Pulsating waterjet valve

Abstract

A device for producing a pulsating waterjet having a manifold body with a hollow interior, a fluid inlet, and at least one outlet leading from the hollow interior and fluidly connecting the hollow interior to at least one waterjet; and a selector cam having at least one propelling vane and at least one dam that cooperates with the at least one outlet so as to sequentially align with and unalign with the at least one outlet, wherein the selector cam is rotationally mounted within the hollow interior of the manifold body, whereby fluid entering the manifold body through the fluid inlet impinges upon the at least one propelling vane imparting rotational motion to the selector cam and the at least one dam thereby rotating the at least one dam such that when the at least one dam aligns with the at least one outlet fluid is allowed to exit the manifold body through the at least one outlet and when the at least one dam unaligns with the at least one outlet fluid is thwarted from exiting the manifold body through the at least one outlet.

1 . A device for producing a pulsating waterjet comprising:
 a manifold body having a hollow interior, a fluid inlet, and at least one outlet leading from the hollow interior and fluidly connecting the hollow interior to at least one waterjet; and   a selector cam having a plurality of propelling vanes integrally formed with arcuate cam lobes, wherein an outer surface of the cam lobe defines a plurality of dams that cooperate with associated outlets so as to sequentially align with and unalign with the associated outlets,   wherein the selector cam is rotationally mounted within the hollow interior of the manifold body,   whereby fluid entering the manifold body through the fluid inlet impinges upon said propelling vanes imparting rotational motion to the selector cam and thereby rotating the dams such that when each of the dams align with a respective associated outlet fluid is thwarted from exiting the manifold body through the respective associated outlet, and when each of the dams unalign with the respective associated outlet a portion of the fluid entering the manifold body is allowed to exit the manifold body through the respective associated outlet.   
   
   
       2 . The device as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a flow control port communicating a portion of the fluid entering the manifold body away from the waterjet. 
   
   
       3 . The device as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the flow control port has a diameter corresponding to a desired rotational speed of said selector cam. 
   
   
       4 . The device as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the dams have an arc length of less than the circumference of the inner surface of the manifold body. 
   
   
       5 . The device as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the dams have an arc length of up to about one-half the circumference of the inner surface of the manifold body. 
   
   
       6 . The device as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the dams have an arc length of approximately one-quarter the circumference of the inner surface of the manifold body. 
   
   
       7 . A device for producing a pulsating waterjet comprising:
 a manifold body having a hollow interior, a fluid inlet, and a plurality of outlets leading from the hollow interior and fluidly connecting the hollow interior to at least one waterjet; and   a selector cam rotationally mounted within the hollow interior and having a plurality of propelling vanes supporting a plurality of dams, such that the dams cooperate with the outlets so as to sequentially align with and unalign with the outlets,   whereby fluid entering the manifold body through the fluid inlet impinges upon the propelling vane imparting rotational motion to the selector cam thereby rotating the dams such that when the dams align with a respective cooperating outlet fluid is blocked from exiting the manifold body through the respective cooperating outlet and when the dams unalign with the respective cooperating outlet fluid exits the manifold body through the respective cooperating outlet.   
   
   
       8 . The device as claimed in  claim 7 , further comprising a fluid control port permitting a portion of the fluid entering the manifold body to bypass communication to the waterjet. 
   
   
       9 . The device as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the manifold body has an inner surface having a circumference and the dams have an arcuate shape that cooperates with the inner surface of the manifold body. 
   
   
       10 . The device as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the outlets have a diameter and the dams have an arc length of at least the diameter of the outlets. 
   
   
       11 . The device as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the arc length is less than the circumference of the inner surface of the manifold body. 
   
   
       12 . The device as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the arc length is up to about one-half the circumference of the inner surface of the manifold body. 
   
   
       13 . The device as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the arc length is approximately one-quarter the circumference of the inner surface of the manifold body. 
   
   
       14 . The device as claimed in  claim 7 , further comprising at least one row of the outlets located longitudinally on the manifold body. 
   
   
       15 . The device as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein a set of two dams is located at a specific location along the selector cam such that each of the two dams in the set of two dams cooperates with one of the outlets. 
   
   
       16 . The device as claimed in  claim 7 , further comprising at least two rows of the outlets located longitudinally on the manifold body, wherein at least two of the outlets are located the same longitudinal distance along the manifold body relative to the fluid inlet. 
   
   
       17 . The device as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein a set of two dams is located at a specific location along the selector cam such that each of the two dams in the set of two dams cooperates with both of the two outlets that are located the same longitudinal distance along the manifold body relative to the fluid inlet. 
   
   
       18 . The device as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the at least two rows of the outlets are located diametrically opposed from each other across a central axis of the manifold body. 
   
   
       19 . A device for producing a pulsating waterjet in a spa comprising:
 a manifold body having a hollow interior, an inner surface having a circumference, a fluid inlet, and a plurality of outlets having a diameter and being arranged longitudinally on the manifold body, the outlets leading from the hollow interior and fluidly connecting the hollow interior to at least one waterjet;   a selector cam having a plurality of dams integrally supported by a propelling vane, the dams cooperating with the outlets so as to sequentially align with and unalign with the outlets, wherein the dams have an arc-like shape that cooperates with the inner surface of the manifold body and an arc length and a width of at least the diameter of the outlet; and   a fluid control port permitting a portion of the fluid entering the manifold body to bypass communication to said outlets,   wherein the selector cam is rotationally mounted within the hollow interior of the manifold body,   whereby fluid entering the manifold body through the fluid inlet impinges upon said propelling vane imparting rotational motion to the selector cam and the dams thereby rotating the dams such that when each of the dams unaligns with a cooperating outlet fluid is allowed to exit the manifold body through the cooperating outlet and when each of the dams unaligns with the cooperating outlet fluid is thwarted from exiting the manifold body through the cooperating outlet.   
   
   
       20 . The device as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein a leading edge of the dam is curved, a trailing edge of the dam is curved, or both a leading edge and a trailing edge of the dam is curved.