Patent ID: 6883543

Claim:
A fluid injection mechanism ( 12 ; 12 ′; 112 ) including at least one pulse valve ( 24 ; 124 , 122 ) for providing high frequency pulses of a fluid medium, comprising: a housing ( 50 ; 140 , 140 ′; 240 , 240 ′) containing a plenum chamber ( 74 , 174 , 274 ); means ( 76 , 78 , 178 , 278 ) for supplying the fluid medium under pressure to the plenum chamber ( 74 , 174 , 274 ); a pair of members ( 40 , 42 ; 140 , 142 ; 240 , 242 ) mutually juxtaposed in close, facing relation and having respective slots ( 44 , 46 ; 144 , 146 ; 244 , 246 ) therein, one member ( 42 ; 142 ; 242 ; 40 ; 140 ; 240 ) of the pair of slotted members ( 40 , 42 ; 140 , 142 ; 240 , 242 ) being mounted to allow limited axial displacement relative to the other, one member ( 42 , 142 , 242 ) of the pair of slotted members ( 40 , 42 ; 140 , 142 ; 240 , 242 ) being adapted to rotate relative to the other ( 40 , 140 , 240 ) to successively align and unalign, and thus port and unport, the slots ( 44 , 46 ; 144 , 146 ; 244 , 246 ) in the two members, the pair of members ( 40 , 42 ; 140 , 142 ; 240 , 242 ) defining a boundry of the plenum ( 74 , 174 , 274 ); means ( 72 ; 172 ) for urging the one member ( 42 ; 142 ; 242 ; 40 ; 140 ; 240 ) of the pair of slotted members ( 40 , 42 ; 140 , 142 ; 240 , 242 ) capable of said limited axial displacement into close sealing relation with the other member of the pair; and means ( 70 , 54 , 52 ; 194 ) for rotatingly driving one member ( 42 , 142 , 242 ) of the pair relative to the other ( 40 , 140 , 240 ) at a predetermined speed sufficient, in combination with the slots ( 44 , 46 ; 144 , 146 ; 244 , 246 ) in the pair of members ( 40 , 42 ; 140 , 142 ; 240 , 242 ), to provide successive pulses of the fluid medium at a high frequency.