초록 ▼

Examples of a pressure wave generator configured to generate high energy pressure waves in a medium are disclosed. The pressure wave generator can include a sabot carrying a piston. The sabot can further comprise a locking means to lock the piston in a fixed position when the locking means are activ

Examples of a pressure wave generator configured to generate high energy pressure waves in a medium are disclosed. The pressure wave generator can include a sabot carrying a piston. The sabot can further comprise a locking means to lock the piston in a fixed position when the locking means are activated. When the locking means are in a deactivated position, the piston can be released and can move at least partially away from the sabot. The sabot carrying the piston can be disposed within an inner bore of a housing of the pressure wave generator and can move within the inner bore of the housing from its first end toward its second end along a longitudinal axis of the bore. A transducer can be accommodated in the second end of the housing. The transducer can be coupled to the medium and can convert a portion of the kinetic energy of the piston into a pressure wave in the medium upon impact of the piston with the transducer. The sabot carrying the piston can be accelerated by applying a motive force to the sabot. Once accelerated within the inner bore of the housing the sabot can be decelerated by applying a restraining force to the sabot while the piston can be released at least partially from the sabot to continue to move toward the transducer until it impacts the transducer. Examples of methods of operating the pressure wave generator are disclosed.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A pressure wave generator for generating a pressure wave in a medium, the pressure wave generator comprising: a piston having a body with a first surface and a second surface and a longitudinal axis between the first surface and the second surface;a housing having an inner bore, a first end, and

1. A pressure wave generator for generating a pressure wave in a medium, the pressure wave generator comprising: a piston having a body with a first surface and a second surface and a longitudinal axis between the first surface and the second surface;a housing having an inner bore, a first end, and a second end;a sabot movable within the inner bore and configured to releasably carry the piston within the inner bore from the first end towards the second end along a longitudinal axis of the inner bore;an impact surface coupled to the medium and located at the second end of the housing in communication with the inner bore;means for accelerating the sabot carrying the piston towards the impact surface; andmeans for decelerating the sabot by applying a restraining force to the sabot to launch the piston forward ahead of the sabot such that the piston is at least partially separated from the sabot when the piston impacts the impact surface. 2. The pressure wave generator of claim 1, wherein a mass of the sabot is less than a mass of the piston. 3. The pressure wave generator of claim 2, wherein the means for accelerating the sabot comprises a pressurized fluid source, and the housing comprises one or more fluid ports in fluid communication with the pressurized fluid source and with a part of the inner bore between the first end and the sabot such that a pressurized fluid can be delivered into the inner bore and accelerate the sabot carrying the piston toward the second end of the housing. 4. The pressure wave generator of claim 3, wherein the sabot further comprises one or more ports formed therein to allow the pressurized fluid to flow therethrough and contact the piston to continue accelerating the piston once the sabot is decelerated. 5. The pressure wave generator of claim 1, wherein the sabot comprises a cup shaped housing having a base, a side wall extending from the base to define an inner cavity through which the piston is inserted, the inner cavity being shaped and sized to receive the piston so that the second surface of the piston can contact the base of the sabot. 6. The pressure wave generator of claim 1, wherein the means for accelerating the sabot comprises a plurality of conducted rails and a power source in electrical communication with the conducting rails, the sabot carrying the piston being a sliding armature between the conducting rails. 7. The pressure wave generator of claim 1, further comprising a locking means to lock the piston to the sabot when said locking means engage the piston and to release the piston from the sabot when the locking means disengage the piston. 8. The pressure wave generator of claim 7, wherein the locking means comprises an electromagnet mounted to the sabot and a power source in electrical communication with the electromagnet, wherein when the power source is turned on the locking means engage the piston and when the power source is turned off the locking means disengage the piston. 9. The pressure wave generator of claim 8 wherein the power source is electrically coupled to the electromagnet by a power line, and the pressure wave generator further comprises a control rod coupled to the sabot, wherein at least portion of the control rod is disposed in the inner bore of the housing, the control rod being configured to accommodate the power line. 10. The pressure wave generator of claim 9, wherein the means for decelerating the sabot comprises a brake engagable with the control rod. 11. The pressure wave generator of claim 7, wherein the sabot comprises an inner cavity into which the piston is inserted, the sabot comprises ports in communication with the inner cavity, and the locking means comprises a vacuum source fluidly coupled to the ports in the sabot and operable to create vacuum in the inner cavity thereby suctioning the piston to the sabot when the vacuum source is turned on. 12. The pressure wave generator of claim 1, further comprising a pumping system in fluid communication with a part of the inner bore of the housing between the impact surface and the piston and operable to reduce the pressure therein. 13. The pressure wave generator of claim 1, further comprising a control unit controlling the locking means and the means for accelerating and decelerating the sabot, the control unit being configured to operate the means for accelerating and decelerating such that after the restraining force is applied to the sabot and the piston is at least partially separated from the sabot, the sabot continues moving forward to re-engage the piston at an impact point, the velocity of the sabot decelerating towards the impact surface being less than the velocity of the piston launched toward the impact surface, and to operate a means for returning the sabot carrying the piston to the first end of the housing for re-launching. 14. An apparatus comprising: a piston;a sabot configured to releasably carry the piston along a pathway;a locking means to lock the piston to the sabot when the locking means engage the piston and to release the piston from the sabot when the locking means disengage the piston;means for accelerating the sabot carrying the piston;means for decelerating the sabot by applying a restraining force to the sabot launching the piston forward ahead of the sabot such that the piston is at least partially separated from the sabot;a position sensor configured to detect the position of the sabot in the pathway and configured to generate a position signal representative of the position of the sabot; anda control unit to control a launch of the piston, the control unit communicative with the position sensor, locking means, and means for decelerating the sabot, and configured to determine the position of the sabot from the position signal and when the sabot reaches a specified position, to send a signal to the locking means to release the piston and to the means for decelerating the sabot to apply a restraining force to the sabot such that the piston is launched forward and is at least partially separated from a decelerating sabot. 15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the control unit is configured to operate the means for accelerating and decelerating such that the sabot continues moving forward to re-engage the piston at an impact point, the control unit being further configured to operate a means for returning the sabot carrying the piston to a starting position for re-launching. 16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein a mass of the sabot being less than a mass of the piston. 17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the sabot comprises a cup shaped housing having a base, a side wall extending from the base to define an inner cavity through which the piston is inserted, the inner cavity being shaped and sized to receive the piston so that the piston can contact the base of the sabot. 18. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the locking means comprises an electromagnet mounted to the sabot and a power source in electrical communication with the electromagnet, wherein when the power source is turned on the locking means engage the piston and when the power source is turned off the locking means disengage the piston. 19. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the sabot comprises an inner cavity into which the piston is inserted, ports communicative with the inner cavity, and the locking means comprises a vacuum source fluidly coupled to the ports in the sabot to create vacuum in the inner cavity thereby suctioning the piston to the sabot when the vacuum source is turned on. 20. A method for generating a pressure wave in a medium, the method comprising: accelerating a sabot releasably carrying a piston towards an impact surface coupled to a medium;decelerating the sabot before reaching the impact surface thereby causing the piston to separate from the sabot and proceed towards the impact surface until contact is made therewith;driving the sabot towards an impact point to re-engage the piston; andreturning the sabot carrying the piston to a start position for re-launching. 21. The method of claim 20, further comprising locking the piston to the sabot during acceleration of the sabot and unlocking the piston from the sabot during deceleration.