WO2014160415A2

WO2014160415A2 - Fluid jet receiving receptacles with receptacle covers and related fluid jet cutting systems and methods

Info

Publication number: WO2014160415A2
Application number: PCT/US2014/026531
Authority: WO
Inventors: Charles M. Brown; Jurgen POHL; Mohamed A. Hashish; Steven J. Craigen; Charles D. Burnham
Original assignee: Flow International Corporation
Priority date: 2013-03-13
Filing date: 2014-03-13
Publication date: 2014-10-02
Also published as: WO2014160415A3

Abstract

A cover device is provided for a jet receiving receptacle of a high- pressure fluid jet system to assist in receiving and in some instances, capturing, a fluid jet discharged from a nozzle of the fluid jet system after it acts on a workpiece. The cover device assists in preventing damage to a workpiece by deflecting a rebounding portion of the jet fluid away from the workpiece, and may also assist in reducing noise levels during workpiece processing operations. Fluid jet cutting systems incorporating a jet receiving receptacle with a receptacle cover and related methods are also provided.

Description

FLUID JET RECEIVING RECEPTACLES WITH RECEPTACLE COVERS AND RELATED FLUID JET CUTTING SYSTEMS AND METHODS

BACKGROUND

Technical Field

This disclosure is related to fluid jet cutting systems and devices, and, in particular, to compact fluid jet receiving receptacles with receptacle covers which are positionable to assist with capturing a fluid jet discharged from a cutting head of a fluid jet cutting system during workpiece processing operations.

Description of the Related Art

Fluid jet or abrasive-fluid jet cutting systems are used for cutting a wide variety of materials, including stone, glass, ceramics and metals. In a typical fluid jet cutting system, a high-pressure fluid (e.g., water) flows through a cutting head having a cutting nozzle to direct a cutting jet onto a workpiece. The system may draw or feed an abrasive into the high-pressure fluid jet to form an abrasive-fluid jet. The cutting nozzle may be controllably moved across the workpiece to cut the workpiece as desired. After the fluid jet, or abrasive- fluid jet, generically referred to as a "waterjet," passes through the workpiece, the energy of the waterjet is often dissipated by a relatively large volume of water in a catcher tank that is also configured to support the workpiece.

Systems for generating high-pressure waterjets are currently available, such as, for example, the Mach 4™ five-axis waterjet system manufactured by Flow International Corporation ("Flow"), the assignee of the present application.

Other examples of waterjet cutting systems are shown and described in Flow's U.S. Patent No. 5,643,058, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Examples of catcher tank systems for supporting workpieces and dissipating energy of a waterjet after it passes through a workpiece are shown and described in Flow's U.S. Patent Application No. 13/193,435, filed July 28, 201 1 , which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Although many waterjet cutting systems feature a catcher tank arrangement having a large volume of water contained therein to dissipate energy of the waterjet during use, other known systems utilize compact fluid jet receiving receptacles which are positioned opposite a cutting head and moved in unison with the same to catch the jet after it is discharged from the cutting head and acts on a workpiece. Examples of such receptacles (also referred to as "catcher cups") and other related devices are shown and described in U.S. Patent Nos. 4,435,902; 4,532,949; 4,651 ,476; 4,665,949; 4,669,229; 4,698,939; 4,799,415; 4,920,841 ; and 4,937,985. Known fluid jet receiving receptacles, however, can suffer from several drawbacks. For example, many fluid jet receiving receptacles are overly complex, bulky and/or prone to premature wear. In addition, many known fluid jet receiving receptacles are configured such that upon wear, fluid and abrasives from the jet may rebound from the receptacle and back toward the workpiece, thereby causing surface defects in the workpiece. For example, rebounding contents of the fluid jet may cause damage or "frosting" of the workpiece, excessive noise and vibrations, and other hazardous or undesirable conditions during workpiece processing.

BRIEF SUMMARY

Embodiments described herein provide fluid jet receiving receptacles with receptacle covers, and waterjet cutting systems incorporating the same and related methods which are particularly well adapted for receiving a jet during at least a portion of a workpiece processing operation. Benefits include cover devices or arrangements that enable the receptacle to receive a jet in a compact form factor while minimizing or substantially reducing or preventing rebounding of contents of the fluid jet out of the receptacle and onto a surface of the workpiece, or elsewhere. The cover devices or arrangements may assist to capture or entrap abrasives and other content contained in the fluid jet to prevent such content from escaping and damaging the workpiece. In addition, the cover devices or arrangements may assist to reduce, muffle and/or suppress noise generated during workpiece processing operations.

According to some embodiments, a fluid jet system adapted to generate a fluid jet under high-pressure operating conditions to process a workpiece may be summarized as including a nozzle having a fluid jet outlet to discharge the fluid jet and a jet receiving receptacle positioned opposite the nozzle to receive the fluid jet during a workpiece processing operation. The jet receiving receptacle may be coupled to or otherwise provided with a cover device. In one embodiment, a cover device may be a receptacle cover that may be removably attached to an inlet feed component of the jet receiving receptacle such that the receptacle cover may overlie at least a portion of an inlet of the inlet feed component. The receptacle cover may include an inner cover surface that defines a receiving cavity which assists to temporarily entrap the fluid jet during a workpiece processing operation. Similarly, the inlet feed component may include a jet receiving surface that defines a collection cavity. Thus, the receiving cavity of the receptacle cover and the collection cavity of the inlet feed component of the jet receiving receptacle may be in fluid communication with each other, and may together define an entrapment cavity for temporarily entrapping the contents of the fluid jet during workpiece processing operations. The receptacle cover may include an upper portion having a fluid inlet aperture to allow ingress of the fluid jet into the entrapment cavity. The fluid inlet aperture may be positioned immediately adjacent to the workpiece without intervening structures during operation. The receptacle cover may further include an outlet passage formed through a sidewall of the receptacle cover, which may be in fluid communication with the entrapment cavity to route contents of the fluid jet out from within the entrapment cavity. According to some embodiments, the outlet passage may be separate from a discharge outlet of the jet receiving receptacle. The discharge outlet may include a variety of components and features, such as those described in Flow's U.S. Application Serial No. 12/473,280, filed May 16, 2012, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In one embodiment, at least a portion of the inner cover surface of the receptacle cover diverges substantially conically and outward and away from a central axis in a downstream direction. This feature may provide a volume defined by the inner cover surface which may be the same as or similar to a volume defined by the collection cavity of the inlet feed component.

In some embodiments, a first end of a vacuum connector may be coupled to the outlet passage of the receptacle cover to assist with withdrawing some of the contents of the fluid jet out from within the entrapment cavity during operation. A second end of the vacuum connector may be coupled to a vacuum device that is adapted to withdraw at least some of the contents of the fluid jet from the entrapment cavity during at least a portion of the workpiece processing operation. Withdrawing such content before the jet receiving receptacle discharges the content via the discharge outlet may assist to reduce wear on the components of the fluid jet system and may also provide a quieter work environment during workpiece processing operations. In addition, withdrawing contents of the jet in this manner may reduce or substantially eliminate contents of the jet from rebounding and exiting through the fluid inlet aperture. It is appreciated that in some embodiments the vacuum connector may not be coupled to a vacuum device. Rather, contents of the fluid jet may be withdrawn from the entrapment cavity by gravity or other forces acting thereon. In addition, in some embodiments, in lieu of a vacuum, fluid (e.g., compressed air) may be introduced into the discharge outlet to provide an impediment to rebounding contents of the jet. For example, an air shield may be established across the cover below the fluid inlet aperture.

In some embodiments, the outlet passage may be formed at an upper portion of the receptacle cover and in fluid communication with the entrapment cavity. In other embodiments, the outlet passage may be formed at a lower or middle portion of the receptacle cover. In one embodiment, the outlet passage is formed just below a deflection surface of the receptacle cover. The deflection surface may be a portion of the inner cover surface of the receptacle cover. From the fluid inlet aperture of the receptacle cover, the deflection surface may diverge outwardly away from a central axis in a downstream direction. The deflection surface may assist to deflect rebounding jet fluid away from the workpiece, and may further assist in entrapping the jet fluid and other contents within the entrapment cavity for discharge, whether through the outlet passage or the discharge outlet, or both.

In some embodiments, the receptacle cover may be secured to an outer surface of the inlet feed component of the jet receiving receptacle. The receptacle cover may have a mounting aperture at a lower end thereof that has an inner surface adapted to interface, slide or flex over an outer surface of the inlet feed component of the jet receiving receptacle. The outer surface of the inlet feed component may have a diameter (or profile) that is smaller than a diameter (or profile) of the mounting aperture of the receptacle cover. The receptacle cover may have an attachment device, such as, for example, an o- ring, a snap ring, a clamp or other device, to hold the receptacle cover in place during operation. Thus, the receptacle cover may be removably attached to the jet receiving receptacle in order to easily replace the receptacle cover when replacement is desired or to gain access to the interior of the jet receiving receptacle.

In another embodiment, a method is provided for capturing or entrapping a fluid jet generated by a high-pressure fluid jet system during at least a portion of the processing of a workpiece. The method may comprise attaching a receptacle cover to a jet receiving receptacle. The method may comprise discharging the fluid jet from a nozzle of the high-pressure fluid jet system through a workpiece and passing the fluid jet through the receptacle cover and into an entrapment cavity. The entrapment cavity may be collectively defined by a receiving cavity (or internal cavity) of the receptacle cover and a collection cavity of an inlet feed component of the jet receiving receptacle. The method may further include withdrawing at least a portion of the fluid jet from the entrapment cavity through an outlet passage that is coupleable to a vacuum device. The outlet passage may be formed in an upper portion of a sidewall of the receptacle cover. The method may further comprise attaching a vacuum conduit to a vacuum connector coupled to the receptacle cover, and attaching the vacuum device to the vacuum conduit to withdraw at least some of the contents of the fluid jet out from within the entrapment cavity.

In one example embodiment, a fluid jet system adapted to generate a fluid jet under high-pressure operating conditions to process a workpiece may be summarized as including a nozzle having a fluid jet outlet to discharge the fluid jet and a jet receiving receptacle positioned opposite the nozzle to receive the fluid jet during a workpiece processing operation. The jet receiving receptacle may be coupled to or otherwise provided with a cover device. In one embodiment, the cover device may be a material displacement mechanism that may be removably attached to the fluid jet system and configured to provide a backing material covering all or some of the area defined by an inlet of the jet receiving receptacle. The material displacement mechanism may provide movement of backing material across the inlet, either continuously or intermittently, during at least a portion of the workpiece processing operation. The material displacement mechanism may have at least one material displacer to move the backing material across the inlet so that the fluid jet cuts through the workpiece and the backing material as the backing material traverses across the inlet of the jet receiving receptacle. In some embodiments, the backing material may continuously move during the workpiece processing operation in order to reduce the amount of contents of the fluid jet rebounding out of the inlet of the jet receiving receptacle by deflecting at least a portion of such contents of the fluid jet away from the workpiece or elsewhere. In other embodiments, the backing material may move intermittingly or periodically during the workpiece processing operation.

The material displacement mechanism may include a supplemental material displacer that, along with the material displacer, cooperatively moves the backing material across the inlet during at least a portion of the workpiece processing operation. The material displacer may include uncut backing material to provide backing material across the inlet while the supplemental material displacer receives the cut backing material. The cut backing material is cut as the result of passing under the fluid jet during operation. In one embodiment the material displacer and supplemental material displacer are each reels containing the uncut or cut backing material, respectively. The reel of the material displacer may be adapted to unwind the backing material therefrom and the reel of the supplemental material displacer may be adapted to wind the backing material thereon, or vice versa. In some embodiments, the backing material may include a rebound surface that is adjacent to and facing the inlet of the jet receiving receptacle. The rebound surface may assist to deflect rebounding contents of the fluid jet away from the workpiece during workpiece processing operation.

In some embodiments, the material displacement mechanism may include variations in configuration in order to facilitate proper movement of the backing material during workpiece processing operation. Such

configurations may ensure that the backing material does not become overly hindered or immovable due to the forces acting upon it during workpiece operation. Such forces may include suction forces occurring within the jet receiving receptacle that may be stronger than forces applied to move the backing material across the inlet during workpiece operation. In some embodiments, the backing material may have a width that is smaller than a diameter (or profile) of the inlet of the inlet feed component of the jet receiving receptacle. In some embodiments, the backing material may be positioned adjacent to and spatially offset above the inlet of the inlet feed component. In yet another embodiment, the backing material may be biased against or otherwise in contact with the inlet of the inlet feed component, and the inlet feed component may have at least one aperture or notch in a sidewall to interrupt a seal that may otherwise form between the backing material and the inlet of the inlet feed component. The at least one aperture may be formed radially through an upper portion of the inlet feed component and near the inlet in order to allow airflow between the collection cavity and the external environment. These variations in configuration may be used alone or in combination, or with other variations that assist to provide desired movement of the backing material.

In some embodiments, a method of capturing a fluid jet generated by a high-pressure fluid jet system during processing of a workpiece may be provided. The method may comprise positioning a backing material between a jet receiving receptacle and a workpiece and discharging a fluid jet from a nozzle of the high-pressure fluid jet system through the workpiece toward the jet receiving receptacle. The fluid jet may have a collection cavity configured to temporarily capture or receive the contents of the fluid jet. The method may further comprise moving a backing material across an inlet of the jet receiving receptacle while the fluid jet is discharged, which then cuts through the workpiece and the backing material before it enters the collection cavity. Such operational steps may be accomplished with the use of components of the material displacement mechanism, described above, for example. The method may include providing uncut material backing, with a material displacer, across the inlet and receiving cut backing material with a supplemental material displacer, that, along with the material displacer, cooperatively move the backing material across the inlet during at least a portion of the workpiece processing operation. The backing material may include a rebound surface that assists to deflect rebounding contents of the fluid jet away from the workpiece during at least a portion of the workpiece processing operation, which may, in turn, assist to reduce or minimize sound waves and fluid jet from exiting the collection cavity. In addition, the backing material may assist to reduce or eliminate frosting or other damage to the workpiece during processing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is an isometric view of a waterjet cutting system, according to one embodiment, having a waterjet cutting head positioned opposite a fluid jet receiving receptacle.

Figure 2 is an isometric view of a waterjet cutting system having a jet receiving receptacle with a receptacle cover, according to one embodiment, coupled to and positioned opposite a waterjet cutting head of a waterjet cutting system.

Figure 3 is an isometric view of the fluid jet receiving receptacle and receptacle cover of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the fluid jet receiving receptacle and receptacle cover of Figures 2 and 3, taken along line 4-4 of Figure 3, with a workpiece positioned between the receptacle cover and a nozzle of the waterjet cutting head.

Figure 5 is an isometric view of a waterjet cutting system having a fluid jet receiving receptacle with a receptacle cover, according to one embodiment, positioned opposite a waterjet cutting head of a waterjet cutting system.

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of a fluid jet receiving receptacle and a receptacle cover, according to one embodiment, with a workpiece positioned between backing material of the receptacle cover and a nozzle of the waterjet cutting head.

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of a fluid jet receiving receptacle and a receptacle cover, according to another embodiment, with a workpiece positioned between backing material of the receptacle cover and a nozzle of the waterjet cutting head.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description, certain specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of various disclosed embodiments. However, one of ordinary skill in the relevant art will recognize that

embodiments may be practiced without one or more of these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures associated with waterjet cutting systems and methods of operating the same may not be shown or described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring descriptions of the embodiments. For instance, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the relevant art that a high- pressure fluid source and an abrasive source may be provided to feed high- pressure fluid and abrasives, respectively, to a cutting head of the waterjet systems described herein to facilitate, for example, high-pressure or ultrahigh- pressure abrasive waterjet cutting of workpieces. As another example, well- known control systems and drive components may be integrated into the waterjet cutting systems to facilitate movement of the cutting head relative to the workpiece to be processed. These systems may include drive components to manipulate the cutting head about multiple rotational and translational axes, as is common in five-axis abrasive waterjet cutting systems, for example.

Example waterjet systems may include waterjet cutting heads coupled to a gantry-type motion system or a robotic arm motion system.

Unless the context requires otherwise, throughout the specification and claims which follow, the word "comprise" and variations thereof, such as, "comprises" and "comprising" are to be construed in an open, inclusive sense, that is as "including, but not limited to."

Reference throughout this specification to "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Thus, the appearances of the phrases "in one embodiment" or "in an embodiment" or "in some embodiments" in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment.

Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.

As used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" include plural referents unless the content clearly dictates otherwise. It should also be noted that the term "or" is generally employed in its sense including "and/or" unless the content clearly dictates otherwise.

As described herein, the term "cutting head" may refer generally to an assembly of components at a working end of the waterjet cutting machine or system, and may include, for example, a nozzle of the waterjet cutting system for generating a high-pressure waterjet and surrounding structures and devices coupled directly or indirectly thereto to move in unison therewith.

Figure 1 shows an example embodiment of a waterjet cutting system 10. The waterjet cutting system 10 may operate in the vicinity of a support structure 12 which is configured to support a workpiece 14 to be processed by the system 10. The support structure 12 may be a rigid structure or a reconfigurable structure suitable for supporting one or more workpieces 14 (e.g., composite aircraft parts) in a position to be cut, trimmed or otherwise processed. Examples of suitable workpiece support structures include those shown and described in Flow's U.S. Application Serial No. 12/324,719, filed November 26, 2008, and published as US 2009/0140482, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

The waterjet cutting system 10 further includes a bridge assembly 18 which is movable along a pair of base rails 20. In operation, the bridge assembly 18 moves back and forth along the base rails 20 with respect to a translational axis X to position a cutting head 22 of the system 10 for processing the workpiece 14. A tool carriage 24 is movably coupled to the bridge assembly 18 to translate back and forth along another translational axis Y, which is aligned perpendicularly to the translational axis X. The tool carriage 24 is further configured to raise and lower the cutting head 22 along yet another translational axis Z to move the cutting head 22 toward and away from the workpiece 14. One or more manipulable links or members may also be provided intermediate the cutting head 22 and the tool carriage 24 to provide additional functionally, as described further below.

During operation the movement of the cutting head 22 with respect to each of the translational axes X, Y, Z and one or more rotational axes B, C (Figure 2) may be accomplished by various conventional drive components and a control system coupled to the waterjet cutting system 10. The control system may generally include, without limitation, one or more computing devices, such as processors, microprocessors, digital signal processors (DSP), application-specific integrated circuits (ASIC), and the like. To store information, the control system may also include one or more storage devices, such as volatile memory, non-volatile memory, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), and the like. The storage devices can be coupled to the computing devices by one or more buses. The control system may further include one or more input devices {e.g., displays, keyboards, touchpads, controller modules, or any other peripheral devices for user input) and output devices (e.g., displays screens, light indicators, and the like). The control system can store one or more programs for processing any number of different workpieces according to various cutting head movement instructions. The control system, according to one embodiment, may be provided in the form of a general purpose computer system. The computer system may include components such as a CPU, various I/O components, storage, and memory. The I/O components may include a display, a network connection, a computer-readable media drive, and other I/O devices (a keyboard, a mouse, speakers, etc.). A control system manager program may be executing in memory, such as under control of the CPU. Further example control methods and systems for abrasive waterjet cutting machines, which include, for example, CNC functionality, and which are applicable to the waterjet cutting system 10 described herein, are described in Flow's U.S.

Patent No. 6,766,216, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In general, computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) processes may be used to efficiently drive or control the cutting head 22 along a designated path, such as by enabling two-dimensional or three-dimensional models of workpieces generated using computer-aided design (i.e., CAD models) to be used to generate code to drive the machines. For example, in some instances, a CAD model may be used to generate instructions to drive the appropriate controls and motors of the waterjet cutting system 10 to manipulate the cutting head 22 about various translational and/or rotary axes to cut or process a workpiece 14 as reflected in the CAD model. Details of the control system, conventional drive components and other well known systems associated with abrasive waterjet cutting systems, however, are not shown or described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring descriptions of the embodiments.

Other well known systems associated with waterjet cutting systems may also be provided such as, for example, a high-pressure or ultrahigh-pressure fluid source (e.g., direct drive and intensifier pumps with pressure ratings ranging from 40,000 psi to 100,000 psi and higher) for supplying high-pressure or ultrahigh-pressure fluid to the cutting head 22 and/or an abrasive source (e.g., abrasive hopper and distribution system) for feeding abrasives to the cutting head 22 to enable abrasive waterjet cutting. In some embodiments, a vacuum device may be provided to assist in drawing abrasives into the fluid from the fluid source to produce a consistent abrasive fluid jet to enable particularly accurate and efficient workpiece processing. Details of the control system, conventional drive components and other well known systems associated with waterjet cutting systems, however, are not shown or described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring descriptions of the embodiments.

Furthermore, although the example waterjet cutting system 10 of Figure 1 is shown as including a bridge assembly 18 or gantry-type motion system, it will be appreciated that embodiments of the fluid jet receiving receptacles described herein may be used in connection with many different known motion systems, including, for example, robotic arms which may be manipulated about numerous rotational and/or translational axes to position a cutting head and an associated fluid jet receiving receptacle in a wide range of positions and orientations. Still further, in some instances, the waterjet cutting systems may feature a stationary cutting head wherein a workpiece is manipulated beneath a nozzle thereof and wherein a fluid jet receiving receptacle is mounted opposite the nozzle.

With reference to Figure 2, a forearm 30 of the system 10 may be rotatably coupled to the tool carriage 24 to rotate the cutting head 22 about a rotational axis C. In addition, a wrist 34 of the system 10 may be rotatably coupled to the forearm 30 to rotate the cutting head 22 about another rotational axis B that is non-parallel to the rotational axis C. In combination, the rotational axes B, C enable the cutting head 22 to be manipulated in a wide range of orientations relative to the workpiece 14 to facilitate, for example, the cutting of complex profiles. The rotational axes B, C may converge at a focal point 42 which, in some embodiments, may be offset from the end or tip of a nozzle 40. In some embodiments, for example, a cutting head assembly 66 is coupled to the forearm 30 and may include the cutting head 22, a support arm 60, and jet receiving receptacle 150 having a cover device 100. The jet receiving receptacle 150 may be held by a rigid support arm 60 in which one end 62 of the arm 60 is attached to the cutting head 22 and the other end 64 of the arm 60 is attached to the jet receiving receptacle 150. The end 64 of the arm 60 attached to the jet receiving receptacle 150 may be attached to the jet receiving receptacle 150 by a bracket 65.

The nozzle 40 may protrude from a working end of the cutting head 22. As is typical of conventional waterjet cutting systems, the cutting head 22 may include an orifice (not shown), such as a jewel orifice, through which fluid passes during operation to generate a fluid jet for processing a workpiece 14 (Figure 4). The fluid jet receiving receptacle 150 is coupled to the cutting head 22 to move in unison therewith during cutting or other processing operations. The jet receiving receptacle 150 and receptacle cover 100 are held offset from an end of the nozzle 40 to provide a clearance envelope to receive a workpiece 14 between the nozzle 40 and the receptacle cover 100, as shown for example in Figure 4. During operation, after the fluid jet enters the receptacle 150 and the cover device 100, the contents of the fluid jet may be drawn out of the receptacle 150 by a vacuum device coupled to the receptacle 150 via a discharge conduit 80. The discharge conduit 80 may be provided along or within the arm 60 to couple with the jet receiving receptacle 150 and assist in removing fluid and abrasives (when present) from the discharged jet that is caught by the jet receiving receptacle 150 during operation, as described in more detail elsewhere.

In some embodiments, a vacuum conduit 102 may be attached between the receptacle cover 100 and a vacuum device V. More particularly, a first end of the vacuum conduit 102 may be coupled to a vacuum port or connector 104 of the receptacle cover 100 and a second end of the vacuum conduit 102 may be coupled directly or indirectly to the vacuum device V to provide suction during operation to assist with removal of contents of the fluid jet received by the receptacle cover 100 and the jet receiving receptacle 150 during operation. The vacuum device V may be controlled to provide continuous, generally constant suction during workpiece cutting operations, or the vacuum device may be controlled to provide suction periodically and/or with varying intensity. Discharged contents of the fluid jet removed via the conduits 80, 102 may be routed to a common receptacle to subsequently discard, recycle or reuse the discharged matter.

With reference to Figures 3 and 4, the receptacle cover 100 may be removably attached to an inlet feed component 106 of the jet receiving receptacle 150, which may be supported by a main housing 108. The jet receiving receptacle 150 may further include a jet arresting device 1 10 coupled to the housing 108 to assist in dissipating the energy of an incoming fluid jet 1 12. It will be appreciated that more or fewer components may be provided in other embodiments of the jet receiving receptacle 150. For example, in some embodiments the inlet feed component 106, the main housing 108, and the jet arresting device 1 10 may be combined as a single unitary component to provide the same or similar functionalities of these otherwise separate components. Furthermore, the inlet feed component 106, the main housing 108, and the jet arresting device 1 10 may be similar or the same as those shown and described in Flow's U.S. Patent Application No. 13/193,435, filed July 28, 201 1 , which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

With continued reference to Figures 3 and 4, the receptacle cover 100 may be coupled to the jet receiving receptacle 150 by an attachment device 1 14, such as an o-ring, a snap ring, a clamp or other device, and coupled to the perimeter of a lower portion 1 16 of the receptacle cover 100 to provide a secure attachment to the jet receiving receptacle 150. The receptacle cover 100 may include an upper portion 128 which defines the shape and size of a fluid inlet aperture 1 18. The fluid inlet aperture 1 18 allows passage of a fluid jet 1 12 into the receptacle cover 100 and the jet receiving receptacle 150 during operation. The fluid inlet aperture 1 18 may be provided at an apex of the receptacle cover 100 and may be in the form of a generally cylindrical- shaped passage that extends through the receptacle cover 100. In some embodiments, the fluid inlet aperture 1 18 may have a diameter Di between about one-quarter of an inch and three-quarters of an inch. In other

embodiments, the fluid inlet aperture 1 18 may have a diameter Di that varies beyond such range. In still other embodiments, the fluid inlet aperture 1 18 may be elongated or have a regular or an irregular cross-sectional profile. The fluid inlet aperture 1 18 may be sized to closely conform to a cross-sectional area in which the fluid jet 1 12 enters the receptacle cover 100, which may further assist to prevent contents of the fluid jet from exiting the receptacle cover 100 during operation.

With continued reference to Figure 4, the receptacle cover 100 includes an inner cover surface 121 which defines a receiving cavity 122. At least a portion of the inner cover surface 121 of the receptacle cover 100 may diverge substantially conically and outward and away from the central axis Ai in a downstream direction. When the receptacle cover 100 is installed, the receiving cavity 122 is in fluid communication with a collection cavity 124 of the inlet feed component 106. The collection cavity 124 is defined by a jet receiving surface 123 of the inlet feed component 106. The receiving cavity 122 of the receptacle cover 100 and the collection cavity 124 of the inlet feed component 106 collectively define an entrapment cavity 126 in which to receive or entrap the fluid jet 1 12, as it enters through the fluid inlet aperture 1 18, at least temporarily before discharge or withdrawal during operation.

The receptacle cover 100 of the example embodiment shown in Figures 3 and 4 further includes an outlet portion 130 having an outlet passage 134 formed through the outlet portion 130 and defining an aperture 132 in the inner cover surface 121 of the receptacle cover 100. The outlet portion 130 may be unitary with the receptacle cover 100 or may be a separate, attachable device. In some embodiments, the outlet passage 134 may have a circular cross-sectional profile with a diameter D₂ between about one-eighth of an inch to about three-quarters of an inch, depending upon factors pertaining to desired vacuum force and the amount of fluid jet 1 12 entering the entrapment cavity 126. In other embodiments, the diameter D₂ may vary beyond such range. In still other embodiments, the cross-sectional profile may be oval or of another regular or irregular shape. In addition, the passage 134 may have a generally constant cross-sectional area or may have a cross-sectional profile that varies over a length of the passage 134 (e.g., a tapered or converging passage).

In some embodiments, the vacuum conduit 102 may be coupled to the vacuum connector 104 by a clamp or other attachment device (not shown). The vacuum connector 104 may be coupled to the outlet portion 130 of the receptacle cover 100 such that the vacuum connector 104 is in fluid communication with the outlet passage 134 and the entrapment cavity 126. The vacuum connector 104 may be coupled to the receptacle cover 100 by various mechanisms. For example, the vacuum connector 104 may be inserted into an attachment recess 136 or other feature of the outlet portion 130 to provide a secure, seamless fit between the vacuum connector 104 and the receptacle

cover 100, as shown in Figure 4. In other embodiments, a main body of the cover 100 may be provided with internal threads and the connector 104 may threadingly engage the main body. The vacuum connector 104 may be, for example, a hose or pipe fitting. The vacuum connector 104 may also be coupled directly adjacent to the receiving cavity 122, which may eliminate the need for the outlet portion 130 of the cover 100. In other embodiments, the vacuum

connector 104 may be formed as an integral portion of the receptacle cover 100, rather than a separate part. The vacuum connector 104 may be sized and shaped to removably receive the vacuum conduit 102 described earlier. In some embodiments, the vacuum connector 104 and coupled vacuum device V (Figure 2) may be adapted to withdraw at least some of the contents of the fluid jet 1 12 from the entrapment cavity 126 in a direction away from the receptacle cover 100 during operation, as shown by withdrawal path P^ The withdrawn contents of the fluid jet may be routed to a storage receptacle or tank (not shown) or other device for discarding, recycling or reusing the contents in subsequent processing operations.

As shown in Figure 4 and according to one embodiment, a deflection surface 138 is provided near the upper portion 128 of the receptacle cover 100 to deflect rebounding contents of the fluid jet 1 12 in at least one direction away from the workpiece 14 as some of the contents of the jet rebound within the entrapment cavity 126. The deflection surface 138 may be defined by a portion of the inner cover surface 121 . From the fluid inlet aperture 1 18, the deflection surface 138 may diverge outwardly away from the central axis Ai and downwardly toward the inlet feed component 106. The outlet passage 134 may be formed immediately below (or downstream) of the deflection surface 138 in order to withdraw at least some of the contents of the fluid jet 1 12 as it deflects off the deflection surface 138. Downstream as used herein refers generally to the direction in which the fluid jet 1 12 flows out and away from the entrapment cavity 126 in the direction of path P₆, while upstream refers to the opposite direction.

With reference to Figure 4, and according to the example embodiment of the fluid jet system 10, during workpiece processing operations the fluid jet 1 12 may enter the fluid inlet aperture 1 18 and the entrapment cavity 126 in a state deflected from an initial trajectory that is generally collinear with the nozzle 40. For example, the jet 124 may deflect to the path P₂ when cutting a workpiece 14 while moving the cutting head 22 in the direction indicated by the arrow labeled 125, or it may deflect to a greater or lesser degree than that of the path P₂ shown. Accordingly, the fluid jet 1 12 may impinge on the jet receiving surface 123 of the inlet feed component 106 of the receptacle 150 to which the receptacle cover 100 is attached at different locations along the jet receiving surface 123. As the fluid jet 1 12 deflects from the jet receiving surface 123, the majority of the contents of the fluid jet 1 12 are deflected downstream (represented by some of the arrows of paths P3) toward a central cavity 140 and a discharge cavity 141 , where the contents are ultimately withdrawn from the receptacle 150 to be discarded, recycled or reused. Some contents of the jet, however, may rebound back upstream during operation, particularly after the fluid jet impinges on the jet receiving surface 123 and alters or wears upon the surface 123 to form a groove, depression or other surface irregularity. Thus, a substantial or significant portion of such

rebounding content (represented by some of the arrows of

paths P₃) may become temporarily entrapped by the entrapment cavity 126. Accordingly, portions of the inner cover surface 121 (including the deflection surface 138, for example) of the cover 100 may assist to deflect at least some of the rebounding contents of the fluid jet 1 12 in at least one direction illustrated by the arrows of paths P₄ and P₅, for example. It will be appreciated that other portions of the inner cover surface 121 , such as lower sidewall portion 142 or middle sidewall portion 144, may deflect rebounding portions of the fluid jet 1 12 away from the workpiece 14 in a similar manner as with the deflection surface 138. The particular shape and size of the inner cover surface 121 includes rounded or arced surface, such as the deflection surface 138 and the middle and lower sidewall portions 142, 144, that assist to route the fluid jet 1 12 within the entrapment cavity 126 in a fluid manner during workpiece processing operation.

With continued reference to Figure 4, the receptacle cover 100 may be removably attached to an outer surface 154 of the inlet feed component 106 of the jet receiving receptacle 150. For this purpose, the receptacle cover 100 may include a mounting aperture 156 at the lower portion 1 16 having an inner surface with a diameter D₃. The diameter D₃ may be sized to closely receive an upper

end 158 of the inlet feed component 106 of the jet receiving receptacle 150. In some embodiments, the diameter D₃ may be between about one inch and about two and one-half inches and the upper end of the inlet feed component may be sized accordingly. In other embodiments, the diameter may vary from such range. In one example, the inner surface 156 of the receptacle cover 100 interfaces with the outer surface 154 of the upper end 158 of the inlet feed component 106 of the jet receiving receptacle 150 to provide a secure fit during workpiece processing operation. The attachment device 1 14, such as an o- ring, a snap ring, a clamp or other device, may be provided to firmly attach the receptacle cover 100 to the jet receiving receptacle 150 in a removable manner. The receptacle cover 100 may have an overall length l_i in some embodiments between about one inch and about three inches, but the overall length l_i may vary from such range in other embodiments. In some embodiments, the receptacle cover 100 may have a cavity length L₂ between about one half of an inch and two and one half of an inch, however, in other embodiments, the cavity length L₂ may vary from such range. During operation, the receptacle cover 100 may be positioned below the workpiece 14 by a height Hi, which may vary depending upon the particular workpiece processing operation and the geometry of the workpiece to be processed. The height Hi may vary

throughout the cutting operation when cutting work pieces of non-uniform thickness, for example. The gap or height Hi is preferably minimized to assist in reducing noise levels generated during workpiece processing operations. Moreover, the nozzle 40 may be positioned during operation above the workpiece 14 at a standoff height H₂ of about one eighth of an inch or less. The height H₂, however, may vary depending upon the particular workpiece processing operation.

As described earlier, a majority of the contents of the fluid jet 1 12 may be discharged in a downstream direction out of the inlet feed component 106 of the jet receiving receptacle 150 during workpiece processing operations. A terminal outlet 146 may be provided in the inlet feed component 106 in fluid communication with the central cavity 140 to enable at least some of the contents, and preferably a majority or substantial majority of the fluid jet 1 12 to pass through the inlet feed component 106 in the downstream direction. The terminal outlet 146 may be tapered, as shown in the example embodiment of Figure 4, generally cylindrical, or of a different shape or form. The contents of the fluid jet 1 12 may then pass through the central cavity 140 and into the discharge cavity 141 in the direction of path P₆. The discharge cavity 141 may be shaped to direct incoming fluid and abrasives (when present) radially outward and back upstream through discharge apertures 162 of a fluid distribution component 149 in directions represented by the arrows of paths P₇. The contents of the fluid jet 1 12 may then proceed to an outlet chamber 152 surrounding the fluid distribution component 149. The contents of the fluid jet 1 12 may then be discharged via a discharge outlet 148 provided in the receptacle 150 in the direction of path P₈, for example. From the outlet chamber 152, fluid may be drawn out of the receptacle 150 by a vacuum device coupled to the discharge outlet 148 via a discharge conduit 80 (Figure 2). As described above, the discharge conduit 80 may be provided along or within the arm 60 to couple with the jet receiving receptacle 150 and assist in removing fluid and abrasives (when present) from the discharged jet that is caught by the jet receiving receptacle 150 during operation. The discharged fluid and abrasives that may be recovered by the jet receiving receptacle 150 can be reconditioned for reuse in the waterjet cutting system 10. These and other details regarding some embodiments of discharging the fluid jet 1 12 from the receptacle 150 may be found in Flow's U.S. Application Serial No. 12/473,280, filed May 16, 2012, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Figure 5 shows a jet receiving receptacle 150 including a cover device, according to another embodiment, in the form of a material

displacement mechanism 200 that provides a backing material 202, such as, for example, a ribbon or a tape structure, over at least a portion of an inlet 120 of the jet receiving receptacle 150. The backing material 202 may comprise a rubber or a plastic material, or other suitable materials. The backing material 202 may be relatively thin. For example, the backing material 202 may have a thickness of 1/16" or less.

The material displacement mechanism 200 may act as an alternative to the receptacle cover 100 described with reference to Figures 2 through 4 for assisting to prevent or reduce damage to a workpiece from rebounding jet content and to suppress noise during workpiece processing. System 10' may have the same or similar components as described with reference to Figure 2, such as the cutting head assembly 66 including the support arm 60 coupled to the cutting head 22 and the jet receiving

receptacle 150, as described elsewhere.

According to some embodiments, the material displacement mechanism 200 may include a material displacer 204 and a supplemental material displacer 205 that cooperatively displace the backing material 202 across the

inlet 120 of the jet receiving receptacle 150. The backing material 202 may be positioned between the inlet 120 and the workpiece 14 during at least a portion of the workpiece processing operation, as shown, for example, in Figures 6 and 7. The material displacer 204 may include and provide uncut backing material 208 and the supplemental material displacer 205 may include and receive cut backing material 210 during operation. As the backing material 202 is displaced across the inlet 120, the fluid jet 1 12 discharged from the nozzle 40 cuts through the workpiece 14 and the uncut backing material 208 (Figures 6 and 7). The cut backing material 210 (depicted by cutline 21 1 ) may then be received by the supplemental material displacer 205.

Although the material displacement mechanism 200 is shown as positioning the backing material 202 immediately above the inlet 120, it will be appreciated that the material displacement mechanism 200 and the receptacle cover 100, described with reference to Figures 2 through 4, may be used in combination such that the backing material 202 is positioned between the workpiece 14 and the receptacle cover 100. Thus, the backing material 202 may be displaced across the fluid inlet aperture 1 18 of the receptacle cover 100 during at least a portion of the workpiece processing operation.

With continued reference to Figure 5, and according to some embodiments, the material displacer 204 and the supplemental material displacer 205 may be attached to a cutting head assembly 66 at respective attachment portions 214, 216, for example. As such, the material displacement mechanism 200 may move with the cutting head assembly 66 during workpiece processing operation. According to some embodiments, the material displacer 204 and the supplemental material displacer 205 may each be reels that unwind and wind backing material 202, respectively. At least one motor M may be coupled the supplemental material displacer 205 to rotate the supplemental material

displacer 205 about a direction depicted by arrow R_A. The supplemental material displacer 205 may draw the backing material 202 from the material displacer 204, across the inlet 120 during at least the portion of the workpiece processing operation, thereby rotating the material displacer 204 about a direction depicted by arrow R_B. The rotational speeds of the material displacer 204 and the supplemental material displacer 205, and thus the speed of the backing

material 202, may vary or be constant in order to provide backing material 202 across the inlet 120 at a desired speed. A pair of rollers or other guide devices (not shown) may be positioned on either side or both sides of the inlet feed component 200 of the fluid jet receptacle 150 to assist to guide the backing material 202 as it moves across the inlet 120 of the jet receiving receptacle 150. It will be appreciated that other means of displacing the backing material 202 across the inlet 120 may be incorporated, such as providing only one material displacer or other mechanism that provides uncut backing material 208 across the inlet 120 during operation.

With reference to Figures 6 and 7, and according to an example embodiment of the fluid jet system 10', during workpiece processing operations the fluid jet 1 12 may exit the nozzle 40 and cut through the workpiece 14 and the backing material 202 in a state deflected from an initial trajectory generally aligned with the nozzle 40. The nozzle 40 may be positioned during operation above the workpiece 14 at a standoff height H₂ of about one eighth of an inch or less. The height H₂, however, may vary depending upon the particular workpiece processing operation. After cutting through the workpiece 14 and the backing material 202, the jet 1 12 may deflect to the path P₂, for example, while moving the cutting

head 22 in the direction indicated by the arrow labeled 125, or it may deflect to a greater or lesser degree than that of the path P₂ shown. Accordingly, the fluid jet 1 12 may enter the collection cavity 124 of the inlet feed component 106 of the jet receiving receptacle 150 via the inlet 120, similar to the manner described with reference to Figure 4. The fluid jet 1 12 may impinge on the jet receiving

surface 123 of the inlet feed component 106 at different locations along a cross- sectional profile of the jet receiving surface 123. As the fluid jet 1 12 deflects from the jet receiving surface 123, the majority of the contents of the fluid jet 1 12 are deflected downstream toward the central cavity 140 and the discharge cavity 141 , where the contents are withdrawn from the receptacle 150 to be discarded, recycled or reused, as described above with reference to Figure 4.

As previously described, during workpiece processing operations a majority of the contents of the fluid jet 1 12 may be discharged in a

downstream direction out of the inlet feed component 106 of the jet receiving receptacle 150. A terminal outlet 146 may be provided in the inlet feed component 106 in fluid communication with the central cavity 140 to enable at least some of the contents, and preferably a majority or substantial majority of the fluid jet 1 12 to pass through the inlet feed component 106 in the

downstream direction. The terminal outlet 146 may be tapered, generally cylindrical, or of a different shape or form. The contents of the fluid jet 212 may then pass through the central cavity 140 and into the discharge cavity 141 in the direction of path P₆. The discharge cavity 141 may be shaped to direct incoming fluid and abrasives (when present) radially outward and back upstream through discharge apertures 162 of a fluid distribution

component 149 in directions represented by the arrows of paths P₇. The contents of the fluid jet 1 12 may then proceed to an outlet chamber 152 surrounding the fluid distribution component 149. The contents of the fluid jet 1 12 may then be discharged via a discharge outlet 148 provided in the receptacle 150 in the direction of path P₈, for example. From the outlet chamber 152, fluid may be drawn out of the receptacle 150 by a vacuum device coupled to the discharge outlet 148 via a discharge conduit 80 (Figure 5), in the similar or same manner as described above with reference to Figure 2. The discharged fluid and abrasives that may be recovered by the jet receiving receptacle 150 can be reconditioned for reuse in the waterjet cutting system 10'. These and other details regarding some embodiments for discharging the fluid jet 1 12 from the receptacle 150 may be found in Flow's U.S. Application Serial No. 12/473,280, filed May 16, 2012, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Some contents of the fluid jet 1 12, however, may rebound back upstream during operation, particularly after the fluid jet impinges on the jet receiving surface 123 and alters or wears upon the jet receiving surface 123 to form a groove, depression or other surface irregularity. A substantial or significant portion of such rebounding content (represented by some of the arrows of

paths P₃) may become temporarily entrapped in the collection cavity 124.

According to some embodiments, the backing material 202 includes a rebound surface 228 to assist to deflect rebounding contents of the fluid jet 1 12 in at least one direction away from the workpiece 14, as shown by the arrows of deflection paths Pg and Pio, for example. The rebound surface 228 may be defined by lower surfaces of the cut backing material 210 and the uncut backing material 208. In some embodiments, the backing material 202 may be spatially positioned adjacent to and below the workpiece 14 by a height H₃, or the backing material 202 may be biased against the workpiece 14. The height H₃ may vary depending on the particular workpiece operation, such as a workpiece that has non-planar or irregular surfaces.

With reference to Figures 5, 6, and 7, and according to example embodiments of the fluid jet system 10', the material displacement mechanism 200 may include variations in configuration to assist with allowing uninterrupted displacement of the backing material 202 during workpiece processing operation by permitting airflow between the collection cavity 124 of the jet receiving receptacle 150 and the external environment. For example, the backing

material 202 may have a width Wi that may be less than a diameter D₃ (or profile) of the inlet 120 of the jet receiving receptacle 150, as illustrated in Figures 5 and 6. In another example, and with reference to Figure 6, the backing material 202 may cover all of the area defined by the inlet 120 and be spatially positioned adjacent to and above the inlet 120 of the jet receiving receptacle 150 by a height H . The height H may vary depending upon the particular workpiece processing operation. In yet another example, and with reference to Figure 7, the inlet feed

component 106 may include at least one aperture 218, such as, for example, a notch or a thru-hole, in an upper portion 230 of the inlet feed component 106 to vent the collection cavity 124. As such, the backing material 202 may bias against or otherwise be in contact with the upper portion 230 of the inlet feed component 106 of the jet receiving receptacle 150 during operation. Such variable configurations assist to ensure that the backing material 202 does not become immovable or hindered due to suction forces (or other forces) during workpiece processing operations by allowing airflow between the collection cavity 124 of the inlet feed component 106 of the jet receiving receptacle 150 and an external environment.

Although embodiments are shown in the figures in the context of processing a generic sheet-like workpiece 14, it is appreciated that the fluid jet receiving receptacle 150 with receptacle covers 100, 200 and waterjet cutting systems 10, 10' incorporating the same described herein may be used to process a wide variety of workpieces having simple and complex shapes, including both planar and non-planar structures. Example workpieces include stringers and other components for aircrafts. Furthermore, as can be appreciated from the above descriptions, the fluid jet receiving receptacle 150 with receptacle covers 100, 200 and waterjet cutting systems 10, 10' described herein are specifically adapted to generate a high-pressure or ultrahigh- pressure fluid jet and capture the same in a form factor or package which can substantially reduce or effectively eliminate rebounding of fluid and abrasives from the fluid jet receiving receptacle 150. This can be particularly

advantageous when cutting, for example, high-precision composite parts for aircraft or the like which have particularly stringent quality controls. Another advantage is the reduction or suppression of noise during workpiece

processing.

Moreover, the various embodiments described above can be combined to provide further embodiments. These and other changes can be made to the embodiments in light of the above-detailed description. In general, in the following claims, the terms used should not be construed to limit the claims to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification and the claims, but should be construed to include all possible embodiments along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.

Claims

1 . A fluid jet system adapted to generate a fluid jet under high-pressure operating conditions to process a workpiece, the fluid jet system comprising:

a nozzle having a fluid jet outlet to discharge the fluid jet;

a jet receiving receptacle positioned opposite the nozzle to receive the fluid jet during a workpiece processing operation, the jet receiving receptacle having an upper portion including an inlet and a collection cavity to receive the fluid jet; and

a receptacle cover removably attached to the jet receiving receptacle to overlie at least a portion of the inlet of the jet receiving receptacle, the receptacle cover having an inner cover surface defining a receiving cavity in fluid communication with the collection cavity of the jet receiving receptacle, the receiving cavity and the collection cavity collectively defining an entrapment cavity, and the receptacle cover having a fluid inlet aperture to allow ingress of the fluid jet into the entrapment cavity, and the receptacle cover having an outlet passage in fluid communication with the entrapment cavity to assist in routing matter of the fluid jet out from the entrapment cavity during at least a portion of the workpiece processing operation.

2. The fluid jet system of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the inner cover surface diverges substantially conically and outward away from a central axis of the jet receiving receptacle in a downstream direction.

3. The fluid jet system of claim 1 , further comprising a vacuum device in fluid communication with the outlet passage and adapted to withdraw at least some contents of the fluid jet from the entrapment cavity during at least the portion of the workpiece processing operation.

4. The fluid jet system of claim 1 wherein the receptacle cover includes a deflection surface defined by at least a portion of the inner cover surface, the deflection surface adjacent to the fluid inlet aperture and shaped to deflect at least a portion of rebounding contents of the fluid jet in at least one direction away from the workpiece during at least the portion of the workpiece processing operation.

5. The fluid jet system of claim 1 wherein the jet receiving receptacle includes an inlet feed component, and wherein the receptacle cover is removably attachable to the inlet feed component of the jet receiving receptacle.

6. The fluid jet system of claim 1 wherein the jet receiving receptacle includes a discharge outlet and the outlet passage of the receptacle cover is separately formed from the discharge outlet of the jet receiving receptacle.

7. A receptacle cover coupleable to a jet receiving receptacle of a high-pressure fluid jet system opposite a nozzle thereof to receive a fluid jet discharged from the nozzle during a workpiece processing operation, the receptacle cover comprising:

an inner cover surface that defines a receiving cavity configured to be in fluid communication with a collection cavity of the jet receiving receptacle when the receptacle cover is coupled to the jet receiving receptacle;

a fluid inlet aperture at an upper end of the receptacle cover to allow ingress of the fluid jet into the receiving cavity and the jet receiving receptacle during the workpiece processing operation; and

an outlet passage in fluid communication with the receiving cavity to route contents of the fluid jet away from the receiving cavity during at least a portion of the workpiece processing operation.

8. The receptacle cover of claim 7 wherein at least a portion of the inner cover surface diverges substantially conically and outward away from a central axis of the receptacle cover in a downstream direction.

9. The receptacle cover of claim 7 wherein the outlet passage of the receptacle cover is adapted to be coupled to a vacuum device.

10. The receptacle cover of claim 7 further including a deflection surface defined by the inner cover surface, the deflection surface adapted to deflect at least a portion of rebounding contents of the fluid jet in at least one direction away from the workpiece.

1 1 . The receptacle cover of claim 7 wherein the receptacle cover includes a mounting aperture having an inner surface sized and shaped to removably attach to a portion of the jet receiving receptacle.

12. The receptacle cover of claim 7 wherein the receptacle cover comprises a unitary body, the unitary body including the inner cover surface, the fluid inlet aperture, and the outlet passage.

13. A fluid jet system adapted to generate a fluid jet under high-pressure operating conditions to process a workpiece, the fluid jet system comprising:

a nozzle having a fluid jet outlet to discharge the fluid jet;

a jet receiving receptacle positioned opposite the nozzle to receive the fluid jet during a workpiece processing operation, the jet receiving receptacle having an upper portion including an inlet to receive the fluid jet into a collection cavity thereof; and

a material displacement mechanism configured to provide a backing material at least partially covering the inlet of the jet receiving receptacle, the material displacement mechanism having a material displacer to move the backing material across the inlet during at least a portion of the workpiece processing operation so that the fluid jet cuts through the backing material before the fluid jet enters the inlet of the jet receiving receptacle.

14. The fluid jet system of claim 13 wherein the material displacement mechanism includes a supplemental material displacer that, along with the material displacer, cooperatively moves the backing material across the inlet of the jet receiving receptacle during the at least the portion of the workpiece processing operation.

15. The fluid jet system of claim 14 wherein the material displacer includes uncut backing material to provide across the inlet toward the supplemental material displacer.

16. The fluid jet system of claim 14 wherein the material displacer and supplemental material displacer are each reels, each reel being adapted to unwind or wind the backing material as the backing material moves across the inlet.

17. The fluid jet system of claim 13 wherein the backing material includes a rebound surface adapted to deflect at least a portion of rebounding contents of the fluid jet away from the workpiece, wherein the rebound surface faces the inlet of the jet receiving receptacle and is positioned between and adjacent to the inlet and the workpiece.

18. The fluid jet system of claim 13 wherein the jet receiving receptacle includes at least one aperture in a sidewall such that airflow is permitted between the collection cavity of the jet receiving receptacle and an external environment.

19. The high-pressure fluid jet system of claim 18 wherein the at least one aperture is a notch formed in an upper portion of the jet receiving receptacle.

20. A material displacement mechanism coupleable to a high- pressure fluid jet system having a jet receiving receptacle opposite a nozzle thereof to receive a fluid jet discharged from the nozzle during a workpiece processing operation, the material displacement mechanism comprising:

a material displacer; and

a supplemental material displacer, the material displacer and the supplemental material displacer configured to provide backing material between an inlet of the jet receiving receptacle and the workpiece, the backing material overlying at least a portion of the inlet and adapted to deflect at least a portion of rebounding contents of the fluid jet in at least one direction away from the workpiece during at least a portion of the of the workpiece processing

operation.

21 . The material displacement mechanism of claim 20 further comprising:

a motor coupled to at least one of the material displacer and the supplemental material displacer to move the backing material across the inlet of the jet receiving receptacle during at least the portion of the workpiece processing operation.

22. The material displacement mechanism of claim 20 wherein the material displacer and the supplemental material displacer are each reels, and each reel is adapted to unwind or wind the backing material as the backing material moves across the inlet.

23. The material displacement mechanism of claim 20 wherein the backing material includes a rebound surface adapted to deflect at least a portion of rebounding contents of the fluid jet away from the workpiece , wherein the rebound surface faces the inlet of the jet receiving receptacle and positioned between and adjacent to the inlet and the workpiece.

24. The material displacement mechanism of claim 20, wherein the backing material has a width that is less than a profile of the inlet of the jet receiving receptacle such that airflow is permitted between the collection cavity of the jet receiving receptacle and an external environment.

25. The material displacement mechanism of claim 20 wherein the material displacer and the supplemental material displacer are configured to provide the backing material spatially offset from the inlet of the jet receiving receptacle in a direction along a central axis of the jet receiving receptacle such that airflow is permitted between the collection cavity of the jet receiving receptacle and an external environment.

26. The material displacement mechanism of claim 25 wherein the backing material has a width that is equal to or larger than a profile of the inlet of the jet receiving receptacle.

27. A method of capturing a fluid jet generated by a high- pressure fluid jet system during processing of a workpiece, the method comprising:

discharging the fluid jet from a nozzle of the high-pressure fluid jet system through the workpiece;

passing the fluid jet through an inlet aperture of a receptacle cover, the receptacle cover having an internal cavity and an outlet passage in fluid communication with the internal cavity; and withdrawing at least a portion of the fluid jet from the internal cavity of the receptacle cover through the outlet passage.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein withdrawing at least some of the fluid jet from the internal cavity through the outlet passage includes vacuuming at least a portion of the fluid jet from the entrapment cavity with a vacuum device.

29. The method of claim 27, further comprising: discharging at least a majority of the fluid jet out of the internal cavity through a discharge outlet of the jet receiving receptacle, wherein the discharge outlet and the outlet passage are separate and adapted to

collectively withdraw the fluid jet from the internal cavity.

30. A method of capturing a fluid jet generated by a high- pressure fluid jet system having a jet receiving receptacle, the method comprising:

providing a backing material between the jet receiving receptacle and a workpiece;

discharging the fluid jet from a nozzle of the high-pressure fluid jet system through the workpiece and the backing material toward the jet receiving receptacle; and

moving the backing material across an inlet of the jet receiving receptacle while discharging the fluid jet to assist to deflect at least some of a rebounding portion of the fluid jet in at least one direction away from the workpiece.

31 . The method of claim 30 wherein moving the backing material across the inlet while discharging the fluid jet comprises collectively moving the backing material across the inlet either continuously or

intermittently during at least a portion of the processing of the workpiece.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein moving the backing material across the inlet while discharging the fluid jet comprises unwinding the backing material from the material displacer onto the supplemental material displacer.