Ultrasonic injection device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12420301-B2
Application number	US-202217932273-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 14, 2022
Priority date	Sep 14, 2022
Publication date	Sep 23, 2025
Grant date	Sep 23, 2025

Abstract

An ultrasonic injection device and methods of use are presented. The ultrasonic injection device comprises a housing, an injection nozzle attached to the housing, an ultrasonic vibration generator attached to the housing, and a pressure applicator. The injection nozzle has a number of openings configured to dispense a fluid. The ultrasonic vibration generator is configured to apply ultrasonic energy to fluid within the injection nozzle. The pressure application is configured to propel the fluid towards and out of the number of openings.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An ultrasonic injection device for dispensing a fluid into a gap between a first component and a second component, comprising:
a housing;
an injection nozzle attached to the housing, the injection nozzle having a number of openings configured to dispense the fluid;
a first seal connected to the injection nozzle and configured to be in contact with the first component;
a second seal connected to the injection nozzle and configured to be in contact with the second component, the number of openings positioned on the injection nozzle between the first seal and the second seal;
an ultrasonic vibration generator attached to the housing, the ultrasonic vibration generator configured to apply ultrasonic energy to the fluid within the injection nozzle; and a pressure applicator configured to propel the fluid towards and out of the number of openings and into the gap.

2. The ultrasonic injection device of claim 1 further comprising:
a channel within the housing for holding the fluid.

3. The ultrasonic injection device of claim 1 further comprising:
a port in the injection nozzle for receiving the fluid from a fluid source.

4. The ultrasonic injection device of claim 1 , wherein the pressure applicator is one of a plunger or a pump.

5. The ultrasonic injection device of claim 1 , wherein the injection nozzle is a hollow probe with a central axis and the number of openings is perpendicular to the central axis of the hollow probe.

6. The ultrasonic injection device of claim 1 , wherein the ultrasonic vibration generator is one of a pneumatic air turbine, a piezoelectric transducer, or dielectric pumps.

7. The ultrasonic injection device of claim 1 , wherein the ultrasonic vibration generator is positioned around a base of the injection nozzle.

8. The ultrasonic injection device of claim 1 , wherein the ultrasonic vibration generator is connected to the housing on an end of the housing opposite the injection nozzle.

9. The ultrasonic injection device of claim 1 , wherein the ultrasonic vibration generator is wrapped around a portion of the housing.

10. An ultrasonic injection device for dispensing a fluid into a gap between a first component and a second component of a structure, comprising:
a housing for holding the fluid;
an injection nozzle attached to a first end of the housing, the injection nozzle having a number of openings configured to dispense the fluid, a first seal of the injection nozzle configured to be in contact with the first component of the structure and a second seal of the injection nozzle configured to be in contact with the second component of the structure, the number of openings positioned on the injection nozzle between the first seal and the second seal;
an ultrasonic vibration generator attached to the housing, the ultrasonic vibration generator configured to apply ultrasonic energy to the fluid within the injection nozzle; and
a pressure applicator configured to propel the fluid towards and out of the number of openings.

11. The ultrasonic injection device of claim 10 , wherein the injection nozzle is a hollow probe and the number of openings is perpendicular to the hollow probe.

12. The ultrasonic injection device of claim 10 , wherein the ultrasonic vibration generator is positioned around a base of the injection nozzle.

13. The ultrasonic injection device of claim 10 , wherein the ultrasonic vibration generator is connected to the housing on a second end of the housing opposite the first end of the housing.

14. A method for applying a fluid between two components, the method comprising:
positioning an injection nozzle of an ultrasonic injection device relative to a gap between a first component and a second component;
applying ultrasonic energy to a housing of the ultrasonic injection device; and
applying pressure to a fluid source fluidly connected to the injection nozzle of the ultrasonic injection device while the ultrasonic energy is applied to the housing, the injection nozzle connected to a first end of the housing, the injection nozzle comprising a number of openings configured to dispense the fluid into the gap, the injection nozzle comprising a first seal in contact with the first component and a second seal in contact with the second component, the number of openings positioned on the injection nozzle between the first seal and the second seal.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein positioning the injection nozzle comprises positioning a polymeric portion of the injection nozzle into the gap.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein applying pressure to the fluid source pushes the fluid through the number of openings and into the gap.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein positioning the injection nozzle comprises positioning a portion of the injection nozzle into a hole through the first component and the second component such that the number of openings is perpendicular to a central axis of the injection nozzle and is positioned facing the gap.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein positioning the injection nozzle further comprises positioning the first seal in contact with the first component and positioning the second seal in contact with the second component within the hole.

19. The ultrasonic injection device of claim 1 further comprising:
a stopper connected to the injection nozzle, the stopper configured to contact the first component.

20. The ultrasonic injection device of claim 19 , wherein the stopper in contact with the first component positions the number of openings adjacent the gap.

21. The ultrasonic injection device of claim 19 , wherein the stopper in contact with the first component positions the injection nozzle such that the first seal contacts the first component and the second seal contacts the second component.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Ahn Jonathan Young
• Arthur Shane E
• Cowan Daniel J
• Stevens Barton

Classifications

• B29C66/1122

  Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints (B29C66/45, B29C66/472, B29C66/52272 take precedence) · CPC title

• B29C66/342

  Preventing air-inclusions · CPC title

• B29L2031/3076

  Aircrafts (blades, propellers B29L2031/08) · CPC title

• B29C66/524

  Joining profiled elements · CPC title

• B29C66/61

  Joining from or joining on the inside (for making tubes by bending sheets and joining from the inside B29C53/387) · CPC title