Precision inclinometer with parallel dipole line trap system
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorOki Gunawan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Inclinometers with a parallel dipole line (PDL) trap system are provided. In one aspect, an inclinometer includes: a PDL trap having a pair of dipole line magnets, a transparent tube in between the dipole line magnets, and a diamagnetic object within the transparent tube, wherein the diamagnetic object is levitating in between the dipole line magnets; and a sensing system for determining a position z of the diamagnetic object in the PDL trap and for determining an inclination angle θ using the position z of the diamagnetic object in the PDL trap. Techniques to detect the diamagnetic object position using optical, capacitive and manual methods are described. A method for determining an inclination angle θ using the present inclinometers is also provided.
Claims20
An inclinometer, comprising:
- a parallel dipole line (PDL) trap having a pair of dipole line magnets, a transparent tube in between the dipole line magnets, and a diamagnetic object within the transparent tube, wherein the diamagnetic object is levitating in between the dipole line magnets;
- and
- a sensing system for determining a position z of the diamagnetic object in the PDL trap and for determining an inclination angle θ using the position z of the diamagnetic object in the PDL trap, wherein the sensing system comprises at least one of an optical sensing system and a manual readout system.
A method for determining an inclination angle θ, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing an inclinometer comprising a PDL trap having a pair of dipole line magnets, a transparent tube in between the dipole line magnets, a diamagnetic object within the transparent tube, wherein the diamagnetic object is levitating in between the dipole line magnets, and a sensing system comprising at least one of an optical sensing system and a manual readout system;
- tilting the inclinometer to displace the diamagnetic object in the PDL trap;
- determining a position z of the diamagnetic object in the PDL trap;
- and
- determining the inclination angle θ using the position z of the diamagnetic object in the PDL trap.
An inclinometer, comprising:
- multiple PDL traps positioned at different orientations on a ruler frame, wherein each of the PDL traps has a pair of dipole line magnets, a transparent tube in between the dipole line magnets, and a diamagnetic object within the transparent tube, wherein the diamagnetic object is levitating in between the dipole line magnets, and
- wherein each of the PDL traps has a manual readout system comprising a label affixed to the dipole line magnets, wherein the label contains markings corresponding to various positions (z) of the diamagnetic object in the PDL trap.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.