Electrostatic gating
AssigneeXerox Corporation
InventorsMeng Lean, John Ricciardelli, Osman Polatkan, Michael Savino, Armin Volkel
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Abstract
Various systems and techniques are disclosed for stopping, selectively controlling, and optimizing a flow of particles in a flowing stream. The systems and techniques utilize a multi-electrode assembly and various voltage waveforms applied to those electrodes. The particles flow past or near the electrode assembly and their flow is controlled by the configuration and arrangement of the electrodes and the voltage waveforms applied thereto. An additional strategy for countering particle leakage flow is also described.
Claims13
A system for selectively controlling particle flow, the system comprising:
- a passage adapted for housing the flow of a gas therethrough, the passage defining an inlet and an outlet;
- a particle container;
- a branch conduit providing communication between the passage and the particle container, the branch conduit providing communication with the passage at a location between the inlet and the outlet;
- a gating assembly defining an aperture and disposed in the branch conduit, the gating assembly including a first electrode and a second electrode adapted to emit electric fields proximate to a particle flow traveling through the aperture.
A method for stopping particle flow from a particle source to a flowing medium in a system comprising (i) a passage adapted for housing a flowing medium, (ii) a particle source, and (iii) a conduit providing communication between the passage and the particle source, wherein as a result of the flowing medium in the passage, particles from the particle source are drawn toward the flowing medium, the method comprising:
- directing a minor flow from the flowing medium into the conduit to provide a counter flow to offset the flow of particles from the particle source to the flowing medium otherwise occurring.
A method for stopping particle flow from a particle source to a flowing medium in a system comprising (i) a passage adapted for housing a flowing medium, (ii) a particle source, and (iii) a conduit providing communication between the passage and the particle source, wherein as a result of the flowing medium in the passage, particles from the particle source are drawn toward the flowing medium, the method comprising:
- providing an electrode assembly in the conduit such that particles flowing from the particle source to the passage, flow past and in close proximity to the electrode assembly;
- and
- applying a 2 phase voltage waveform to the electrode assembly to selectively stop particle flow from the particle source to the passage.
A method for selectively controlling particle flow from a particle source to a flowing medium in a system comprising (i) a passage adapted for housing a flowing medium, (ii) a particle source, (iii) a conduit providing communication between the passage and the particle source, and (iv) an electrode assembly disposed in the conduit, the assembly including an entrance electrode and an exit electrode, the method comprising:
- applying a variable voltage to the exit electrode whereby the particle flow from the particle source to the flowing medium is controlled by varying the voltage applied to the exit electrode.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.