Patent Publication Number: US-11045825-B2

Title: Scanner nozzle array, showerhead assembly and method

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a 35 U.S.C. 371 national stage filing and claims priority to and the benefit of International Application No PCT/US2016/063608 filed on Nov. 23, 2016, which claims the priority benefit of U.S. provisional patent application No. 62/258,991, filed on Nov. 23, 2015, and entitled “SCANNER NOZZLE ARRAY AND SHOWERHEAD ASSEMBLY”. This application is also related to commonly owned U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,938,835, 6,948,244, 7,111,800, 7,677,480, and 8,205,812, which cover a prior embodiment of the commonly-owned scanner fluidic oscillator, multiple fluidic enclosures, and methods of integrating fluidic geometry (exit geometry) into the housing of a fluidic device. The entire disclosures of all of the foregoing applications and patents are hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to fluid handling processes and apparatus. More particularly, this invention relates to new methods and apparatus for fabricating fluidic oscillators or inserts and showerheads and other nozzle assemblies to improve their performance. 
     Description of the Related Art 
     Standard jet-type shower heads do not provide pleasing spray pattern, uniform droplet size, uniform droplet velocity, and temperature uniformity at very low flow rates (e.g., 2 gpm or less) for showering. Any fluidic showerhead can, in general, provide improvements over the prior art traditional showerheads. Most fluidic-equipped showerheads have very few spray generating openings and are, therefore, initially considered inferior by un-knowing consumers at stores where they cannot spray the showerhead before purchasing. Prior fluidic showerheads are also tricky to manufacture because of the difficulty in sealing of the fluidic passages. Prior fluidic showerheads also tend to be more expensive than conventional jet showers because of the number of component fluidics. A useful background and introduction to the nomenclature needed to understand this invention is provided in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,938,835, 6,948,244, 7,111,800, 7,677,480, and 8,205,812, which patents are commonly-owned by the owner of the present application and cover a prior embodiment of the commonly-owned scanner fluidic oscillator, multiple fluidic enclosures, and methods of integrating fluidic geometry (exit geometry) into the housing of a fluidic device. 
     Fluidic inserts or oscillators are well known for their ability to provide a wide range of distinctive liquid sprays by cyclically deflecting, without the use of mechanical moving parts, the flow of a liquid jet. The distinctiveness of these sprays is due to the fact that they are characterized by being oscillatory in nature, as compared to the relatively steady state flows that are emitted from standard spray or shear nozzles. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,052,002 (Stouffer &amp; Bray) shows in its FIGS. 5-7 some of the typical liquid droplet spray patterns that can be produced by fluidic oscillators (wherein the droplet patterns illustrated represent the droplets produced during one complete cycle of the cyclically deflected liquid jet). It shows what can be considered to be the essentially temporally varying, planar flow pattern of a liquid jet or spray that issues from the oscillator into a surrounding gaseous environment and breaks into droplets which are distributed transversely (i.e., in the assumed y-direction) to the jet&#39;s assumed, generally x-direction of flow. 
     Such spray patterns may be described by the definable characteristics of their droplets (e.g., the volume flow rate of the spray, the spray&#39;s area of coverage, the spatial distribution of droplets in planes perpendicular to the direction of flow of the spray and at various distances in front of the oscillator&#39;s outlet, the average droplet velocities, the average size of the droplets, and the frequency at which the droplets impact on an obstacle in the path of the spray). 
     A fluidic insert is generally thought of as a thin, rectangular member that is molded or fabricated from plastic and has an especially-designed, liquid flow channel (or a means for inducing oscillations in the liquid that flows through the channel) fabricated into either its broader top or bottom surface, and sometimes both (assuming that this fluidic insert is of the standard type that is to be inserted into the cavity of a housing whose inner walls are configured to form a liquid-tight seal around the insert and form an outside wall for the insert&#39;s boundary surface/s which contain the especially designed flow channels). Pressurized liquid enters such an insert and is sprayed from it. Appropriate selection of the arrangement of the oscillator&#39;s flow channel and its dimensions are seen, at a specified flow rate, to control the properties of the sprayed oscillating liquid droplets. 
     Although it is more practical from a manufacturing standpoint to construct these inserts as thin rectangular members with flow channels in their top or bottom surfaces, it should be recognized that they can be constructed so that their liquid flow channels are placed practically anywhere (e.g., on a plane that passes though the member&#39;s center) within the member&#39;s body; in such instances the insert would have a clearly defined channel inlet and outlet. For example, see U.S. Pat. No. 5,820,034 (Hess) and its FIGS. 3-4 which show a two-part, fluidic insert whose exterior surface is cylindrical so that this insert can be fitted into a similarly shaped housing. 
     Additionally, it should be recognized that these flow channels need not be of a uniform depth. For example, see U.S. Pat. No. 4,463,904 (Bray), U.S. Pat. No. 4,645,126 (Bray) and RE38,013 (Stouffer) for fluidic oscillators in which the bottom surfaces of these channels are discretely and uniformly sloped so as to impact the ways in which the sprays from these oscillators spread as the move away from the oscillator&#39;s outlet. There are many well-known designs of fluidic circuits that are suitable for use with such fluidic inserts. Many of these have some common features, including: (a) at least one power nozzle configured to accelerate the movement of the liquid that flows under pressure through the insert, (b) an interaction chamber through which the liquid flows and in which the flow phenomena is initiated that will eventually lead to the spray from the insert being of an oscillating nature, (c) a liquid inlet, (d) a pathway that connects the inlet and the power nozzle/s, and (e) an outlet or exit from which the liquid exits the insert in the form of a spray. 
     Examples of fluidic circuits may be found in many patents, including U.S. Pat. No. 3,185,166 (Horton &amp; Bowles), U.S. Pat. No. 3,563,462 (Bauer; feedback oscillator, which introduces some of the terminology that has become common in the fluidic oscillator industry, e.g., “power nozzle,” “feedback or control passage”), 4,052,002 (Stouffer &amp; Bray), 4,151,955 (Stouffer; island oscillator), 4,157,161 (Bauer), 4,231,519 (Stouffer), which was reissued as RE 33,158, 4,508,267 (Stouffer), 5,035,361 (Stouffer), 5,213,269 (Srinath), 5,971,301 (Stouffer; box oscillator), 6,186,409 (Srinath), 6,253,782 (Raghu; mushroom oscillator), 7,014,131 (Berning et al.; double sided oscillator), U.S. Patent Application Publication No. (USPAP) 2005/0087633 (Gopalan; three power nozzle, island oscillator), 7,267,290 (Gopalan &amp; Russell; cold-performing mushroom oscillator), 7,472,848 (Gopalan &amp; Russell; stepped, mushroom oscillator), 7,478,764 (Gopalan; thick spray oscillator), USPAP 2008/0011868 (Gopalan; interacting oscillators) and USPAP 2009/0236449 (Gopalan et al.; split throat oscillator). 
     Despite much prior art relating to the development of fluidic circuits, the nature of the housings or enclosures that surround fluidic oscillators have not changed much over the years. For example, for automotive windshield washing applications (one of the first areas in which such fluidic inserts were extensively used) a typical housing&#39;s exterior shape is aerodynamically configured from its rear face to its front face in consideration of the fact that this housing will be mounted on an automobile&#39;s hood and in front of its windshield. In such a housing&#39;s front face is an especially configured cavity or cavities that accommodate, via a press-fit insertion, one or two, see U.S. Pat. No. 6,062,491 (Hahn), fluidic oscillators. Such housings can also be modified to accommodate a diverging stack of such oscillators; see U.S. Pat. No. 7,111,800 (Berning et al.). While one generally thinks of the enclosures for these oscillators as being of an almost totally enclosing nature, this need not be the case, see FIG. 3 from U.S. Pat. No. 5,845,845 (Merke et al.) which shows a “lid” for enclosing only the boundary surface of the oscillator in which the fluidic circuit is located. 
     Commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 6,938,835 (Stouffer), assigned to the assignee of the present invention, relates to a three-dimensional (3-D) scanning nozzle operating in the liquid-to-air mode, and more particularly, to a 3-D scanning nozzle in which a single jet has long wavelengths so that slugs of fluid persist for greater distances from the nozzle, thereby providing superior cleaning for hard surfaces by impact and abrasion. Prior full coverage sprays have been accomplished by fluidic oscillators that sweep sheets (e.g. see Stouffer U.S. Pat. No. 4,151,955) or by mechanically traversing a sweeping jet over the target surface (as is done in the case of some headlamp washers). Many cleaning jets distribute energy by spreading the jet and rely on wand traversing to providing further distribution. Superior cleaning has been shown by sweeping-jets issued from a fan nozzle of the type shown in Stouffer U.S. Pat. No. 4,508,267 over that of a spread jet, with static (non-sweeping) nozzle on headlamp cleaning nozzles. According to the &#39;835 patent, a single, concentrated jet that is time-shared over an area is superior to static, multi-jet nozzles that sweep just like a fan, so in order to obtain a full-coverage spray pattern that is also more uniform in both pattern distribution as well as droplet size, the &#39;835 patent relies on a type of fluidic oscillator that produces a random scan in both radial and tangential directions. Thus, the patent features a full coverage area spray nozzle having a cylindrical oscillation chamber bounded by an upstream end plate and a downstream end plate. An inlet aperture in the upstream end plate is coupled to a source of pressurized liquid to be sprayed on the area, and an outlet aperture at the downstream end issues a jet of the pressurized liquid to ambient. In this patent, the cylindrical wall of the oscillation chamber is defined by a line revolved about an axial line passing through the inlet aperture and the outlet aperture. The oscillation chamber is adapted to support a basic oscillatory toroidal flow pattern which remains captive within the confines of that chamber. The toroid spins about its cross-sectional axis and is supplied with energy from the jet of liquid issued into the oscillation chamber. The toroidal flow pattern has diametrically opposed cross-sections which alternate in size to cause the outlet jet to move in radial paths and also in tangential directions and thereby moves in a different radial path at each sweep, whereby there is a random sweeping, or scanning, of the jet issuing from the outlet aperture over the spray area. 
     As fluidic oscillators continued to be used in more types of spray applications, the opportunity arose to re-examine and improve upon the design of their enclosures as a way to improve upon the overall spraying performance of nozzle assemblies which use fluidic oscillators. Recognizing the need for the development of improved enclosures and fluidic spray assemblies to more effectively and efficiently provide a wider range of desired spray distributions, U.S. Pat. No. 8,205,812 (Hester et al), assigned to the assignee of the present application, illustrates an improved fluidic device that operates on a pressurized liquid flowing through it at a specified flow rate to generate an oscillating spray of liquid droplets having desired properties. Hester&#39;s &#39;812 device provides fluidic spray assemblies (i.e., fluidic oscillators with novel enclosures) that can provide specific types of desired sprays that had not been achievable with conventional fluidic technology. For example, Hester&#39;s &#39;812 device provides a fan-shaped spray that uniformly covers a relatively large surface area (e.g., a 400 cm 2  area at a distance of 30 cm from the spray head&#39;s exit) with liquid droplets that have large diameters (e.g., &gt;2 mm), high velocities (e.g., &gt; or about 4 m/sec) and possibly pulsating frequencies that are in the range of perception by the human body (e.g., &lt; or about 30-60 hertz). Such a device provides enclosures and fluidic spray assemblies that operate at low flow rates in shower head and body spray applications that can allow for reduced flow rates so as to yield significant water savings while still yielding sprays that provide the same tactile sensations as conventional shower heads as the sprays impact upon the skin of a user, while also providing enclosures and fluidic spray assemblies that are also ideally designed for an assortment of commercial cleaning applications. 
     There is a need for further improvements, however. Showerheads or nozzle assemblies which cost less to assemble and provide the ability to generate usefully shaped unconventional combined spray patterns are desirable, and greater reliability and service life (while providing hi performance sprays) is a long felt need. There is also a need for improved enclosures and fluidic oscillating sprays for shower head assemblies that can provide reduced energy consumption, while still yielding sprays that provide desired tactile sensations as they impact upon the skin of a user, as well as providing better directional control of the spray to permit control of the location of the areas being wetted by the sprays from such assemblies 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In striving to improve the performance of various types of fluidic sprayers, applicants have discovered that there are significant opportunities to create and introduce new enclosures for these fluidic oscillators that appreciably improve their performance. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide improved enclosures and fluidic oscillating sprays for shower head assemblies that can provide reduced energy consumption, while still yielding sprays that provide desired tactile sensations as they impact upon the skin of a user, as well as providing better directional control of the spray to permit control of the location of the areas being wetted by the sprays from such assemblies. 
     Another object of the present invention to provide enclosures for fluidic spray assemblies that can make “less water” feel like “more water”, as by providing low flow rate sprays that provide the same tactile sensations as higher flow rates in non-fluidic sprays as they impact upon the skin of a user. 
     Still another object of the present invention is the provision of scanner spray assemblies having multiple outlet nozzles, with each nozzle having a preselected spray characteristic to produce improved showerhead patterns. 
     Another object of the present invention is the provision of scanner spray assemblies having multiple fluidic oscillators, wherein each oscillator incorporates an inlet power nozzle and an outlet selectively positioned with respect to the power nozzle to produce a preselected conical spray direction and angle. 
     Another object of the present invention is the provision of scanner sprayers having multiple fluidic oscillators with a minimal number of components to simplify molding and assembly procedures. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide enclosures and fluidic spray assemblies that are suited both for shower massaging applications and non-massaging applications. 
     These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent as the invention is better understood by reference to the accompanying summary, drawings and the detailed description that follows. 
     The fluidic sprayer of the present invention, which is illustrated in its preferred embodiments as shower heads having multiple fluidic oscillator outlets producing selected spray patterns to provide all of the benefits of fluidic showerheads, with additional advantages in the provision of selectable spray characteristics and in improved manufacturing processes, and thus is generally directed to satisfying the needs set forth above and overcoming the disadvantages identified with prior art devices and methods. This is accomplished, in part, through the application in a showerhead of multiple 3-D oscillating scanner sprayers of the general type described in the commonly-owned Stouffer &#39;835 patent discussed above, to provide multiple 3-D scanning, fluidic outputs, each providing a spray output that sweeps, or scans in a preselected conical pattern size and direction. For convenience, a showerhead incorporating the described conical spray pattern will be referred to herein as a scanner showerhead. 
     In its broadest aspects, the invention is directed to a method of fabricating a two-part fluidic oscillator for scanning sprayers, the steps comprising molding a hemispheric upper of an interaction region having an inlet nozzle, molding a hemispheric lower part of the interaction region having a corresponding outlet aperture and throat, and configuring the throat to produce a selected outlet scanning spray having a predetermined conical outlet spray direction and axis. Further steps include selectively offsetting the throat with respect to the axis of the corresponding opposed power nozzle by varying the outlet throat angles. For use in a showerhead or the like, the process includes providing a scanning sprayer with multiple fluidic oscillators, and providing each fluidic throat of the sprayer with a selected offset, with any combination of offsets being utilized to produce a desired overall spray pattern. The sprayer is completed by enclosing components of the oscillator circuits in a housing having a rear portion and a front panel forming an enclosed fluid plenum. 
     A scanner sprayer device incorporating a two-piece fluidic oscillator in accordance with the invention includes a hemispheric upper part of an interaction region having an inlet power nozzle and a hemispheric lower part of the interaction region having a corresponding outlet aperture and throat. The throat is configured to produce a selected outlet scanning spray having a predetermined conical outlet spray direction and axis. More particularly, the throat of the lower part opposes the inlet power nozzle of the upper part and is selectively offset with respect to the axis of the opposed power nozzle by the angle of the outlet throat. In this device, the hemispheric upper part and the hemispheric lower part are joined to form a two-piece fluidic oscillator chamber. A housing having a rear portion and a front panel form an enclosed fluid plenum, wherein the upper part is in fluid communication with the fluid plenum by way of the inlet power nozzle to lead fluid into the fluidic oscillator chamber, and wherein the opposed outlet throat of the lower component is in fluid communication with ambient by way of the outlet aperture and throat. The throat of the lower part opposes the inlet power nozzle of the upper part and is selectively offset with respect to the axis of the opposed power nozzle by the angle of the outlet throat. To form a showerhead or other spray device, the scanner sprayer further includes multiple fluidic oscillators having selected offsets to produce multiple outlet sprays each individually controllable by the selection of the offset for producing a composite scanning spray pattern. 
     In accordance with additional aspects of the present invention, a fluidic device is provided that operates on a pressurized liquid flowing through it at a specified flow rate to generate an oscillating spray of liquid droplets into a surrounding gaseous ambient environment, with the spray having preselected desired properties, such as a conical spatial distribution and cone angle, as well as the velocity, frequency and wavelength of liquid droplets in front of the device. The scanner sprayer of the invention includes a plurality of fluidic oscillators, each having a fluidic circuit for inducing oscillations in pressurized liquid that flows through the oscillator so as to emit a liquid jet in the form of a scanning conical spray of liquid droplets, the spray having preselected features such as its direction and cone angle. A housing encloses the fluidic circuit, the housing having an exterior surface that includes a front portion, or plate, with a center-point, a rear portion, or plate, and an intermediate boundary surface that connects the front and rear portions to define an interior plenum. The fluidic circuit includes a plurality of passages receiving a corresponding one of the plurality of fluidic oscillators, with the intersections of the passages with the housing front plate defining a plurality of spray outlets. The geometrical arrangement of these outlets in the housing front face is chosen so as to achieve the desired properties of the scanning spray when the device is operating at its specified flow rate. Among its many advantages, the fluidic circuit geometry of the present invention provides preselectable spray directions and angles from the spray outlets, and further simplifies the manufacture of such devices by facilitating the molding and assembly process. Further, the geometry of the device of the invention does not require a large surface seal like prior fluidic assemblies, since the assembly in some embodiments of the invention is molded in two parts that are joined by a very simple cylindrical seal. The cylindrical seal is much more robust than a large surface seal, as will be described. 
     In broad terms, then, the present invention is directed to scanner-type sprayer devices, such as showerheads or the like, that incorporate two-piece oscillator chambers formed with opposed upper and lower components which, when assembled, produce a fluidic oscillator chamber. The upper component is in communication with a fluid plenum chamber by way of an inlet power nozzle which leads fluid through an upper wall portion of the oscillator chamber, while the opposed lower component is in fluid communication with ambient by way of an outlet aperture and throat leading through a lower wall portion of the oscillator chamber. The power nozzle is aligned with an axis of the oscillator chamber, while the opposed outlet aperture is offset from this axis a selected amount. Fluid under pressure enters the chamber though the power nozzle and circulates in the chamber, which in the illustrated embodiments is preferably generally spherical, to create a fluidic oscillation such as that described in the above-referenced U.S. Pat. No. 6,938,835. Fluid from the oscillation chamber is ejected in a variable-direction spray that scans randomly across a selected area that is defined by the conical outer shape of the spray pattern, with the direction of the spray cone and its conical angle depending on the geometry of the outlet aperture and throat and thus by the amount by which the outlet aperture is offset from axis of the power nozzle. This geometry and offset is preselected for each fluidic oscillator in a scanner sprayer so the cumulative effect of all the spray outlets produces a desired overall scanner spray pattern. Each spray cone may have a different geometry, or they may be all the same, or any combination may be used to produce the desired overall sprayer effect. 
     In accordance with the present invention, then, there is disclosed a scanner sprayer having a housing which receives a front plate to define a fluid plenum. Mounted in the front plate and having inlet power nozzles in fluid communication with the plenum and outlet throats in fluid communication with ambient are a plurality of fluidic oscillator circuits that generate scanner sprays having preselected characteristics such as direction and conical angle to produce a selected sprayer pattern having desired droplet sizes and uniformity as are particularly desirable in body sprayers and showerheads. In the disclosed embodiments of the invention, the oscillator circuit has a two-part configuration for ease of manufacture, with the parts being joined during assembly of the sprayer to form a generally spherical fluidic oscillator interaction region. An upper part of the circuit incorporates an upper hemispherical half of an oscillator interaction region and a single inlet power nozzle which is upstream of the interaction region and supplies under pressure a fluid to be sprayed. A lower part of the circuit incorporates a lower hemispherical half of the interaction region and a single outlet aperture and outlet throat through which fluid is ejected in a selected 3-dimensional scanning spray pattern to ambient. 
     In a first embodiment, the lower half of the fluidic oscillator circuit is formed, as by molding, in a lower front plate for the sprayer, with the front plate incorporating a preselected number of substantially hemispherical depressions incorporating outlet apertures and defining the lower half of the fluidic circuit. The upper half of each circuit is formed by a corresponding insert which incorporates a substantially hemispherical dome and incorporates the oscillator power nozzle, and which is partially inserted and secured in the lower front plate depression. A top housing component contacts at a sealed joint the top surface of the front plate and forms a plenum which encloses the oscillator circuit inserts. A fluid under pressure supplied to the sprayer enters the plenum and is distributed through the power nozzle of each oscillator circuit to the corresponding interaction region. This fluid circulates in the spherical interaction region and generates oscillations in the fluid, causing the fluid to be ejected as a conical scanning spray having characteristics of axial direction and cone angle determined by the location of the outlet with respect to the axis of the corresponding power nozzle. 
     Another embodiment of the invention incorporates a two-piece oscillator circuit insert, wherein a top half includes a power nozzle leading into a hemispherical dome and a bottom half includes a hemispherical depression incorporating an outlet aperture and throat. The sprayer includes a front plate having multiple openings for receiving the inserts, and a back plate, or housing top component, which is secured to the front plate to enclose the inserts in a plenum and to force the inserts tightly into the front plate openings. Spacer posts on the top of each insert contact the inner surface of the housing top plate to securely position the inserts a to act as turbulence filters. In operation, fluid under pressure supplied to the sprayer enters the plenum and is distributed into the power nozzle of each oscillator circuit through spaces between the spacer posts and then into the corresponding interaction region. This fluid circulates in the spherical interaction region, as described above, and generates oscillations in the fluid, causing the fluid to be ejected as a conical scanning spray having characteristics of axial direction and cone angle determined by the location of the outlet with respect to the axis of the corresponding power nozzle. 
     In still another embodiment, multiple two-piece oscillator circuits for a scanner sprayer are formed, as by molding on a single layer of a front panel, all of the downstream halves of the interaction regions and their outlets and scanner throats. Similarly, the upstream halves of the interaction regions and all of their power nozzles are molded in another single layer of the front sprayer panel. In this embodiment, a third layer is provided to support the first two layers and incorporates corresponding fluidic circuit apertures for receiving the downstream halves of the oscillator circuits. The front panel is secured to a top housing member, or component, to form an inner plenum which surrounds the power nozzles. Once again, fluid under pressure supplied to the sprayer enters the plenum through the top housing member and is distributed into the power nozzle of each oscillator circuit through spaces between spacer posts at the power nozzles and then into the corresponding interaction region. This fluid circulates in the spherical interaction region, as described above, and generates oscillations in the fluid, causing the fluid to be ejected through the outlet throat as a conical scanning spray having characteristics of axial direction and cone angle determined by the location of the outlet with respect to the axis of the corresponding power nozzle. 
     In accordance with the method of the invention, each of the two-part fluidic oscillators is fabricated so that the inlet nozzles, hemispheric upper and lower parts of the interaction region and the corresponding outlet apertures and throats are configured to produce selected outlet scanning sprays having predetermined conical outlet spray directions and axes. This is accomplished in accordance with the invention by selectively offsetting the outlet throat with respect to the axis of the corresponding opposed power nozzle, with the offset being accomplished by varying the outlet throat angles. Each fluidic circuit of a sprayer is provided with a selected offset, with any combination of offsets being utilized to produce the desired spray pattern. The components of the oscillator circuits are enclosed in a housing having a rear portion enclosing an inlet plenum and a part of the circuit and a front panel incorporating the remainder of the circuit and its scanning spray outlets. Thus, the method includes selecting each spray outlet to have an offset with respect to its corresponding power nozzle axis to create a desired overall pattern, with, for example, all the individual sprays being directed in a narrow pattern, as might be desirable for a body spray, or selecting them to create a broader overall pattern as might be desirable for a showerhead. 
     This scanner nozzle member configuration and showerhead assembly and method of the present invention provides some significant advantages, including:
         1. The simplicity of the geometry of each of a multiplicity of fluidic scanner nozzles, wherein each fluidic nozzle includes an essentially spherical interaction region and opposed inlet lumen (power nozzle) and outlet orifice (throat) features that allow for simplified construction of scanner fluidic arrays.
           a. All of the scanner throats are located in the downstream half of the interaction regions and thus can be molded in one piece of the showerhead. Since such fluidic devices are typically made by plastic injection molding methods, those knowledgeable with such manufacturing methods will understand that such manufacturing methods impose constraints on the geometry of such devices, and the molding of the downstream portions of the interaction regions in one piece has significant advantages. In this scenario, the power nozzle and upstream half of the interaction region are molded individually for each fluidic, so that the component count for the fluidics is equal to the number of fluidics plus one. This is more than in a prior fluidic shower, but the components are much simpler to design, mold, and assemble, as will be illustrated below.   b. Alternatively, all of the scanner throats for the downstream half of the interaction regions can be molded in one piece of the showerhead and all of the power nozzles and upstream half of the interaction regions can be molded in one other piece of the showerhead. In this scenario, component count for the fluidics is two, no matter how many fluidics are included. This scenario also allows each showerhead to be designed and built to whatever scanner fluidic geometry is best suited rather than using the standard components that are typical in prior fluidic showerheads.
               i. To facilitate the alignment of a large number of fluidics in the assembly, one of the components may be molded out of a flexible material to allow it to conform to the other hard plastic component. Alternatively, to facilitate the alignment of a large number of fluidics in the assembly of the present invention and to allow aiming or bending of the fluidics into various aim angles, both of the components may be molded out of a flexible material to allow them to conform to each other and to a hard face or backing plate that holds prescribed aim angles.   
               
           2. The economy inherent in the manufacturing process for making the scanner fluidics and the showerhead nozzle assembly—the essentially spherical interaction region&#39;s coaxial, opposed inlet (power nozzle) and outlet (throat)—provide the option to economically mold the downstream halves of the interaction regions in the one piece of the showerhead assembly, as discussed above. Since the power nozzle and upstream half of the interaction region are molded individually for each fluidic, the assembly of the showerhead is simplified and the components are much simpler to design and mold.       

     The scanner fluidic showerhead of the present invention contains many more spray orifices or openings (more fluidics) than are available with prior fluidic showerheads, thereby overcoming one of the perceived drawbacks for such prior fluidic-equipped showerheads. Further, the fluidic oscillator outlet sprays may incorporate various outlet geometries to produce individually selected spray directions and cone angles to produce a desirable overall spray pattern. The method of manufacture and configuration of the present invention provides an economical and very effective seal for fluidic circuits in the scanner fluidic showerhead assembly of the present invention. The scanner showerhead of the present invention need not be as expensive to make as prior fluidic showerheads because there can be fewer components as compared with prior fluidic showerheads. 
     Thus, there has been summarized above, rather broadly, the present invention in order that the detailed description that follows may be better understood and appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims to this invention. Accordingly, the above and still further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description of specific embodiments thereof, particularly when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals in the various figures are utilized to designate like components. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIGS. 1-5  are schematic illustrations of Applicant&#39;s prior 3-dimensional (3-D) scanning nozzle illustrating the general type of fluidic oscillator and sprayer utilized in the present invention. 
         FIGS. 6A and 6B  diagrammatically illustrate a prior art showerhead utilizing fluidic circuits producing conventional fan-shaped sprays. 
         FIG. 7  illustrates a perspective cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of a scanner showerhead incorporating eight fluidic oscillators having outlet apertures and throats providing selected scanning spray patterns in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is an exploded top perspective view of the device of  FIG. 7 , illustrating, from left to right, top (or rear) and bottom (or front) housing and internal components, in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  is an exploded bottom perspective view of the device of  FIG. 7 , illustrating, from left to right, top and bottom housing and internal components, in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 10  is a simplified diagrammatic top plan view illustrating the features of a bottom housing component or front plate of a second embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional view taken along lines  11 - 11  of  FIG. 10 ; 
         FIG. 12  is a detailed view of region A of  FIG. 11 ; 
         FIG. 13  is a top perspective view of the component of  FIG. 11 ; and 
         FIG. 14  is an exploded top perspective view of the second embodiment of the showerhead or nozzle assembly, illustrating from left to right in the Figure top (or rear) and bottom (or front) housing components as well as internal components of a scanning showerhead incorporating six fluidic oscillator chambers, in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 15  is an exploded bottom perspective view of the device of  FIG. 14 , illustrating from left to right in the Figure the bottom and top housing and internal components, in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 16  is a diagrammatic cross-sectional assembled view of the device of  FIGS. 14 and 15 ; 
         FIG. 17  is a bottom plan view of the device of  FIG. 16 ; and 
         FIG. 18  is an exploded top perspective view of a third embodiment of the present invention, illustrating from left to right in the Figure top and bottom housing and internal components of a scanning showerhead incorporating five two-piece fluidic oscillator outlet chambers, in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 19  is an exploded bottom perspective view of the embodiment of  FIG. 18 , illustrating from left to right in the Figure top and bottom housing and internal components; and 
         FIG. 20  is a diagrammatic, exploded cross-sectional view of a fluidic oscillator component of the device of  FIGS. 18 and 19 , in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 21  is a top perspective cross-sectional view of a fourth embodiment of the scanning showerhead of the present invention, illustrating the configuration of fluidic oscillator chambers in the showerhead assembly; 
         FIG. 22  is an enlarged view of a portion of  FIG. 21 ; 
         FIG. 23  is a top perspective exploded view of the device of  FIG. 21 ; 
         FIG. 24  is a bottom perspective exploded view of the device of  FIG. 21 ; and 
         FIG. 25  is a bottom perspective view of the device of  FIG. 21 , in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 26  is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view of a first version of a fluidic oscillator chamber, or interaction region, and its outlet aperture and throat configuration, in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 27  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  27 - 27  of  FIG. 26 ; 
         FIG. 27A  is a top plan view of the device of  FIG. 27 ; 
         FIG. 28  is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view of a second version of a fluidic oscillator chamber, or interaction region, and its outlet aperture and throat configuration, in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 28A  is a top plan view of the device of  FIG. 28 ; 
         FIG. 29  is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view of a third version of a fluidic oscillator chamber, or interaction region, and its outlet aperture and throat configuration, in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 29A  is a top plan view of the device of  FIG. 29 ; 
         FIG. 30  is a diagrammatic side elevation view of the device of  FIG. 26 ; 
         FIG. 31  is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view taken along line  31 - 31  of  FIG. 30  and illustrating a fourth version of a fluidic oscillator chamber, or interaction region, and its outlet aperture and throat configuration, in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 31A  is a top plan view of the scanner throat of  FIG. 31 ; 
         FIG. 32  is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view of a fifth version of a fluidic oscillator chamber, or interaction region, and its outlet aperture and throat configuration, in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 32A  is a top plan view of the scanner throat of  FIG. 32 ; 
         FIG. 33  is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view of a sixth version of a fluidic oscillator chamber, or interaction region, and its outlet aperture and throat configuration, in accordance with the present invention; and 
         FIG. 33A  is a top plan view of the scanner throat of  FIG. 33 , in accordance with the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Before explaining exemplary embodiments of the present invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     In broad terms, the present invention is directed to scanner-type sprayer devices, such as showerheads or the like, that incorporate two-piece oscillator chambers formed with opposed upper and lower components which, when assembled, produce a fluidic oscillator chamber. The upper component is in communication with a fluid plenum chamber by way of an inlet power nozzle which leads fluid through an upper wall portion of the oscillator chamber, while the opposed lower component is in fluid communication with ambient by way of an outlet aperture and throat leading through a lower wall portion of the oscillator chamber. The power nozzle is aligned with an axis of the oscillator chamber, while the opposed outlet aperture is offset from this axis a selected amount. Fluid under pressure enters the chamber though the power nozzle and circulates in the chamber, which in the illustrated embodiments is preferably generally spherical, to create a fluidic oscillation. Fluid from the oscillation chamber is ejected in variable-direction spray having a changing, or scanning cross-sectional pattern and with an outer conical shape, with the direction of the spray cone and its conical angle depending on the geometry of the outlet aperture and throat and by the amount by which the outlet aperture is offset from axis of the power nozzle. 
     This geometry and offset is preselected for each fluidic oscillator in a scanner sprayer so the cumulative effect of all the spray outlets produces a desired scanner spray pattern. Each spray cone may have a different geometry, or they may be all the same, or any combination may be used to produce the desired overall sprayer effect. 
     As an introduction to the present invention, attention is directed to the prior art configuration of  FIGS. 1-5 , which illustrates a fluidic device that operates on a pressurized liquid flowing through it at a specified flow rate to generate an oscillating, cone-shaped spray of liquid droplets having desired properties. This device, which is described in commonly-owned U.S. Pat. No. 6,938,835 described above, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference, provides fluidic spray assemblies (i.e., fluidic oscillators with novel enclosures) that can provide specific types of desired sprays that had not been achievable with conventional fluidic technology, and more particularly demonstrates a 3-dimensional scanning nozzle. As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 4 , this fluidic device is a figure of revolution: a cylinder  10  with a domed-top endplate  11 . The top end plate  11  and bottom end plate  12  have round orifices or apertures d 2  and d 1 , respectively, which, preferably, are closely sharp edged or chamfered as shown at Cd 1  and Cd 2 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , in operation, liquid under pressure entering the bottom of the chamber generates an oscillating toroid T, which is smallest on the left side T L  and largest on the right side T R , but this condition changes or alternates. The toroid flow pattern remains captive within the confines of the oscillation chamber, spinning about its cross-sectional axis and being supplied energy from the liquid jet entering from orifice d 1 . 
     The toroidal flow pattern (also shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 ) has diametrically opposed cross-sections which alternate in size to cause the fluid in the oscillation chamber to move in radial paths and also in tangential directions and thereby choose or traverse a different radial path at each sweep. As a result, there is a random-direction sweeping of the outlet jet issuing within a conical space facing away from the outlet orifice at the outlet area. As illustrated in  FIG. 5 , the randomly directed sweeping, or scanning single outlet jet quickly covers the area A, which is a cross-section of the conical spray taken in a plane transverse to the spray&#39;s central axis, in a substantially uniform, generally conical distribution with substantially uniform slugs or droplets of liquid. Thus, the scanning jet automatically and continually distributes the jet&#39;s effects (cleaning, for example) over an area, even if movement of a wand (not shown) in which the nozzle is mounted were halted. All of the outlets disclosed and illustrated in this patent promote recirculation on the side to which the jet is deflected, but the dome shape has the most unfavorable angle to promote recirculation on the opposite side, thereby allowing a larger deflection of the jet. 
     The use of fluidic circuits in sprayers such as shower heads is illustrated in prior art  FIGS. 6A and 6B , taken from commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 8,205,812 (Hester et al), the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Hester&#39;s &#39;812 patent illustrates a fluidic device  20  that operates on a pressurized liquid flowing through it at a specified flow rate to generate an oscillating spray of liquid droplets having desired properties. Hester&#39;s &#39;812 device provides multiple fluidic spray assemblies (i.e., fluidic oscillators with novel enclosures) indicated generally at  22  that can provide specific types of desired sprays. For example, as noted above, Hester&#39;s &#39;812 device provides a spray that uniformly covers a relatively large surface area (e.g., a 400 cm 2  area at a distance of 30 cm from the spray head&#39;s exit) with liquid droplets that have large diameters (e.g., &gt;2 mm), high velocities (e.g., &gt; or about 4 m/sec) and pulsating frequencies that are in the range of perception by the human body (e.g., &lt; or about 30-60 hertz). In accordance with Hester&#39;s &#39;812 patent, a fluidic device that operates on a pressurized liquid flowing through it at a specified flow rate to generate an oscillating spray of liquid droplets into a surrounding gaseous environment and with the spray having desired properties (e.g., average spatial distribution, size, velocity, frequency and wavelength of liquid droplets at a defined distance in front of the device) includes a plurality of fluidic oscillators within the assemblies  22 , each having a channel that is part of a fluidic circuit for inducing oscillations in the pressurized liquid that flows through the oscillator so as to emit a liquid jet in the form of an oscillating spray of liquid droplets. The device includes a housing having an exterior surface that includes a rear face  24  and a front face  26  with a center-point  28 . An intermediate boundary surface  30  connects the faces. A plurality of passages  29 , each of which extends through the housing and intersects with the front and rear faces, are configured to allow for the insertion of one of the plurality of fluidic oscillators into each of the passages, so that the intersections of the passages with the housing front face define a plurality of outlets  32 . The geometrical arrangement of this housing&#39;s passages and their inserted oscillators is seen in  FIG. 6B  to consist of an outer octagonal array of eight fluidic-oscillator-containing passages that is centered on the center-point of the front face. Inside this outer array is located an inner array of four fluidic-oscillator-containing passages that is also centered on the center-point of the enclosure&#39;s front face. 
     The geometrical arrangement of the Hester &#39;812 outlets in the housing front face was chosen to achieve the desired properties of the oscillating spray when the device is operating at its specified flow rate. The fluidic oscillators chosen for this application were sized and proportioned so that, at the fluid pressures and flow rates at which they operated, they caused the liquid jets flowing from them to oscillate at a frequency of approximately 50 hertz and with the wavelength of approximately 10 cm. The result is a large area spray that, to the human touch, has very pleasing, vigorous (because of the relatively high velocity and large diameter of the droplets) massaging qualities. Furthermore, this spray is achieved at surprisingly low flow rates (i.e., ranges of 1.2-1.9 gpm versus non-fluidic, spray heads operating in the range of 2.0-2.5 gpm) as compared to those used by the currently available, non-fluidic, massaging spray heads which cover significantly smaller surface areas. In accordance with this prior art, maximum flexibility is provided in the design of showerhead oscillators with differing fan angles, oscillation frequencies, droplet sizes and velocities. 
     Hester&#39;s &#39;812 showerhead (like traditional jet type shower heads) does not provide pleasing spray patterns, droplet size, droplet velocity, and temperature uniformity at very low flow rates (2 gpm or less) for showering. Furthermore, most prior fluidic showerheads have very few openings and so (as noted above) were hastily judged inferior by consumers who could spray the showerhead before purchase. In addition, prior fluidic showerheads were difficult to manufacture because of the difficulty in sealing the fluidic passages, and tend to be more expensive than conventional jet showers because of the number of component fluidics. 
     We reprise that prior art so that we can have a well-defined context for the scanner fluidic showerhead and method of the present invention as described below and illustrated in the accompanying  FIGS. 7-33A , to which reference is now made. The showerhead assembly and method of the present invention overcomes the problems (both perceived and real) of prior fluidic showerheads and provides an improved fluidic assembly that is also suitable for other spraying applications. In prior scanner fluidic showerheads, one scanner replaces 2-4 jets due to its small cone angle and uniform distribution. Thus, in a typical prior fluidic showerhead, one fluidic replaces 10-15 jets, leaving a typical prior fluidic showerhead with 4-10 openings, where a comparable jet type would have 40-100 openings, leading to the perception by potential consumers that fluidic showerheads had too few openings. The scanner fluidic showerhead as described and illustrated herein contains many more openings, and thus more fluidics, than prior devices. Thus, the fluidic spray output scanner throats provided in the devices of the present invention deliver uniform cone angles of about 8°. This is larger than a standard jet ˜2° cone, but smaller and more uniform than prior fluidics, ˜20°×5° for ‘2D’ and ˜35°×20° for ‘3D’ fluidic chips. A scanner fluidic showerhead in accordance with the invention can have from 5-40 openings, negating the perception by potential purchasers that they have too few spray openings. Further, the unique construction of the present device overcomes manufacturing difficulties of prior devices by making it very easy to seal its fluidic circuits, and in addition, it need not be as expensive as prior fluidic showerheads because there need not be as many components as were needed in such prior devices. 
     Turning now to a more detailed description of the present invention, reference is made to  FIGS. 7-13 , which illustrate at  50  a first embodiment of a fluidic scanning spray device which may be in the form of a hand-held body sprayer or shower, a fixedly or movably mounted showerhead, or the like, and which for convenience will be referred to herein as a scanner showerhead which incorporates a multiplicity of fluidic oscillators. The scanner showerhead  50  preferably is of a molded plastic material and includes a two-piece housing  52  having a rear (or top as viewed in  FIG. 7 ) housing component  54  and a front plate (or bottom, as viewed in the Figure) housing component  56  mated at an interface  58  to form an enclosed plenum which encloses the fluidic oscillator elements of the invention, as will be described. As illustrated, the top housing component  54  incorporates a fluid inlet  60  for connection to a source of fluid under pressure, such as a conventional sprayer or shower supply fixture or hose (not shown), to which it is connected as by means of external threads as shown at  62 . The diameter of the interior  64  of the inlet is stepped down, as at a first inwardly extending shoulder  66 , a second inner shoulder  68  which is secured to an inner wall  69  formed by shoulder  66 , and a final inwardly extending shoulder  70  to form a small-diameter inlet  71  through which fluid flows, as indicated by arrows  72 , into the interior plenum  74  defined between the rear and front components, or portions,  54  and  56  of the housing  52 . In the illustrated embodiment, the inner shoulder  68  is in the form of a ring secured to wall  69  by, for example, three radial arms indicated at  78 , with the spaces  79  between the radial arms directing fluid flow indicated by arrows  80  into the plenum and cooperating with the central opening  71  to reduce turbulence in the fluid flow into the plenum  74  for even distribution of the flow to the outlet fluidic oscillators to be described. 
     The top housing portion  54  is generally cup-shaped, forming a housing cover portion having a top wall  90 , which incorporates the centrally-located inlet  60 , and a circumferential, downwardly-extending (as viewed in  FIG. 7 ) side wall  92  having at its bottom an outwardly-flared circumferential sealing flange  94  which incorporates a flat bottom sealing surface  96 . As best seen in  FIG. 8 , the housing cover  54  incorporates around the sidewall  92  a plurality of outwardly-extending radial protrusions  100  spaced around the housing side wall. Each protrusion includes a through aperture  102  which is aligned with a corresponding aperture  104  in the bottom housing  56  for receiving a suitable fastener for assembly of the showerhead  50 . It will be noted that at the location of each outward protrusion  100 , the wall  92  of top housing component  52  incorporates a curved, inwardly-extending projection, or bulge  110 , as best seen in  FIG. 9 , which serves to provide sufficient thickness in the side wall  92  to accept the apertures  102 . The multiple protrusions and their corresponding inward projections produce a curved circumferential inner wall surface  112 , as seen in  FIGS. 7 and 9 . 
     The bottom, or front plate housing component  56  of the housing  52  includes a generally planar bottom wall  120  having a back (or top, as viewed in  FIG. 7 ) surface  122 , a front surface  124 , and a circumferential wall  126 . As best seen in  FIG. 8 , the housing component  56  includes multiple circumferentially-spaced apertures  104 , with the back surface  122  incorporating a sinuous sealing groove  130  having inner and outer walls  132  and  134  and a groove bottom  136  for receiving a flexible circular seal (not shown). The inner wall  132  of the sealing groove follows the curvature of the curved inner wall  112 , so that when the housing  52  is assembled, upper and lower parts  54  and  56  of the housing engage at interface  58  with the surface  96  of the top housing  54  engaging the back surface  122  of bottom housing  56  and covering the sealing groove  130  to provide a fluid-tight seal between these upper and lower components when a suitable flexible seal is in the groove  130 . The scanner fluidic geometry contained in the housing, as will be described, does not require a large surface seal like prior fluidics so that the scanner fluidic of this invention can be molded in two parts that, when joined, provide a sealed housing using a very simple cylindrical seal that is much more robust than a large surface seal. 
     Molded as a part of the front plate housing component  56  are a plurality of concave depressions  150 , illustrated in perspective view in  FIG. 8 , which form the lower halves of fluidic oscillators for the sprayer  50 . For clarity, only one such depression will be described in detail, it being understood that all of them, in this case eight, are substantially alike and are formed during the molding process for making the component  56 . Each depression is molded to incorporate a cylindrical upper portion  152 , an inward ledge, or shoulder  154 , and a substantially hemispherical lower cavity portion  156  which will form a lower part of a two-piece scanner fluidic oscillator element when the scanner showerhead is assembled. At the bottom of the lower cavity portion, slightly offset radially outwardly from a centerline of the fluidic oscillator, and thus off center of the depression  150 , is an outlet aperture  158  which opens through a throat portion  160  formed in a wall portion  162  of the depression  150 . As best seen in  FIG. 9 , the throat portion  160  flares outwardly from the aperture  158  to produce a scanning fluid spray pattern, as will be described. 
     Mounted within each depression  150 , as illustrated in  FIG. 7 , is a corresponding cylindrical fluidic power nozzle insert  170 , which forms the second part of the two-part fluidic oscillator. The insert has an upper planar surface  172  and a cylindrical side wall  174  which has a diameter selected to fit snugly into the upper portion  152  of its corresponding depression. As illustrated in the cross-section of  FIG. 7 , the bottom of each insert incorporates an open, downwardly facing substantially hemispherical dome  176  having a cylindrical bottom edge  178  which engages the ledge  154  in its corresponding depression when assembled. The inert dome and its corresponding depression form a spherical fluidic oscillator interaction chamber  180 . Centrally located in the upper surface of each cylindrical insert is an inlet passage  182  having an axis  184 , which is also the axis of the cylindrical insert  170 , and forming a power nozzle leading into the insert interior dome and thus into the interaction chamber  180  formed by each insert with its corresponding depression. As illustrated in  FIG. 7 , it will be noted that the outlet apertures  158 , and the throats  160  of each fluidic oscillator are offset radially from the axis  184 , and as illustrated, these offsets are of selected, usually different dimensions to provide predetermined different but complementary outlet spray patterns of each oscillator output scanner spray. In the illustrated embodiment, the outlets are spaced radially outwardly by different distances  186  and  188  in the two fluidic oscillators illustrated in cross-section in  FIG. 7 , but it will be understood that the offset may be in any direction from the axis  184 , the offsets may all be the same, or a selected mixture of offsets, or there may be no offsets, as selected for the desired scanner spray pattern. It is noted that the inserts may be partially serrated around their upper edges  190  for ease of handling. 
     The method of assembly of showerhead  50  involves positioning an insert  170  into each of the cylindrical upper portions  152  of depressions  150  in the front plate so that the bottom  178  of the insert engages the ledge  154 , with the inserts being secured in place by the tight fit of the insert outer side wall  174 , thereby forming a plurality, in this embodiment for purposes of illustration, eight fluidic oscillator interaction chambers and corresponding scanning spray outlets and outlet throats. A seal is placed in the groove  130  and the back and front portions  54  and  56  are positioned and aligned and are secured together by suitable fasteners, such as screws or bolts, to provide a fluid-tight enclosure. In operation, the shower head is secured to a suitable source of fluid under pressure, which flows into the interior plenum, or fluid manifold  74  of the housing, as indicated by arrows  72  and  80 . The fluid circulates in the chamber and flows at substantially equal flow rates into the several inlet power nozzles  182 , as illustrated by arrows  190 . The fluid enters the fluidic interaction chambers  180  under pressure, circulates in the chamber to produce a fluidic oscillation, and is ejected through the corresponding outlet aperture  158  and throat  160  to generate from each outlet a scanning fluidic spray output which is delivered in a uniform cone angle, illustrated in  FIG. 7  by arrows  192 . This scanning spray output is similar to that illustrated in  FIG. 5 , in that it randomly scans across and around the defined cone angle to produce a highly desirable flow pattern for use, for example in a shower. 
     The simplicity of the scanner geometry—an essentially spherical interaction region with opposed, but selectively offset, inlet (power nozzle) and outlet (throat)—allows for simplified construction of scanner fluidic arrays. As illustrated in the embodiment of  FIGS. 7-9  and in the related second embodiment of the invention illustrated in  FIGS. 10-15 , such simplified construction is accomplished by molding the scanner throats and the downstream half of the interaction regions in one piece of the showerhead. In this scenario, as discussed above, the inserts containing the power nozzle and the upper, or upstream half of the interaction region are molded individually for each fluidic so that the component count for the fluidics device is equal to the number of fluidics plus one. This is more than in a prior fluidic shower, but the components are much simpler to design, mold, and assemble. 
     In the embodiment of  FIGS. 10-17 , which are directed to a second embodiment  198  of the present scanner showerhead or sprayer invention,  FIGS. 10-13  diagrammatically illustrate a downstream, or front plate portion  200  of such a scanner spray utilizing multiple fluidic oscillator scanner sprays in accordance the present invention. In this illustration, front plate  200  is generally cup-shaped, having an upstanding cylindrical side wall  202  and a bottom wall  204  in which a desired number, in this case six, fluidic depressions  206  are formed. These depressions have corresponding outlet apertures  208  and scanner throats  210 , in the manner described above with respect to the depression  150 , outlet  158  and throat  160  of  FIG. 7 .  FIGS. 10-13  illustrate the dimensions of a typical six-spray scanner shower head. In this embodiment, and as best seen in  FIGS. 14 and 15 , suitable inserts  220  are provided, having the shape described above with respect to inserts  170  in  FIGS. 7-9 , and being securable in the corresponding depressions  206  to form corresponding fluidic interaction chambers  212 , as illustrated diagrammatically in  FIG. 16 . In this embodiment, a rear, or upper housing portion  230  is configured to match and enclose the sidewall  202  of the front portion  200  of the assembly, and thus itself is generally cup-shaped, having a downwardly (or forwardly) facing cylindrical side wall which surrounds and engages the upper edge of the sidewall  202 , as best seen in  FIG. 16 , to provide a water-tight plenum  234  within the housing  198 . As with the embodiment of  FIGS. 7-9 , the housing portion  230  has a rear wall  240  carrying a threaded fluid inlet fitting  242 , by which fluid under pressure is supplied to the interior plenum formed within showerhead  198 . As before, the inlet fluid circulates in the plenum  234  and flows through the insert power nozzles  182 , the fluidic interaction chambers  212 , and outlets  208  through throats  210 . As noted above with respect to  FIGS. 7-9 , the outlets  208  and throats  210  are selectively offset from the axes of their corresponding opposed inlet power nozzles  182  to produce the desired scanner spray pattern. 
       FIGS. 18 and 19  illustrate exploded top and bottom perspective views of a third multiple fluidic oscillator scanner spray embodiment of the present invention, illustrating at  250  a fluidic oscillating scanner showerhead in accordance with the present invention. The showerhead incorporates a top (or rear) housing component  252  having an upper surface  254  in which is located an inlet fixture  256  that in this case is internally threaded, as at  258 , for connection to a suitable hose or pipe fitting to receive fluid under pressure. The inlet fixture is axially centered in the component  252  and passes through it to direct supplied fluid to an internal cavity, or plenum, formed within the showerhead assembly  250 . Spaced around the edge of the rear component  252  are a plurality of apertures for receiving suitable fasteners for securing this component to a corresponding bottom (or front panel) showerhead component  270  having a front face surface  272  around which are spaced apertures  274  corresponding to the apertures  260  in the top housing component  252  to receive corresponding fasteners for assembling the showerhead. In this embodiment, the showerhead includes, for example, five two-part fluidic oscillator circuits  280  for producing an output scanner spray, in accordance with the invention. 
     As illustrated in perspective views in  FIGS. 18 and 19 , and in cross-section in  FIG. 20 , a two-part fluidic oscillator  280  consists of upper and lower insert portions, or halves  282  and  284  which are separately fabricated, as by molding, and which fit together to produce a substantially spherical interaction region generally indicated at  286  in  FIG. 20 . The lower insert  284  includes a side wall  290  having a generally cylindrical exterior surface  292  which is stepped downwardly and inwardly to form a pair of steps  294  and  296  and a bottom wall  300 . The inner surface  302  of the insert portion  284  has an upper cylindrical portion  304 , an inwardly extending ledge  306 , and a substantially hemispherical, upwardly opening cavity  308 . In the bottom wall  300  of the insert portion  284  is an outlet aperture  310  which opens downwardly and outwardly from the cavity  308  through a tapered, expanding throat  312 . 
     The several lower insert portions  284  are received in corresponding openings or receptacles  320  in the front showerhead component, or front plate  270 , best seen in  FIGS. 18 and 19 . As illustrated, in this embodiment five receptacles are equally spaced around the front plate to receive five inserts, although it will be understood that they need not be equally spaced. On the rearward, or inner surface  322  of plate  270  it will be seen that the receptacles are spaced radially inwardly of a circumferential sealing groove  324  adapted to receive a suitable sealing gasket (not shown) for providing a fluid-tight seal when the showerhead  250  is assembled. Also, as seen in  FIG. 18 , and illustrated in the cross-section of  FIG. 20 , each receptacle  320  has a cylindrical upper wall  325  and incorporates below that upper wall  325  inwardly extending steps, or ledges  326  and  328  shaped so that the receptacle receives the corresponding exterior wall  292  and steps  294  and  296  of the lower insert portion  284 , with each receptacle snugly securing a corresponding insert. 
     The upper portion  282  of the two-part fluidic oscillator  280  includes a top wall  338  and a depending sidewall  340  having a cylindrical outer surface  342  having an outer diameter which is snugly received in the upper cylindrical wall  304  of insert portion  284  upon assembly of the oscillator. The inner surface  344  of sidewall  340  forms a downwardly opening hemispherical dome  346 , the upper portion of which is formed in the top wall  338  of upper portion  282  of the two-part insert, as illustrated in  FIG. 20 . A fluid inlet aperture, or power nozzle  350  having an axis  351  extends through the top wall  338  to admit fluid under pressure into the substantially spherical interior interaction region  286  of the oscillator  280 . The spherical interaction chamber is formed when the upper insert portion  282  is joined to the lower insert portion  284  by pressing the two halves together so that the surface  342  is in contact with the surface  304  and the bottom  352  of portion  282  engages ledge  306  of portion  284 . To assist in the assembly of the device, the top surface  354  of each fluidic oscillator assembly  280  incorporates three spaced, upstanding spacer posts  356  (see  FIG. 18 ) which engage the undersurface  360  (see  FIG. 19 ) of the rear showerhead component  252  when the showerhead is assembled, to force the insert halves together and into their corresponding receptacles  320 . 
     When so assembled, fluid under pressure enters the showerhead  250  via inlet  256  into a plenum  362  formed between the top and bottom components  252  and  270 , and in which the upper portions of the fluidic oscillators are located. The fluid circulates in plenum  362  and flows between the upstanding spacer posts  356  into the power nozzle inlets  350  of each oscillator and into the spherical interaction region  286 . The spacer posts not only position the oscillators in the housing, but also act as turbulence filters to calm any turbulence in the plenum and to smooth the fluid flow into the fluidic oscillator power nozzles. The fluid flow into the spherical fluidic oscillator generates fluidic oscillations which, in turn, produce a fluid discharge from the region  286  through aperture  310  and throat  312  into ambient atmosphere to produce the conical scanner spray discussed above. As in the previously-described embodiments, the spray outputs from outlet apertures  310  and throats  312  are configured by selectively offsetting them from the axes  351  of their corresponding power nozzles in each of the fluidic oscillators to permit preselected scanner spray patterns for the spray device  250 . 
       FIGS. 21-25  illustrate at  400  a fourth embodiment of the scanner sprayer of the present invention incorporating multiple fluidic oscillators wherein downstream (or front) halves of the oscillator interaction regions, including outlet apertures and throats, are all molded in one piece of the sprayer and upstream (or rear) halves of the oscillator including power nozzles and upstream halves of the interaction regions are molded in one other piece of the sprayer to simplify its manufacture and assembly. In this embodiment, the scanner sprayer  400 , which is illustrated as a showerhead having multiple spray outlet streams, includes a rear (or upper as viewed in  FIGS. 21 and 22 ) cup-shaped housing member  402  having a top wall  404  and a forwardly (downwardly as viewed in  FIGS. 21 and 22 ) extending, generally cylindrical side wall  406  having an inward peripheral shoulder  407 . Centrally located in the top wall  402  is an upstanding fluid inlet fixture  408  having a cylindrical side wall  410  carrying external threads  412  for receiving a suitable internally and externally threaded fluid supply fitting  414 . The fitting  414  may be any conventional supply fitting, with the illustrated device having a generally cylindrical wall  420  incorporating at its lower end  422  suitable internal threads  424  for engaging the threads  412 , and incorporating at its upper end  426  external threads  428  for receiving a threaded fluid supply hose or pipe, or the like (not shown). The fitting  414  may include an internal nozzle  430  secured at its lower end  432  in the upper wall portion  426  of fitting  414  and engaging a cylindrical seal  433  in the inlet fixture  408 , and having an upper connector portion  434  for receiving a supply fluid. The internal nozzle includes an outlet aperture  436  for directing fluid into an internal plenum  440  defined within the cup-shaped housing member  402 . 
     The undersurface  450  of wall  404  of the housing member  402  includes a plurality of spaced, arcuate reinforcing ridges  452  spaced inwardly from side wall  406  to provide reinforcement for wall  404  and to act as spacers for positioning a lower, or face plate portion  454  of the scanner sprayer  400  within the plenum region  440 . In addition, the ridges provide sufficient strength to receive a plurality of spaced fastener holes  456 . Corresponding fastener holes  458  are provided in the face plate  454  and may be threaded, as at  460  to receive a suitable fastener such as a threaded bolt for assembly of the scanner sprayer  400 . 
     The front plate  454  incorporates a three-tier, layered fluidic oscillator assembly forming multiple, two-part spaced fluidic oscillators to produce scanning sprays such as those described above in the previous embodiments. The front plate  454  includes a lowermost (as viewed in  FIGS. 21 and 22 ) layer that is a supporting frontpiece  470 , which supports a middle layer plate  472 . The middle layer is molded to form the first parts of all of the oscillators, that is, the downstream (or front) halves  474  of the multiple fluidic oscillator interaction regions of this device. The middle layer in turn supports an uppermost layer, or top plate  476  that is molded to form the second parts of all of the oscillators, that is, the upstream (or back) halves  478  of the multiple fluidic oscillator interaction regions. Since these layers are each typically made by plastic injection molding methods, those knowledgeable with such manufacturing methods will understand that such manufacturing methods impose some constraints on the geometry of such inserts and their enclosures, so the described embodiment is illustrative of the invention. To facilitate the alignment of a large number of fluidic oscillators in the assembly  454 , one of the upper  476  or middle  472  layers may be molded out of a flexible material to allow it to conform to the other hard plastic layer. Alternatively, to facilitate the alignment of a large number of fluidic oscillators in the assembly and to allow bending of the fluidics into various aim angles, both the upper  476  and middle  472  layers may be molded out of a flexible material to allow them to conform to each other and the lower layer  470  may be a hard plastic forming a hard face or backing plate that holds prescribed aim angles. 
     As illustrated, the lowermost layer  470  has a front surface  490  which serves as the visible face of the sprayer (see  FIG. 25 ) and a substantially planar back surface  491  (see  FIG. 23 ) which is in contact with the middle layer  472  (see  FIGS. 21 and 22 ). Lower layer  470  incorporates a plurality of spray fluidics outlets  492  which are spaced around the scanner sprayer  400  in a desired pattern with the number of such outlets depending on the number of spray outputs desired for the scanner sprayer  400 . In the illustrated embodiment  20  such outputs are included, each substantially the same as those illustrated in cross-section in  FIGS. 21 and 22 . Each outlet  492  has a wall  494  that is tapered upwardly and outwardly, and is shaped to receive corresponding downstream fluidic oscillator components  474  formed by the middle layer  472 , with the wall including a shoulder  496  for positioning the downstream oscillator components, and a top surface aperture  498  into which the downstream oscillator components are inserted in the assembly of the front plate  454 . The lowermost layer also incorporates the fastener openings  458  described above. 
     Middle layer  472  is generally planar, having a bottom face  500  shaped to contact face  491  of the lowermost layer  470 , and having a top face  502  generally parallel to it. The middle layer incorporates a plurality of depressions, two of which are illustrated in  FIGS. 21 and 22  at  510  and  512 , with the number of depressions matching in number and location the number of front plate outlets  492 . Each depression has an inner surface  514  that is generally hemispherical and an outer surface  516  that is shaped to match the shape of its corresponding opening in the lowermost plate  470  and forms the downstream component  474  of a fluidic oscillator. A generally cylindrical upstanding wall  520  surrounds each depression and is positioned to receive and position the upper layer  476 . 
     The upper layer  476  of the front plate  470  is generally planar, with an upper surface  522  and a lower, generally parallel surface  524 , and incorporates a plurality of hemispherical domes  530  shaped by top curved walls  531  and downwardly extending side walls  532  and forming the upstream component  478  of a fluidic oscillator. The outer surfaces  534  of side walls  532  are generally cylindrical and fit into corresponding lowermost layer cylindrical walls  520 , when the front plate  454  is assembled, to produce generally spherical fluidic oscillator interaction regions, two of which are illustrated in the Figures at  522  and  524 . The top walls  531  incorporate centrally-located power nozzles  540  surrounded by upstanding cylindrical walls  542  and having upper ends  544  which open into the plenum  440  and lower ends  546  which open into the fluidic oscillator interaction regions, such as those illustrated at  522  and  524 . 
     Opposite the power nozzles  540  in each fluidic oscillator and located in the approximate center of the downstream hemispherical surface  514  is an outlet aperture  550  which opens into ambient by way of a downwardly and outwardly opening throat  552  which is shaped to produce desired fluid scanning spray characteristics. As in prior embodiments of the invention, the outlet apertures  550  are offset from the axes  554  (see  FIG. 22 ) of the corresponding power nozzles by selected amounts, again to produce desired fluidic oscillation in the interaction chambers and to produce desired spray scanning characteristics. 
     On the top surface of each power nozzle side wall  542  are spacer posts, such as posts  560  and  562  illustrated in  FIGS. 21 and 22 , which extend upwardly to engage the undersurface  450  of the upper housing component  402  when the device is assembled. If desired each oscillator may include three spaced posts, as illustrated in the embodiment of  FIG. 18 . Between the posts are spaced openings  564  leading from the plenum to the power nozzle. These posts also serve as filters for the fluid in the plenum to reduce fluid turbulence in the inlets to the power nozzles. 
     Assembly of the scanner sprayer  400  is easily done. After the parts have been molded, the three layers of the front plate  454  are aligned (see  FIGS. 23 and 24 ) so that they may be pressed together with the depressions  510 ,  512  of the middle layer  472  fitting snugly into the corresponding openings  492  in the bottom layer  470 , and with the downwardly-extending walls  532  of the upper layer  476  fitting snugly into the upwardly-extending walls  520  of the middle layer  472 . When pressed together, these three layers form the composite, or layered front plate  454  incorporating a plurality of fluidic oscillators having downstream, forwardly facing (downwardly in the views of  FIGS. 21 and 22 ) outlet apertures  550 . The front plate  454  is then inserted into the front-facing cavity formed by the cup-shaped rear (or upper) housing  402  and the entire assembly is pressed together and secured by fasteners through apertures  456 . Pressing the assembly together pulls the front plate inwardly into contact with the interior peripheral shoulder  407  of the side wall  406  of the upper housing  402  and the downwardly-extending ridges  452  so that the front plate and rear housing are spaced apart sufficiently to form the housing plenum  440 . Spacers  452  also engage the under surface  450  of the top housing component  402  to space the front plate from the top housing, with the spaces  464  between the spacers  462  providing fluid communication between the plenum and the oscillator power nozzles. 
     In operation, fluid under pressure, indicated by arrows  570 , is supplied to the sprayer  400  through inlet  436  and flows downwardly through inlet  410  into the plenum  440  and flows outwardly toward the fluidic oscillators. The fluid  570  enters the fluidic oscillators from the plenum by way of the spaces  564  between the spacer posts  560 ,  562  and thus into the power nozzles  540  and the spherical interaction regions  522  and  524 , as best seen in  FIG. 22 . The fluid circulates in the interaction region to generate fluidic oscillations and is ejected through each outlet aperture  550  and throat  552  as a conical scanning spray  580  having a direction and conical angle as predetermined by the design of the individual fluidic oscillator. 
     As has been discussed above, for example in the description of the outlet apertures  158  and the throats  160  in the embodiment of  FIGS. 7-9 , the apertures  208  and throat  210  in the embodiment of  FIGS. 10-17 , the apertures  310  and throat  312  in the embodiment of  FIGS. 18-20 , and the apertures  550  and  552  of the embodiment of  FIGS. 21-25 , the outlet apertures of each fluidic oscillator are offset radially from the axes of the corresponding opposed power nozzles. These outlets are formed in the bottom surface of each fluidic oscillator, and with the exception of the embodiment of  FIGS. 18-20 , are all molded in preselected locations and with preselected offsets in a single front plate incorporating multiple outlets. The configurations of these outlets, and the downstream throats, of selected, usually different, dimensions and angles to provide predetermined different but complementary outlet spray patterns for each oscillator output scanner spray. The offset of each fluidic oscillator may be in any direction from the corresponding power nozzle axis, and the offsets may all be the same, or a selected mixture of offset amounts, or there may be no offsets, as with each individual oscillator configured to produce a selected spray cone direction and angle, with all of them being selected to produce a desired overall, or composite, scanner spray pattern. The embodiment of  FIGS. 18-20  differs in that the lower parts of the fluidic oscillator are each fabricated separately and are inserted in in a supporting faceplate  270 ; however, as illustrated in  FIG. 20 , each may incorporate similar aperture and throat configurations having selected offsets from their corresponding power nozzle axes. 
       FIGS. 26-33A  illustrate in diagrammatic form a method for fabricating selected fluidic oscillator configurations that may be used with scanner sprayers of the present invention. For convenience, these illustrations are provided for the fluidic oscillator configuration of the embodiment of  FIGS. 18-20 , but it will be apparent that the same configurations may be incorporated in the rest of the described embodiments. Further, these Figures include dimensions for a preferred embodiment of the invention, to better illustrate its features. Thus,  FIG. 26  is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view of a first version of a lower portion  590  of a fluidic oscillator insert that forms a lower half of a hemispherical chamber, or interaction region  592 , and which incorporates an outlet aperture  594  opening out of the interaction region  592  into an upper throat  595  and a lower throat  596 , in accordance with the present invention. This part  590  of the oscillator corresponds to the similar insert lower half  284  of the device of  FIGS. 18-20  and thus includes an upstanding cylindrical wall  597  and a hemispherical wall  598  adapted to fit into, and be supported by, a front plate (not shown) such as the plate  270  illustrated in  FIG. 20 . 
       FIG. 27  is a cross-sectional view of the insert  590 , taken along line  27 - 27  of  FIG. 26  and  FIG. 27A  is a top plan view of the device of  FIG. 27 . As illustrated, the outlet aperture  594  opens into the upper throat portion  595  which tapers downwardly and inwardly from the interaction region through opening  600 , indicated by arrows  602  in  FIG. 26 , to define an upper throat length  604 . The upper throat opens through the downwardly and outwardly tapered throat portion  596  to ambient. The taper angle of the upper throat portion  595  is indicated by the angle lines  606  and  608  which are extensions of the wall of the upper throat and pass through the edges of opening  600  and aperture  594  on opposite sides of a central axis  610 . This axis passes through the centers of circular aperture  594  and circular opening  600 , and when inlet  590  is assembled in a sprayer such as that of  FIGS. 18-20 , is also the axis of the oscillator power nozzle. In this version of the insert  590 , both the angle  612  between extension  606  and axis  610  and the angle  614  between extension  608  and axis  610  are selected to be 25°, and this equality of throat angles produces no offset of the outlet with respect to the central axis of the interaction region. These equal upper throat angles cause the insert  590  produce a first outlet spray pattern indicated by outlet spray arrows, this first output fluidic spray having a first selected, predetermined outlet axis and cone angle, in accordance with the invention. 
       FIG. 28  is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view, also taken at lines  27 - 27  of  FIG. 26 , of a second version  630  of a fluidic oscillator insert having an interaction region  632  defined by hemispherical wall  633 . A circular outlet aperture  634  leads to a downwardly and outwardly tapering upper throat portion  636  which opens through a circular throat opening  638  into a downwardly and outwardly opening lower throat portion  640 . In this version, the taper angles  642  and  644  of the upper throat portion differ on opposite sides of the central axis  610  (of the opposed power nozzle, not shown), as viewed in  FIG. 27 , with one half  642  of the throat having a wall angle of 31°, as illustrated by wall extension  646 , and the other half  644  having an angle of 19°, as indicated by wall extension  648 . The angle  642  of the throat wall at one side of the axis causes the base of the wall at opening  638  to shift closer to the axis, while the angle  644  of the wall at the other side shifts the opening away from the axis, thereby shifting, or offsetting, the opening  638  with respect to the axis and making the opening smaller, as illustrated in  FIG. 28A . This configuration, in accordance with the present invention, effectively offsets the outlet throat from the axis  610  of the interaction chamber  602  to produce an outlet spray pattern, indicated by arrows  650 , having a second predetermined outlet axis and cone angle.  FIG. 28A  is a top plan view of the device of  FIG. 28 , and illustrates the throat offset. 
     Similarly,  FIG. 29  is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view taken at lines  27 - 27  of  FIG. 26 , and illustrates a third version  660  of a fluidic oscillator chamber, or interaction region  662  formed by hemispherical wall  664  and having an outlet aperture  666 , and an inwardly upper tapered throat wall  668  leading to opening  670 . The upper part of the throat has a length  672  and is outwardly tapered at angle  674 , illustrated in the Figure on the left side of axis  610  by extension  675  at an angle of 37° and at an angle  676 , illustrated on the other side of the central axis by extension  677  at an angle of 13°. As explained with respect to  FIG. 28 , this angle difference shifts the opening  670  closer to the axis  610  with respect to the aperture  666  to produce a larger offset than that of  FIG. 28 , as illustrated in  FIG. 29A , and to make the opening  670  slightly smaller to produce an outlet fluidic spray indicated by arrows  680  having a third predetermined outlet axis and cone angle. 
       FIG. 30  is a diagrammatic side elevation view of the device  590  of  FIG. 26 , while  FIG. 31  is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view taken along line  27 - 27  of  FIGS. 26 and 30 , illustrating a fourth version  700  of a fluidic oscillator unit. This unit has an interaction region  702  defined by a hemispheric wall  704  having an outlet aperture  706  leading to an upper throat  708  having a lower opening  709 , configured as described above. As illustrated, the upper throat  708  has a wall that is inwardly tapered, as indicated by wall angle extensions  710  and  712 . One part of the throat wall, illustrated in the Figure on the left side of its axis  610 , is at an angle  714  of 43° and the other part, illustrated on the other side of the central axis, is at an angle  716  of 7°. This produces a larger offset of opening  709  at the bottom of throat  708 , with respect to the axis and to the aperture  706  than that of  FIG. 28 , as illustrated  FIG. 31A , which is a top plan view of the device of  FIG. 31 . This configuration produces an outlet spray pattern having a fourth predetermined outlet axis and cone angle, as indicated by arrows  720 , in accordance with the present invention. 
       FIG. 32  is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view, taken at  27 - 27  of  FIG. 26 , of a fifth version  730  of an inset having a fluidic oscillator chamber, or interaction region  732 , and an outlet aperture  734  leading to an upper throat  736  configuration which has a lower opening  737 , in accordance with the present invention. The upper part of throat  736  has a wall that is downwardly and inwardly tapered, as indicated by wall angle extensions  738  and  740 , with one part of the wall, illustrated in the Figure by extension  738  on the left side of its axis  610 , at an angle  742  of 49°, and the other part, illustrated on the other (right) side of the central axis  610  at an angle  744  of 1°. This provides a larger offset of the opening  737  with respect to the axis  610  and the aperture  734 , and an opening that is smaller than those of the prior versions discussed above, as best seen in  FIG. 32A , which is a top plan view of the device of  FIG. 32 . This configuration produces an outlet spray pattern, illustrated by arrows  748 , having a fifth predetermined outlet axis and cone angle in accordance with the present invention. 
       FIG. 33  is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view, taken at  27 - 27  of  FIG. 26 , of a sixth version  770  of a sprayer insert including a fluidic oscillator chamber, or interaction region  772  defined by a hemispherical wall  774 . The interaction region incorporates an outlet aperture  776  which leads through an upper throat  778  to an outlet opening  780 , in accordance with the present invention. The upper throat  778  is downwardly and inwardly tapered, as indicated by wall angle extensions  782  and  784 , with one part of the wall, illustrated in the Figure by extension  782  on the left side of its axis  610 , at an angle  786  of 61°, and the other part, illustrated on the other (right) side of the central axis  610  at an angle  788  of 1°. This provides a larger offset of the opening  780  with respect to the axis  610  and the aperture  776 , and an opening that is smaller than those of the prior versions discussed above, as best seen in  FIG. 33A , which is a top plan view of the device of  FIG. 33 , to produce an outlet spray pattern  790  having a fifth predetermined outlet axis and cone angle in accordance with the present invention. 
     It will be noted that each of the described fluidic oscillator inserts described in  FIGS. 26-33A  incorporates a protrusion  800  which serves as an alignment tab for aligning the insert with a support front plate in a sprayer. As indicated, the tabs are aligned with the direction of offset, and thus serve to identify the direction of the spray outlet for the corresponding insert.  FIGS. 18 and 20  illustrate the use of the inserts of  FIGS. 26-33A  in a sprayer device, where each of the lower halves of the inserts  280  incorporate an alignment tab  800 , while each opening  320  in the front plate  270  has an alignment notch  802  to receive a tab. The alignment notches are placed at predetermined locations around the circumferences of the openings  320 . Since each of the inserts  590 ,  630   700   730  and  770  is configured to produce a different, known scanning spray characteristic; i.e. a known spray cone angle and direction as produced by the specific outlet offset, and since the locations of the notches are predetermined in the front plate, selection of any insert for any front plate opening allows provision of a desired combined spray pattern from the sprayer, which is a composite of all the selected individual spray inserts. Each of the inserts provides a scanning output within its cone, so that in accordance with the invention highly desirable scanning sprayers are provided 
     The variations in the outlet throat offset described in  FIGS. 26-33A  illustrate the manner in which 3-dimensional scanning fluidic outputs, each providing a spray output that sweeps, or scans in a preselected, conical pattern size and direction, can be varied by changing the characteristics of the outlet throat angle and thus its location with respect to a fluidic oscillator interaction region axis which coincides with the axis of the opposed input power nozzle. These Figures illustrate typical measurements for fluidic oscillators in which vortices are produced to generate a scanning spray output having droplets of selected size and velocity, for use in scanner spray devices as disclosed herein to produce preselected spray patterns for scanning spray devices. In particular, the devices of the invention are used in applications such as scanner body sprays and showerheads to generate fluidic oscillator spray outputs which deliver a multiplicity of sprays having selected cone angles and directions. In the scanner fluidic showerhead assembly of the present invention, one fluidic scanner nozzle member effectively replaces 2-4 normal fluid jets by providing a small cone angle and uniform distribution, so that a scanner fluidic showerhead can have from 5-40 openings, which should overcome a possible objection (not enough openings) that may deter a consumer. In a typical prior fluidic showerhead, one fluidic replaces 10-15 jets, leaving a typical prior fluidic showerhead with 4-10 openings where a comparable jet type showerhead would have 40-100 openings. 
     Persons of skill in the art will appreciate that the present invention can be configured to provide a new scanner fluidic oscillator adapted or configurable for use in an economically manufactured fluidic showerhead or nozzle assembly (e.g.,  50 ,  198 ,  250 ,  400 ) which aims oscillating sprays from multiple scanner fluidics to spread water uniformly over a preselected coverage area positioned distally from or in front of the front plate or front panel ( 56 ,  200 ,  270 ,  454 ). The scanner fluidics and showerhead of the present invention are configurable to provide a particular composite pleasing spray pattern with a selected, droplet size, droplet velocity, and temperature uniformity at very low flow rates (i.e., 2 gpm or less) for showering, washing or spraying a target area. The scanner fluidics are provided in a plurality of distinct configurations for generating individually tailored scanning sprays having a selected scanning spray characteristics. The showerhead&#39;s front plate (e.g.,  56 ,  200 ,  270 ,  454 ) is configured to support and aim the fluidic oscillators, optionally with indexing slots  802  configured to receive corresponding angular indexing tabs  800  on the fluidic oscillator inserts to orient and aim the spray from each fluidic oscillator (e.g.,  172 ,  220 ,  282 ,  530 ). 
     Having described preferred embodiments of a new and improved method, it is believed that other modifications, variations and changes will be suggested to those skilled in the art in view of the teachings set forth herein. It is therefore to be understood that all such variations, modifications and changes are believed to fall within the scope of the present invention.