US4549435A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Vibrating-chamber levitation systems
Assignee: California Institute of Technology
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Filing: 1983-12-14
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Granted: 1985-10-29
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Expires: 2003-12-14
Abstract
Abstract Systems are described for the acoustic levitation of objects, which enable the use of a sealed rigid chamber to avoid contamination of the levitated object. The apparatus includes a housing forming a substantially closed chamber, and means for vibrating the entire housing at a frequency that produces an acoustic standing wave pattern within the chamber.
Inventors
- 👤 Martin B. Barmatz
- 👤 Dan Granett
- 👤 Mark C. Lee
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 17:03
CPC Classifications
G; G10; G10K; G10K15/00; F; F16; F16C; F16C32/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
63 words
Apparatus for establishing an acoustic standing wave pattern comprising: a housing that forms a substantially closed chamber, and means for moving all of said housing in a substantially undistorted state back and forth along at least a predetermined axis at a frequency which produces an accoustic standing wave pattern within said chamber, whereby to maintain an essentially constant position for a levitated object.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
63 words
Apparatus for establishing an acoustic standing wave pattern comprising: a housing that forms a substantially closed chamber, and means for moving all of said housing in a substantially undistorted state back and forth along at least a predetermined axis at a frequency which produces an accoustic standing wave pattern within said chamber, whereby to maintain an essentially constant position for a levitated object.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus described in claim 1 wherein: said means for moving includes a transducer having a vibrating surface, and said housing is mounted to said vibrating surface.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
52 words
The apparatus described in claim 1 wherein: said chamber has a substantially uniform cross-section along most of a predetermined length dimension, and said means vibrates said chamber along said length dimension and vibrates it at a resonant frequency which produces acoustic pressure variations, at opposite reflecting walls, that are out of phase.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
70 words
The apparatus described in claim 1 wherein: said chamber is of substantially parallelepiped shape, with rectangular cross-sections, said chamber has three axis X, Y, and Z, and has lengths along said axis of l x , l y and l z ; the axes of said chamber are oriented at angles θ x , θ y and θ z from the vertical, said angles being given by the equations: ##EQU2##
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
99 words
The apparatus described in claim 1 wherein: said chamber is of substantially parallelepiped shape, with rectangular cross-sections, and said means vibrates all of said chamber along an axis of vibration that subtends an angle of about 48° with both an X and a Y chamber axis and subtends an angle of about 70° with a Z axis; and said chamber has lengths along said axes of l x , l y and l z , and said frequency is one which produces a wavelength equal to [l x -2 +l y -2 +l z -2 /4 ] -2 .
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
63 words
The apparatus described in claim 1 wherein: said chamber is of largely cylindrical shape, but with the axis of the cylindrical shape being curved about an axis lying above the chamber, and said means vibrates said chamber about a vertical axis, whereby to fix the location of a levitated object when said chamber is subjected to gravity or other downward directed force field.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus described in claim 6 including: means for guiding said chamber in movement along said curved axis, whereby to maintain an essentially constant position for a levitated object.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus described in claim 1 wherein: said chamber is of spherical shape.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
60 words
Apparatus for establishing an acoustic standing pattern comprising: a chamber formed by walls, and means for vibrating all of the walls of said chamber in the same direction at the same time with the chamber in a substantially undistorted state at a frequency which is resonant to said chamber, whereby to maintain an essentially constant position for a levitated object.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
60 words
Apparatus for establishing an acoustic standing pattern comprising: a chamber formed by walls, and means for vibrating all of the walls of said chamber in the same direction at the same time with the chamber in a substantially undistorted state at a frequency which is resonant to said chamber, whereby to maintain an essentially constant position for a levitated object.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
63 words
The apparatus described in claim 9 including: means for heating said chamber walls to heat the entire volume within said chamber, and wherein; said vibrating means includes a transducer spaced from said chamber and at a lower temperature than all portions of said chamber, and a horn coupling said transducer to said chamber walls to vibrate all of the walls of said chamber.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
61 words
Apparatus for levitating an object comprising: walls forming a chamber of largely cylindrical shape, but with the axis of the cylindrical shape being curved about an axis lying above the cylinder, and means for vibrating all the chamber walls, with the chamber in a substantially undistorted state, whereby an acoustic standing wave pattern is established within said chamber along its diameter.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
61 words
Apparatus for levitating an object comprising: walls forming a chamber of largely cylindrical shape, but with the axis of the cylindrical shape being curved about an axis lying above the cylinder, and means for vibrating all the chamber walls, with the chamber in a substantially undistorted state, whereby an acoustic standing wave pattern is established within said chamber along its diameter.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
57 words
A method for establishing an acoustic standing wave pattern within a chamber formed by a housing, comprising: rapidly moving all of said housing back and forth with the housing in a substantially undistorted state, at a frequency which produces a standing wave pattern within said chamber, whereby to maintain an essentially constant position for a levitated object.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
57 words
A method for establishing an acoustic standing wave pattern within a chamber formed by a housing, comprising: rapidly moving all of said housing back and forth with the housing in a substantially undistorted state, at a frequency which produces a standing wave pattern within said chamber, whereby to maintain an essentially constant position for a levitated object.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method described in claim 12 wherein: said step of rapidly moving comprises attaching said housing to a surface of a transducer, and energizing said transducer to vibrate said surface.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
51 words
The method described in claim 12 wherein: said chamber is of uniform cross-section along most of a predetermined height direction, and said step of vibrating includes vibrating said chamber along said height direction at a resonant frequency which produces acoustic pressure variation, at opposite reflecting walls, that are out of phase.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3882732A
Cited
US4463606A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1988-10-28 | 1989-04-29 | 1989-10-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1992-10-28 | 1993-04-29 | 1993-10-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1996-10-28 | 1997-04-29 | 1997-10-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |