US4393708A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Acoustic system for material transport
Assignee: National Aeronautics and Space Administration
•
Filing: 1981-10-26
•
Granted: 1983-07-19
•
Expires: 2001-10-26
Abstract
Abstract A system is described for acoustically moving an object within a chamber, by applying wavelengths of different modes to the chamber to move the object between pressure wells formed by the modes. In one system, the object (96, FIG. 7) is placed in a first end portion of the chamber while a resonant mode is applied along the length of the chamber that produces a pressure well (86) at that location. The frequency is then switched to a second mode that produces a pressure well (100) at the center of the chamber, to draw the object thereto. When the object reaches the second pressure well and is still travelling towards the second end of the chamber, the acoustic frequency is again shifted to a third mode (which may equal the first mode) that has a pressure well (106) in the second end portion of the chamber, to draw the object thereto. A heat source (108) may be located near the second end of the chamber to heat the sample, and after the sample is heated it can be cooled by moving it in a corresponding manner back to the first end portion of the chamber. The transducers (88, 98, 110) for levitating and moving the object may be all located at the cool first end of the chamber.
Inventors
- 👤 Martin B. Barmatz
- 👤 Eugene H. Trinh
- 👤 Taylor G. Wang
- 👤 Daniel D. Elleman
- 👤 Nathan Jacobi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 14:54
CPC Classifications
G; G10; G10K; G10K15/00; B; B01; B01J; B01J19/00; B01J19/08; B01J19/10; F; F16; F16C; F16C32/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
120 words
A method for moving an acoustically positioned object within a chamber comprising: applying acoustic energy of a plurality of resonant modes along the same predetermined direction within said chamber, in sequence, to move the object between pressure wells established by said modes, wherein a first mode has a first pressure well and a second mode has pressure wells on initial and final opposite sides of said first pressure well; said step of applying acoustic energy including applying said first mode at a time when the object lies on said initial side of said first pressure well, to draw said object toward said first pressure well, and then applying said second mode while the object is moving toward said final side.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
120 words
A method for moving an acoustically positioned object within a chamber comprising: applying acoustic energy of a plurality of resonant modes along the same predetermined direction within said chamber, in sequence, to move the object between pressure wells established by said modes, wherein a first mode has a first pressure well and a second mode has pressure wells on initial and final opposite sides of said first pressure well; said step of applying acoustic energy including applying said first mode at a time when the object lies on said initial side of said first pressure well, to draw said object toward said first pressure well, and then applying said second mode while the object is moving toward said final side.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
81 words
The method described in claim 1 wherein: said chamber has a length extending in said predetermined direction, and a pair of opposite ends separated by said length, and said chamber has a width; and including applying additional acoustic energy to said chamber which is resonant to the width of the chamber; said steps of applying acoustic energy of a plurality of modes and applying additional acoustic energy, includes applying all of them to a first of said ends of said chamber.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
76 words
A method for moving an acoustically positioned object within a chamber comprising: applying a second mode, then a first mode, and then the second mode along a predetermined direction within said chamber, wherein said second mode has pressure wells lying on either side of a first pressure well of said first mode, to move the object from one side of said first well, through said first well, and to a second side of said first well.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
76 words
A method for moving an acoustically positioned object within a chamber comprising: applying a second mode, then a first mode, and then the second mode along a predetermined direction within said chamber, wherein said second mode has pressure wells lying on either side of a first pressure well of said first mode, to move the object from one side of said first well, through said first well, and to a second side of said first well.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
62 words
The method described in claim 3 including: detecting the passage of said object at said first pressure well at a time when said first mode is being applied; and wherein said step of applying includes ceasing to apply said first mode, and also beginning to apply said second mode, upon the detection of the passage of said object at said first well.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
101 words
A method for moving an acoustically positioned object within a chamber, comprising: applying acoustic energy of first and second resonant modes along the same direction within said chamber, said first and second modes having first and second pressure wells, respectively, that are widely spaced apart; and introducing an object into the region within said chamber which extends between said first and second pressure wells; said step of applying including varying the relative intensities of said first and second modes to control the relative distances of said object from said first and second pressure wells while said object lies in said region.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
101 words
A method for moving an acoustically positioned object within a chamber, comprising: applying acoustic energy of first and second resonant modes along the same direction within said chamber, said first and second modes having first and second pressure wells, respectively, that are widely spaced apart; and introducing an object into the region within said chamber which extends between said first and second pressure wells; said step of applying including varying the relative intensities of said first and second modes to control the relative distances of said object from said first and second pressure wells while said object lies in said region.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
106 words
Apparatus for controlling movement of an object, comprising: walls forming a chamber of predetermined dimensions; and transducer means for applying acoustic energy of a plurality of frequencies to said chamber, said frequencies chosen which are resonant to the chamber dimensions to levitate an object within the chamber; said transducer means including means for simultaneously applying two different frequencies which are each resonant to the same chamber dimension but which have pressure wells that are spaced apart, and means for varying the relative intensities of the two different frequencies to control the relative distances from the pressure wells of an object lying between the two pressure wells.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
106 words
Apparatus for controlling movement of an object, comprising: walls forming a chamber of predetermined dimensions; and transducer means for applying acoustic energy of a plurality of frequencies to said chamber, said frequencies chosen which are resonant to the chamber dimensions to levitate an object within the chamber; said transducer means including means for simultaneously applying two different frequencies which are each resonant to the same chamber dimension but which have pressure wells that are spaced apart, and means for varying the relative intensities of the two different frequencies to control the relative distances from the pressure wells of an object lying between the two pressure wells.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
137 words
Apparatus for applying acoustic energy to an object comprising: walls forming a chamber having a width and length and having first and second ends separated by said length; and transducer means for applying acoustic energy to said chamber of a plurality of different frequencies that produce wavelengths that are resonant to different corresponding dimensions of said chamber, including the width and length thereof, said transducer means applying all of said acoustic energy to said first end of said chamber; said transducer means including a plurality of transducers, each including a transducer element, a tube extending from said element to said chamber, and means for generating an element driving current of predetermined frequency, which produces a predetermined wavelength in said tube, said tube having a length equal to a whole number of half wavelengths of said predetermined wavelength.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
137 words
Apparatus for applying acoustic energy to an object comprising: walls forming a chamber having a width and length and having first and second ends separated by said length; and transducer means for applying acoustic energy to said chamber of a plurality of different frequencies that produce wavelengths that are resonant to different corresponding dimensions of said chamber, including the width and length thereof, said transducer means applying all of said acoustic energy to said first end of said chamber; said transducer means including a plurality of transducers, each including a transducer element, a tube extending from said element to said chamber, and means for generating an element driving current of predetermined frequency, which produces a predetermined wavelength in said tube, said tube having a length equal to a whole number of half wavelengths of said predetermined wavelength.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
160 words
Apparatus for controlling movement of an object, comprising: walls forming a chamber of predetermined dimensions; and transducer means for applying acoustic energy of a plurality of frequencies to said chamber, said frequencies chosen which are resonant to the chamber dimensions to levitate an object within the chamber; said transducer means including means for switching between a plurality of frequencies which are each resonant to a first chamber dimension, to move the object between pressure wells formed by the different resonant frequencies; said plurality of frequencies including a first frequency which produces a first pressure well at the center of said chamber along said first chamber dimension, and a second frequency which produces a pair of pressure wells lying respectively on initial and final sides of said first pressure well; and also including means for detecting the passage of an object past said first pressure well, for operating said switching means to switch from said first frequency to said second frequency.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
160 words
Apparatus for controlling movement of an object, comprising: walls forming a chamber of predetermined dimensions; and transducer means for applying acoustic energy of a plurality of frequencies to said chamber, said frequencies chosen which are resonant to the chamber dimensions to levitate an object within the chamber; said transducer means including means for switching between a plurality of frequencies which are each resonant to a first chamber dimension, to move the object between pressure wells formed by the different resonant frequencies; said plurality of frequencies including a first frequency which produces a first pressure well at the center of said chamber along said first chamber dimension, and a second frequency which produces a pair of pressure wells lying respectively on initial and final sides of said first pressure well; and also including means for detecting the passage of an object past said first pressure well, for operating said switching means to switch from said first frequency to said second frequency.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
209 words
Apparatus for controlling movement of an object, comprising: walls forming a chamber of predetermined dimensions; and transducer means for applying acoustic energy of a plurality of frequencies to said chamber, said frequencies chosen which are resonant to the chamber dimensions to levitate an object within the chamber; said transducer means including means for switching between a plurality of frequencies which are each resonant to a first chamber dimension, to move the object between pressure wells formed by the different resonant frequencies; said chamber having a length forming said first chamber dimension, and having first and second end portions spaced along said length dimension; said frequencies which are each resonant to said first chamber dimension including a first frequency which produces a first pressure well at the center of the chamber length and a second frequency which produces second pressure wells located at said opposite end portions of said chamber; and including walls forming an access opening at said first end portion of said chamber, to permit the introduction of an object near the second pressure well which lies at said first end portion of the chamber; and means for applying heat to said second end portion of said chamber, to heat the object when it has been moved thereto.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
209 words
Apparatus for controlling movement of an object, comprising: walls forming a chamber of predetermined dimensions; and transducer means for applying acoustic energy of a plurality of frequencies to said chamber, said frequencies chosen which are resonant to the chamber dimensions to levitate an object within the chamber; said transducer means including means for switching between a plurality of frequencies which are each resonant to a first chamber dimension, to move the object between pressure wells formed by the different resonant frequencies; said chamber having a length forming said first chamber dimension, and having first and second end portions spaced along said length dimension; said frequencies which are each resonant to said first chamber dimension including a first frequency which produces a first pressure well at the center of the chamber length and a second frequency which produces second pressure wells located at said opposite end portions of said chamber; and including walls forming an access opening at said first end portion of said chamber, to permit the introduction of an object near the second pressure well which lies at said first end portion of the chamber; and means for applying heat to said second end portion of said chamber, to heat the object when it has been moved thereto.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1986-07-18 | 1987-01-17 | 1987-07-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1990-07-18 | 1991-01-17 | 1991-07-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1994-07-18 | 1995-01-17 | 1995-07-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |