrom, an inlet and a droplet outlet communicating with the chamber. The housing is coupled to a pressuriz

An apparatus and method for the production of small, uniform sized droplets. The apparatus is a droplet generator including a housing defining a chamber for holding a material to be ejected therefrom, an inlet and a droplet outlet communicating with the chamber. The housing is coupled to a pressurizing system connected to the inlet for applying pressure pulses to the chamber. The housing includes a vent in communication with the chamber for relieving pressure in the chamber. The vent has an effective size so that during application of the pressure pulse the chamber is pressurized to a pressure effective to eject a droplet of the material therefrom and thereafter the chamber is vented through the vent at a rate sufficient to prevent further discharge of droplets. The droplet generator produces molten metal or alloy droplets and is particularly suitable for generating single droplets on demand in manufacturing techniques using droplet deposition. It is also useful for production of spherical microspheres and uniform sized powders, and dispensing of precise quantities of materials such as adhesives and pharmaceuticals.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An apparatus for generating and ejecting droplets therefrom, comprising:a) a housing enclosing a chamber for holding a material to be ejected therefrom, a gas inlet and an outlet passageway communicating with said chamber; b) pressurizing means connected to said gas inlet for pressure pulsing sai

1. An apparatus for generating and ejecting droplets therefrom, comprising:a) a housing enclosing a chamber for holding a material to be ejected therefrom, a gas inlet and an outlet passageway communicating with said chamber; b) pressurizing means connected to said gas inlet for pressure pulsing said chamber with a gas for forcefully ejecting at least one droplet through said outlet passageway; and c) pressure relief means for relieving pressure in said chamber sufficiently rapidly to avoid ejection of further droplets from said chamber to provide control of a number of droplets ejected from said chamber through said outlet passageway.