US 12,053,801 B1Granted

Apparatuses for chiral and spontaneous separations of enantiomorphous objects

AssigneeKnowledge Makers LLC

InventorsLiya W. F. Luk, Yan-Yeung Luk

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Abstract

Two methods or apparatuses for separating two enantiomorphs of a chiral object. First, the apparatus includes a bended channel, for which the first opening is the orthogonal projection of one enantiomorph in a certain orientation, and the second opening is a different orthogonal projection of the same orientation. At the bend, the channel surface is complementary to the three-dimensional shape of the enantiomorph, which permits one enantiomorph to pass through the second opening, but blocks the other enantiomorph. Second, the apparatus includes a single asymmetric opening that is a small orthogonal projection of the chiral object. Both enantiomorphs of the chiral object can pass through the opening by manual manipulation. By free falling, one enantiomorph will pass through while the other will be blocked. These separation apparatuses are applied to toys, puzzles, and educational tools.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A separation apparatus for separating a chiral object from its enantiomorph, said separation apparatus comprising:

a first enclosed channel comprising a first opening and a second opening, wherein said first opening comprising a first shape characterized by a first projection of the chiral object disposed in a first orientation and said second opening comprising a second shape characterized by a second projection of the chiral object disposed in a second orientation, wherein said first shape extends from said first opening through a first portion of said first enclosed channel, said second shape extends from said second opening through a second portion of said first enclosed channel to coincide with said first portion of said first enclosed channel to form an intersection having a surface complementary to the chiral object disposed in the first orientation with respect to said first opening and the second orientation with respect to said second opening, wherein when the chiral object is disposed in the first orientation, the chiral object comprises a third projection matching said first shape and a fourth projection matching said second shape, the chiral object is separable from an enantiomorph of the chiral object via at least one of said first opening and said second opening.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.